To conserve and enhance the diversity of native flora and fauna of the Glen Fern Valley Bushlands while preserving community access and encouraging education and compatible uses for the enjoyment of current and future generations.
The Official Newsletter of The Friends of Glenfern Valley Bushlands Inc.
Edition No.14 Summer 2005
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Summer Wonders in Glen Fern Valley
Reserve
Summer is upon us once again and Glen
Fern Valley Bushlands is a great place to spent a weekend afternoon or unwind
with a relaxed walk after a day at work. Head down the hill from |
Welcome
to All Our New Members
A big welcome to all our new members
that have signed up since the membership drive a month or so ago. It's great to have you on board as we
continue to work towards the rehabilitation of Glen Fern Valley Bushlands. A big thanks to
those who have renewed their membership. We're glad you're enjoying being part
of it all. For those who have not renewed their membership, we hope you do. We
need your ongoing support. Remember subscription fees can be easily paid at the
local Shire of Yarra Ranges offices in Main Street Upwey.
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Friends of Glen Fern Valley Bushlands
Inc. Phone:
AH 9754 8425 (Ian) E-mail:glenfernbushlands@hotmail.com
Website: www.glenfernbushlands.org.au |
President's Message Summer
2005
At the end of
a year of much achievement in the Reserve I want to look forward. Our sister reserve, Birdsland, was feted for it’s 21st birthday in November, when the new
information board, new wetlands and the SDCN were all on show. Will Glen Fern Valley Bushlands look as good
on its 21st birthday in 16 years?
The vision from our management plan includes “Viewing points, interpretive information and pleasant walking tracks
and facilities help visitors to appreciate the area and reflect on the
community’s changing attitude to the environment since the former quarry was
closed in the 1980s … major weeds controlled and strong regeneration of the
original vegetation …a well-known destination for people interested in enjoying
quiet bushland and wildlife.” To
which I would add, a strong community spirit formed by residents joining group
activities in a common goal to develop awareness of the environment and
acquiring the skills & knowledge to improve it. This sense of community will be widespread
with strong links to many other Friends groups, facilitated by the Shire’s
community website and large Friends Groups Liaison Department. Not too fanciful I hope as State and Local
Governments are increasingly recognizing the value of supporting community-building
activities. I hope we can attract even
more community involvement over the coming year to accelerate the improvement
of the reserve.
Inspired by
Tim Flannery’s new book, “The Weathermakers”, our household now subscribes to
green electricity and Greenfleet, however I get far more satisfaction from
FoGFVB activities, which also help reduce greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere! In the coming year we intend
to complement our weeding activities by propagating indigenous seeds collected
from the reserve, and then planting the seedlings back in the more heavily
weeded areas later in the year. Why
don’t you come along and join our happy band?
Ian Rainbow
President,
Friends of
Glenfern
Timelines
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Tracking our ever changing
Reserve throughout the seasons q Soldier
beetles swarming over flowering Yellow Box (Eucalptus melliodora) q Eastern
Yellow Robins raising young. (See photo opposite) q Fan-tailed
Cuckoos heard calling throughout the night during October. q Satin
Flycatchers, Rufous Whistlers and Rufous Fantails (summer visitors)
have returned to the Reserve. q King
Parrots seen feeding in the Reserve. q Red-bellied
black snake spotted. q Blue-tongue
Lizard spotted in November photo:
Ian Rainbow |
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Help reduce damage by 4WD
vehicles and trail bikes and dumping of rubbish within the Reserve by
reporting illegal activities to the Shire
of Yarra Ranges Ranger on 1300 368
333 24hours/7 days a week. |
Our Reserve Flora
To
many the thought that our peaceful Glen Fern Reserve might be swarming with
voracious carnivores might be a bit strange!
Sure we have the occasional visit from a Wedgetail Eagle and Peregrine
Falcon by day or various owls at night, but permanent residents?! But it is true; the reserve is home to a
healthy population of Tall Sundews (Drosera
peltata) (see photo below). These
small plants survive in swampy, nitrogen deficient soils by catching insects in
droplets of sticky secretions that also digest their prey. Seems a good way to keep down midges and
mosquitos, eh?
