samantha in the media

Roundabout - chatting about all things environment
3MDR
hosted by Graham 'Bealy' Beal
4 Sep 2014

Awesome way to save platypus
Mail Newspapers
by Caitlin McArthur
9 Sep 2014

ornithorynkids awesome again

I was delighted to attend the fifth Awesome Ornithorynkids (platypus) Day, a celebration of the Monbulk Creek platypus population and environment at Belgrave Lake Park.  A key event of the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group, organisers planned a range of activities for all to participate in. 

This year I MC’d the night time creature sounds competition and I was amazed at how many creatures were readily identified by participants.

The day included a planting on the banks of the Monbulk Creek, a known habitat area for our local platypus population. Awesome Ornithorynkids provided a great opportunity to harness some community energy into replanting, with 300 plants put in on the day as part of the revegetation program.

Park Victoria were there with a wildlife display as well
as this fox, a widespread pest animal in
The Dandenongs.

An enormous amount of work has been completed removing weed nasties like Wandering Trad (ranked number 10 as worst weed in Yarra Ranges) under the Urban Fringe Weed Management Initative (UFWMI), a jointly funded project which has seen $1million of state government investment  over four years matched by council to start to tackle weeds across land tenures in the Dandenongs.

I can only hope that we see tripartisan support for this initiative into the future and a recommitment to fund the program as we head into an election year in Victoria. The UFWMI has had some great outcomes in terms of biodiversity improvements as well as continuing the great relationship between council and community environment groups in the protection of natural values and the threat of weeds.

There’s been an enormous amount done in the Dandenongs and Awesome Ornithorynkids is a great way to showcase this work, educate locals on our local icon, the platypus and harness some of that community passion into planting or other volunteer opportunities. Well done SDLG.

awesome again

Stax the Didgeman, read out the observations
of the first Europeans to see the platypus, which
proved to be very curious.

It was terrific to, once again, be part of the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group's Awesome Ornithorhynkids day at Belgrave Lake Park (aka as Playtpus Day).

Funded through a Yarra Ranges Council community festivals grant, it is a great celebration of community, children and our famous local resident, the platypus. With plenty of activites for children including screen printing, face painting, story telling, arts & crafts and an interactive & live wildlife display, it is a wonderful way for children to spend the afternoon and learn more about our local environment.

Rudy the One Man Band
kept everyone entertained
with an array of specially
written platypus songs.

The day is also supported by the Selby CFA who provided the sausage sizzle and we were all entertained by Rudy the One Man Band and Stax who'd written some songs especially for the platypus, one of the highlights being the Ornithorhynchus Pokey (a hiliarious version of the Hokey Pokey).

Cr Samantha Dunn spots a couple of platypus!

The day included a platypus walk, led by James, who is one of the coordinators of this year's community platypus count. It's great to learn more about this fascinating animal and we all felt priviliged to know that we have them in our own local waterway, the Monbulk Creek.

Two platypus were spotted at the most recent count, with this information being fed back to the Australian Platypus Conservancy, who are the key body involved with conserving the species.

Belgrave Lake Park is a great venue for
Awesome Ornithorhynkids.

James talked about the importance of habitat and healthy waterways to encourage platypus and the platypus walk included an inspection of the most recent weed works and plantings undertaken by the Shire of Yarra Ranges and the local Friends of Monbulk Creek, Belgrave Lake. It's looking great.

Well done to organisers, a great day out for all ages.

awesome ornithorhynkids day - it'll be great!

Look forward to seeing you there.

awesome ornithorhyn-kids - awesome again

It was terrific to be part of the third annual Awesome Ornithorhyn-kids Day, at the Belgrave Lake Park. Organised by the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group (SDLG) and supported through a community grant from the Shire of Yarra Ranges, families had a great day learning about not only about our local platypus but the importance of habitat to all of our wildlife.

Today I was launching a new 'housing policy' for some of the local wildlife. Here I am with SDLG secretary, Vicki Boyle and some new homes for Sugar Gliders, Kookaburras and Rosellas.

SDLG and Monbulk Landcare Group have working away constructing an assortment of nesting boxes for our wildlife. The nesting boxes will be installed in Shire reserves at Belgrave Lake Park, Birdsland, Butterfield Reserve and Moores Road Reserve.

Part of the day's activities included banner painting led by local artist pictured here, Emma Johnson.

Kids very enthusiastically painted all manner and colour platypus on the banners, which will be used to the promote the event into the future.

