UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP WINTER NEWSLETTER

UOVLG WINTER NEWSLETTER: 30

JUNE 2015
NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Hi to Ovens Valley Landcarers,
This Newsletter is a lead into the upcoming new year for UOVLG, commencing
with the Annual General Meeting on August 18 with guest speakers Dan
Brown discussing feral horse control and silviculturist Brendan Foster speaking
on pine plantation management in the Ovens Valley.
Details of the AGM and venue will be sent out to Members and friends nearer the
date.
The change of emphasis for funding for Landcare by the Federal Government
over the past 24 months and the reduced budget funding for State
environmental agencies such as Department of Environment Land, Water and
Planning (DELWP), formerly DEPI, and the North East Catchment Management
Authority (NECMA) has meant that UOVLG has lost its main sources of project
funding. Along with many other Landcare Groups, UOVLG has to operate without
the services of a paid Coordinator and depends increasingly on volunteers.
At the Annual General Meeting in August, we will be looking for volunteers for
committee positions to form the core of management and planning for the
next 12 months, but equally importantly, we have a host of jobs needing
volunteers to lead or assist when possible, many of them requiring only
minimal or occasional time commitments (See below).
Karen Doherty has largely picked up the coordinators role on a voluntary basis,
networking with numerous Ovens Valley community groups and local agencies to
align our environmental interests. Karens work continues with ongoing projects
and developing programs with local groups, schools & partners. She has
compiled an extensive planning scope for an application to the Federal
Governments preferred funding model for environmental management through
community groups and the Green Army. Fingers crossed for a successful
application, it will be a multi-year program that will focus on weed
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UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP WINTER NEWSLETTER

control/maintenance programs, river health & recreational enhancement and for
the whole of the Upper Ovens. For more information & detail, or if you would like
to be involved email Karen Doherty: mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.net.au
Rob Duncan President,
Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group
RACECOURSE PLANTATION PROPOSED JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN
LANDCARE AND HANCOCK VICTORIAN PLANTATIONS
A recent meeting in the field between UOVLG representatives Karen Doherty and
Rob Duncan and Hancock Victorian Plantation representatives Land
Stewardship/Silviculture Officers Emma Gall and Brendan Foster discussed a
potential joint-venture between UOVLG and HVP.
It is being proposed that 5 hectares of the HPV Racecourse Plantation which has
been cut off from the main plantation by an avulsion of the Ovens River just
downstream of the Germantown Bridge is transformed into an accessible
community asset with strong environmental credentials.
HPV is keen to enter into a joint-venture with UOVLG to re-develop the 5ha
island as an accessible community asset revegetated with indigenous grasses
and trees, but are open to ideas and suggestions. It would appear to be an ideal
arrangement for UOVLG; extension of Cherry Walk from Bright, linking with the
Friends of Germantown Streamside Reserve trails and developments, an
environmental training and teaching area, activity days etc., and all close to
Bright.
The area was first planted for pines in 1924 and last harvested for pines after the
1984 floods. It remains within HPV custodianship, including responsibility for
public safety, insurance etc. for any form of redevelopment.
Next stages include development and costing of a management plan and
agreement of UOVLG when we discuss the project scope with committee and
community members. Anyone with ideas or comments on this proposal, or is
willing to overview this project in future, are invited to contact myself,
brightduncan@bigpond.com or Karen Doherty, uovlg1@landcare.vic.net.au.
GREEN ARMY GRANT APPLICATION WITH CVA AND NECMA
Karen Doherty has prepared an extensive and detailed draft of a submission to
the Federal Government for a Green Army Round 4 due for submission in August.
Fingers crossed for a successful application! It will be a multi-year program that
will focus on weed control/maintenance programs, river health & recreational
enhancement and for the whole of the Upper Ovens. The projects success will
see representation from at least ten of our community & environmental groups
based in the Upper Ovens. North East Catchment Management Authority and
Conservation Volunteers Australia are key partners. For more information &
detail, or if you would like to be involved email Karen Doherty:
mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.net.au
More Information about the Green Army:
http://www.environment.gov.au/land/green-army
BRIGHT COMMUNITY GARDEN
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UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP WINTER NEWSLETTER

