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Issue 16: April 2009 Welcome to the April edition of Catchment News, the newsletter of the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA). Previous editions of this newsletter are available on the CMA website. To subscribe to Catchment News or make changes to your subscription details please send an email to hcr@cma.nsw.gov.au. Click here to view large text format | Click here for print-friendly version What's happening around the catchments?
Around 37 community members took the opportunity to learn some new skills at one of the CMA's PlaceStories workshops held across the Hunter-Central Rivers region throughout March. The free workshops were offered to introduce land managers across the region to the new digital storytelling tool called PlaceStories, which has been adopted as the method for nominating in the 2009 Hunter-Central Rivers Champions of the Catchments Awards. A big thanks to NSW Landcare, TAFE and the creators of PlaceStories Feral Arts, for their generous assistance with the training workshops. Nominations for the Champions of the Catchments awards close on Friday 1 May 2009 and the winners will be announced at the 2009 Hunter Region Landcare Forum on Saturday 30 May 2009 at Tocal Agricultural Centre, where all of the projects nominating for the awards will be showcased. Instructions on how to nominate yourself or someone else for an award are available on the CMA website, or calling the CMA on 4930 1030. Photo courtesy of John Dalton, NSW Landcare.
From the coastal heath, mangroves and saltmarsh on the coast, the tall wet forests and sub tropical rainforests of the mountains and the subalpine woodland of the highest plateau at Barrington Tops to the box gum woodland and grasslands of the western valley, the Hunter-Central Rivers region is home to an incredible diversity of native vegetation communities. A major partnership between the CMA and Hunter Councils is aiming to deliver an important resource that will help us better understand, classify and map the many different types of native vegetation occurring in our region. Through the project, detailed information from more than 4600 field sites has been analysed and thoroughly reviewed by local botanical experts, resulting in a comprehensive classification of over 210 distinct vegetation communities in the region. The CMA has also identified a list of criteria for regionally significant vegetation and the forthcoming vegetation map and classifications will be analysed to determine the status of each patch of remaining vegetation. The information gathered through the project will be invaluable for the CMA in terms of highlighting future investment priorities for conservation and management actions. It should also assist state and local government agencies in making appropriate decisions on land use planning, developments and management of national reserves. For more information contact Anna Ferguson on 4337 1213 or Shawn Capararo on 4938 4950.
Since taking out the People’s Choice Award at the 2008 National Landcare Awards, and receiving their award from actor Jack Thompson, the students and staff at Wyong Creek Public School in the Yarramalong Valley have become minor celebrities. In March the CMA Board and executive stopped in at the school to congratulate them on their achievements. The Board was visiting a number of projects on the Central Coast prior to its March meeting, which was held in Wyong. Under the leadership of Principal Gale Ball, and with the combined efforts of the school community, and a little bit of help and guidance from the CMA, Wyong Creek Public School has undergone a remarkable transformation. And if you’d like to know more, you might like to visit the school and be taken on an ‘ecotour’ where you can learn about all the things that take place, including planting and weeding, propagating local seed in the greenhouse, composting, recycling and waste management. Every second month the CMA Board and executive get out and about to have a look at projects happening in a part of our region to gain a better understanding of local environmental issues, and the people helping to manage them.
Forget the Sydney Royal Easter Show, for an authentic agricultural experience get along to Tocal Agriculture Centre for the 26th annual Tocal Field Days. Kicking off on Friday 1 May, this annual 3-day extravaganza has something for the whole family with a huge range of demonstrations, entertainment, stalls, food and wine, and agricultural history. Step back in time with a tour of the historic Tocal Homestead, pick up a bargain on a new tractor, a water tank, some fencing gear or a new saddle, sample some gourmet food and wine from our region’s top producers, and get some expert advice on a range of issues from government agencies, service providers and not-for profit organisations operating in the region. The CMA is a proud sponsor of the Land Management Area and is once again hosting a number of local community groups in the Land Management Pavilion. This year the CMA is happy to welcome: Hunter Organic Growers Society, Trees in Newcastle, the Australian Plants Society, the Native Animal Trust Fund, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Hunter Region Biodynamic Group, Hunter Region Landcare Network, Hunter Farm Forestry Network, and Earthcare Park and Education Centre. So drop in and say hello and don’t forget to enter the CMA’s competition while you’re there to go in the draw for a fantastic environmental prize pack worth $500. Check out the Tocal Field Days website for full details on the event.
