Hello to all of our Landcare Members, Partners, Sponsors, and Friends throughout the Bass Coast Landcare Network and welcome to the July BCLN Enews.

This month's Enews is a big one, to match the amount of Landcare activity going on at this time of year! There is a range of upcoming events, including lots of planting days that you can get involved in, articles on recent events, general news, grants and more. Grab a cuppa, sit back, and enjoy this edition of our BCLN Enews. 

For all the latest updates, follow us on Facebook and Instagram... just click the links above!

We have had so many great plantings already, but there are still plenty on the calendar. We need your help to get over 250,000 plants in the ground to boost biodiversity and productivity during this planting season across Bass Coast! Check the dates and locations below to see if you're available to help and be part of the on-ground action.
July 29th - Ryanston - 4,500 plants
August 5th Cape Paterson - 2,000 plants
August 12th Dalyston - 1,800 plants
August 12th Inverloch - 1,200 plants
August 12th Phillip Island - 1500 plants
August 19th Archies Creek - 1,500 plants
August 27th Outtrim - 500 plants

Click here to view the full planting calendar, including site addresses, and RSVP information.

This series of webinars with seasonal risk agronomist Dale Grey will focus on the current seasonal climate outlook, climate driver activity and soil moisture. The online presentations will provide time for you to ask questions. Recordings will be made available after the webinars, so you can watch them later if you miss the live presentation. The Victorian webinar will be held on Wednesday the 19th at 12pm. (Event number: 842 3955 6626, Event password: 153442)

Click here to register on Zoom.

Kongwak Hills Landcare Group is coordinating a community tree planting event in the Kongwak Pioneer Reserve to celebrate “National Tree Day”, as the Reserve is in need of some love from its community! They would love for you to join in to get plants in the ground. Dry years have diminished the north/west section such that a critical mass of understory and trees have died back, leaving the forest exposed to further dryness, loss of plants and proliferation of weeds. Replacing the understory, midstory and trees will restore this part of our beautiful reserve to a sustainable landscape and support its plants, animals and birds. KHLG want you to learn about Landcare, love your forest and learn how to give it the care it needs.
This event will be held on Saturday July 29th from 10am-4pm, with lunch provided.

Click here for full event details and flyer.​​

You're invited to join this free informative talk by Peter Ware (Friends of Drouin's Trees) about Flora, Fauna and Fungi in Gippsland. This event will be held at the Wonthaggi Library on August 12th from 2-3pm. Booklets will also be for sale.

Click here for further information, and to book.

The Gippsland Threatened Species Action Group would like to invite you to a planting day at the Outtrim Cemetery Nature Conservation Reserve on Sunday August 27th. Following the control of invasive Sweet Pittosporum in the Reserve, you will be involved in planting and guarding 500 indigenous plant species from the Damp Heathy Woodland EVC.

Click here for all the info and planting day flyer.​

GROUP AND NETWORK NEWS

We want to give a huge thanks to the 90 people who attended last month's Hooded Plover Conservation Dinner. We're thrilled to have raised $5,320 through the auction! A big thank you also goes out to all the staff and the Public Fund trustees involved in our first fundraising dinner. A great time was had by all, with delicious food, wine, music, and a great auction with a variety of items up for grabs.

Click here to learn more about the Hooded Plover program or head to our Public Fund page to donate.​

Kongwak Hills Landcare Group has had recent success in obtaining funding from Planet Ark and South Gippsland Shire Council grants to support its 'Love your Reserve' project. The project focuses on education, restoration and preservation of the Kongwak Pioneer Reserve, 41 hectares of significant remnant vegetation in the heart of Kongwak township and home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, some threatened. In recent years, the Reserve has suffered the effects of 'die-back' to its vegetation and is in need of love from its community. Project events will coincide with National Tree Day, kicking off with a Community Tree Planting Day within the Reserve on Sat 29 July (see Upcoming Events section for details).
In conjunction with Kongwak Primary School’s 'Sustainable Kongwak' program, KHLG will also host a planting event on Schools Tree Day and a further 3 educational workshops where students have the opportunity to gain an understanding and contribute to the sustained health of the Reserve. Workshops will involve indigenous plant propagation, learning about biodiversity and what makes a sustainable forest. KHLG is excited to create an opportunity to connect with the Kongwak community and further educate on this beautiful and significant place in its backyard.
Thank you to the Kongwak CFA and other local brigades that undertook the cool burn to help prepare planting sites. Project funded by: 2022/2023 South Gippsland Shire Community Grants Program and Planet Ark's Seedling Bank.

