Banksia Bulletin spring 2009

banksiaissue number 035 - spring 2009

bulletin

Friends of Bayside 2009 contact list

Bayside Environment Friends NetworkCoordinator: Barbara JakobMobile: 0408 032 963Email: [email protected]

Friends of Balcombe Park Coordinator: Joan Couzoff26 Balcombe Park Lane, Beaumaris 3193Phone: (03) 9589 1060

Friends of Bay Road ReserveCoordinator: Michael Norris (Southern Ward Councillor)5 Deakin Street, Hampton 3188Phone: (03) 9521 0804Email: [email protected]

BRASCACoordinator: Janet Ablitt4A Fairleigh Avenue, Beaumaris 3193Phone: (03) 9589 6646

Friends of Brighton DunesCoordinators: Elizabeth McQuire34 Normanby Street, Brighton 3186Phone: (03) 9592 6474and Jenny Talbot71 Champion Street, Brighton 3186Phone: (03) 9592 2109

Friends of Cheltenham ParkCoordinator: Valerie TyersPhone: (03) 9588 0107Email: [email protected]

Cheltenham Primary School SanctuaryPO Box 289, Cheltenham 3192Phone: (03) 9583 1614

Friends of Donald MacDonald ReserveCoordinators: Alison and Bill Johnston4 Wellington Avenue, Beaumaris 3193Phone: (03) 9589 5459

Friends of George Street ReserveCoordinators: Val Tarrant47 Bayview Crescent, Black Rock 3193Phone: (03) 9598 0554Email: [email protected] Pauline Reynolds9 Reno Road, Sandringham 3191Phone: (03) 9598 6368

Friends of Long Hollow Heathland/Friends of Table RockCoordinator: Ken Rendell33 Clonmore Street, Beaumaris 3193Phone: (03) 9589 4452

Friends of Gramatan Avenue Heathland SanctuaryCoordinator: Ken Rendell

Friends of Merindah Park and the Urban ForestCoordinator: David Cockburn72 Spring Street, Sandringham 3191Phone: (03) 9598 6148

Friends of Native WildlifeCoordinator: Michael Norris (Southern Ward Councillor)5 Deakin Street, Hampton 3188Phone: (03) 9521 0804Email: [email protected]

Friends of Ricketts Point LandsideCoordinator: Sue Raverty5 Rosemary Road, Beaumaris 3193Phone: (03) 9589 2103Email: [email protected]

Friends of Watkins BayCoordinator: Moira Longden73 Dalgetty Road, Beaumaris 3195Phone: (03) 9589 2725

Marine Care Ricketts Point IncPresident: Ray [email protected]: 0408 308 768

NED (New Environment Directions) at Elsternwick ParkCoordinator: Neil BlakePort Phillip EcoCentre, cnr Herbert and Blessington St, St Kilda 3182Phone: (03) 9534 0413Email: [email protected]

St. Leonards College Conservation GroupContact: Tim Barlow163 South Road, Brighton East 3187Phone: (03) 9909 9300Email: [email protected]

AcknowledgementsThank you to all the people who have contributed to this issue of Banksia Bulletin. The editors encourage people to submit articles, however Bayside City Council reserves the right to edit or omit articles. Artwork, illustrations and photographs can also be submitted to feature in the publication.

DisclaimerThe views expressed in the Banksia Bulletin are not necessarily those of Bayside City Council or its representatives.

EditorsFiona Dodge, Nicole Teys, Katie Croft

Copy deadlines 2009Copy deadlines are set for the first Friday of the month of release:Summer 2009 Friday 4 December for release end DecemberAutumn 2010 Friday 5 March for release end March

Banksia Bulletin is published quarterly by Bayside City Council to service people interested in enjoying and protecting the local environment.

If you would like to be added to the Banksia Bulletin mailing list, please contact Bayside City Council on 9599 4444 or email: [email protected]. Please indicate whether you would prefer to receive your Banksia Bulletin by post or via email.

Corporate CentrePO Box 27 Royal AvenueSANDRINGHAM VIC 3191Telephone: 9599 [email protected] of business 8.30am – 5pmMonday – Friday (except public holidays)

Cover photograph: Donkey Orchid (Diuris orienti) by Pauline Reynolds Printed on 100% recycled paper.

banksia bulletin - spring 20092

Spring has seen Bayside receive

some much needed rain for

our street trees, parks and

bushland reserves, that it is

hard to believe the extreme

summer weather experienced

earlier this year could return

in only a couple of months.

During the period 11–18 October

2009, Bayside City Council

participated in Fire Action Week,

which encouraged residents

to prepare their homes for the

coming fire season and to make

them fire safe – particularly

those with properties near

parks, foreshore reserves or

native bushland areas.

Bayside shares Victoria’s

concerns for the upcoming

fire season and while we

do not have the same risks

as rural areas, there are

still important prevention

actions we need to take.

The devastating events of the

Victorian bushfires in February

this year made us all realise

how important it is to be aware

about the risks of fires. We live

in one of the most fire-prone

states in the world, with 13 years

of drought, climate change

and dry conditions. Although

weather conditions on Black

Saturday were unprecedented,

it is likely we could see

similar extreme conditions

this coming fire season.

Bayside is home to 17kms of

foreshore and seven natural

bushland reserves so fire

prevention is still very important.

As a community we all need to

be aware of local fire restrictions

and Total Fire Ban days and know

what to do in the event of a fire.

Once again, congratulations are

in order as Bayside City Council

has been recognised as an

Australian leader in stormwater

management for its ground-

breaking new plan to clean and

reduce the stormwater run-off

from residential properties to

Port Phillip Bay. Bayside won a

national Stormwater Industry

Association Award for its Clean

Stormwater Amendment (C44)

to the Bayside Planning Scheme.

