May 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: 

Recent Events

 Merri Paddle Field Day - Heathcote Junction

The Merri Paddle is a coalition of community groups, including Wallan Environment Group and the Friends of Merri Creek, working to restore the Merri to a quality that would encourage the return of the platypus,
This ambitious but critical project reached a big milestone on 1st April, when volunteers helped leading platypus ecologist Josh Griffiths from EnviroDNA ecologists collect water samples from 15 sites along the 50 kilometre length of the creek, including South Mountain Road Reserve in Heathcote Junction.
Josh’s report will provide a baseline across a wide range of variables such as surface water reliability, pool depth and overhanging vegetation which are essential for platypus habitability. This will allow us to address key problems, such as lessening the damage of urban run-off, bank erosion, riparian revegetation, litter control and weed removal.

Once finalised, the report will be available on the Friends of Merri Creek website, http://friendsofmerricreek.org.au

This important scientific study was supported by a small grant from Mitchell Shire Council, and we thank Councillor Rob Eldridge and Elyse Kelly, Mitchell Shire Environment Coordinator for their help in making this contribution.

Australian Plants Society Mitchell Group

Click here for a great article in the May newsletter of the Australian Plants Society Mitchell Group about the history and floral values of the Hidden Valley Railway Reserve in Wallan. Article by Norbert Ryan & Gerry Wun Ho.

Victoria's floral emblem Epacris impressa (Common Heath) flowering along the Hidden Valley Rail Reserve. Photos by Norbert Ryan.

Coming Up

Agroforestry Seminar 

Topics:
*Trees for shelter and fodder to support stock production
*Trees for land degradation and soil quality
*Trees for biodiversity 
*Trees for timber – species, wood quality, management (pruning/thinning), includes firewood, logs, posts
*Trees for other products such as flowers, seed, native foods etc.

Date: Saturday, 9th July.
Venue: Ken Hall Pavilion, Kings Park, Tallarook Street, Seymour

RSVP – by Thursday, 7 July 2022 to, or 0422 058 21.

Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference 2022

The ninth Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference has the theme of Biodiversity Conservation: Moving forward with lessons learned.

This is a one day conference and will be held on Friday 10th June. The aim of this conference is to communicate new ecological research to natural resource managers, the research community and those with an interest in better environmental management.

More information here: Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference 2022 - Federation University Australia

Have Your Say

Have your say on the future of Landcare in Victoria

Landcare Victoria Inc. is leading the development of a new Landcare plan for Victoria, and need your input.

The plan is intended to create a road map for the future growth and development of community Landcare in the Victoria. These engagement opportunities, facilitated by Projectura, are the first phase in the plan’s development.

They will inform a report on issues and opportunities, reflecting the broad opinions of the Landcare community and stakeholders and will provide the foundation for the development of the strategic plan in the second half of 2022.

How to have your say:
Online workshop - Wednesday 11th May, 5pm - 7pm - Click here to register
Online survey - Click here to complete the survey

Conservation Stories

'Plant Heroes' showcases Murnong in the Merri

Plant Heroes is a project that showcases stories of people saving plant species from around Australia. One of its stories features Murnong Microseris scapigera and the years of work by Merri Creek Management Committee (MCMC) and Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, to conserve this species. It shows that the conservation work was less to do with the plant and more about the special relationship with people, in this place.

The creators of the story hope it can help to acknowledge the need to place cultural knowledge as core to conservation planning and developing 'right-way' projects.
See the video: Murnong; saving Yam Daisy on Melbourne's Merri Creek, or listen to more detail on the podcast.

Funding Opportunities

Victorian Gorse Taskforce Small Community Grants

Do you have gorse? 

The Victorian Gorse Taskforce (VGT) is calling for grant applications for their 2022/2023 Small Community Grants Program.

The VGT are interested in supporting groups, starting from just two landholders, who are genuinely willing to control gorse and stay on top of it.

Grants up to $5000 are available for successful applicants. Grants are open now and close Saturday 28th May.

For more information, and to apply visit: Community Grants - Victorian Gorse Taskforce (vicgorsetaskforce.com.au) or contact the VGT Excecutive Officer - 0417 593 250 

BushBank

The Victorian Government is seeking expressions of interest from suitable organisations to deliver an ambitious program to revegetate and restore at least 20,000 hectares of native habitat across private land in Victoria.
A pool of $31m is available, with Expressions of Interest closing 30th May. More information here.