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Issue 5: May 2008 Welcome to the May 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. Click here to view large text format | Click here for print-friendly version What's happening around the catchments?
For fourteen years Jason Mobbs had his eye on the hilly Belbora property with patches of ancient rainforest. Growing up in the area he had always enjoyed exploring the rainforest gullies or taking in the stunning views from the eucalyptus-covered ridge tops. So when the property came up for sale about seven years ago he jumped at the chance and is now the proud owner of the 146 hectare property about 10kms west of Krambach. After speaking with the Vegetation Officer from the CMA Taree office, Jason decided to enter into a Property Vegetation Plan (PVP). Jason set aside 82 hectares of his property in perpetuity which includes the stunning rainforest patches he has long admired. PVP's are not just about setting aside land and landowners like Jason are required to work closely with the CMA officers to develop a long term plan for the entire property. Most recently, Jason has been tackling the weeds which have flourished on the cleared section of his property including lantana and crofton weed. The CMA has provided funding, technical advice and training in this regard and Jason will continue to manage weeds as part of his obligation under the PVP. Several other landholders in the area are now also interested in protecting sections of their properties to form a continuous stretch along the ridgeline.
On Tuesday 15th April 2008 the CMA held its third salinity workshop at the Greta Community Hall. The final workshop for this project allowed landholders to discuss their observations and results and to share their findings of the stream salinity monitoring program. Salinity is usually caused by a combination of land use activities which change the water cycle and bring naturally occurring salts to the land surface. The effects of salinity can be recognised by poor vegetation health, bare or eroded soil and increased presence of salt tolerant plants. The Black Creek catchment has been identified as a high priority saline area with evidence of increasing saline outbreaks. As part of the Black Creek Salinity workshop, the Hunter Community Stream Salinity Project provided interested local landholders and participants with monitoring equipment and one-to-one training and then encouraged them to collect monthly stream salinity data at various sites over a twelve month period; analysng the data to assess variability and trends; identifying where soil, geology and groundwater salt stores were having an impact and identifying other local causes of salinity. The overall objectives of this monitoring program have been to encourage community involvement and foster partnerships in salinity management. These outcomes have been successfully achieved by enhancing participant's skills, environmental awareness and knowledge relating to salinity in the catchment. Styx Creek Catchment Crawl On 3 April 2008 the CMA Waterwatch and Newcastle City Council (NCC) jointly held an informative Catchment Crawl for the residents of the Styx Creek catchment in Newcastle. The Kotara Styx Creek catchment was initially targeted by NCC, as it was found to generate the largest sediment, organics and litter loads within the whole Throsby Creek catchment. Since November 2007, NCC has focused on educating local residents on energy and water saving devices, pollution prevention, reduction of their ecological footprint and conserving and revegetating local parks and bushland. A catchment crawl is a bus tour within a particular catchment. It offers participants an opportunity to investigate their local waterway, and impacts on it. Residents on the Styx Creek Catchment Crawl observed how the tributaries and creek changed from the top to the bottom of the catchment. Sites visited on the day included Styx Creek at Kirkdale, Charlestown, Nesbitt Park, Kotara park, Alder Park confluence at Chin Chen Street and Throsby Creek at the Carrington Mangroves. Community members that attended had a fun and informative morning, with the
tour finishing with lunch at Blackbutt Reserve. Stormwater Scamper Over fifty students, teachers and parents from four schools participated in the Stormwater Scamper event held on Thursday 27 March. The aim of the day was to scamper along an urban stormwater drain tracing its path from the upper reaches of the sub-catchment to its discharge point at Wallis Lake. Along the way they visited five sites and conducted water quality tests, sampled water bugs, completed site assessment and heard from guest speakers on a range of land and water management issues. The information collected will provide a 'snapshot' of the health of the drainage line, and shows the participants that our waterways are connected and how they are affected by stormwater pollution. The Stormwater Scamper was co-ordinated by Great Lakes Council and was made possible through funding from the CMA and the Australian Government, with contributions from MidCoast Water, Waterwatch and Greater Taree City Council. Whittingham Locals attend River Management workshop On Thursday 24 April, the CMA extended their support to Whittingham landholders by hosting a River Management Information workshop aimed at addressing better management of the Hunter River frontage. CMA staff and guest speakers were on hand to discuss how the Hunter River and its tributaries behave. Discussions covered topics such as river features, processes and concepts and how these continue to change over time, including how the river and its tributaries recover after flooding. Other topics covered were, the important role that native vegetation plays in stabilising the banks of the Hunter River and the detrimental effect that weeds and grazing can have on the overall health of the river. The CMA workshop also included helicopter footage, which was taken to provide an efficient and effective way to get an overall picture of where the problems are and to be able to compare the different areas. Historic photos of the Hunter River were also on display.
