SUMMER ’09 –’10 NEWSLETTER

 

Great news, summer is here at long last. After a cold and damp winter and a belated spring, we hope you have got your gardens under control and most of your projects out of the way so you can look forward to some good outdoor living with family and friends. It’s holiday time in our area, not just for the visitors but for us too. We need to try to ensure we get at least a few days around the coast with some quality time in appreciating our natural environment. Our Group spends a lot of time and energy each year enhancing the coastal area, not only for ourselves but for the whole community as well.

Warrnambool has definitely been a top spot for wildlife viewing this year. We have had the most ever Southern Right Whales at Logan’s Beach, Killer Whales in the bay and early signs of an increase in the Little Penguin population on Middle Island (see reports inside). There have been reports of Hooded Plover chicks on some of the beaches but unfortunately it has been a bad year for the Short-tailed Shearwater with thousand of starving birds washed up on beaches along the SW coast. The ever popular ‘Meet the Maremmas’ tours to Middle Island will be back on again in January as part of the Summer by the Sea activities program, so make sure you book early to avoid disappointment.

 

Climate Change

While the debate about climate change persists, it’s good to see both sides of politics support an ETS, albeit not as forthcoming as one would like. Weather climate change is true or not, one can’t deny there are numerous and extreme changes in our weather pattern and this alone should be enough to make us think globally and ask have we caused this by raping our environment to the point of extinction? We can’t afford to deny the change any longer, especially for our children’s sake.

On a local level there are thousand of things we can do at home and in the community to reduce our human foot print on the environment. Basically our interactions with day to day living need to be sustainable, the more the better….where and how did a product come from….was it fair trade or was the environment destroyed in the process, what happens with the waste, the list goes on and its up to all of us to work together to reverse the problems.

 

Middle Island Maremma Update

The 09/10 Little Penguin breeding season has been underway since July and some of those early breeders have fledged chicks already. We have micro-chipped 4 chicks and 11 new adults this year already- many thanks to volunteers John Sutherland, Kristie King and Thorin Robertson for their assistance. The first penguin count was conducted with the help of Coastcare volunteers and the result was 58 penguins! Last year at around this time we had 21 penguins coming in and while we understand ‘natural variance’ is always in play, so far things are looking good for the colony’s continued recovery.

The Maremmas, Eudy and Tula, are doing well. They have been visiting the island regularly, eagerly scent marking and checking on the status quo. No fox kills or evidence of foxes has been found on the island which is very encouraging. Foxes are still being sighted in and around Stingray Bay with at least 6 being destroyed this year- many thanks to volunteers Errol Carter and Phil Bowan for their early morning (3-6am) time and expertise.

New off island accommodation for the Maremmas has also changed with an enclosure completed out near Lake Gillear. The girls and their chooks have moved in and seem content with the new lodgings. They are spending more time on the island as the breeding season progresses and when the restrictions on the use of the electronic collars have been alleviated will be staying out full time during the remainder of the season. They are over a year old now and are growing into big beautiful blond Maremmas.

Many thanks to BHPMinerva Gas Plant and Powercor for their financial support and to our new sponsor, PETSTOCK Warrnambool who are generously providing the food for the Maremmas.

Recently two Little Penguin chicks were suspected of dying after unauthorized people tampered with breeding boxes and trampled burrows.

Currently there are penguin chicks in burrows and nesting boxes, any disturbance can potentially result in penguin deaths.

The public are reminded that unauthorized access to the Island is still in force and they risk a fine of $500. It is imperative people remain off the island to ensure the penguins have the best chance of survival. The penguin colony is still vulnerable despite numbers growing in recent years.

Free guided tours in summer will give an opportunity for the public to visit Middle Island, learn about penguins and Maremmas from guides, while ensuring they don’t impact on the burrows and don’t threaten the breeding of the penguins. Any sighting of unauthorized personal should be reported to the WCC in business hours or the police otherwise.

David Williams and Ian Fitzgibbon

 

Summer by the Sea Program

Coast Action Coastcare’s Summer by the Sea program kicks off again on January 2nd with a focus on activities and education for the whole family around the coast of Victoria. This year there are lots of new activities and extra maremma tours. Programs can be obtained at DSE office, Activities Pavilion atLake Pertobe or email John.Amor@dse.vic.gov.au for an electric copy (3 MB). Our group will also have a copy and general info at the Friday Nite Markets.

 

State Landcare Awards

On September 8th about 8 of our members attended the State Landcare Awards at Government House in Melbourne. The trip turned out to be very rewarding for Portland’s Point Danger Committee of Management and ourselves in partnership going on to win the Australian Government Coastcare Award with the South West Maremma Dog Project.

We were honoured to be presented with the Award by the Governor and the Minister for the Environment. The award also entitles us as finalist at the National Landcare Awards in Sydney 2010. That’s two top awards we have won in one year. Well done guys.