They
are 6 to 50 cm tall; leaves on the stem are attached alternate, with 5 to 10
flowers on uppermost stems, white in colour. Flowers from mid Winter to early Spring. Patches of Sundews form a
beautiful hazy glow across the grasslands when they catch the late afternoon
sunlight. If you want to know more about
this interesting group of plants and their even stranger relatives, visit the
Victorian carnivorous plants society website at http://www.vcps.au.com/.
photo: Ian
Rainbow
AGM Report
The Friends of
Glenfern Valley Bushlands held their 2005 Annual General Meeting on Wednesday
12 October. All positions on the Committee were declared vacant and a new
committee formed. The new Committee is
as follows:
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President: Ian Rainbow |
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Secretary & Public Officer: Sarah Tebbutt |
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Treasurer: Richard Homersham |
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Funding, Communications &
Flora: Serg Zaccaria |
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Newsletter & Fauna: Mark Fanthorpe |
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Working Bee Co-ordinator: Andrew Fullagar |
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Flora: Gaye Cranfield, Sandra Cory,
Linda Fullagar |
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Safety Officer: Roger Mazzolini |
Many
thanks for all her hard work go to Marilyn Thomas who stepped down from the
role of Treasurer, a position Marilyn held since the inception of the Friends
Group.
The
Treasurer's Report declared that the Group has a current bank balance of
approximately $2,127 and that all financial records have been balanced for the
2004/05 Financial Year.
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Our Reserve Birds The Australian King Parrot
Alisterus scapularis A brilliant scarlet, green and
blackish-blue parrot, at around 42cm in length it is a significantly larger
parrot than either the Crimson Rosella or the Rainbow Lorikeet, though not as
common in our area as either of these birds. The male gives out a piping
whistle call. They travel in small flocks and often visit gardens when fruit
trees are ripening with fruit. photo: Mark Fanthorpe |
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Working Bees
Working bees are
held every 3rd alternating Saturday or Sunday morning of the month.
Members, Committee and interested supporters meet on-site to take part in
weeding, rubbish removal and inspections of previously weeded areas. Everyone
is welcome. Entry for cars is via the Parks Victoria (Fire Access) gate on
Glenfern Rd, Upwey (about ˝ way along the land) The site reference is Melways
74G10. Please bring gloves, hand tools, water, and, depending on the weather, a
hat or wet weather gear. In the event of inclement weather the working bee will
be cancelled.
1st
working bee for 2006 is on
Clean
Up
Garden Weed Removal Hints from Marilyn Thomas
English Ivy
– Three or four-lobed dark green leaves on long-running, woody stems. Stems should be pulled up along their length.
Pile plants where they can dry out without touching soil – over a tree branch,
or on cement or asphalt. Dry plants can
be burnt or tipped but should not go to green waste collection as even small
parts can regenerate. English Ivy only
flowers and sets seed after climbing so if your ivy is growing up a tree, cut
the stem about 2m above ground level, out of reach of children and pets, and
tie a small plastic bottle filled with herbicide onto the cut end to be
absorbed by the plant.
And last but not least...
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Improvements
to the Reserve since newsletter include the new lavender-topped path that
extends from the central Glenfern Road car park to the New Road corner and
the completed pedestrian entry point 'gate' at the New Road carpark, designed
to restrict motorcycle access.
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A
great turnout of 37 people enjoyed our annual Community Day on October 16
with flora walks conducted by Darcy Duggan and fauna walks led by Laurie Living.
Tree Planting was also on the menu. A fun morning was had by all. Many thanks
to Darcy and Laurie for their time and expertise.
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Gaye
and Roger have recently completed the two-day St John’s First Aid course provided
by the Shire. Well done to them both!
This now brings us to five level 2 First Aiders in the group.
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The Shire of Yarra Ranges is revamping
their website to help Friends and other volunteer groups. It contains much useful information. It is well worth a visit at http://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/
then go to For Residents/Environment/Friends of Groups.
Corporate Sponsors
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Wormhole Books Shop 4/60-68 Colby Drive, Belgrave
Heights Phone 9754 5440. Visit Sandy at her new location www.wormhole.com.au |
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Blitz Graphics Designer
of and Maintains our Website. Phone Roger Vize on 9754 6910 for your website
needs. http;//blitzgrafx.tripod.com |
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Bell Real Estate 1689 Burwood Highway, Belgrave Phone 9754 6888 www.bellrealestate.com.au |
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Phil Heenan Consulting
P/L Specialising
in integrated business planning Phone 9752 5355 www.heenan.com.au |
As a business you can sponsor our newsletter for as little as $50 per edition (4 per year). Newsletter distribution is 200 local homes. Let us know if we can help you with your business
We would like to wish all
our members a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe New Year