Avondale College at Cooranbong is part of the historic Avondale Estate, covering 325 hectares between Lake Macquarie and the Watagans. Dora Creek, identified as a priority creek in the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Action Plan, and Jigadee Creek both flow through the estate, which also contains a number of non-permanent wetlands. Brothers Jason and Darren Morton, both lecturers at the college, realised the potential of the natural assets of the area while walking along a neglected trail. Darren, who lectures in health, thought that with a little maintenance the track would be ideal for students to jog and cycle on, while Jason, who has a background in ecology, was surprised by what he found in the surrounding bushland when he took a closer look. Although overgrown with weeds, and severely degraded by grazing cattle, Jason was able to identify some wetland areas and significant native vegetation, including substantial paperbark forests, swamp oak, river oak, a number of eucalypts and angophoras, and river mangroves. Since making their discovery, Jason, Darren and maintenance staff member Bruce Cantrill, have been working with the CMA to restore these important areas. Through the CMA the college has been able to access funding from the Australian Government to install over three kilometres of fencing to exclude cattle from Jigadee and Dora creeks and from wetland areas, while the gradual removal of three hectares of lantana, privet, camphor laurel, and blackberry will allow the natural regeneration of the native vegetation. Avondale College and the CMA are inviting interested members of the public to come along to an open day at the college in late May to see what’s being achieved there. For more information please contact Vanessa Malicia at the CMA’s Gosford Office on 4337 1202 (Mon, Wed, Fri) or email vanessa.malicia@cma.nsw.gov.au.
Arundo donax, commonly known as Giant Reed, is a member of the grass family and closely resembles bamboo. It grows up to 9 m tall and forms thick multi-stemmed clumps that spread from horizontal rhizomes. The root masses can spread over several hectares, quickly forming dense colonies with a massive underground network that easily out-competes native species. This invasive plant has become particularly problematic, and is affecting the stability of riverbanks, along the Paterson, Allyn and lower Williams Rivers. In order to better understand how the plant reproduces and how it could be controlled, the CMA approached staff from the University of New England’s School of Environmental and Rural Sciences to conduct a study on the genetics of Giant Reed, thought to be a first in Australia. The two main questions addressed through the study involved determining whether Giant Reed produces viable seed and whether there is any genetic variability among populations in the Hunter from different catchment areas and populations in the Namoi region. The study confirmed that the plant did not produce viable seed and that it was likely that reproduction occurred mostly through pieces of rhizome or stem being spread to new areas, for example by vehicles or flood waters. The study also revealed a high level of genetic variation in each of the sub-catchments, suggesting that this noxious weed was introduced into the Hunter region from different native sources on different occasions. The study suggests that biological controls would not necessarily be successful in the Hunter and that the most effective means of controlling Giant Reed infestations would be to remove the rhizomes and stems altogether. The CMA is currently working with landholders along a 26 km reach of the Upper Allyn River as part of a two-year project to rehabilitate this section of the river, control Giant Reed infestations, and explore the potential for biodiversity corridors to be established. A field day for landholders in this area is being planned for May. For more information contact the CMA's Lower Hunter Project Officer Nick Staheyeff on 4930 1030.
