The WSN Restoring Our Waterways

CROAKER Newsletter

Diane Farmer Co-ordinator, WSN Restoring Our Waterways PO Box 772 Wangaratta Vic 3677 diane.farmer@bigpond.com 0439020448

Contents Pg. 2. A visit to Tim McCurdy MLA, Swamps, Rivers & Rangers Blueprint release. Pg. 3. Wangaratta Community Pride Committee and KVB Finalists & National Tree Planting Pg. 4. Green Army Tree Planting Remembering Tree Planting. Around the Traps Pg. 5. Around the Traps cont. & Walking the Ovens River Pg. 6 Controlling Carp and protecting Platypus Wimmera CMA, New SES Flood Info Signs. Pg. 7. Events & Jazz Festival Volunteering information. Pg. 8. Sponsors

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015 Issue # 40

Welcome to the August Croaker where I am still playing catch up with some great

events that happened in July. Friday 3rd July was the launch of the Blueprint for Action with Swamps, Rivers and Rangers. A special newsletter all about the great work the WHS- CLC students did during the first semester for 2015. If you would like to read all about their environmental works around our local waterways the newsletter is on the WSN website www.wangarattasustainability.org. Carp Carp Carp that’s what it was all about on Tuesday 21st July at La Trobe University Wodonga, where a very successful Carp Conference took place. Lots of people have caught the bug to remove Carp and to learn all about them in order to improve their local waterways for Native Fish.

Goulburn Broken CMA are putting on a great Family Fun Day down near Avenal beside Hughes Creek called Hughes Creek Fish Circus on the 12th of Sept so mark your calendars. There are a few WSN members interested in attending to learn more about fun ways to enjoy our waterways as well as removing a few Carp, see info on our website

www.wangarattasustainability.org Sunday 26th July was National Tree Planting Day and on Thursday 30th July a meeting to plan what will be put in place for the Landcare tent at this years Wangaratta Show on the 9th & 10th October. On Friday 31st July down to Winton Wetlands to a meeting with Swamps, Rivers and Rangers committee to learn about INFFER bringing clarity to environmental decisions. Early August WSN-ROW presentation to WHS- CLC students to see if any of them would be interested in working around our local waterways. Sunday 16th August Remembering Tree Planting Day.

We are so excited WSN-ROW’s entry into the Keep Victoria Beautiful Awards 2015 “Macca’s back from Extinction” on behalf of DELWP, NECMA, ARI and Fisheries Vic is a finalist in the

2015 Awards and so is The Galen Billabong project which WSN is also involved with. The only problem is they are both in the same category Clean Beaches/Waterways. Winners will be announced on Saturday

17th October in Beechworth. The Mullinum Billabongs (new name for Galen Billabong project). There is a great article from Wimmera CMA about removing Carp to help the local Platypus a must read on Page 6

Enjoy your read

The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter Page 2

A VISIT TO Tim McCurdy MLA office.

Kelvin Berry and I went to Tim’s office to give him a copy of the WSN-ROW Carp Removal Program Report and to Thank him for his assistance obtaining the permit to use our portable Carp Pod Traps also to receive a grant to help start the removal program. See his statement below.

Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy MLA said he was pleased to be able to work with the Wangaratta Sustainability Network to achieve improved environmental outcomes. “The Wangaratta Sustainability Network plays a significant role in the community to address important issues and the Restoring our Waterways’ group has made a real difference through the projects they have implemented,” Mr McCurdy said. “The carp removal program has achieved significant results and has improved many local waterways. I thank the group and congratulate them for this success as well as for bringing the wider community’s attention to the impact of carp.”

Friday 3rd July the launch of the Blueprint for Action with Swamps, Rivers and Rangers.

A very nice sunny day and it was beautiful at Merriwa Park and there was a good number of people attending. The blueprint is the result of a year’s work by the committee and is a community driven long term landscape restoration projects funded by the Norman Wettenhall Foundation (NWF) a philanthropic trust dedicated to supporting community driven environmental projects. The committee consists of representatives from North East Landcare, both Indigo Shire and the Rural City of Wang, NECMA, Ovens Landcare, Trust for Nature, CFA Region 23 & 24, Winton Wetlands, community members and a project manager appointed by NWF.

The project manager is Stephen Routledge and the projects aim to “get the community behind us, get them interested in the landscape” the blueprint, in time, will set in motion a number of projects. There is about 10 projects selected and they will be put into priority order.