We are the first council to

regulate to ensure that effective

water-sensitive urban designs

are integrated into our planning

scheme and I believe other

councils in the Port Phillip and

Western Port regions will shortly

follow suit. It is a wonderful

achievement and a significant,

long-term commitment by

Bayside and the Association

of Bayside Municipalities to

protect our precious waterways.

It will have lasting, positive

effects for our environment

and is an example of how local

governments, under their own

initiatives, can work together to

achieve outstanding results.

Cr James LongMayor

In this ISSUENew Environment Directions 4 Neil Blake

Buckets for Bayside 5 Sarah Priestley

New to the Crew 5 Daniel Noonan

Friends of Brighton Dunes - Dr Jim Willis Reserve 6 Jenny Talbot

A coastal walk 8 Janet Ablitt

Friends of George Street Reserve 9 Valerie Tarrant and Pauline Reynolds

Sticky Longhead 9

Friends of Balcombe Park 10 Joan Couzoff

Friends of Donald MacDonald Reserve 11 Alison Johnston

Healthy Parks Healthy People 12 Sally Cockburn

Merindah Park and the Urban Forest 14 David Cockburn

Indigenous Resource Garden 15 Jim Richardson

Friends of Native Wildlife - Education Project 16 Elizabeth Walsh

Porcupine Fish 17 Ray Lewis

Watch where you put your hands 18 Peter Dedrick

Friends of Watkins Bay – Adverse Weather Events 20 Moira Longden

National Tree Day 22

Friends of Bayside Working Bee times 23

From the Mayor

banksia bulletin - spring 2009 3

More recently, we have also

been measuring the water

turbidity and the life within the

water itself. Thanks to Jo Hurse,

Bushland Team Leader and the

bushland crew, we planted

another 300 seedlings at an area

adjacent to the lake adding to

those we had planted last year.

Firstly, everyone helped to mulch

the area and then the hard

work began.

We now walk past feeling

very proud of what we see

and know we are contributing

towards improving this valuable

local resource. This community

involvement and the meaningful

participation of people with

disabilities is thanks to the Port

Phillip EcoCentre and its working

partnership with Bayside City

Council and Central Bayside

Adult Community Options

(CBACO).

CBACO encourages each

individual to be a part of his

or her community. This project

is a wonderful opportunity to

enable our clients to feel a

part of the local community

and to make a real difference

towards its improvement. People

are learning to identify bird

species, skilfully use a camera,

take measurements and the all

important task of recording data

(which includes dog poo!).

Our records show the bird

population changes with the

seasons, with interesting birds

such as Darters and White-faced

Herons visiting. Swans bred on

the lake last year. The Purple

Swamp-hens are usually present

in numbers varying from two

to seven, with the least seen

between April and July this year.

Perhaps the lake is an important

drought refuge when inland

waterways dry up in summer.

There is always a surprise waiting

for us… such as the mother

Wood Duck and her brood of

nine ducklings discovered in

August this year. We hope our

surveys will inform future planting

to improve water quality and

habitat in, and around the lake.

Comments from the team:

“I have learnt to measure water - how clear it is.” James

“I like to help with planting and it’s interesting seeing the birds and ducks.” Tabetha

“I enjoy going to Elsternwick Lake - it’s lots of fun.” Phoebe

“I enjoy seeing the ducks, birds and ducklings.” Robert

“It’s good to watch the birds and I enjoy the planting days.” Andrew

Neil Blake

Coordinator

NED

New Environment DirectionsSince February 2008, the New Environment Directions team from Central Bayside Adult Community Options has regularly monitored the bird life at Elsternwick Park lake area.

The New Environment Directions team at Elsternwick Park.


Buckets for Bayside

However, if planting numbers

continue to decline, Bayside will

experience a loss of amenity

within our streets. From 2010,

Council will return to planting a

minimum of 1,400 trees annually.

Young trees will be watered by

Council, however, to give these

new trees the best chance

possible we need your help!

Buckets for Bayside is a program

that will help you help your street

tree.

When a new tree is planted in

front of your home, you will be

provided with a bucket and

the Caring For Your Street Tree

information pamphlet.

We need your help to support the

tree in its early growth by giving it a

bucket of grey water once a week

in the cooler months and twice a

week in the warmer months.

With your help, we hope to

provide a healthy urban forest for

everyone to enjoy.

Sarah Priestley

Arboriculture Officer

Bayside City Council

Over the past few years Bayside City Council has reduced the number of trees planted in response to the severe drought conditions.

New to the Crew Hi, my name is Daniel Noonan

and I am the newest member

of the Bushland team here

at Citywide.*

While I was completing my four

year apprenticeship in Horticulture

(parks and gardens) at Citywide,

I grew to understand more about

the diverse bushlands throughout

Bayside and felt the need to

know and understand more

about them.

Growing up in the dense

bushlands of Beaconsfield, my

interests have grown substantially,

from landscaping my backyard to

now looking after Bayside’s flora

and fauna.

After working in Bayside’s

bushlands as an apprentice,

my first goal was to complete

my apprenticeship. Now that I

have reached that goal, my next

goal was to become a part of

Citywide’s Bushland Team and

now that I have fulfilled that goal I

couldn’t be happier.

After successfully completing Year

12 at St. Francis Xavier College

in 2005, I commenced work with

Citywide as an apprentice on

3 January 2006.

My previous work experience was

working in a paper factory using

large machinery where I needed

to be on the ball at all times and

precise in my work.

I then worked at Beaconsfield

Boarding Kennels & Cattery as

a kennel attendant. My jobs

included cleaning the enclosures,

preparing food and medication,

feeding the animals and of course

playing with them, making sure

their stay was as good as possible.

