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Issue 10: October 2008 Welcome to the October 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? Waterwatch
groups back in action
The Waterwatch team have been busy the past couple of months catching up with Waterwatch groups right across the region who haven't picked up their Waterwatch Kit in a while and are in need of a bit of a refresher. Throughout August and September 2008 a record 14 new Waterwatch groups were trained, from Hunter River at Belltrees to Muswellbrook, and right down the catchment to Hinton, on the Karuah River at Booral and at Fassifern, Brightwaters and Valentine on Lake Macquarie. Year 5 and 6 students at Fassifern Public School took World Water Monitoring Day in September as their chance to get back on board with Waterwatch. They had not been involved in the program since 2002, but with the support of teacher Mrs Glynis Jones, the school will be conducting their monitoring of LT Creek (which flows into Lake Macquarie), and uploading their results to the NSW Waterwatch website at least twice each school term. Congratulations Fassifern Public School. If you are part of a school or community group and are keen to get active in monitoring water quality in your catchment, get in touch with the Waterwatch team by calling 4930 1030 or emailing hcr.waterwatch@cma.nsw.gov.au.
Landholders of smaller properties often ask what they can do to help the local environment; the answer is quite a lot. Lake Macquarie landholder Angela Finney has demonstrated what a difference one individual's efforts can make. Having dedicated half of her block to bush regeneration when she purchased the property, Angela has seen a remarkable transformation in just a few years. An 'impenetrable wall of weeds' including lantana, blackberry and privet is what Angela once saw from her window. Today, with the help of a grant from the CMA, a bush regeneration team, and some local species, Angela is thrilled to see the native bush returning, along with some special visitors. The most impressive of these is the Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) listed as a vulnerable species in NSW. The largest owl in Australasia, with a wing span of up to 140 cm, the Powerful Owl requires large areas for roosting, nesting and feeding; and the possums and other prey that now occupy Angela's bushland property provide a tasty meal. The battle with weeds continues, but for Angela, the effort is well worth the reward of knowing she is helping to support the survival of this important species. Photo courtesy of Angela Finney.
It seems all the residents of Boat Harbour needed was a bit of support to get more involved in their local environment, and they got it in the form of some bush regeneration training from Port Stephens Council and Trees in Newcastle. Bush Regen Boat Harbour is a series of bush regeneration training days which aims to provide participants with the skills to identify local plants and weeds and carry out bush regeneration activities in the Boat Harbour area. The first training day was held on 30 August and was attended by over 30 people. Four trainers provided participants with great one-on-one interaction, so
that by the end of the day, participants were confident about committing to the
long-term protection of their foreshore. Future bush regeneration days are
planned for 25 October and 29 November. For more information contact Port
Stephens Community Support Officer Philippa Lloyd on 4980 0279.
The Carbon Cockies Award is running for the second time this year and is attracting significant promotion and prestige. Last year's joint winners were well-known Cassilis pasture croppers Robert and Maree Goodear, who farm 1300 ha in the Goulburn River catchment and use a system of no-till cropping, stubble retention and grazing management to help build their soil carbon levels and enhance their overall soil health. There were only three nominations from the Hunter-Central Rivers region for last year's competition, and the CMA would like to see greater numbers nominating this year. Landholders with a current farm plan who are working to increase the organic carbon in their soils, maximising groundcover and biomass, increasing biodiversity, and reducing soil disturbance and compaction are encouraged to nominate for the awards by completing a nomination form, which is available from the CMA website. The prize money is $2000 per region and the winners will be announced at the Carbon Cockies Conference in Orange 18-19 November 2008.
On 11 September the Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation Project received a welcome visit from the Honourable Jodi McKay, in her new role as NSW Minister for the Hunter and Minister for Tourism. Minister McKay put aside some time (in what was likely a very hectic week) to come out to Kooragang Wetlands and present CMA Chairman, Dr WEJ Paradice, with a cheque for $150,000 from the NSW Estuary Management Program as a contribution to forwarding the objectives of the Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation Project in 2008-09.
