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.

samantha in the press - wildlife

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

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.

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!