Now that I am with Citywide,

I am looking forward to meeting

all the Friends of Bayside and

working together to improve

Bayside’s Bushlands.

Daniel Noonan

Citywide Bushland Team

*Editor’s note - Citywide Open

Space is Bayside City Council’s

Open Space & Trees contract

service provider.

Dennis, Citywide’s tree planting specialist planting a new Kanooka (Tristaniopsis laurina) street tree.



It is also the 150th anniversary of

Darwin’s The Origin of Species,

the book that changed the

world. It affected the arts and

sciences and its repercussions

continue to be felt today.

Darwin’s great discoveries and

intuitions were in South America.

As for Australia, Darwin thought

very little of our out-of-the-way

continent, which he believed was

at the tail end of everywhere. He

writes in his Journal of Researches,

“Farewell Australia! You are

a rising child, and doubtless

some day will reign a great

princess in the South: but you

are too great and ambitious for

affection, yet not great enough

for respect. I leave your shores

without sorrow or regret”.

Darwin wrote, in the last few

pages of The Origin of Species,

“Analogy would lead me one

step further, namely, to the belief

that all animals and plants have

descended from some one

prototype”. So it looks as if the

religions had a point – under

the variation, all life is one.

The science of Ecology, which

has come into its own over

the last four decades, takes a

Darwinian view – animals and

plants are not isolated events,

they are manifestations of

life within a context and they

evolve and change. So if one

harms an animal’s habitat or

home (oikos), one harms the

animals and the other plants

and animals around it.

Throughout July and August there have been particularly high tides in Port Phillip Bay. This is due to the fact that more water is coming into the Bay as a result of channel deepening at the Heads. A number of rare cool water coral reefs were blown up. The Port of Melbourne

concedes a one-centimetre sea

level rise (which translates into

one metre of water coverage of

flat beaches). Will this affect the

beds of seagrass? The seagrass

beds off the reef at the South

end of Dendy Street beach

have shrunk in size over the last

year. Seagrass is a sure indicator of

environmental wellbeing. The

seagrass is an important source

of food dor fish, crabs

and visitors. Last summer, up to

14 Black Swans at a time were

eating there. Seagrass stabilises

sediment and it reacts very

badly to disturbance. What

about the effect of pollution

of accelerating introduction of

marine pests, what about oil

spills? What about the dolphins?

On 7 July, on a beautiful still

day, we were enchanted to

see four dolphins frisking and

fishing just off Green Point.

All of us who care about the

environment and labour in our

little tropic niches are anxious.

We worry about the health of

Friends of Brighton Dunes - Dr Jim Willis ReserveThis year celebrates the birth of the great naturalist Charles Darwin 200 years ago.

our wonderful bay. Will increased

water flow interfere with the

unique microorganisms which

have kept the bay much cleaner

and healthier than it should

be with all the pollution?

We are in the 13th year of

‘drought’ in and around

Melbourne. I think, given the

scientific facts, we should say we

are in a period of human-induced

climate change. Victoria is hotter

(by at least one degree), drier,

and even more prone to bushfires.

What a pleasure it has been

this winter to see the trees

and grasses that survived

last summer look green and

flourishing. And now it is early

spring again. The Boobialla

(Myoporum insulare) are

flowering, as are the Coast

Tea Tree (Leptospermum

laevigatum), the Coast Wattle

(Acacia sophorae) and the

Small-leaf Clematis (Clematis

mircophylla) (with its small

lovely pale yellow flowers and

its fuzzy frothy white seed heads

known as ‘Old Man’s Beard’).

As in all urban reserves, we

volunteers spend time at

virtually every working bee

picking up dumped rubbish.

It is astounding what people

drop – lolly wrappers, pens,

condoms, nappies, syringes

and plastic, plastic, plastic.

Every manufacturer should be

made to make biodegradable

plastic bags before we all sink

under the morass. Most of the

plastic bags will never properly

biodegrade and fish and

marine mammals will ingest the

carcinogenic bits. The larger bits

will strangle and choke them.

In our area, we work by the

modified Bradley Method of

Natural Bush Regeneration. We

hand weed so that we disturb the

soil as little as possible. We weed

from the good areas out, so that

the indigenous plants can expand

instead of being smothered

by exotic weeds. These weeds

mostly from South Africa and South America have no natural predators in our environment and so run amok. Most of the weeds can be used as mulch. We seed collect so that when we plant we use stock from our own genetic pool. The Bayside Community Nursery does a wonderful job in propagating plants for us and the other Friends groups in Bayside. Thanks to Carmen and Erika.

As we are conserving a natural area, we only re-plant where there is no hope of natural regeneration, at the edges of the reserve, in particular. We do not use poisons for many reasons, including that we believe the damage done to the microorganisms in the soil, and the existing flora and fauna is too great. Whatever the soil you are working with, it is the basis of everything. Our dedicated, incredibly hard working and knowledgeable staff from Citywide, Mark Rasmussen, is adamant about the importance of soil and brings his expertise and enthusiasm to bear on any problem we encounter.

This year we planted our seedlings from May until mid June, as soon as the weather became cooler, to give the plants a few months of coolness and a bit of rain to establish themselves before the heat.

For the last few weeks we have been weeding Kikuyu Grass (Pennisetum clandestinum), and cutting back and taking out Boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum) wherever we can.

Jenny Talbot

Coordinator Friends of Brighton Dunes


Illustrations by Jenny Talbot

Last year, at the end of summer,

I was dismayed to see so many

old Tea Trees (Leptospermum

laevigatum) lying dead, the

ground beneath was almost bare.