To celebrate World Wetlands Day 2009, an international event proclaimed by the United Nations, WetlandCare Australia is coordinating an Australia-wide art competition with categories for both children and adults. WetlandCare are seeking artworks on paper as well as photographs that explore the theme of Upstream-Downstream: wetlands connect us all. The closing date for entries is 5 December 2008. Winning entries to the competition will be used by WetlandCare Australia to promote wetlands and the work of WetlandCare Australia. Entry forms are available at www.wetlandcare.com.au.
With only 30 students and two teachers, Wyong Creek Public School (situated on 3 hectares on Wyong Creek in the rural Yarramalong Valley) is one of the smallest schools in NSW, but they're making a big difference to their local environment. Creek banks were covered in privet, lantana, blackberry and wandering jew, and neighbouring cattle were accessing the creek to drink, causing soil erosion along the banks. With funding and assistance from the CMA, the riparian zone has been fenced off, weeded, and replanted with native species, while a water trough and extra water tank allow cattle to drink clean water without trampling the banks. And in the spirit of education, the school is extending what they've learnt beyond the school grounds; 'We run eco-tours for those who visit us and show them all the things we do: weeding, planting, propogating local seeds in our greenhouse, composting, recycling paper, mobile phone and ink cartridges, waste management, and building an outdoor classroom,' says Principal Gale Ball. Wyong Creek Public School is a National Landcare finalist (visit www.landcareheroes.com to give your support), are actively involved in the Waterwatch program, and are working to increase platypus numbers by participating in the Platypus Conservation and Awareness Team. The school is holding their twilight fete on Saturday 25 October to mark the school's 125th anniversary. Go along and see for yourself what a small school can do. For more information call Wyong Creek Public School 4352 1583. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Dugan.
The war against the noxious South American aquatic weed Salvinia molesta is continuing in the Wollombi catchment, with the recent removal and treatment of infestations in a wetland on private property adjacent to the North Arm of Wollombi Brook. The owners have lived on the property for 30 years and first noticed the weed on their wetland a few months after the June 2007 flood event. Within months the whole 0.7 ha wetland was completely smothered and had become so thick that waterbirds could be seen walking on it. The Wollombi area has seen major infestations of Salvinia in Wollombi Brook since the 1980s. The flood event of June 2007 saw the bulk of the Salvinia flushed out of the Brook, with a number of infestations now appearing in adjacent dams and wetlands. The Salvinia program, now in its third year, is being coordinated by the CMA, Cessnock City Council and Hunter Councils in cooperation with private landholders. The program is integrated with a larger post-flood aquatic weeds program coordinated by Hunter Councils and funded through the Department of Primary Industries and the CMA. Landholders in the Wollombi area who suspect that they may have new Salvinia infestations on their properties since the June 2007 flood event should contact the CMA on 4930 1030, or Cessnock City Council on 4993 4100.
The Lake Macquarie Improvement Project was recognised with a prestigious national award at the International RiverSymposium in Brisbane in September for achieving important outcomes for the Lake Macquarie catchment. The CMA has been a project partner for the past two years and congratulates the project team for their vision, dedication and hard work relating to projects such as creek bed stabilisation, wetland rehabilitation, stabilisation of the lake foreshore and the implementation of stormwater quality treatment devices, which have all contributed to reducing sediment and nutrient inputs into the lake.