Bronwyn Chapman from the Environment Dept at Council was the MC welcoming everyone then Cathy McGowan (MHR, Indi) said a few words as did Stephen Routledge and a representative from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation. The blueprint is a very interesting read and the

Ovens Landcare group and most of the Landcare Facilitators have copies . WANGARATTA COMMUNITY PRIDE COMMITTEE

Yes the Wangaratta Community Pride Committee worked hard again encouraging volunteer groups and Government Agencies to enter the 2015 Keep Victoria Beautiful Awards.

The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter Page 3

On Thursday 13th August, thirty people gathered at the Library Meeting Room for the Keep Victoria Beautiful Awards, formally Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Awards. Seven finalist certificates were presented and as Gary Mogford presented the finalist certificate recipients were invited to give a brief account of their initiative. Two students from Cathedral College were enthusiastically applauded for their description of “Exploring The

Science Garden”. Administrator Irene Grant accepted the certificate for Wangaratta being named as one of the six Tidy Town finalists for 2015. All recipients are looking forward to the KVB Awards evening to be held in Beechworth on Saturday 17 October.

NATIONAL TREE PLANTING DAY Sunday 26th July, 2015 National Tree planting day was great in Wangaratta Lots of people and heaps of

children most of them from the local scouts, they planted over 700 trees and plants in an hour and a half.

The sun was out but the wind was cold. Andy Kimber and I turned up to help. Love planting trees More Trees Please is a great saying. It is great to see people moving over the area to be planted and in no time at all the area is all planted. There was a bit of fun collecting the plant containers, the children had a ball but some

adults couldn’t help themselves and played a long (boys will be boys).

Thanks Bronwyn Chapman, Scott Draper, Andrew Snowdon & Sophie Enders from RCoW Environment Department. Barbie was great bread a little stale ha ha

The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter Page 4

SCHOOLS TREE PLANTING DAY CANCELLED BUT THE “GREEN ARMY” CREW CAME TO THE RESCUE.

Friday 24th July, 2015 The weather was so cold and wet that the schools tree planting day along One Mile Creek

was cancelled but thanks to the great work from the “Green Army” crew working in the

Wangaratta area, hundreds of trees were planted. Apparently Rain Hail or Cold Wind will not stop these young people from getting an

environmental job done. It was Trees, Trees give me more Trees Please

along One Mile Creek just before the Junction of One & Three Mile Creeks. The finished planting job looks absolutely beautiful and I would like them to know that their hard work is a credit to them and is appreciated by all who walk or ride the path beside the creek. A big Thanks from me on behalf of the Environment. See photos below.

REMEMBERING TREE PLANTING DAY

Sunday 16th August 2015

It was a beautiful sunny day and there were lots of people arriving at the Wenhams Lane Reserve to plant Australian trees, bushes and bulbs in memory of someone special who had passed away. This is a beautiful way to remember someone or even a pet that had left this earth. You always catch up to someone you know

planting to keep a memory alive. This is a great event that the Rural City of Wangaratta, North East Health and Gateway Health have been doing for 8 years now.

AROUND THE TRAPS

When debris is too much.

I do believe in debris for animals in the environment around and in our waterways

BUT this section beside

One Mile Creek has got to the stage that enough is enough and way too much debris. There a several branches layered on top of each other

making a dam in the creek also piled on the bank. With a dry and hot Summer predicted so much dead large tree branches in one area is a fire hazard, so I have sent in a report to Council and NECMA. I wouldn’t want to live next to the creek in this area wether it is Flood or Fire along there.

The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter Page 5

Litter Litter in our waterways Yes litter is still entering our waterways One Mile Creek is the worst followed by Three Mile Creek and coming up the rear is the Ovens & King Rivers. Hope to speak to the EPA this month re who should or

could do a “Do Not Litter” campaign around this town. I will be walking One Mile Creek to see where all the litter has ended up after all the great rain we had on the 26/27th August.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL WALKING ALONG THE OVENS RIVER - WHEN THE SUN IS OUT THAT IS. Saturday 15th August I took a walk from the Templeton St Boat Ramp down towards North Beaches. I didn’t stick to the pathway as walking beside the river and hearing the water flowing is so relaxing and the view of the River is far more spectacular. Thanks to the regular litter removers who walk that area it makes it even more pleasant walking. The Wattles out at the moment both sides of the river are stunning.