As Australia now produces

more carbon emissions every

year, I see no reason to expect

that we shall escape from further

escalating drought. We are

always overwhelmed by the size

of our area of care, so we work

selectively at smaller parts to plant,

weed and water.

It was a sunny day – from our

winter planting, which was around

the Love St car park and below

I know the soil to be moist from

the top 34cms but no more. It

is bone dry beneath that, but

surprisingly, the carpet of New

Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia

tetragonioides) was flowing

onwards, covering the ground with

shining green. The drought resistant

Sea-berry Saltbush (Rhagodia

candolleana) has increased

and is actually suppressing the

weeds. I used to think that exotics

having no predators would win

the battle. Now I see Rhagodia

and Tetragonia pushing weeds

back and chocking the area.The

Casuarinas (Allocasuarina verticila)

persist, dropping their cinnamon

coloured carpet around which

also discourages weeds.

The Boobiallas, neglected and little

appreciated, prosper and nurture

and shade their neighbours.

Boobiallas are fire resistant as

well as drought resistant. Hop

Goodenias (Goodenia ovata)

spring up where ever we

release them from Boneseed

(Chrysanthemoides monilifera).

Many Coastal Wattles (Acacia

saphorae) have sprung up and

other smaller plants we have

planted from our community

nursery are surviving – so far.

I come to the newly placed wide,

white sandy beach near Southey

St that BRASCA campaigned for

three years ago. This will protect

the fragile cliffs above them

and the groynes will prevent the

lateral drift from taking the sand

to the north.

We have broken this long stretch

of coast into smaller pieces to

plant, weed and water. We weed

mainly African Box Thorn (Lycium ferocissimum), Cape Ivy (Delairea odorata) and Boneseed.

Box Thorn has been removed in great quantities, Cape Ivy we weed in compact areas, removing all its roots. The happy part of this is that it does not return. I can revisit a place such as Royal Steps, where we weeded it and find it is no longer there. Boneseed was once covering all the cliffs. We did this section by section, the whole area. Now we enjoy our spring ‘Boneseed Sweep’ and check it for regrowth. Few stragglers remain. We never sprayed, preferring the most specific cut, scrape and spray, leaving the dying roots to hold the steep slopes until the new growth, usually Hop Goodenia, takes over.

With ominous future, I am continually awed and amazed at the courage and tenacity of these beautiful and adaptable flowers

and trees.

Janet Ablitt

Coordinator

BRASCA

A coastal walkI walked the coastline between Half Moon Bay and Jetty Rd with mixed feelings. This is the stretch that the Black Rock and Sandringham Conservations Associations Inc (BRASCA) has been caring for, for the past 40 years.

Photograph by Pauline Reynolds


A coastal walkThe photographer showed

interest in the Showy Bossiaea

(Bosseaiea cinaria), the Correas

(Correa reflexa and Correa alba)

and the delicate Common Beard

Heath (Leucapogon virgatus)

flourishing in the heathland.

She also commented on the

skeletal blackened Coast Tea

Tree (Leptospermum laevigatum)

which remains as a reminder

of the history of fire in the area,

and for some people has added

to its fascination.

Friends looked forward to

the Spring Open day on

27 September. Visitors were

able to enjoy the wildflowers,

especially the Wedding Bush

(Ricinocarpus pinifolius) on this

fine afternoon. Many people

have shown interest, and on a

Sunday in late August Pauline

showed 12 visitors around

the reserve.

On 17 August, a Bayview

Crescent resident driving past

George Street unexpectedly

spotted a Yellow Tailed Black

Cockatoo. At 9:32am pictures

were taken that showed the bird

in flight, which later settled on

a branch. At 9:33am, the bird

looked up as it sat among a

mass of branchlets. I, Val,

am most grateful to our next

door neighbour who took the

photos and presented copies

for our collection.

The August working bee was

particularly enjoyable as Erika

Anderson from Citywide brought

tea, coffee and biscuits, reviving

an old custom, and making a

good opportunity for talk and

relaxation. As usual, we welcome

newcomers who would like to

join us.

Valerie Tarrant and

Pauline Reynolds

Joint Coordinators

Friends of George Street Reserve


Despite the long drought, this year’s springtime flowering has been splendid and we were happy the Melbourne Weekly Bayside featured the George Street Reserve, along with Balcombe Park, in a recent article.

Friends of George Street Reserve

The Sticky Longhead was

one of the fascinating plants

featured in a segment on the

Bayside Community Nursery on

the ABC’s television program,

Gardening Australia (8 August

2009). A member of the

Asteraceae family, the Sticky

Longhead has not been seen in

the greater Melbourne area for

over 100 years until it recently

appeared at George Street Reserve after the 2006 wildfire.

The Bayside Community Nursery

has since collected the seed

and planted out a small seed

orchard.

For more information about the

Bayside Community Nursery,

or how you can become a

nursery volunteer, please visit

Bayside City Council’s website

www.bayside.vic.gov.au/

environment_nursery or

phone 9583 8408.

Sticky Longhead (Podotheca angustifolia)


Spring is fast approaching

and quite a few species of

heath are already flowering,

including Showy Bossiaea

(Bossiaea cinerea), the Erect

Guinea Flower and the red and

green form of the Native Fuchsia

(Correa reflexa).

The regeneration in the

2001 controlled burn area

has improved significantly

with many Wedding Bush

(Ricinocarpus pinifolius) linking

up with the wildfire site near

the mobile phone tower which

becomes a mass of delicately

scented ivory white flowers.

Although there has been a lack

of rainfall, the burn site of 2008

is gradually regenerating with

Kangaroo Apple (Solamum

laciniatum) being the most

dominant plant, however it

also helps to protect the more

delicate understorey, such as

Running Postman (Kennedia

prostrata) and Common

Appleberry (Billardiera scandens).

