whs-clc special issue 2015 croaker s.1

7/18/2019 WHS-CLC Special Issue 2015 Croaker S.1

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The WSN Restoring Our Waterways

CROAKER Newsletter

WHS- CLC SCHOOLS PROGRAM SPECIAL ISSUESEMESTER 1 2015

Welcome

to this special issue of the Croaker Newsletter all about Wangaratta

High Schools Community Learning Challenge program working with WSNRestoring Our Waterways for 8 Wednesdays around our local waterwaysand its environment.Kelvin Berry our fishing coordinator and I met with Max Calvitto, WillRichens, Kayla and Bethany Lamb at the school to plan the semester ’s

activities.

WHS-CLC PROJECT DAYS

Wednesday 15th AprilI travelled on the school bus with the students and we met up with KelvinBerry out at Maloney’s Creek. On arrival what did we find? Rubbish everywhere around the table andseat, beside the creek, so it was gloves on, rubbish bags ready and outpicking up all the mess. Kelvin gave a talk on fishing lines and lures andthen the two boys Max and Will put a line in the creek. The two girls Kayla

and Beth, went and did somepractice throwing a line with a

lure on it and after a while they gotspot on hitting a tree (mind you thetree was a big one) . We spentabout an hour out there having alittle fun and planned our next fewweeks of activities.

Wednesday 22nd April It was off out to the Ovens Billabong for a big

weed removal job and putting a couple oflines in the Ovens to see if they could catchanything. The students were late so Kelvingave me a lesson in casting a lure and it waslots of fun. I finally had my first fishing

lesson. The weed removal job for thestudents is a mammoth job but I hadfull confidence in their great attitude tohelping WSN clean up theenvironment. The Noogoora Burr wasin a large clump on the edge of the

Ovens River in the beach areasurrounding a Black willow. Kyla andBeth started on one side and Will and Max the other.



The WSN Restoring Our Waterways CROAKER Newsletter

In between Kelvin gave the students, one at a time, a littlecasting a lure lesson so it wasn’t all hard work. If any of you knowmuch about this terrible weed you would know how the burrs like

to attach themselves to you and

whatever you are wearing. They weretrue to form, the students werecovered in them and so were Kelvin and I. Tayla andBeth also removed some Mexican Tea (an escapeespice plant it would be interesting to find out how thatgot out there), they also found a snake skin (just

recently vacated). After a couple of hours it was down tools and a rest. They hadenough time to clean off the burrs before Donna Lane (their teacher) arrived to collect them. The effortthey put in was great but there was still more to remove so we will be coming back in a couple of weeks.

Wednesday 29th AprilToday we were meeting down at North Beaches for some fishing

and checking out the area. So the fishing started, the boys wentone end and the girls the other. They do fish very well and havethe patience, which is needed for fishing. I did a little weedremoval to fill in some time. Kelvin came along a little later to

instruct them in the finer art of fishingwith lures. The fishing was veryquiet there so we moved down stream (a long way down stream walking andwalking). I didn’t think I would make it to the next fishing spot. It is sobeautiful down that way along the Ovens River, walking along the track is sorelaxing, the birds singing and peacefulness makes you really appreciate howwonderful the environment is around Wangaratta. We had no luck fishingthere either but this project with the students is not all about hard work.

Wednesday 6th MayIt was a day back at the Ovens Billabong removing Noogoora Burr againand the students got straight into it but they forgot to bring their tools so itwas hard going. But guess what they found? Some tools they left there twoweeks ago. There were some people camping down by the River so I wentand asked them if they had a small axe we couldborrow (the boys came with me for protection).They were very nice aboriginal people and loaned

us a small axe. The girls out worked the boys. I did a heap of rubbish removal, itis such a shame how people go and use a great place but leave their rubbishbehind. Only a small area still to remove weeds, so there will be one more visit tothe Ovens Billabong.

Wednesday 13th MayToday the students workeddown at the Galen Billabong,which is now named MullinmurBillabongs, with Gayle SouthLandcare facilitator. Cleaning up and checking theTurtle Track that last year CLC students constructed.Beth and Will raked the whole Turtle Track. Yes all the

way around and did a terrific job, while I walked with them checking for rubbish (which I am pleased to say

there was only a couple of empty cans and a plastic bag). Tayla and Max wentwith Gayle weeding and they removed heaps of their favourite weed NoogooraBurr, they also did a terrific job. The reason we went to the Galen Billabongproject was because the Judge from Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria wascoming the next day to inspect this entry in this year ’s awards




Wednesday 20th MayWe held a Barbie at Safeway to raise money to buy vouchers asprizes at this years “Let’s Go Fishin” Carp Muster. A bit of a latestart but once organized (thanks to Donna Lane their teacher)

Tayla and Beth selling and serving the sanga’s and Max was headchef.The excitement when they sold their first sausage wasoverwhelming but they soon settled down and got on with the job athand. They raised about $70 so it was a great lunch time effort.The skills they learnt will help them in their future life and what

volunteering is all about, a little bit of time given to your community can be fun and rewarding.

Wednesday 27th May 2015Back at the Ovens Billabong to remove the last small patch of Noogoora Burr andthe two Black Willows on the edge of the Ovens River and burn them. Gayle SouthOLN facilitator had organized the necessary permission to burn all the weeds and

willows. Will and Max helped Gayle to cut down the willows and then she poisonedthe stumps, then they were piled on top of the large pile of weeds that had beenremoved over the students three project days out there. Beth and Tayla helpedKelvin to get the fire going (with a little bit of help from me), it took a while to get itgoing but when it did it was very satisfying to see one of my pet hate weeds go upin smoke.I am so proud of all the hard work the students did and what they achieved out there as you will see fromthe photos before and after.

Before weeds were removed

After Tayla, Beth, Will and Max hadworked so hard removing this area ofNoogoora Burr and black Willows




Diane Farmer

Co-ordinator,

WSN Restoring Our

Waterways

PO Box 772

Wan aratta Vic 3677

For current information and events check out the Wangaratta Sustainability Networks website:

http://www.wangarattasustainability.org/

Thank you to our sponsors.

WSN INFORMATION

For more information contact:

Dr Rowan O’Hagan – Secretary

PO Box 772

Wangaratta Vic 3676

12 Deakin Court

Wangaratta VIC 3677Phone (03) 5721 8231

[email protected]

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.



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whs-clc special issue 2015 croaker s.1

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