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.

our environmental achievers recognised

Erin Burton - Young Environmental Achiever of the Year,
Cr Samantha Dunn and Vicki Boyle - Environmental
Achiever of the Year.

I was very proud to be able to present Yarra Ranges two Australia Day environment awards to locals from the Lyster Ward (Southern Dandenong Ranges) at today’s Australia Day Awards.

Erin Burton, a Year 9 student (in 2012) from the Belgrave Heights Christian School, took out the Ken McIntosh Memorial Award for Young Environmental Achiever of the Year, whilst Vicki Boyle, who wears many hats including Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group, took out the Yarra Ranges Environmental Achiever of the Year.

The Ken McIntosh Memorial Award for Young Environmental Achiever of the year honours the contribution of Ken McIntosh who was a driving force in environmental and conservation issues in the Yarra Ranges. For a young woman, Erin’s list of achievements is impressive. During her year 9 year, not only completing her school work, Erin was involved with Water Watch, volunteered for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition Conference, organised the Youth Decide Voting Event for renewable energy at her school and assisted the school’s Prep class with environmental education.

I was delighted to be joined by Mrs Beryl McIntosh,
representing Ken to present Erin Burton with the
Ken McIntosh Memorial Award for Young Environmental
Achiever of the Year.

Erin has worked with her peers constructing productive gardens throughout the school grounds and is a volunteer for the school’s Keen on Green community service project. She’s also been involved in tree planting along the Monbulk Creek, Clean Up Australia Day, marine studies at Queenscliffe, soil testing and a myriad of other environmental activities.

Erin’s contribution is heartening, it’s wonderful to see such passion and dedication for the environment. It is Erin’s generation that is going to have to confront climate change in a way that no other generation has and it gives me great confidence for the future knowing there are young people like Erin so committed to improving the environment and taking action on climate change.

Congratulations Erin, I’m very proud to be able to present you with your award on Australia Day.



It was a great privilege to be able to award
environmental dynamo, Vicki Boyle, with the
Yarra Ranges Environmental Achiever of
the Year Award.

Vicki Boyle is what I’d describe as a human dynamo, passionate and committed to the environment and seeing the Dandenongs return to a far healthier ecosystem. If there is any environmental activity in the Southern Dandenong Ranges you’re bound to find Vicki Boyle’s hand in there somewhere.

For the past 15 years Vicki has been weeding the land near the Trestle Bridge, originally starting alone, she soon attracted interest from others so started a Friends Group which has now become the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group.

Vicki has worked around the Monbulk Creek region, throughout the Dandenong Ranges and in fire affected regions, assisting with revegetation work. Her positive attitude and gusto for the environment has seen others encouraged to start Friends of Groups along the Monbulk Creek.

In 2010 Vicki, nominated by her peers, was awarded the Individual Caring for Public Land award at the 2010 Port Phillip and Westernport Landcare Awards. She is also a member of the Friends of Monbulk Creek – Trestle Bridge, Friends of Monbulk Creek – Birdsland and Friends of Monbulk Creek – Belgrave Lake Park.

Vicki’s list of achievements is long and includes holding regular market stalls promoting Landcare, participating in the myriad of meetings to progress the fight on weeds, delivering a range of environmental courses and assisting residents to gain knowledge about weeds, indigenous plants and a healthier environment. She’s also been an instrumental part of Awesome Ornithorynkids Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness of the local platypus population and the Mini Beast Festival at Birdsland which focuses on our waterways and the importance of habitat for our wildlife.
I was absolutely delighted to award Vicki Yarra Ranges Environmental Achiever of the Year, she is a much deserved winner, congratulations Vicki, our environment is a far better place for your efforts.

Congratulations to all our other Australia Day Award winners:

Citizen of the Year – Denise Garratt, President and Coordinator of Help for Wildlife
Young Citizen of the Year – Breanna Andersen
Community Group of the Year – Melba Support Services
Mayor’s Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr William Hardy
Ian de la Rue Achievement Award for Community Leadership – Rodney Woods

southern dandenongs landcare click over another year

It was terrific to be invited to chair the fifth Annual General Meeting of the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group (SDLG) at Selby Community House.

From left to right: Vicki Boyle, President of the Southern
Dandenongs Landcare Group, Cr Samantha Dunn,
Lyster Ward and Betty Marsden AO, President of the
Save the Dandenongs League

I am always impressed by the breadth of activities this group undertakes, there's no doubt they are committed and passionate when it comes to improving our local environment and raising awareness about environmental issues.