Recently an echidna was sighted

on the nature strip on Balcombe

Road between Balcombe Park

and Royal Melbourne Golf

Course. A pacific black duck was

also seen with eight ducklings

wandering up Balcombe

Park lane towards the Royal

Melbourne Golf Course.

Joan Couzoff

Coordinator

Friends of Balcombe Park


Wedding Bush (Ricinocarpus pinifolius).



Our main task at our August

working bee was to plant tube

stock of two species of trees,

Acacia implexa (Lightwood),

and Allocasuarina verticillata

(Drooping She-oak). The

excellent book by Rob Scott et al,

Indigenous Plants of the Sandbelt,

includes the following notes:

“Lightwood is a graceful, reliable,

long-lived wattle with attractive

bark…Drooping She-oak, this is

a beautiful and easily-cultivated

tree…the golden effect of the

dense male flowers is an attractive

feature, as is the sound of the

wind through the fine branchlets.”

Earlier in the winter, we were

particularly pleased to be able

to plant out eight well-grown

seedlings of Wedding Bush

(Ricinocarpus pinifolius). For

several years now, Bill has been

authorised by the Bayside

Community Nursery to collect the

seed from what is perhaps the only

Wedding Bush plant in Donald

MacDonald Reserve. He sorts the

seeds very carefully, and then

passes them on to the nursery. Last

year this bush was in very poor

condition, and it produced fewer

seeds, but this year it appears to

be much healthier.

Wedding Bush seeds are known

to be very difficult to germinate.

However the nursery staff were

particularly pleased with their

success rate this season. The seeds

were scattered in trays on top of

seed-raising mix, then treated in

the smoke tent. Green material

from local plants, including tea-

tree and bracken was used to

build up the smoke, then the

trays were placed in the tent for

exactly one hour. I was intrigued

to learn that the selection of plant

material, the build-up of smoke,

and the timing seem to be crucial

in the germination process. In

previous years, periods of just

under, or over, 60 minutes were

unsuccessful. After smoking, the

seeds were lightly covered with

sand and transferred to the

roofed shade house. To retain

the chemicals in the smoke they

were not watered for two weeks.

About 24 plants survived and

developed to the stage when

they could be planted out, and

some were returned to the Donald

MacDonald Reserve Friends group.

We planted three of them near

their ‘mother’ plant in the 1997

controlled burn site, and several

others in the area of the 2006

wildfire. Wedding Bush is much

more plentiful in some of the

other Bayside bushland reserves.

They are looking beautiful in

nearby Gramatan Avenue

Heathland Sanctuary.

Alison Johnston

Coordinator

Friends of Donald MacDonald Reserve

Friends of Donald MacDonald Reserve


Bill and Daniel planting tube stock at the Reserve.

Bill Johnston, dedicated coordinator of Donald MacDonald Reserve.

Photographs by Kim Croker


Healthy ParksHealthy People

There is irrefutable evidence

that being exposed to nature is

good for your health. For readers

of Banksia Bulletin this is a no

brainer, but we still have a way to

go to get the message across to

some members of the community

who could most benefit for

interaction with nature. I have

grown up loving our Bayside

parks and George Street Reserve

was my childhood playground!

I have been involved with Parks

Victoria’s Healthy Parks Healthy

People project for over a

decade and I am now a proud

Ambassador for the International

Healthy Parks Healthy People

Congress to be hosted by Parks

Victoria in Melbourne next year.

The whole idea of the Congress

is to build bridges between parks

managers and the broader

community to work on how

nature is good for the health

of communities. This involves

engaging a range of sectors

including education, tourism,

community development and in

particular, the health sector. But

it is a two way street: if we can

foster people’s awareness of how

beneficial parks can be for their

health, in turn, they should be

more willing to help us care for

our parks and the environment in

general. Education and access

are the key.

In Bayside there has, for a long

time, been a practice of fencing

off and locking people out of

some parks deemed too sensitive

for public access. While sensitive

areas do need to be protected

from harm, locking people out

does nothing to build good

relationships. Instead it is likely

to foster resentment from those

who interpret this as them being

considered not trustworthy.

At the June session of Bayside

City Council’s meeting, the

Councillors expressed their

majority support to restore public

access to the currently locked-off

part of the George Street Reserve

*(see Editors Note). So long as it

is properly managed, allowing

public access to this area will not

result in the destruction of the

flora. With improved perimeter

fencing, chicane gates and

appropriate paths, along with

good interpretive signage and

an education program, the flora

should flourish and more people

will be able to enjoy the health

giving beauty that is currently

only accessible to a few. The


Grange in Kingston is a great

example of how a sensitive area

can be managed so that all

parties are happy. The Grange

allows 24/7 public access and the

flora remains well protected.

I hope that the George Street

project might be expanded to

include local school children in

helping to care for the park. After

all what we want is sustainability

and nurturing the next generation

of park “friends” is as important as

looking after the seedlings!

Well done Bayside for your

contribution to a healthier

community by making parks

more accessible.

For more info on the Parks Victoria

Congress visit

www.healthyparkshealthy peoplecongress.org

Dr Sally Cockburn

Bayside resident

*Editor’s Note:

At the ordinary meeting of

Council held on 23 June 2009 it

was resolved that Council:

1. Consult with the Department of

Sustainability and Environment,

the local community and

other interested parties on the

construction of a new path,

as part of the Planning

Application process.

2. Following consultation,

construct a pedestrian path

In the 2006 burn area at

George Street Reserve.

The path will have Net

Gain Accounting principles

applied and establish an

offset if indigenous vegetation

elsewhere on the site. The path

alignment will be subject to

advice from the Department of

Sustainability and Environment

and the Planning Permit.