UOVLG will auspice this dynamic new group of volunteers which has been
steadily gaining momentum since last October, building strong relationships,
support and vision for the community garden. The biggest hurdle faced was
finding the right piece of land for the garden. After some very near misses, we
are very happy to announce that a piece of land has been secured. It is a quarter
acre block, privately owned by the Anglican Church on Church Street in Bright.
The block sits in behind the church to the West. We are running in partnership
with Landcare, The Anglican Church and Alpine Health. The support we have
received from these organisations has been invaluable and allowed the dream to
turn into reality.
Now we are working hard on the design, budget and funding applications. Lots of
work to do, but the committee are dedicated and excited and cannot wait for
what this project will bring to the community. The focus will be not only on
gardening, but rather on connecting people with each other and to the natural
world. We want to build a creative hub, host workshops and provide education
through garden design and permaculture principles. Our goals are to build
strength and resilience through community engagement and improve wellbeing
on a range of levels.
Please feel free to contact me, this is a community project and we welcome
everyone who wants to be involved.
Kirstie May

kirstiemay@ymail.com

GOOD NEIGHBOUR PROGRAM WITH PARKS VICTORIA.

Enzo Brotto of Parks Victoria, Bright, is looking for people who would like to help
manage pest plants and animals on their common boundary with the Parks
Victoria managed estate. We would like to encourage land owners to enter into a
joint pest plant and animal control program for mutual gain. As an outcome, land
owners would have a weed free boundary and reduced pests ruining their land.
Established pest animals declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act
(CaLP) such as rabbits and foxes can also be treated in the Good Neighbour
Program (GNP), as well as major weed species.
Problem wildlife such as Kangaroos and Deer are not eligible for GNP funds.
Treatment of weeds to mitigate fire protection risk is not part of this program.
Most noxious and environmental weeds can be treated, except for State
Prohibited Weeds and Australian native species indigenous to the local
Catchment Management Authority (CMA) region.

UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP WINTER NEWSLETTER

State Prohibited Weeds include; Water Hyacinth, Salvinia, Horsetails, Alligator
Weed, Hawkweed, Knotweed, Mexican Feather Grass, Lagarosiphon, Mesquite,
Camel Thorn, Poverty Weed, Tangled Hypericum, Parthenium Weed, Perennial
Ragweed, Karoo and Giraffe Thorn, Branched Broomrape.
If you require advice or any more information about the Good Neighbour Program
or pest plants and animals on your property, please contact Enzo Brotto Ranger,
Team Leader Ovens Area.
Email: ebrotto@parks.vic.gov.au
PO Box: 20 Bright Victoria 3741
Telephone: 57550014 / 0408330801
Address: Parks Victoria 46 Bakers Gully Road, Bright 3741

UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP WINTER NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS
WHEN
Thursday 16
July
Saturday 18
July
Saturday 18
July: 10:3011:30

WHAT
Committee
meeting
UOVLG Market
stall

Saturday 25
July
09:30 BBQ
Lunch
Saturday 15
August
Tuesday 18
August

Planting bee
with Alpine
Shire

Jenveys
Waterhole

Karen Doherty
mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.
net.au

UOVLG Market
stall
UOVLG Annual
General
Meeting
Native Seed
workshop

Howitt Park,
Bright
Venue to be
advised

Rob Duncan
brightduncan@bigpond.com
Rob Duncan
brightduncan@bigpond.com

DELWP Ovens
Office

Karen Doherty
mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.
net.au

Tuesday 22
September

Weed Walk:
Spotting,
identification and
control of weeds.