SDLG were able to provide a myriad of activities for children including a wildlife display by Animals of Oz. Other activities included platypus art, storytime, singalongs and Rudy the One Man Band.

Many small hands were keen to pat the croc, not to mention the snake, frill-necked lizard and the bat too.

In speaking to onlookers I talked about the new 'housing program' and how important it was to continue to provide opportunities for our native animals to nest as pressure on our natural environment continued to increase. I also talked about the importance of retaining trees with hollows and how the incremental loss of trees with hollows, both legally and illegally, has had a large effect on wildlife over the broader landscape.

Here's Blair installing the first nesting box near Monbulk Creek at Belgrave Lake Park.

















.

Glenn Brooks-McMillan from the Cardina Catchment Landcare Group spoke about the importance of healthy waterways for our local platypus population.

Another treat for people on the day, the local Powerful Owl roosting nearby. This species is listed as threatened and vulnerable in Victoria.








.
Pictured here, Jackie Glenn, President of SDLG and myself.

The SDLG work tirelessly to improve our environment and raise awareness of environmental issues in the local community.

It was a terrific day out, very well attended, the SDLG intend to make Awesome Ornithorhynkids an annual event. Let's hope next year our nesting boxes have some residents.

awesome ornithorynkids on again

This Saturday sees the return of Awesome Ornithorynkids at Belgrave Lake Park.

A great opportunity to learn about the platypus who live in our very own Monbulk Creek.

In it's third year, it's a family friendly event, free and fun for everyone. The Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group are event organisers and have a passion for spreading environmental education.

It will be a great day out, I look forward to seeing you down there.

Details:
When: Saturday 3rd September 12pm to 3pm
Where: Belgrave Lake Park
Cost: FREE

platypus revealed

It was terrific to be part of the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group's second Awesome Ornithorynkids day down at Belgrave Lake park. I had the great pleasure of unveiling a platypus mosaic, created by local artist Stephen Piggott, painted by local children at last year's Awesome Ornithorynkids day. Stephen generously donated the clay and paints, local woodwork sculptor Robbie Bast donated the frame while the Rowville Scouts ran the arts activity last year.

It's a great example of community coming together to create something beautiful that recognises the special place we live in, where we are lucky enough to have platypus in our local creeks.

The Rowville Scouts also assist the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group in their weeding efforts by helping out in the ZigZag Road region of Belgrave South.

The day also included an unveiling of "Nature's Highrise Apartment Block". Constructed by local volunteer, Greg Coventry, the 'block' imitates a hollow tree and will be used as a tool to teach children and adults the value of tree hollows and their role in providing habitat for native animals. Greg did a great job with the construction, the whole installation was made out of offcuts and recycled materials, the 'log' was finished in bamboo, sourced from weeding in the Trestle Bridge section of Monbulk Creek.

Pictured left to right: Julianna De Graaf, Vicki Boyle and Cr Samantha Dunn. It was great to unveil this terrific learning tool, I look forward to seeing it around the shire.

Overall the day was a great success with many families coming out to join in activities and learn more about the platypus that inhabit Monbulk Creek. The Selby CFA did a roaring trade on the sausage sizzle, selling out and having to restock to meet demand. Congratulations to the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group, it was a terrific event, they do a great job raising awareness of environmental issues.

You can find the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group at Kallista Market (first Saturday of the month) where the volunteers are always happy to give you advice.

family fun at awesome ornithorhynkids

Join me and members of the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group for a day of family fun at the Awesome Ornithorhynkids Day at Belgrave Lake Park on Sunday 12^th September.

Learn how to say 'Ornithorhynchus anatinus' and find out what it means.

Come and listen to a platypus expert and find out about our local population.
Where do they live?
What do they eat?
Who to contact if you see a platypus.
And why willows need to be removed.

Learn how you can help and meet the big friendly platypus, Tilly.

There will be something for everyone - Games, Craft Activities, Face Painting, Story Telling, Free Show bags, Native Soft Toy Play Area for the littlies as well as a guided walk around Belgrave Lake.

The day will also include the offical unveiling of a mosaic project completed by the Rowville Scouts and local kids.

Details:
Where: Belgrave Lake Park
When: 12pm to 3pm on Sunday 12th September

Pictured here is the turn out at last year's Awesome Ornithorhynkids, the event was well supported by the community keen to learn more about one of our favourite locals, the platypus.

You can bring along a picnic lunch or support the Selby CFA who will be there with their trusty BBQ.

I look forward to seeing you there.