Merindah Park and the Urban

Forest owe their existence to

the foresight of the early City of

Sandringham, which created

an urban forest reserve to act

as a barrier between residential

and industrial land under the first

local town planning schemes

in the early 1950s as the area

experience it post war housing

boom. For many years thereafter

it remained as neglected,

unfenced, vacant land, parts of

which were used as rubbish tips

and part as car park and access

for the adjacent battery factory.

In the mid twentieth century and

well before the formal “Friends

Groups” were thought of, local

residents took the initiative of

planting trees, shrubs and grasses

in an attempt to soften the

visual impact of the sites. They

tended them through several

drought years with bucket

brigades and were rewarded by

the development of a mature

sample of Australian bushland

with a log lined walking track.

The current Friends Group

evolved from the initiative

of those early residents.

Today the park and forest

looks bare and unsightly, as

environmental works remove

toxic pollution caused by illegal

waste dumping, domestic

garbage land fill and in particular

the high levels of extremely

dangerous heavy metal toxins.

Unfortunately these works

have necessitated removal of significant proportions of this vegetation, including mature 50-year-old trees in the urban forest. The works of necessity have also required severely limited access by visitors to both park and urban forest. The near one million dollar clean up is now near completion.

The Friends Group is looking forward to involvement in the planning and making a substantial contribution to the replanting of the urban forest and the rejoining of the wildlife green corridor. This forest corridor is a vital link between green wedges to the north and south, allowing bird and other wildlife space to feed, breed and maintain genetic diversity. The group represents a range of different interests and users of the area, but with the principle objective of re-creating the forest vista of trees, shrubs and grasses selected for diversity and function from the wide range of available and suitable Australian flora, and to return the park open space to its former multipurpose passive recreation role. The Friends Group has been enlarged and strengthened in preparation for the work ahead. The overriding objective is to allow the community to fully and freely

utilise both the forest and reserve.

David Cockburn

Coordinator

Friends of Merindah Park and

the Urban Forest

Urban Forest showing a range of Eucalypts and Wattles before commencement of clean-up works.

Loss of vegetation due to removal of soil necessary to eliminate toxic compounds.

Merindah Park and the Urban Forest


After considerable replanting

and improved signage it was

re-opened in 2007. However,

as a consequence of the hot

and dry conditions, which

prevailed earlier this year, many

plants did not survive and the

garden deteriorated.

Nevertheless, in recent times

Bayside City Council has

replanted extensively with plant

types considered more able to

resist extreme conditions and

avoiding those plants which

had failed to survive.

The following varieties of plants

were selected:

In addition, a new watering system with underground pipes for low pressure irrigation (drip feed) and controlled by a solar panel has replaced the original system of overhead sprayers which are more wasteful. Recycled water will be taken from the Elsternwick Canal and trucked to the garden so that the small wetland area will be better maintained during the hot summer months.

It is intended that the restored garden will be in much better condition by April next year. Then children from primary and secondary schools will be invited to learn more about indigenous

plants at the actual site.

The original inhabitants of

Bayside, the Boonwering/

Bunurong tribe, used indigenous

plants for food, medicine

and artefacts. The Garden

will be featured as part of a

Reconciliation Week in 2010

(27 May to 3 June).

Jim Richardson

BRASCA

Indigenous Resource GardenThe Indigenous Resource Garden was originally opened in 1988 as a Bicentenary project and is located near the rounded corner of Bluff Road and Royal Avenue, Sandringham.

Common Name Latin Name

Sweet Wattle Acacia suaveolens

Chocolate Lily Arthropodium strictum

Cranberry Heath Astroloma humifusum

Coast or Prickly Spear Grass Austrostipa stipoides

Common Apple-berry Billardiera scandens

Australian Binweed Convolvulus erubescens (not indigenous)

White Correa Correa alba

Black Anther or Spreading Flax-lily Dianella revoluta var revoluta

Austral Indigo Indigofera australis

Rush Juncus species.

Common Beard-heath Leucopogon virgatus

Spiny-headed Mat-rush Lomandra longifolia

Fragrant Salt Bush Podolepis jaceoides (not indigenous)

Blue Tussock Grass Poa poiformis

Kangaroo Apple Solanum laciniatum

Hairy Spinifex Spinifex sericeus

Golden Spray Viminaria juncea

Small Grass-tree Xanthorrhoea minor


One of main roles of Friends

of Native Wildlife (FoNW) is

educating the community about

the value of the Bayside natural

environment and especially

local wildlife. To help achieve

this, we applied for a Melbourne

Water grant. The focal point of

FoNW’s grant submission has

been achieved. After 18 months

and many hours of work, phone

calls and emails, the group now

has a logo and a website that is

about 90 per cent complete. We

also have a formal email address:

[email protected] and

hope that the website and email

address will help all our (Friends)

groups share local knowledge

with the next generation.

Three VCE students included the

FoNW website as part of their

International Baccalaureate

studies. They made good progress

and our group has had some

outside assistance to complete

difficult areas in order to finalise

the website page.

We wanted to use a loose-leaf

folder as education equipment

when sharing local knowledge

at community events (when

PowerPoint presentations are not

appropriate). Each core member

of the group wrote information

which was printed below

beautiful photos from a

number of our Friends and

later laminated. We are most

grateful to the photographers

who have been acknowledged

under the photos. Suggestions

from a local teacher are helping

us with student style sheets

for education purposes. The

symbiotic relationships between

insects, mammals, birds and

plants are our next endeavour.

We are aware that the general

public is interested in identifying

our local fauna and flora. FoNW

is hoping to use our website and

loose-leaf material to promote

wildlife information at local public

events. We hope to interest

student groups in particular.

