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Summer Issue - December 2012: Become A Member of SFA
Summer Issue - December 2012: Become A Member of SFA
During January the Victorian coast comes alive with summer activities for kids
and adults of all ages! Participate in family friendly activities stretching right
across the coastline, such as rock-pool rambles, kayak adventures, marine
monitoring, nature walks, geology adventures and snorkelling safaris.
Bird baths
We need your help to maintain Water baths for birds in Sandringham,
Hampton and Brighton! Get Fit and Help Wildlife - Volunteers Required
There are 3 bowls at Picnic Point, 1 at Green Point and 2 at Brighton beach.
If interested please contact Vicki Karalis at sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au
Some time ago Ian Parsons and Elizabeth Walsh of the Friends of Native
Wildlife (FoNW) had a great idea while surveying along a cliff top. Eight years
later it has finally come to fruition. The idea was to provide shallow water
bowls for wildlife along the frequently dry cliff tops.
Since 2004 – and after numerous walks between Beaumaris and Brighton – the
Bayside Friends of Native Wildlife have listed all the water taps they could
find, with Val LaMay taking GPS readings of the most suitable sites for water
bowls under listed taps. There were already a few dog bowls – but they were
too deep for safe access by skinks. Shallow bowls are more suitable for a
variety of small birds and reptiles.
During recent years of severe drought, the lack of water along the foreshore
became more evident. Small bird populations dropped significantly and blue
tongue lizards became uncommon. Water helps birds digest seeds obtained
from grasses and shrubs, especially when the food supply is also under stress
from drought, the plants themselves being drier than usual.
Wildlife is already using numerous bowls which have been cemented into
place. The superb blue wren, thornbills, silver-eyes and scrub-wrens have been
seen, along with larger birds, skinks and the occasional blue tongue lizard. It’s
also been a joy to watch birds bathing in the new bowls!
We are looking for volunteers in various areas to regularly clean and fill some
of these bowls, especially during the warmer months. The more helpers the
better, to cover holidays and make sure water is available. There are a variety
of taps over the bowls and FONW have been provided with tap keys for
volunteers to use on taps without handles. There are bowls located along
Brighton, Sandringham, Black Rock and Beaumaris foreshores.
I find it easy to fit the work into a stroll; I use an old dish-brush from the
kitchen for cleaning, and carry a one-litre container of water to use where
extra scrubbing is required, or where a tap is not refilling the bowl properly.
We would love to have photos of wildlife using any of these bowls. They can
be sent to:
bayfonw@hotmail.com
Thank you to Ian Parsons for his original chat and long walks, Val LaMay and
her GPS; Barbara Jakobs of the Friends Network for funding for pottery bowls;
to the teachers and students who made them; Stephan Kuzma for concreting
the bowls along the cliff-top and Citywide for full implementation of the
project and Council staff for their support.
Please contact Elizabeth Walsh on 9598 9009 (messages always attended to).
Elizabeth Walsh giving a guided tour along our cliffs on native vegetation.
Photo by Vicki Karalis, 2012
Bayside City Council
SFA value our relationship with Bayside City Council who meet with us on a
regular basis to raise any concerns about our local beaches, and to discuss
areas that require attention. If you have any concerns, feel free to write to us:
sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au
In 2007 the Cerberus was listed on the National Heritage List after being
nominated by Friends of the Cerberus and the National Trust. In 2008 the
Federal Government provided a $500,000 grant to design a turret-bracing
structure. Bracing is essential as catastrophic collapse is imminent. Due to their
hard work, we have learnt that the Turret Bracing Project will resume under
the project management of the City of Bayside.
Her Majesty's Victorian Ship (HMVS) Cerberus was specifically designed for use
in Port Phillip Bay. Whereas attacking ships were limited to shipping channels,
the flat-hulled Cerberus had the run of a relatively shallow bay.
Being steam-powered meant that the small Victorian Navy could man a
powerful ship and punch well-above their weight. Fitting steam steering in
1876 meant that two men – rather than ten – could steer the ship.
Not only was Cerberus the first British warship powered by steam alone,
she was also the first warship anywhere that had a central superstructure.
Another innovation was the two steam-powered gun turrets mounted at either
end of the superstructure, giving all-round fire ability. With eight-inch armour
on her sides and nine and ten inch armour on her gun turrets, Cerberus could
take a lot of punishment. The modern ten-inch rifled guns allowed a broadside
of four 183 kg shells to be fired up to 5 km. Cerberus represented cutting-edge
technology in 1868.
Had Cerberus not been at the forefront of naval technology, her importance to
the colony of Victoria alone would warrant saving her. The most powerful ship
in the Victorian Navy, Cerberus gave Victorians peace of mind they had a
protector to thwart any attacking force. Far away from the British fleet based
in Sydney, the gold-rush made Melbourne a tempting target.
In the 1870s Cerberus and the obsolete ex-Georgian Man of War, HMVS Nelson
(1814), were the extent of the Victorian Navy. Over time, the Navy expanded
to a sixteen vessel fleet comprising gunboats, torpedo boats and converted
government and commercial vessels. A small navy, the Permanent Force only
consisted of 385 full-time, and 382 part-time men in the Naval Brigade.
The three-headed dog of Greek mythology keeps the ‘Russian Bear’ at Bay
Melbourne Punch, 27 April 1871
HISTORY:
RECENT EVENTS:-
www.cerberus.com.au
A Cleaner Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay
A cleaner and healthier Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay depends on all of us –
government, business and individuals – being aware of how our actions impact
our waterways.
The Cleaner Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay Action Plan was announced by the
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith on 8 October 2012.
The action plan highlights the Victorian Government's commitment to protect
and improve our natural assets.
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/data/assets/pdf_file/0003/146730/A-Cleaner-
Yarra-and-Port-Phillip-Bay-print-friendly-final-version.pdf
Dr Vicki Karalis,
SFA President