On Wednesday 24 September members of the CMA including Board member Arthur Burns and Hunter Program Manager Dean Chapman joined residents of the Hunter catchment and students of Belltrees Primary School at the historic Belltrees Station in the Upper Hunter to officially launch the new Hunter River Explorer website. The website takes visitors on a journey along the Hunter River, stopping at various sites to hear from those who live and work along its banks and aims to highlight the fascinating history of the Hunter River, while also raising awareness of the important issues land managers are currently facing and addressing in their part of the catchment. The website was developed with funding from the Thiess Riverprize, which was awarded to the Hunter River in 2003, and pays tribute to landholders and land managers in the Hunter Valley community who have worked collectively to improve the health of the Hunter catchment over recent decades. The iconic Belltrees Station was one of the earliest land grants in the Upper Hunter and has been owned and managed by the White family for over 175 years. Peter White (one of the two White brothers now managing Belltrees) is in the process of completing work in conjunction with the CMA for a Property Vegetation Plan to protect up to 10 km of Hunter River frontage and conserve important remnant vegetation on the property. The history of the property and the work that is being carried out today are profiled on the Hunter River Explorer, which you can find at www.hunterriverexplorer.com.au. The launch of the website was planned to coincide with Waterwatch training for the students of Belltrees Primary School, who got some healthy results for the water quality tests and bug surveys they conducted throughout the day (although turbidity was high due to the river receiving 30 ml of rain the night before!). The students will now be able to conduct regular monitoring of the Hunter River at Belltrees. For two days in October the Upper Pages River will have the focused attention of the community of Murrurundi. On Thursday 16 October up to 60 Murrurundi Public School students will be involved in a day of hands-on activities around the Upper Pages River. Students will learn about water bugs and their habitats and take a closer look at the trees and native vegetation around the river. On Thursday 23 October Murrurundi PS students will join members of the wider community in participating in the Upper Pages Community River Day. With assistance from the CMA, participants will have an opportunity to assess the condition of the river, identify local problems and design some solutions. The group will also contribute to actions in the Upper Pages River Management Plan, by planting native vegetation on the river banks.
Students at Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College have been taking part in Landcare as an alternative to school sport, but don't worry, students are still out in the fresh air and are definitely working up a sweat! Trialled for the first time in term 3 2008, 25 students were assisted by a great support team, including the school's agricultural teacher, a parent, a project officer from Berkeley Vale Community Centre, and Wyong Landcare Coordinator Rebecca Dugan in restoring bushland at the school's Berkeley Vale campus. Listed as an Endangered Ecological Community, with its combination of dry sclerophyll forest, rainforest and paperbark wetlands, the project site is in good condition except for areas at the edges where rubbish dumping and other disturbances have allowed weeds such as lantana and small leaf privet to thrive. After 10 weeks and 250 hours of hard work, a 400 square metre area of lantana has been removed. The lantana is being removed gradually so that any weed regrowth is managed, while native seedlings coming through are not disturbed. This also ensures that habitats for small birds and reptiles are maintained. Students have gained great knowledge and skills from the project and have also been keeping a photographic journal so that they can monitor things closely as time goes on. For more information contact Rebecca Dugan on 4350 5444. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Dugan.
On 30 September Kooragang Wetlands received another esteemed visitor in
Federal Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, the Honourable Peter Garrett. Mr Garrett
was in Newcastle for the Federal Cabinet Meeting and was able to incorporate a visit
to Kooragang Wetlands to launch the Australian Government's Caring For Our Country
Outcomes 2008-2013, which provides some insight into Australian Government
investment priorities for natural resource management over the next five years.