Citywide does excellent work

with school groups. We hope

to fill in the gap with other

groups such as scouts/girl

guides. Our first visit to a

scout group encouraged

Michael Norris (Coordinator)

to gather photos and content

for a good PowerPoint

presentation which our group

intends to develop further.

We are planning ongoing

interaction with this particular

group for their nature badges.

Thanks must go to Val especially,

but also Michael, Ian and Pat. We

also acknowledge Kim Croker,

Bernhard Jakob, Anne Sherlock

and the three IB students from

St Leonards.

Elizabeth Walsh

Friends of Native Wildlife

Friends of Native Wildlife - Education Project


Porcupine Fish

Porcupine Fish are very docile in cold weather; you can pick them up easily (and gently). They will puff up when feeling threatened, so much in fact that they will float near the surface for a while.

They have exquisitely dulcet eyes when relaxed.

But do not be fooled!

The Porcupine Fish carries a highly lethal toxin called tetradotoxin in its skin, flesh and internal organs, so should be handled with great care, if at all.

Ray Lewis

President

Marine Care Ricketts Point

The Porcupine or Globe Fish (Diodon nithemerus) is common in Ricketts Point Sanctuary. I found this one (on a Saturday morning), just off Tea House reef in two metres of water.

Friends of Native Wildlife - Education Project


Our aim is to identify as many

of the plants and animals as we

can and to record any changes

in numbers or diversity. When

conducting our surveys, we follow

some basic rules:

• Wearproperclothing–ahat,

shoes, sunscreen for protection

from the elements.

• Treadcarefully-forourown

safety and to avoid damaging

the reef platform.

• Neverputyourhandswhere

you can not see them.

A reason for the last rule is the

presence of the Southern Blue

Ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena

maculosa). This species is found

along the coastline from southern

Western Australia to eastern

Victoria. A second related species

inhabits northern waters.

Despite being fairly common

in the Sanctuary, the Blue

Ringed Octopus is normally well

camouflaged so you have to

look hard to find one. I looked

for several years without success

until one drifted past my feet as I

was wading out to the Tea House

Reef. That evening we saw three.

The name octopus comes from

the word Octopoda, which

means ‘eight-footed’. They are

molluscs and, along with their

close relatives the squid and

cuttlefish, are the most highly

developed invertebrates

(animals without backbones),

with a well developed brain

and eye structure.

The Blue Ringed Octopus is, in

general, solitary and territorial. It

is not usually aggressive but will

defend its turf when challenged.

Both sexes grow to similar sizes but

the male has a modified tentacle

with a groove running along the

edge with a grasping structure

called the ‘hectocotylus’ at the

tip. When mating begins, the

male caresses her mantle with

this tentacle. He then places his

tentacle into the females’ mantle

cavity and inserts the sperm packet

Watch where you put your handsMarine Care Ricketts Point conducts quarterly surveys (in Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring) of the intertidal platforms in the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary.


releasing the spermatophores. The

male dies (presumably contented)

after mating.

The female lays between 50

to100 eggs, each enclosed in a

clear, transparent covering. She

carries them around under the

‘skirt’ between her tentacles and

guards them closely. She only has

one clutch of eggs because she

is unable to eat while protecting

her eggs and dies soon after the

eggs hatch.

The infant blue ringed octopus

is pea sized when it hatches. It

matures quickly and soon grows

to the size of a golf ball (adult

sized) within the year. They are

ready to mate the following

year and then die. Life span is

therefore about two years.

The Blue Ringed Octopus is one of

our most spectacular creatures,

but it is also potentially deadly.

If the blue rings are visible,

this is a sign the animal is

becoming aggressive.

The blue ringed octopus has

two poison glands that secrete

different types of poison through

the saliva. One type is quite mild

and is used to paralyse crabs and

other prey when hunting. The

other type is very toxic and is used

as a defense against predators,

including people.

While the bite is not much more

than a scratch, the poison is

very strong and can kill an adult

human within minutes.

At first the victim feels nauseous,

and then there is a loss of sight,

touch, speech and the ability

to swallow. In three minutes, the

nervous system stops working,

paralysis sets in and respiratory

failure commences. Without

immediate help, the victim will

die. Mouth to mouth resuscitation

and heart massage must be

started straight away and

continued until professional

medical help is reached.

There, artificial respiration and

heart massage will continue

until the poison can work its way

out of the victim’s system. This

usually takes about 24 hours and

leaves the victim with no obvious

side effects.

Victims are aware of their

surroundings throughout their

ordeal but are unable to respond

in any way. They may appear

dead but if aid comes quickly

enough, they will survive.

Because the poison is in the saliva,

it can be ingested through the

skin. Some people are reported

to have experienced a tingling in

their hands after touching rocks

or water recently occupied by a

blue ringed octopus.

Bites generally have occurred

when an octopus has been

picked up out of its pool or

stepped on.

So, to avoid an unpleasant

encounter, watch your step and

if you see one, leave it alone.

If this article has not put

you off and you would like

further information about the

Ricketts point Marine Sanctuary

or how to join Marine Care

Ricketts Point, visit our website

www.marinecare.org.au

Peter Dedrick

Marine Care Rickets Point

Blue Ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa).

Photograph by Ray Lewis


Some of it used to be part of the

car park, so occasionally we dig

up pieces of road metal. In other

places it is heavily compacted.

We started planting in the 1990s

then commenced again last

year we finished it this year and

have been delighted with the

success of the plants. It is much

more formal than we usually do

in that it has a border of Cushion

Bush (Leucophyta brownii).