In the past year the SDLG have been involved in so many activities. There are some key annual events the group are committed to including Awesome Ornithorhynkids day at Belgrave Lake, Mini Beast Festival at Birdsland and Selbyfest.

Other activites throughout the year include a regular and highly successful stall at the monthly Kallista Market, a partnership with the Belgrave Traders Association and the Weedbuster Day which will be once again supported in 2013 for a month by the traders. In good news to hand the owner of Jorgies (now Earthly Pleasures Cafe) has agreed to have the ivy removed from the building, ivy is one of Yarra Ranges worst weeds, ranked the number 2 worst environmental weed.

There's been support with the Southern Ranges Environmental Alliance, the newly forming CWAD, numerous Friends of Groups, the list is extensive and this report is in no way complete.

It was also terrific to hear from guest speaker Betty Marsden AO, former Shire of Sherbrooke Councillor and current President of the Save the Dandenongs League, talk about the history and activities of the League. Betty is an inspiration and living legend and gave great insights into the many battles the conservation movement in the hills has undertaken since the League was established in 1950.

I congratulate all involved with SDLG and thank you for the extensive volunteer hours you contribute to improving our environment, it is well and truly appreciated.

I'm pleased to report the new committee for 2012/13:
President - Vicki Boyle
Vice President - Darcy Duggan
Secretary - Anne Elizabeth
Treasurer - Mike Clarke
General Members:
Leslie Wilson
James Fraser

belgrave lake finds some friends

It was terrific to attend the 're-launch' of the Friends of Belgrave lake Park this weekend.

The park contains some very significant vegetation as well as the Monbulk Creek and provides an important wildlife corridor link from the Dandenongs to Lysterfield.

Here I am pictured with Vicki Boyle, Vice President of the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group and Garrique Pergl, President of the Southern Dandenongs Community Nursery, both of them environmental powerhouses of enthusiasm and knowledge about our local environment.


Part of the day's activities included some revegetation along the banks of the Monbulk Creek. It will be terrific to watch this replanting take hold and create a healthier habitat for our wildlife as well as provide important bank stabilisation.

Belgrave Lake Park provides some vital habitat for water birds in the area, significant willow eradication by Melbourne Water has seen a great improvement in the health of the creek and lake.


The Shire of Yarra Ranges has been undertaking major weed removal works on the land between Monbulk Creek and private land holdings (on the high side). It's terrific to see indigenous plants return as the weeds that were strangling them are removed.










Belgrave Lake Park has some important large old hollow bearing trees, they provide important habitat for animals that need hollows to make a home.

The Shire of Yarra Ranges supports over 85 Landcare and Friends of Groups. They do great work to enhance our natural environment. If you'd like to know more about your local Landcare or Friends of Group click here.

local landcare legend

It was terrific to learn that local environmental dynamo, Vicki Boyle, was awarded the Landcare "Individual Caring for Public Land" at the 2010 Port Phillip and Westernport Landcare Awards.

Vicki Boyle, Cr Samantha Dunn and Greg Coventry in front of "Nature's Highrise Apartment Block". Greg built the wonderful Nature's Highrise Apartment Block to use as a learning tool (see blog). Greg is a great example of Vicki getting volunteers on board. Greg has been helping Vicki weed down at the trestle bridge (the bamboo on Nature's Highrise was hand weeded by Greg at this very site!). Vicki has been talking to him about an idea for a learning aide to help teach people about the importance of tree hollows. From their conversation Greg built Nature's Highrise, which will be a great tool and a lot easier to carry around for the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group than a bonafide tree hollow.

Vicki was nominated for the award by her peers in Landcare and I was pleased to assist by providing a letter of support. Vicki works tirelessly in our community, relentless in her passion for the environment and enthusiastic in harnessing the energy of others to work alongside her.

Vicki has been weeding the area near the Puffing Billy trestle bridge for over 15 years, initially starting alone, but through her actions she's attracted interest from all sorts of people to the point she was encouraged to start a friends group, which has evolved into the Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group.

She has worked around the Monbulk Creek region, throughout the Dandenong Ranges and in fire affected regions assisting with revegetation efforts. She has encouraged others to start Friends Groups along the Monbulk Creek to spread the enormous work load and ensure that no one is overburdened with task of tackling weeds in our environment.

She is truly the silent achiever, never one to blow her own trumpet and humble in her award by recognising all the volunteers who've helped along the way.

Congratulations Vicki, you are a credit to our community and our environment is a healthier one due to you passion and persistence.