Sydney Beach Ovens River

One Mile Creek White St Bridge

The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter Page 6

THIS IS SO EXCITING A must read so check out the Website Di

From Greg Fletcher Wimmera CMA Just thought you’d be interested in developments in our part of the world – we’ve been trialling through cesar, the use of eDNA for getting an appreciation of the quantum of carp in a location. The next phase will be refining this to enable more effective on-ground removal works.

eDNA technology paves the way for controlling carp and protecting platypus Jul 20, 2015

NEW E -DNA TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP WIMMERA CMA

MORE EFFECTIVELY TARGET AREAS OF THE

CATCHMENT FOR CARP REMOVAL

W ILDLIFE ECOLOGIST JO SH G RIFFITHS FRO M CESAR W ITH A BABY GI RL PLATYPUS HE FO UND NEAR ZUMST EINS I N MARCH THI S YEAR AS PART OF SURVEYS THAT CO MBI NED NEW E-DNA TECHNO LOGY W ITH L I VE T RAPPING .

http://www.wcma.vic.gov.au/news/news-detail/2015/07/20/edna-technology-paves-the-way-for-controlling-carp-and-protecting-platypus

NEW FLOOD HEIGHT INFORMATION SIGNS.

One of the passed flood height information signs has been installed down at Sydney Beach showing the dates and heights of the floods that have occurred over the past 50years. There are several other flood information signs to be erected in time along other waterways around Wangaratta. It is very interesting reading for locals and visitors alike. Mother Nature likes to show who is boss now and again just to encourage us to appreciate our most precious resource, water because without it all things die. It is in our interest to look after, take care and clean up our waterways.

The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter Page 7

EVENTS

SEPTEMBER

Sustainable House Day Forum, Wednesday September 9 Time: 5.30-7.30pm Barr Reserve Eco Living Community centre, Park Lane, Wangaratta. Free displays plus guest speakers on sustainable design, building and renovating. Light supper and prizes provided. RSVP: by Sep 7 2015 to Council’s Environment Unit 03 5722 0888 or council@wangaratta.vic.gov.au Sustainable House Day, Sunday 13 September Pam Proctor has her home open for Sustainable House Day: http://sustainablehouseday.com/house/granite-gardens-house/ Here’s a link to SHD website ancillary events: http://sustainablehouseday.com/ancillary-events/ WSN website: www.wangarattasustainability.org

OCTOBER

WANGRATTA Show Sat &Sun 9th & 10th October. Come along to the Landcare Marque and visit all the displays, WSN, WULG, Council, NE Water, Aboriginal displays, live music and lots more.

Information Night – Volunteers, Friends, Life Members.....all welcome It is that time of year again where we call out to the community to get together and come along to hear from Paul Squires - Chair of the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues and Adrian Jackson – Artistic Director, about what’s happening at your 2015 Festival! With many great innovations taking place, we would love to give you some insight into this year’s Festival. Come along to hear the latest about the NEW VENUES, GREAT MUSICIANS, NEW FESTIVAL APP, DIDDLY BOW project (What’s that you ask??) and changes to our TICKETING. Gather your friends and family and bring them along to introduce them to YOUR JAZZ FAMILY. There will be “lucky door prizes” and a chance to meet the Festival Board members and Event Managers. There are also some new faces that we would love for you to meet! See below for full details.

Monday 7 September 20155pm – 6pm Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre – Memorial Hall RSVP to Nolan Media and Events admin@nolanmediaevents.com.au by Friday 04/09/2015.

The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter Page 8

If you would like to register now here it is 2015 Volunteer Registration Form1.pdf just print it out and fill it in you can bring it to the event, get it back to me at The Centre or email it back to me and I will email you your roster and information.

If you have any other questions or would like to discuss other volunteering issues please don’t hesitate to contact me. Remember if you do three shifts or more you get a thank you day pass.

Linda Phillis

VMP/Volunteer Skillsbank Coordinator

Monday to Thursday

The Centre, your Community College Chisholm Street, Wangaratta 3677 Ph: (03) 5721 0256 Mob: 0428 216 932 Fax: (03) 5721 9994 Email: linda.phillis@thecentre.vic.edu.au Web: http://www.thecentre.vic.edu.au

Thank you to Diane Farmer for putting this Croaker together, Tim McCurdy’s office and our sponsors and supporters.

WSN INFORMATION

For more information contact:

Dr Rowan O’Hagan – Secretary PO Box 772 Wangaratta Vic 3676 12 Deakin Court Wangaratta VIC 3677 Phone (03) 5721 8231

wangarattasustainability@mail.com

www.wangarattasustainability.org

Under the umbrella of the Wangaratta Urban

Landcare Group

Family/Household/Organisation – $10 per year Single – $5 per year Student – $2 per year

This Newsletter designed by the Volunteers at Community Skillsbank, Wangaratta.