Click here to learn more about Kongwak Hills Landcare Group.​​

Gippsland Threatened Species Action Group has been successful in receiving a Coastcare grant of $10,000 from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) to control Sea Spurge between Harmers Haven and Cutler’s Beach, Wonthaggi. This follows on from the successful work undertaken over many years by the Cape Paterson Residents and Ratepayers Association and Harmers Haven Residents and Ratepayers Group. Apart from contract spraying, there will be community working bees held over the next few months to hand pull isolated areas of Sea Spurge. Congratulations to GTSAG!

Click here to learn more about the Gippsland Threatened Species Action group, and how you can get involved.​

Over the passed few months, we have been working alongside Seagrass Films, to create a little video about our Works Crew. We are thrilled with the final piece, as it gives a really good insight into what the Works Crew do, why they do it, and even a little bit of the 'how'. We hope you enjoy it!

Click here to check it out!

Click here to learn more about the many services available from our Works Crew. 

Some brave souls joined the Phillip Island Landcare Group at Nick and Lara’s near Forrest Caves on a cold and windy day late in June, to put up another fence and do some planting for the Exclusion plot project. This is a new trial project of lower cost wallaby and rabbit proof fencing, with the fencing and planting completed by volunteers at a series of community planting days. Thanks to all the volunteers who joined the group despite the freezing winds and rain! Funding thanks to the to the Victorian Landcare Grants. 

Click here to learn more about the Phillip Island Landcare Group.​

Nearly 20 people enjoyed the cold but sunny weather as we discussed ‘Understanding soils test results and integrating regenerative agriculture management practices on farm’. The day was supported by respected independent soils consultant, Chris Alenson, who took the group through the principles of regenerative agriculture and what it means for soil and pasture management on farm. Chris also took the group through a recent set of soil test results for Sue's farm and conducted a rapid soil assessment exercise in the paddock. The following day we hosted a field day at the Glen Alvie property of Dani and Brad Carr, discussing the Benefits of Biodiversity on Farms. The day was well attended, with 25 people coming along, and was supported by ecologist, Alison Oates and Karen Thomas from Melbourne Water who has worked with beneficial insects. These projects are supported by Melbourne Water through funding from the Australian Government in partnership with Bass Coast Landcare Network.

Click here to learn more about our Sustainable Agriculture program.

What an awesome turnout for the 2023 edition of Gippsland Intrepid Landcare's Plant and Dance! Despite the wet and muddy conditions, 100 volunteers toughed it out to plant 4,500 plants across two properties in West Creek and enjoyed a night of local bands and DJs. Both properties are part of a Trust for Nature covenant and will add much-needed biodiversity to the landscape after extensive Sweet Pittosporum control was undertaken by both BCLN and Trust for Nature. 
The day couldn’t have happened without the dedication from Gippsland Intrepid Landcare volunteers, we thank them for the continued partnership and hope to work together on more projects in the future. A big thanks to Jill, Josh and Danny from Bunurong Land Council for Welcoming us to Country with a beautiful smoking ceremony accompanied by a didgeridoo performance. It was an incredibly special way to start the day. Finally, we would like to thank landholders, Jarryd and John for hosting the day. The project was funded through the Bass Coast Shire’s Biolinks program and Western Port Biosphere’s Koala Awareness Program through Melbourne Water.

Click here to learn more about Gippsland Intrepid Landcare.​

Over the last two weekends in June, Three Creeks Landcare group got together and planted over 5,000 plants including over 1,000 with wallaby guards at two sites in the Bridge Creek catchment. They had over 35 attendees at each planting! Thank you to Sonia and Paul, and Lee and Kelcie for hosting the days and to all the dedicated volunteers. They would like to acknowledge West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and the Victorian State Government for funding the projects through the Victorian Landcare Grants and Bass Coast Shire Council for funding through the Biolinks Program.

Click here to see more upcoming plantings.​

Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt announced an $8.2 million investment which will extend the roles of 80 part time Victorian Landcare Facilitators and 10 Regional Landcare Coordinators until 30 June 2025. Based in regional Victoria, these extensions will ensure that facilitators and coordinators are able to continue delivering initiatives such as planting native vegetation, improving wildlife habitat, enhancing wetlands and waterways, and undertaking pest animal control. This funding will ensure support provided to groups in the Bass Coast Landcare network will continue which is excellent news indeed!