The CMA’s Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation Project (KWRP) has been selected by an expert panel as one of the top 25 ecological restoration projects in Australasia. Seventeen Australian projects were short listed from areas as diverse as the Murray-Darling Catchment, the Great Barrier Reef, the Kimberly, South-west Western Australia, Atherton Tablelands, The Snowy Mountains and Tasmania. Compiling the list of top ecological restoration projects in Australasia was the undertaking of the Ecological Restoration & Management Journal and the Ecological Society of Australia, who wanted to showcase the high-quality work going on in Australia and New Zealand and provide examples for others to follow. The top 25 projects are being promoted on the website of the Global Restoration Network - an online hub set up by the Society for Ecological Restoration International (SERI) to make information on ecological restoration projects freely available across the world. The list of projects will be promoted as part of preparations for SERI's international conference, which will be held in Perth in August this year, the first time the international conference will be held in the southern hemisphere. For more information on the conference go to www.seri2009.com.au or to find out more about the CMA’s Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation Project go to www.hcr.cma.nsw.gov.au/kooragang. Photo courtesy of John Baker and the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
Department of Lands Soil Conservation crews are working across the Upper Hunter this month carrying out earthworks for a number of CMA projects. The CMA regularly contracts Department of Lands crews to carry out specialised earth moving works as a component of on-ground projects that involve stabilising and revegetating highly eroded areas, reshaping eroded gullies, stabilising riverbanks, installing instream erosion control structures, and clearing weeds. Crews will be undertaking works in a number of locations including Wybong, Muswellbrook, Jerrys Plains and Singleton over the coming months.
Four primary schools in the Flaggy Creek catchment participated in a competition throughout March to educate their local communities about water pollution. Students from Charlestown, Charlestown East and Kahibah Public Schools and St Josephs Primary School all took part in the competition, which had them designing brochures to help their neighbours understand that the little things they do everyday affect the health of Flaggy Creek. The brochures included tips on picking up after pets, washing cars on the grass, not fertilising gardens before rain and disposing of household waste, litter and cigarette butts responsibly. The winners of the Flaggy Creek Brochure competition, which was coordinated by Hunter-Central Rivers Waterwatch, were announced on 24 March to coincide with World Water Day 2009. They were also presented with a prize pack of environmental goodies, made available through funding received from Hunter Water Cooperation. Local Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Lake Macquarie Council, Barry Johnson, who is also a resident of Charlestown was in attendance to formally present the very worthy winners with their prizes. Importantly, the winning brochures from each school will be professionally printed by Lake Macquarie Council and the brochures distributed throughout the local community by the schools. The students hope that their brochures will result in less pollution entering Flaggy Creek and Glenrock Lagoon.
Up until recently Windeyers Creek near Raymond Terrace in Port Stephens was suffering from declining water quality, with high turbidity and nutrient levels and low dissolved oxygen. A tidal floodgate, installed around three years ago, had stopped working due to a missing part. NSW Department of Primary Industries recently completed repairs on the floodgate, replacing the missing part. The repairs have allowed tidal flushing to recommence, restoring a more natural tidal flow regime in the creek. Local landholders are looking forward to seeing more fish and water quality improvements in the creek upstream of the floodgate, as tidal water flushes out the stagnant water. Funding for this project was provided by the CMA under the Aquatic Health Project, which is addressing a range of threats to native fish in the catchment, such as fish passage, water quality and acid sulfate soils. For more information contact Jenny Fredrickson from DPI on 4916 3834. Photo courtesy of NSW Department of Primary Industries.
On Sunday 5 April around 50 residents from Singleton and surrounding areas turned out on a beautiful sunny day in Singleton to participate in the Community River Day, held to raise awareness of the work being done to rehabilitate 2 km of the Hunter River through Singleton. Participants took part in fly fishing demonstrations, tree planting, bird watching, and reptile shows, and enjoyed Hunter Region Landcare Network’s puppet show of the Dr Seuss story, the Lorax. Staff from the CMA, Xstrata, Hunter Land Management, Singleton Council, Singleton Landcare and DPI Fisheries were on hand to provide information to the community about actions being carried out as part of the project. To find out more about the Hunter River Rehabilitation project contact Singleton Community Support Officer Steve Clarkson on 6578 7346.