There are thousands of organisations across Australia with volunteer members spending their spare time doing important work rehabilitating and preserving the Australian bushland. Tumbi Wetlands Bushcare (TWB) is one such group. Located south of Tuggerah Lakes on the Central Coast, the TWB project is a twelve hectare site situated on a Wyong Shire Council reserve. The aims of the TWB group are to preserve the local flora and fauna and improve the catchment area of Tumbi Creek. It is with the help and support of the CMA and the focus of a dedicated band of local volunteers that these goals are slowly being achieved. As a result of a major bush fire in December 2005, a large area of crofton weed and blackberry bush have been able to germinate and thrive in the fire damaged areas in the absence of native plants. On Saturday 19 April, TWB hosted a visit from landcarers from the Wyong shire to help clear the crofton weed problem. Despite recording over 50mm of rain before 9.00am a number of volunteers turned up in spite of the inhospitable weather and the group spent a productive morning pulling weeds as the soil was damp and the weeds yielded easily. The TWB meets monthly, on the second Thursday from 9.00 to 10.30am. For more details contact Ian Robb by email: ianrobb@ceinternet.com.au
The Wesley Uniting Employment 'Work for the Dole' (WfD) initiative is an Australian Government funded program that provides quality work experience opportunities to eligible job seekers. A Wesley Uniting Employment WfD team finished an extensive program of activities at the end of March. As part of their time spent at Kooragang Wetlands, the team installed new track-head and precinct signs to help make Kooragang Wetlands an easier place to find your way around. The team also planted a central feature garden at the Community Gardens, which highlighted small showy native plants. 2008 Tocal Field Days This year the 2008 Tocal Field Days, which was held over the weekend of 2-4 May, celebrated its 25th anniversary milestone. The weather remain outstanding all weekend, which helped attract a crowd of over 25 thousand people to the CB Alexander College campus for the popular three day agricultural field days. The CMA was once again proud to be a major sponsor of the Tocal Field Days. The CMA coordinated the Land Management Area, which provided free display space for eight local community groups who are involved in some way in protecting our natural resources. Dates for the calendar5 May - 11 June - Farm Water Supply Workshops A series of workshops are being offered in the Hunter to help landholders identify farm water supply requirements and options for improvements. The workshops consist of two days, over two weeks and are being held in Gundy, Murrurundi, Denman and Merriwa through May and Glendon Brook and Glennies Creek in June. Places are limited. To find out more and express your interest in participating in the workshops, contact Jon Thorne on 6542 4426 or 0437 376 080 for the May sessions and Steve Clarkson on 6578 7346 or 0428 414 258 for the June sessions. 8 May - Glendonbrook Salinity Monitoring workshop The final workshop for the Glendonbrook Salinity Monitoring Program will be held at Mitchell's Flat Hall. The key findings of the program will be presented and discussed, and participants will have a chance to contribute their observations and comments to the evaluation of the project. Future directions for the project will also be discussed. The workshop will run from 9.00 am - 2.00 pm, with light refreshments provided. Contact Project Officer Rodney Hardwick on 4938 4941 or email rodney.hardwick@cma.nsw.gov.au to confirm your attendance. 8 May - Marine Discovery Series Dave Harasti brings his amazing underwater photography and his astounding knowledge of seahorses to Toowoon Bay SLSC, Wyong (6.30-8.30 pm) as part of the Marine Discovery Series. Contact Joel Tyndall on 4337 1204 or 0428 117 914 for more details. 8-10 May - Discovering the Science of the Surf Dr Rob Brander continues his series of presentations on the Science of the Surf (see full details under April 10 listing): Thursday 8 May: 6.30 - 8.00 pm at Tomaree Library and Community Centre, Salamander; Friday 9 May: 6.30 - 8.00 pm at Old Bar SLSC, Old Bar; and Saturday 10 May: 6.30 - 8.00 pm at Cape Hawke SLSC, Forster. No bookings are required, however if you'd like more information contact the CMA's Brian Hughes on 6551 8994 or 0428 293 021. 9 May - 2008 Hunter-Central Rivers Property Planning Competition and Field Day As part of the Property Planning Competition and Field Day being held at the
