November 2022

From the Upper Merri Landcare Facilitator

Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Upper Merri Landcare Facilitator and the Merri Creek Management Committee. Please find below information on local initiatives, opportunities and funding.

To subscribe see link below.

If you would like to share photos, events, updates and projects through the Upper Merri Landcare News. Please email through your submissions to: chriscobern@mcmc.org.au

Recent Events

Upper Plenty Primary School Junior landcare 

Students from the Upper Plenty Primary School recently built 10 nesting boxes for wildlife. The students had a great time and did a very good job at building the boxes which will provide homes along the nearby Dry Creek for native animals including sugar gliders, ringtail possums, parrots and owlet nightjars.

Funding to purchase the timber and hardware was kindly donated by AV Jennings and the Lalor Urban Landcare Group.

Upper Plenty-Merri Catchments Landcare Group

The Upper Plenty, Beveridge, Wallan and Heathcote Junction area now has a new Landcare group - called the Upper Plenty-Merri Catchments Landcare Group. The new Landcare group covers the upper Merri Creek and Upper Plenty areas within Mitchell Shire.

The new group was formally established at their second meeting on Wednesday 26th October, and an executive committee for the new group was formally elected including a President, Secretary/Treasurer and six general committee members.

The committee at the meeting discussed and worked through seven different possible name options for the new group before deciding on Upper Plenty-Merri Catchments Landcare Group as the official name for the new group, which is a name that should resonate both locally and more widely.

For more information about the Upper Plenty-Merri Catchments Landcare Group contact Upper Merri Landcare Facilitator Chris Cobern on 0413 855 490 or email
chriscobern@mcmc.org.au     

Friends of Hidden Valley Bushlands 

On Wednesday 19th October the Friends of Hidden Valley Bushlands (FoHVB) were joined by Cr David Lowe and his wife Frances, and went on another very interesting walk and talk in the bushland area off Dolomite Rise in Hidden Valley.
Led by Hidden Valley's orchid enthusiast Paul Piko we got to see many native orchids and wildflowers growing in this significant patch of bushland.
Some of the orchids included the Pygmy Caladenia, Wax Lip Orchid, Bird Orchid and the Salmon Sun Orchid.

The FoHVB group provides an opportunity for residents to learn more about the significant bushland areas in Hidden Valley and the fauna and flora that these areas support.

For more information about the Friends of Hidden Valley Bushland Reserves contact Upper Merri Landcare Facilitator Chris Cobern on 0413 855 490 or email
chriscobern@mcmc.org.au                            

Photos by Paul Piko. 

Wallan Environment Group - Rail Reserve Botanical Walk

On Sunday 11th October 15 people attended the WEG's wildflower walk along the Hidden Valley Rail Reserve. The walk was led by WEG members Norbert Ryan and Fletcher Bakewell.

The group saw many native plants flowering including Epacris impressa, Common Heath (Victoria’s state emblem), both pink and white versions, along with lots of Hovea linearis with its mauve pea flowers, Hardenbergia violacea and the low-spreading Snake Wattle, as well as a small group of Early Nancies. Not only were the colourful flowering plants pointed out by our botanical experts, but also the native rushes, grasses and various other ground flora.

Coming up

Landcare Weed Information Session - Gorse & Blackberry

We all know that weeds are a big problem in our area, and it’s up to all of us to help control their spread. Come along to an information session about controlling Gorse & Blackberry on your property.
Speakers from Mitchell Shire Council, TREC Land Services, Melbourne Water and the Victorian Gorse Taskforce will cover topics including:

• Identifying gorse and blackberry
• Control techniques
• Funding and incentives
• Your responsibilities as a landholder

The event is organised by Upper Plenty-Merri Catchments Landcare Group.
Come along and have a chat to the founding members of our brand new Landcare group and see how Landcare can assist you, and how you can get involved.

Date: Saturday 3rd December
Time: 2 – 4pm
Location: The Shack, Wallan-Whittlesea Road, Upper Plenty
To RSVP contact Upper Merri Landcare Facilitator Chris Cobern on 0413 855 490 or email chriscobern@mcmc.org.au   

Sustainable Agriculture

New Shelterbelts Management Guide

'Sustainable Farms’ brand new management guide Managing natural assets on farms: Shelterbelts details the science behind shelterbelts and the many benefits of diverse, well-managed native shelterbelts.

The 12-page booklet outlines science-based recommendations to optimise shelterbelt management for livestock productivity, crop and pasture growth, carbon storage and biodiversity.

The guide can be viewed online or you can order a hardcopy.

More Productive & Biodiverse Farms forum - Presentation Recordings

Recordings are now available of the presentations from the recent Sustainable Farms 'More Productive and Biodiverse Farms Forum'. The forum explored new opportunities for enhancing natural assets on farms for multiple benefits.

Videos of the presentations can be viewed here.

Flood Recovery Support 

Financial Support for flood-affected farmers.

1. Primary Producer Recovery Grants - up to $75,000 grants to cover the cost of recovery and get businesses up and running again.

2. Rural Landholder Grants - up to $25,000 to cover the costs of disaster impacts for small-scale producers

3. Primary Producer Concessional Loans: Up to $250,000 to restore or replace damaged equipment and infrastructure or to cover the short-term business expenses.

4. Primary Producer Transport Subsidies - Up to $15,000 to support the transport of emergency fodder or stock drinking water and movement of stock.

To find out more: Welcome to Rural Finance | Rural Finance or call 1800 260 425.

Agriculture Victoria Information

For post flood information around livestock management, disposal, disease and land/pasture management:

Farm recovery after flood resources | Floods | Emergency management | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria

Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party - Community Grants 

The Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party (VSTWP) is providing community groups and organisations with the opportunity to apply for grants to manage serrated tussock.
Grants of up to $5,000 (GST excluded) are available to deliver a project which meets the priorities and criteria outlined in these guidelines.
Please see the guidelines and application form below, which includes how to submit the grant application, contact details and the criteria for assessment.

Grants are currently open for application: 
Apply here: VSTWP Community Grant Application form
Guidelines here: VSTWP Community Grant Guidelines

 Funding success - Victoria Landcare Grants

Congratulations to the Wallan Environment Group who received $19,785 to remove gorse and blackberry along the Hidden Valley rail reserve, and the 1st Wallan Wallan Scout Group will recieve $1245.00 for Junior Landcare activities.