WHERE
U3A HQ Bright
Howitt Park,
Bright
Cherry Walk
(east) Meet at
Market stall

CONTACT
Peter Stokie 0409 356 426
peterstokie123@gmail.com
Rob Duncan 0419 194 891
brightduncan@bigpond.com
Karen Doherty :
mailto:uolvg1@landcarevic.
net.au

NATIVE SEED WORKSHOP AND LECTURE TUESDAY 22nd SEPTEMBER

Through a successful Communities for Nature grant, Propagating Community
Capacity, UOVLG will host an integrated Native Seed workshop & lecture at the
DEWWP offices at Ovens on Tuesday 22nd September. The workshop will cover
seed collecting, propagation, provenance, and seed banks. It will also provide a
scope of awareness regarding the present impact of fire and flood on our
landscape & the many ways we can observe & manage this. Owen Basset from
Forest Solutions will be the guest speaker.
http://www.forestsolutions.com.au/home/
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
As we move towards the Annual General Meeting in August, we will be looking
for volunteers for committee positions to form the core of management and
planning for the next 12 months, but equally importantly, we have a host of jobs
needing volunteers to lead or assist when possible. If time doesnt permit but
you have something to say please feel free to come and join us for a meeting. It
is important to our group to reflect the environmental interests of our community
in any way we can through education, engagement & field based projects. Your
participation is key!
Upper Ovens Landcare is an entirely voluntary organization with like-minded
people who take interest in the many environmental and social aspects of our
beautiful Upper Ovens Valley. The Group works with individual volunteers
managing small specific tasks like monthly water quality monitoring or manning
the market stall for a couple of hours on a monthly basis to action based field
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UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP WINTER NEWSLETTER

activities; with a Committee of Management overseeing overarching planning,
financial and administrative tasks.
Could our Landcarer Membership consider their possible time commitments and
preferred contributions to Landcare prior to the AGM in mid-August? Look at the
following contribution possibilities and perhaps indicate your interest at the AGM.
Committee positions: All committee positions fall vacant at the AGM and
nominations will be required for the key positions of President, Secretary,
Treasurer, Vice President and a small number of regular committee members.
Webmaster: We seek anyone willing to give time to helping us re-vamp our
website & other social media platforms. Landcare can offer & recognise some
excellent work experience in these mediums.
Newsletter compiler: As you can see from this example, the Newsletter
desperately needs an editor with some artistic layout skills to deliver and reflect
the UOVLG efforts. Content & contributions will be provided the creativity is all
yours!
Saturday Market Stall: On the third Saturday morning of each month,
Landcare runs a social contact stall at the Alpine Shire Make-it-Bake-it-Grow-it at
Howitt Park. It is a great chance to meet the public and pass on the Landcare
message together with information and news. Volunteers are needed to man the
stall for 2 hours in two shifts, usually between 9:00am 11:00am & 11:00
1:00pm. If you are interested email: brightduncan@bigpond.com
Also, a voluntary convenor is needed to store the marquee and boxes of
Landcare publications and help organize the monthly manning roster which
normally requires at least 2 people for each of 2 shifts.
Waterwatch Monitors: UOVLG has several trained monitors who regularly take
water samples on a monthly basis on a specified section of the local waterways.
Now and again a monitor is unable to continue monthly observations. It would
be good to have expressions of interest from others. Waterwatch Training is
offered from time to time by NECMA Waterwatch personnel. If you are interested
email: peterstokie123@gmail.com for further information
Friends of Germantown Streamside Reserve: This is an enthusiastic group
of Landcarers developing walking tracks, informative signage and other facilities
associated with the Ovens River reserve land between the Freeburg and
Germantown bridges. Look at Upper Ovens Landcare on Facebook to get latest
pictures and information.
If you are interested in participating email:

paulhel52@bigpond.com

CURRENT UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE COMMITTEE AND CONTACTS

President

Rob Duncan

Secretary
Treasurer

Peter Stokie
Peter ODonnell

brightduncan@bigpond.co
m
peterstokie123@gmail.com
ppod@netc.net.au
6

0419 194 891

0409 356 426
0427 575 515

UPPER OVENS VALLEY LANDCARE GROUP WINTER NEWSLETTER

Community
Liaison officer
Germantown
Streamside
Reserve
Bright
Community
Garden
Racecourse
Plantation Joint
Venture

Karen Doherty

uovlg1@landcarevic.gov.au

0419 876 963

Paul Hellier

paulhel52@bigpond.com

0432 919 139

Kirstie May

kirstiemay@ymail.com

0410 620 567

Rob Duncan

brightduncan@bigpond.co
m

0419 194 891

Next Newsletter SPRING: Sep/Oct/Nov, please send any news

items/photos/comments to Rob Duncan
brightduncan@bigpond.com