Hegartys' 'Belvedere' property (Darkwood Road, Cassilis), local farmers are invited to attend
a presentation on Carbon monitoring on the farm and participate in a
demonstration of the new satellite imagery technology called Pastures from
Space. For more information contact Heidi Inder on 6548 5100 or email rockwell@hunterlink.net.au. World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is an annual event which was celebrated worldwide in over 56 countries in 2007. WMBD was created to raise awareness for the need to protect all migratory birds and their habitats throughout the world. The theme for this year is 'Migratory Birds - Ambassadors for Biodiversity'. For more information visit: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/ 12 May - Escarpment to the Sea - Lansdowne Catchment Ten young Australians will work to enhance native habitat stretching from the Lansdowne Escarpment to the Manning coastline in the 2008 Green Corps project "Scarp to the Sea" - commencing 12 May, 2008. Throughout the six month project, the Green Corps team will assist in the control of weed, construct farm fencing, propagate and plant native tube-stock, selectively sow Lansdowne roadside verges with native seed, monitor water quality at a number of locations and conduct targeted pollination of a rare orchid species. Support for the team will be provided by the CMA and by Greater Taree City Council. Landholders wishing to become involved in the project are encouraged to contact Jai Cooper at Greater Taree City Council on 65925371 or email: jai.cooper@greatertaree.nsw.gov.au 15 May - Marine Discovery Series Dave Harasti brings his amazing underwater photography and his
astounding knowledge of seahorses to Nobbys SLSC, Newcastle (6.30-8.30 pm) as
part of the Marine Discovery Series. Contact Joel Tyndall on 4337 1204 or 0428 117 914
for more details. Come to Raymond Terrace and get some ideas on native garden design and plant selection for gardens of all sizes, including tips on attracting birds and providing wildlife habitat. Each participant will receive a Nature Watch Diary. Contact Melinda Anderson on 4980 0251 or email melinda.anderson@portstephens.nsw.gov.au for details. 24 May - Composting and Worm Farming Learn how to utilise your organic waste from around the home with an introduction to composting and worm
farming in
Raymond Terrace.
Contact Melinda Anderson on 4980 0251 or email melinda.anderson@portstephens.nsw.gov.au
for details. The CMA is planning two community workshops in the Wollombi Brook catchment in Bulga on Tuesday 27 May and Broke on Thursday 29 May to discuss a range of natural resource issues relevant to the community. Further details can be obtained from the CMA's Community Support Officer for Singleton, Steve Clarkson on 6578 7346 or 0428 414 258. 31 May - Lake Macquarie Field Day Continuing the series of field visits in Lake Macquarie, a tour of Landcare projects being undertaken at Little Flaggy Creek to better manage urban stormwater and nutrient run-off will take place on 31 May. For a seat on the bus contact the Lake Macquarie Landcare Resource Office on 4959 5080. 1 June - Earthcare Park & Education Centre - Plant Identification Workshop Earthcare Park will be hosting a Plant Identification workshop from 10.00am. Please remember to bring a bottle of water, wear a hat and suncreen, and wear closed-covered shoes. Children are welcome under parent supervision. Earthcare Park & Education Centre is located at Metford Road, Tenambit or visit www.earthcarepark.blogspot.com/ 5 June - World Environment Day World Environment Day (WED), commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations - Environment Program stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The WED slogan for 2008 is 'Kick the habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy'. Recognising that climate change is becoming the defining issue of our era, UNEP is asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them. For more information visit: www.unep.org/wed/ 5 June - River Recovery Workshop To help commemorate World Environment Day, the Wyong Community Support Program will be holding a River recovery workshop where they aim to describe tested methods of creek and river restoration. Presentations will include fish passages, living indicators of creek health, riparian vegetation and case studies of remediation. To register, please contact Rebecca Young on 43505444 or email to rebecca.young@wyong.nsw.gov.au 6 June - Catchment
