happening around and about local lyster bushland

There's a lot going on in the bushland areas in the Lyster Ward, here's a snapshot of some of the current range of activities. I acknowledge and thank our environmental volunteers whose efforts are the key to the success of many of these projects and they contribute many volunteer hours to improving our local environment.

Belgrave to Lysterfield Bike Trail

Yarra Ranges is working with Melbourne Water and Parks Victoria on constructing the linking trail from Belgrave through Birdsland, Melbourne Water’s retarding basin (the lakes at Birdsland) and Parks Victoria’s existing trail network to Lysterfield Lake Park.

This project includes the newly constructed Monbulk Creek footbridge at the entrance to Birdsland on Mt Morton Rd, the linking trail to the Wellington Road/Lysterfield Road traffic lights and the upgrade of Melbourne Water’s Blackwood Forest Trail.

It's a great example of a range of land managers working together to maximise project outcomes.

Belgrave Lake Park Revegetation/Weed Control Project

There's a lot of weed control works going on at Belgrave Lake Park, funded through the Urban Fringe Weed Management initiative and Melbourne Water’s Corridors of Green Program. This project is in its third year starting with extensive woody weed removal and trad removal along the Monbulk Creek. It's been terrific to see more than 3,000 plants be part of a revegetation program, planted by both contractors and volunteers (some on Awesome Ornithorynkids day).

Birdsland Reserve Pest Animal Control and Nest Box Program

There's been some fox control activities taking place in conjunction with Parks Victoria, in its third year and exploring new techniques like soft jaw trapping.

Thirty nest boxes have been installed in two sections of the reserve, the Monbulk Creek corridor and old growth tree section of the ridge paddock. Ongoing monitoring of all locations has revealed up to 80% of boxes are in use. This project has been jointly funded through the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group Caring for Country grant and Council’s budget.

Here I am with Yarra Ranges Environmental
Achiever of the Year, Vicki Boyle, a powerhouse
in the environmental volunteering stakes.
Nest boxes provide our local arboreal
mammals with housing options.
Many habitat trees have been removed
over time leaving nowhere for these
creatures to call home.

Bushland Management Plans for Hazelvale Valley Reserve, Bellbird Street Park and Birdsland

The Bushland Management Plans set priorities for bushland management for all these important reserves situated along the Monbulk Creek, they span between 2 to 5 years and are a collaboration between Shire contractors and our dedicated environmental volunteers.

samantha in the press - wildlife

Finish it off, Monbulk Creek Fishers
Leader Newspapers
by Kimberley Seedy
9 Mar 2011

awesome ornithorinkids

Today I went to learn more about our local platypus population in the Monbulk Creek. The Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group had organised Awesome “Ornithorinkids”, a chance for children to learn about what they can do to help our platypus in the wild.

Part of the children's activities was naming this friendly platypus, in the end she was dubbed 'Tilly'.

The afternoon was full of activities with children getting their face painted, making platypus, colouring in, playing games with the help of the Len Jeffrey Pre School from Belgrave South.

Low flows of Monbulk Creek are a likely contributor to the drop in platypus numbers in the Monbulk Creek.

Dr Rod Armistead spoke to the group about the water quality of Monbulk Creek, recent platypus activity and platypus counts that have seen a drop in the local population. Rod talked about how important it was to make sure platypus had good habitat and food sources. He also spoke of the danger of rubbish to platypus, particularly plastic, fishing line/nets and elastic/hair bands.

This is Rod and I in front of a section of Belgrave Lake where a significant infestation of Willows has been removed by the Melbourne Waterways Alliance. Platypus numbers are most likely at sites where substantial numbers of native trees and shrubs grow on the banks. It won't be long before natural regeneration will see this part of the waterway return to good health.

Part of the day included a walk to inspect the recent willow removals in the Belgrave Lake (see blog). Willows create an impenetrable mat which prevents platypus from feeding in that part of the lake, their leaves contain a chemical that has an adverse effect on water quality so they are bad news for our local platypus.

From left to right: Merlin Brown - Friends of Monbulk Ck Colby Drive, Hilary Doulton - Belgrave South Community House, Darcy Duggan - Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group, Cr Samantha Dunn - Lyster ward, Jackie Glenn - Southern Dandnongs Landcare Group, Vicki Boyle - Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group and Anne Elizabeth - Friends of Hazelvale Valley. All passionate about our environment and committing many volunteer hours to the task of making our environment weed free and in good health.

It was a great day out and we all got some tips about how to spot our local platypus and the part we can play in making sure their ongoing survival. Well done to the SDLG, it was a great learning experience for young and old alike!

weedy waterways tackled

Earlier this week I was invited to tour weed control works at Monbulk Creek at the Belgrave Lake section of the waterway. This project has been a long time in the making and is well supported by the local Friends Of Groups, the Shire of Yarra Ranges and Parks Victoria.

Me and Mark Coffey, Project Manager with the Waterways Alliance. These works will assist greatly in improving the environment in and around Monbulk Creek and Belgrave Lake.

The works are being undertaken by the Waterways Alliance, an alliance between Ecodynamics, Fulton Hogan, SMEC and Melbourne Water. It’s a 3 year project which will see the Willows, Tree Tobacco and Sweet Pittosporum removed. Regular ongoing inspections will ensure that any new woody weeds will be removed to give the native vegetation a chance to regenerate. Over 4,700 local native plants will also be planted to restore sections of the creek.

The works compliment the wonderful efforts of the local Friends Of Groups who are tenacious in their weeding activities.

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We are very lucky that we share our environment with populations of nesting birds and platypus who live along the banks of Monbulk Creek. The works are being timed to ensure there are minimal impacts during breeding season and trees will be left as habitat for the birds.

The removal of these woody weeds will see improved water quality and flow as well as providing a much enhanced habitat for our wildlife and better food sources for our fish and platypus.

The project has provided an opportunity for Water Alliance personnel to chat to property owners along the creek about taking an active role in managing and improving their local waterway.

It’s terrific to see this work being undertaken, already the area is looking better and there will be plenty more to look forward to in the future.