southern dandenongs community nursery agm

It was terrific to attend the Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery AGM this month and preside over their elections. I'm always impressed by the passion and commitment of our community and for those involved in the nursery their passion definitely hasn't waned.

Alex Maisey was guest speaker for the SDCN AGM,
his knowledge on the habits of Shebrooke Forest's
Lyrebirds is impressive and people were impressed
by not only Alex's knowledge but some of the forest
footage he's captured on sensor cameras.
Pictured left to right: Alex Maisey, Cr Samantha Dunn and
SDCN President Garrique Pergl.

I was amazed at the breadth of activities the nursery has undertaken in the last 12 months. The rains of the last year have made for some of the best seed collection in a long time. The nursery continues to supply Yarra Ranges, Casey, Cardinia and Melbourne Water with indigenous plants and has provided plants to rehabilitate the habitat corridor along the Monbulk Creek.

I was delighted to be invited by SDCN President
Garrique Pergl to plant a Hakea to mark the
SDCN AGM for 2012.

The revegetated corridor creates an important link between the Dandenong Ranges National Park and Lysterfield Park and provides habitat for some of our threatened species including Yellow Bellied Gliders, Wedge Tail Eagles, Powerful Owls and Platypus. Over the last 12 years, 45,000 plants have been planted along the creek corridor - a truly impressive effort.

The nursery have been participating in a DPI biological trial to eradicate boneseed and are supplying Kangaroo Apple to Monash University, as they contain a chemical compound that may be a cure for eye cancer.

They've also been doing a lot of work on the nursery itself and developing an online presence through the internet and facebook.

The list of partnerships is impressive and the nursery continues to support Friends of groups, schools, Monash Uni, DPI, residents, councils, Melbourne Water Stream Frontage Program, bushland contractors and South East Water.

I congratulate the ongoing efforts of the committee and the volunteers, you do a great job supplying indigenous plants and our environment and native animals are all the better for it.

I'm pleased to report the committee for 2012/2013 are:
President: Garrique Pergl
Secretary: Ian Rainbow
Treasurer: Rhonda Adams
General members:
Anton Pergl
Kerry Furnell
Paul Birch
Robert Pergl
Leslie King
Anne Elizabeth
Michael Butler

Congratulations to you all.

If you'd like to visit the Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery, they are located at Birdsland next to the Education Centre (right at the end of the vehicle track) and are open:
Tuesday - 9 AM to 4:30 PM
Friday - 9 AM to 1 PM
Sunday - 9 AM to 12 Noon