Connections Carnival For the past six years Lake Macquarie City Council has held an environmental event called the 'Catchment Connections Carnival' to highlight World Environment Day to showcase environmental projects run in the local area by council, state government, business and community groups. The carnival is free, fun and an educational day aimed at celebrating council's local achievements and encouraging all members of the community to help care for the environment. For more information contact LMCC Environmental Officer Margo Smith on 49210702 or email: masmith@lakemac.nsw.gov.au 7 June - 19th annual Envirofair - Taree Park, 10am to 4pm Envirofair is a fun family day to learn how to minimise your impact on the environment; indulge your mind, body and spirit; and participate in hands-on workshops. Envirofair promotes environmental businesses, home grown produce and or organic food, homemade craft, alternative/complimentary therapies and local art and music. 21 and 28 June - Mountains to the Dunes The Central Coast Landscape event will consist of three field components held at Wyong, Gosford and Lake Macquarie, where each will be showcasing their natural resource management activities. This will then be followed by a central conference held at Doyalson Wyee RSL on Saturday 28 June. The key note speaker will be Les Robinson of 'Field Guide to Native Plants of the Sydney Region' fame. In addition there will be a range of speakers on flora, fauna, backyard sustainability, weeds and updates on government Landcare support programs. Registrations are through Wycare Inc. www.wycare.com.au or 43521199. Crackdown on Illegal Dumping Handbook The Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) has released the final version of the publication Crackdown on Illegal Dumping - Handbook for Local Government. This resource provides an insight into what motivates illegal dumpers and focuses on ways of minimising the opportunities that give rise to illegal dumping in NSW. The handbook is designed to help local government crackdown on illegal dumping and its particular causes. it suggests well-designed and well-focused methods that minimise opportunities for illegal dumping by modifying the environment, improving regulatory action, focusing education messages and improving services. The handbook provides practical advice about developing, implementing and evaluating illegal dumping prevention programs. It also incorporates case studies that demonstrate illegal dumping prevention techniques in practice. The handbook can be downloaded as a complete document or in separate sections. The document can be accessed electronically at: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resourses/warr/200845IllegalDumping.pdf Support available for natural resource management activitiesAustralian Government Funding for Natural Resource Management The Australian Government has announced its new program for investing in the future of Australia's environment and natural resources. The Caring for our Country Program will begin on 1 July 2008 and will integrate all existing Commonwealth Government programs including the Natural Heritage Trust, the National Landcare Program, and the Working on Country Indigenous land and environmental programs. The new program will also remove demarcations between national, regional and local funding and will give non-government organisations, regional bodies, Local Government and State, Territory and Commonwealth government agencies the chance to access funding to achieve national priorities. The CMA, as one of these organisations, will be required to apply for all future Australian Government funding. Until the rules of the program are known, it is unclear as to what activities the CMA will be able to fund next year, however further details will be communicated once we have more information. In the meantime if you need some help managing a natural resource issue on your property or in your catchment - or you're interested in a Property Vegetation Plan - contact your nearest CMA office or complete a Registration of Interest form from the CMA website. Other NRM funding programs Community conservation groups are invited to apply for up to $50,000 in Round 11 of the Threatened Species Network Community Grants program, which opened on 28 March and will close on 30 May 2008. Guidelines and Application Forms can be downloaded from www.wwf.org.au/tsn or by calling 1800 032 551. The Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority
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Protecting ancient rainforests
Salt of the
earth - Black Creek Salinity Workshop
Tumbi
Wetlands Bushcare host Weed Buster Day
Youth
finish employment program at Kooragang Wetlands
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celebrating 25 years