In other places such as the bank,

which runs from the Beaumaris

Life Saving Club to the exercise

equipment, we have had

considerable plant losses during

the disastrous February high

temperatures, especially the

Coast Beard Heath (Leucopogon

parviflorus) which had been doing

well. Despite weekly watering

and being one and two years old,

all of them died quite suddenly,

except one.

On the other hand, beach plants

such as Coast Saltbushes (Atriplex

cinera), Karkalla (Carpobrotis

rossii), Cushion Bush and Coast

Daisy-bush (Olearia axillaris),

seemed to be unaffected.

Mulching with wet seaweed

seems to have played a big part

in their survival as well. I have

wondered if we could plant these

beach species all year.

If you walk near the Life Saving

Club, have a look at the Sticky

Daisy-bush (Olearia glutinosa)

which is growing beneath the

old Coast Banksia (Banksia

integrifolia). This old tree is very

fragile so we planted beneath

it to stop people from sitting

under it. On the other side of

the Life Saving Club between it

and the red brick toilet block,

there is a lot of Sticky Daisy-bush

growing in front of the cliff. We

have been delighted with this

plant and its success. A big thank

you to Carmen and Erika for

propagating Sticky Daisy-bush at

the Bayside Community Nursery

and making it available to the

community along with all the

other plants.

On 26 April, there was a

tremendous storm with a wild

wind pushing the tide fiercely over

Friends of Watkins Bay – Adverse Weather EventsMost of our work this year has been completing our beach bed beside the path near the Reserve Road drain.

Friends of Watkins Bay


the rock platforms almost up to

the Tea House. It tore out cubic

metres of sand and with it beach

vegetation. The worst damage

was beside the disabled persons

ramp where Coast Banksia has

been regenerating naturally for

some years. At least 10 Banksias,

some two and three metres tall,

were torn out along with the

sand. The ramp itself was pulled

apart and washed up further

along the beach. One could cry

but you cannot argue with the

sea.

Some of the Banksias, which we

have planted during the past five

years, drought/climate change,

have been struggling. Many of

the imposing old giants have

given up their struggle altogether.

Perhaps they had reached the

end of their life anyhow. Coast

Banksia are such an iconic

species in Bayside that it is hard to

see them dying.

On 25 August, another windstorm

was raging. Later inspection

revealed that the large old

Banksia beside Beach Rd, near

the end of Tramway Pde has had

large limbs torn off in the wind.

More sand, and with it another

three Banksias have been lost

beside the disable persons ramp.

However our beach bed near the

life saving club looks very healthy

and seems unaffected by storms

and spray. Foot traffic in the

summer is its main problem.

Most of our group are keen

gardeners and we applaud the

Council’s care of our remnant

bushland areas, Beach Park and

the Community Plant Nursery.

Moira Longden

Coordinator

Friends of Watkins Bay

Friends of Watkins Bay – Adverse Weather Events

Our beach bed near the Life Saving Club.

Our beach bed near the Life Saving Cub (South) looking towards Table Rock.

Our beach bed near the Life Saving Club (looking inland).

Beach planting near Reserve Rd drain (beside the path).


National Tree Day Volunteers at Half Moon Bay.

This year, Bayside’s National Tree

Day site was held at Half Moon

Bay, Black Rock on Sunday 2

August from 10am to 12noon.

One hundred volunteers planted

more than 2,000 indigenous

plants with help from Citywide

Bushland and Nursery staff.

Schools Tree Day took place on

Friday 31 July.

Students planted 2,000

indigenous plants at various

foreshore locations.

Schools included:

Koskta Hall Xavier

Cheltenham Primary School

Gardenvale Primary School,

Hampton Primary School

Brighton Secondary College

Bentleigh West Primary School

Moorabbin Primary School

Brighton Beach Primary School

Brighton Primary School

What a fantastic effort!

Thank you to all the volunteers.

For more information about

National Tree Day visit

planetark.com

Citywide Bushland & Nursery Staff

National Tree DayNational Tree Day is Australia’s biggest community tree-planting event. It is day for all Australians to help out by planting native trees and shrubs at a Tree Day site in their local area.


Friends of BaysideWorking Bee times for October to January 2010

Time/Day OCT NOV DEC JAN

Balcombe Park Last Sunday 10am - noon

25 29 20 31

Bay Rd 2nd Saturday 10am - noon

10 14 12 9

BRASCA 2nd Monday 10am - 12pm

12 9 14 11

Brighton Dunes Tuesdays 8am - 10am

6, 13, 20, 27

3, 10, 17, 24

1, 8, 15, 22

5, 12, 19, 26

Cheltenham Park 1st Sunday 10am - noon

4 1 6 3

Cheltenham Primary Contact school 9583 1614

24 22

Donald MacDonald 1st Sunday 10am - noon

4 1 6 3

George St 3rd Sunday 10am - noon

18 15 20 17

Gramatan 1st Sunday 1 - 3pm

4 1 6 3

Long Hollow Last Sunday 1pm - 3pm

25 29 20 31

Friends of Native Wildlife 1st Saturday

9.30am

Ricketts Point Landside

3rd Tuesday 1pm - 3pm

20 17 15 19

Table Rock Last Tuesday 12.30pm - 2.30pm

27 24 29 26

Urban Forest & Merindah Park

2nd Sunday 10am - 12pm

11 8 13 10

Watkins Bay Last Wednesday 1pm - 3pm

28 25 30 27

Gardenvale Primary School Contact Brigitta Suendermann ph. 9530 0328

Sandringham East Primary School Contact Katrine Lee ph. 9555 5250

Contact Michael Norris ph. 9521 0804


www.bayside.vic.gov.au

Banksia Bulletin spring 2009

Documents

Transcript of Banksia Bulletin spring 2009