 

AGM results 

At our AGM held at the 3 WAY Community Radio Rooms in November, the following members were elected:

Group Leader – Don McTaggart

Deputy Leader – David Williams

Secretary – Ann Park

Treasurer – Frank Williams

Assistant Treasurer – Lisette Mills

Frank Wiggins will also take on the role of Public Officer and Craig McTaggart is continuing on as Web Master.

Congratulations to all those involved and a copy of the Group Leaders Annual Report released at the meeting, is attached to this Newsletter.

 

Dirty Weekend!

From a simple Spring idea came a wonderful theme when our grouped merged with other groups at the Warrnambool Community Gardens site to a ‘get dirty day’ with workshops on composting, worm farms, weed ID, Permaculture advice, vegie garden tips and a seedling sale.

We cooked the BBQ and helped with weed ID along with the DPI. The 150 people that turned out on a beautiful day got lots out of it, warranting the occasion and hopefully more to come.

Thanks also to WCC’s Kate McInnes for pulling it all together.

 

Clean Up the Merri by Kayak

What is turning out to be an annual event in National Water Week, our group ventured down the Merri again picking up debris in the river before it runs into the Marine Sanctuary and into the ocean. Most of the rubbish comes from a lack of filter traps on stormwater outlets flowing directly into the river and hopefully our actions highlight the need to address this basic problem.

While the kayakers were active, so too was a small band of members helping weed and tidy the Harris St riparian garden site. They certainly earned their reward BBQ lunch with the fellow kayakers. Last year we found a lawnmower and a shopping trolley in the river and this year picked up the now infamous leopard skin suitcase along with a trailer load of rubbish. Good work guys.

Getting back to stormwater drains, group member Lisette Mills has been given permission and paint off WCC to re-stensil the faded drain lids with anti litter messages around the CBD. She has done some, but needs help to get around them all. If you would like to help this beneficial action contact Lisette on 0449 565 591.

Thanks to the WCC again for making the kayak trip possible. They are supportive in all our work and are always willing to help our goals.

 

Penguin Monitoring

The Penguin Monitoring season has been underway since October and thanks to the hard work of a dozen or so volunteers, we have carried out 4 counts and recorded a peak of 64 penguins returning to Middle Island under the cover of dark. A slight decline in arrival numbers recently may be related to the same factors which have contributed to the recent shearwater wreck along the southern Australian coast. The Monitoring Program will continue until March, giving us a chance to get a better idea of the status of the colony. People who would like to get involved can contact Kristie,  kristieking14@yahoo.com.au.  

 

Grants and Funding

As usually it is always a challenge to keep up with the latest on grants and funding available to our group. We have been working hard in the background to ensure we have some projects next year and hope to be applying in the next month for works.

Basalt to Bay Landcare Network has generously offered $500 towards the enhancement of volunteers which we will use on a field trip next year, possibly the Volcanic Discovery Trial and the Kanowinka Geopark.

The CMA are waiting on a proposal from us for their “Our Coast’ funding initiative, where we are going to investigate the weed status of the Granny’s Grave remnant vegetation area and see if controls are warranted.

A Coastcare Victoria Community Grant up to $5000 is also available any time during the year which we hope to access as the year progress and the needs arise. We may also apply for a Bush Guardians grant to continue on the good work by Nicole Wood in the Weed Warrior Program.

 

News from other Groups

  • Friends of the Merri Marine Sanctuary have a beautiful and free 2010 calendar of the Merri Marine Sanctuary. Copies will be in DSE and CMA offices and various groups. We will be giving them away at penguin counts and at the Friday nite Markets in January. 
  • Warrnambool Community Gardens have a new team of office bearers with a Permaculture focus. They will be opening their gates on weekends between 1.00-4.00 and Tuesday mornings at 8.30. New members welcome
  • Merri Wetlands Protection Group has made a 30 minute presentation to WCC objecting to the proposed biodiesel plant being built at Levy’s Point next to the wetlands. Hopefully Council will see fit that this is an inappropriate place for such an industry and say ‘No’.
  • The South West Sustainability Partnership is pushing on with their new umbrella group Smart Living. The group is focusing on sustainable living and planning for Warrnambool in helping the community and government with positive plans on transport, energy efficiency, building designs and even sustainable farming. They would like to kick start a farmers market in W’bool. Next meeting is on February 11th Ph Marty 5564 8881 for more details.

 

Dreaming of a GREEN Christmas?

The festive season is weighted down with over consumption, unnecessary spending and stress of excess. There are a number of ways of enjoying Christmas and giving gifts without causing undue harm to the planet.

  • Send email cards or cards made from recycled paper
  • Buy fair trade from an Oxfam shop or Enique in Liebig St. Heidi’s got gifts for everyone.
  • Make up a hamper using local organic food and wines (less carbon foot print)
  • Buy organic, non toxic and chemical free baby and skincare products as gifts.
  • Use reusable bags as Gift bags.
  • If replacing electrical equipment recycle old at Vantage in 11 Albert St.
  • Save printing paper by going double sided and collect and reuse one sided printed paper.

One last word on the environment from Pope Benedict XVI :

“the environment is God’s gift to everyone and it is with  our use of it that we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole”

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Everyone