Click here to read the full media release.​

For Save Western Port Woodlands members and allies, the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscapes hearing was arduous, time-consuming, costly and also unexpectedly worthwhile. Protecting the woodlands from a surge in sand mining proved to be the major issue of the eight-week hearing, which started in the Wonthaggi Town Hall in early March and closed in Spring Street in late April. 

Click here for the full story, provided by Landcare and SWPW member Neil Rankine.​

GRANTS, TRAINING, INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LANDHOLDERS

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The 2023 Agribusiness Australia Scholarship is now open for applications from eligible secondary school students across Australia. Applications must be in by 5pm Thursday 27 July 2023. Students who are studying to enter university in 2024 to study an ag degree or a degree or full-time tertiary education where they intend to establish a career in ag, are welcome to apply. Prime Super is sponsoring the scholarship again this year and will announce the winner. This $3,000 scholarship is part of Agribusiness Australia’s key priority of encouraging students into the sector to ensure that agribusiness continues to be a major contributor to the Australian economy.

Click here for more details and to apply.​

Are you a small agribusiness or farm? Bass Coast Shire Council, along with ION Group and Agriculture Victoria are running a FREE Small Agribusiness and Farming Diversity and Resilience Program to empower your farm or agribusiness! Seize this opportunity to enhance business planning, succession planning, risk management, improve mental health and well-being, and explore innovative diversification strategies with other like-minded participants.

Register your interest here.

The Agriculture Victoria Weed Spotter newsletter keeps registered Weed Spotters up to date on the latest news in the Agriculture Victoria High-Risk Invasive Plants program. This includes new State prohibited weed discoveries in Victoria, the progress of eradication programs, and species case studies. This newsletter has interesting stories of weeds that have been reported, giving a lot of insight into the lengths that Agriculture Victoria goes to, to protect our environment from invasive weeds.

Click here to read past issues, and subscribe to receive future issues straight to your inbox.​

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Although there isn't much happening at this time of year in the River Garden, comparison aerial photos from 2012 to 2023, shows how much the site has been transformed through community action and our dedicated volunteers. Schools, community programs such as Interchange, and volunteers at our Blitz training days have all turned what was the 'Pony Paddock' (where the students at the old Woolamai and then Bass primary school parked their ponies) into this great community growing and learning space. Today the swales with vegetables and espaliered fruit trees, orchard, nuttery, berries, hops, community growing beds, vanhut and compost zones, all grow food for community groups and local food pantries for people in need. By next year, we should have an education shelter, a conservation wetland zone, plus whatever you as a community would like to do!

We will welcome everyone back to our River Garden blitz days starting up again on Saturday 12th of August, with the much loved and admired Ric Coleman, the topic is to TBC, but as usual with Ric involved, you are sure to learn a lot about permaculture and producing your own healthy fruit and veggies. Sign up at the link below to be involved in the River Garden, get regular updates, and keep posted on when bookings open for this day.

Click here for all things River Garden, and to get involved in our Blitz sessions in this great community space. ​

Capturing Carbon for a Biodiverse Bass Coast - In local planting projects!

If you feel passionate about the environment and want to contribute to action on climate change by reducing the impact of your car on our planet, why not consider becoming a part of our ‘Capturing Carbon for a biodiverse Bass Coast’ program? Head to our web page at the link below and simply click on your car's size to make a tax-deductible donation, so we can plant indigenous plants in biodiverse plantings across Bass coast on your behalf. These plantings will increase habitat and important wildlife corridor connections while capturing carbon from the atmosphere. All your friends and family will also see your complimentary car sticker showing your commitment to the Bass Coast environment and climate action.

Landcare Public Fund making projects a reality – Donate today to make a difference!

The Bass Coast Landcare Public Fund is a regional non-profit organisation focusing on conserving biodiversity throughout Bass Coast.​ We do this by supporting community groups to work in their local area to add value to their conservation efforts, encourage broader community ownership and participation and by working in partnership with other land managers. We work to help protect native plants and animals in Bass Coast’s most ecologically important landscapes. Your tax-deductible contribution, no matter how small, helps to protect native plants and animals in Bass Coast’s most ecologically important landscapes. ​

What's your story?

We would love to hear from you and your Landcare group with stories and photos of what's been happening in your area and any suggestions of things that you would like to see in your E-news.

We look forward to meeting and catching up with you at upcoming events and activities around Bass Coast.

Until next edition, 

Happy reading, from the Bass Coast Landcare Network.

The Bass Coast Landcare Network would like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Traditional Land Owners within the Network area, The Bunurong and Boon Wurrung people. We also recognise the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations in Land and Natural Resource Management.