Hunter Land Management (HLM) have been contracted by Port Stephens Council, with funding through the CMA’s Coast and Estuary program, to remove lantana from sheltered gullies on Scobies Hill, which forms part of the Reedy Creek entrance of Little Swan Bay, two kilometres south-west of Karuah. A combination of control measures were employed, including the gas gun technique for dense hard to reach areas and the manual cut and paint approach for sensitive areas of regenerating rainforest species. The results have been promising and the gas gun technique in particular has proven to be extremely successful. Ongoing treatment and maintenance of the areas will now be carried and natural regeneration will be monitored. During their work at the site, HLM made some interesting discoveries, including some middens on the banks of Reedy Creek, a few mining and agricultural relics, an old orchard, and a dead koala that appeared to have died of natural causes. Future work to be carried out on the site includes a comprehensive vegetation survey (with targeted surveys for Tetratheca juncea and Callistemon linearifolius) and monitoring of koalas, and squirrel gliders. Dates for the calendar19 April - Kooragang Planting Day The monthly planting day at the CMA's Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation Project on Ash Island will commence at 9.30 am and a BBQ lunch will be provided. All are welcome. Contact Peggy Svoboda on 4964 9308 for further details. 19 April - Slatey Creek Community Planting Day As part of the CMA's Lake Macquarie Community Support program, Lake Macquarie Landcare and the Slatey Creek Catchment Group are inviting local residents to participate in a community planting day on the banks of Slatey Creek between Macquarie St and Codrington St, Barnsley from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. Helpers will be rewarded with a free BBQ breakfast and will have the opportunity to find out what's happening in Landcare in their local area, while picking up some knowledge and skills. Contact the Landcare Resource Office on 4921 0392 or lro@lakemac.nsw.gov.au for more details. 1 May – Nominations close for 2009 Champions of the Catchments Awards Go to the CMA website for details on how to nominate for the awards and be in the running for some great prizes. 1-3 May - Tocal Field Days 2009 For an authentic agricultural experience get along to Tocal Agriculture College for the 26th annual Tocal Field Days. This annual 3-day extravaganza has something for the whole family with a huge range of demonstrations, entertainment, stalls, food and wine, and a wealth of agricultural history. Come and visit the CMA in the Land Management Area. Check out the Tocal Field Days website for full details on the event. 2 May - Collecting and Propagating Native Seed Join Port Stephens Council’s Bushland Management Officer in Nelson Bay (1.00–3.30 pm) for a hands-on workshop on collecting and propagating seed. Phone 4980 0251 or email melinda.anderson@portstephens.nsw.gov.au to book your place. 10 May - Trees for Mum Do something for your mum this year that will last a lifetime. Kids of all ages are invited to come along to Webb Park, off Beach Road, Redhead (9.00 am to 12.00 midday) and plant a tree in honour of their Mum this Mother's Day as part of a national event called Trees for Mum. Trees are free but donations are welcome and will go to the National Centre for Childhood Grief. Contact Lake Macquarie Resource Office for more information on 4921 0392. 30 May – Hunter Region Landcare Network Landcare Forum and Muster 2009 Local People - Local Stories is the theme for this year's annual Hunter Region Landcare Forum and appropriately it will also be the venue for the screening of nominations for the 2009 Champions of the Catchments Awards. There'll be great guest speakers and educational workshops for Landcarers across the region. For more information contact the Hunter Region Landcare Network on 4934 8110 or email hrln@hunterlink.net.au. 31 May - Nature Watching Come along to Balickera (1.00-3.30 pm) and learn how to observe and record what's happening in your natural environment. Get to know when and why things are happening around your place and what it means. Each participant will receive a free Nature Watch Diary. Phone 4980 0251 or email melinda.anderson@portstephens.nsw.gov.au to book your place. National Parks Discovery Autumn program There are some great activities organised throughout the school holidays through the National Parks Discovery Program. Explore the wonders of the night sky and celebrate the International Year of Astronomy at Glenrock State Conservation Area; enjoy an evening stroll through Angophora forest, watch the sun set over Samurai wetlands, and spot nocturnal animals on the return trip at Tomaree National Park; and explore the seagrass beds at Bagnall's Beach and discover why they're such important habitat in Port Stephens Marine Park. Check out these and other fascinating Discovery tours offered in your region search for guided tours on the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) website or call the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Nelson Bay office on 4984 8200. The Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority
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PlaceStories training for local champions
Mapping
vegetation across our region
CMA Board
visits Wyong
Tocal Field Days
2009
Avondale
College open to public
Getting to
grips with Giant Reed genetics
Kooragang
project recognised as model for ecological restoration
Soil
Conservation in the Upper Hunter
Pollution
flagged as important issue
Repairs
on tidal floodgate on Windeyers Creek
Hunter
River Community Day
Keeping
a lid on lantana on Scobies Hill