The CMA would like to invite all budding photographers to submit their favourite landscape photo for consideration in the CMA's Christmas photo competition. The winner will receive a great prize pack of books and will have their photo published as part of the CMA's Christmas greeting, which is sent to CMA contacts in the first week of December. See if you can top CMA General Manager Glenn Evans' photo from last year's greeting, taken of Wallis Lake from the air on a CMA Board inspection shown here. Send your entry as a high-resolution jpeg file to hcr@cma.nsw.gov.au by Friday 21 November 2008. Files must be under 3 Mb to email; images larger than this should be burnt to CD and posted to: CMA Christmas Photo Competition Dates for the calendar7 and 9 October - Climate Change Forums The Department of Environment and Climate Change are conducting a series of workshops around NSW on responding to Climate Change. The forums are part of a broader consultation process the NSW Government is conducting to develop a new Climate Change Action Plan. Speakers will address anticipated climate change impacts for the region and the NSW Government's response to climate change. All members of the community are invited to attend. Forums being held in the Hunter-Central Rivers region are: Contact Jackie Teal on ph: 4908 6832, fax: 4908 6810, or email: jackie.teal@environment.nsw.gov.au or register at the Department of Environment and Climate Change website. 8 October - Blue Gum Hills School holiday program Join the Waterwatch team and National Parks and Wildlife Service for fun and games at Blue Gum Hills Regional Park for some hands on activities to do with looking after our local waterways. Contact the Hunter-Central Rivers Waterwatch team on 4930 1030 for more information. 9 October - Lakelands Carp Catch Get your rods out and get ready to 'fish for ferals' in the 10th Annual Junior Carp Catch. This popular fishing contest will take place at Lakelands Wetland and all entrants have the chance to win prizes including new fishing gear. The fishing contest is part of an environmental awareness event at the Lakelands Community Hall in Ambleside Circuit, which will take place between 8.30 am and 12.00 noon. 11 October 2008 - Goorangoola Creek catchment workshop The CMA is holding a workshop for residents of the Goorangoola Creek catchment to identify opportunities for the CMA and local landholders to work together to improve the health of this catchment. Contact Rod Hardwick on 4930 1030 for more information. 12 October - Free rockpool ramble at Norah Head Find out what lives between the crevices and in the rock pools at Norah Head and discover fascinating species such as sea urchins, grazing snails and whelks. Numbers are limited and bookings required, call Wycare on 4325 1199. 16 October - Improving Soil Health Find out why pH, texture, structure and soil profile are so important to soil health. Neil Griffiths, District agronomist at Tocal DPI, will explain how best management practices can be used for sustainability and production. Bring along a soil sample from your property for testing. Call Port Stephens Community Support Officer Philippa Lloyd on 4980 0279 to book your place. 18 October - Lower Wollombi Catchment Management workshop Residents of the lower Wollombi Catchment are invited to a workshop about improving the health of that catchment. The workshop will take place at Broke Hall and will include a free barbeque lunch and afternoon tea. Please register your attendance before 15 October by contacting Joe Thompson on ph: 4938 4924 or email: joe.thompson@cma.nsw.gov.au or Steve Clarkson on ph: 6578 7346 or email: sclarkson@singleton.nsw.gov.au. 19 October - Planting dedication for Sue Rostas A special garden will be created at Kooragang Wetlands on Ash Island from 9.30 am - 11.30 am in memory of Sue Rostas, who sadly passed away in July. Sue's family, along with staff of the Kooragang Wetland Rehabilitation Project (KWRP) and KooraGang volunteers, are extending an invitation to all those who knew Sue to help plant the garden as a dedication to her, her work in environmental education, and her love of Australian native plants. Please contact Peggy Svoboda at the KWRP on (02) 4964 9308, 0418 649 608 or via email peggy.svoboda@cma.nsw.gov.au for further information. 19 October - Hunter Water Catchment Day Kick off National Water Week with a fun-filled day of educational activities and entertainment at the Hunter Wetlands Centre at Shortland (10.00 am until 4.00 pm). 19-25 October - National Water Week National Water Week is an exciting time with lots of water-related events scheduled across Australia. A range of activities are planned in the Hunter-Central Rivers region to assist our communities in undertaking actions to help protect and conserve our most precious resource. Go to the Water Week website for a full listing of events. 25 October - Improved Horse Management workshops Jane Myers, author of the books Managing Horses on Small Properties and Horse Safe will present a workshop on sustainable horse management covering understanding horse behaviour, pasture management, horse problems and property design. This builds on Dr John Kohnke's March presentation. 9.30 am - 3.00 pm at Salt Ash Community Hall. To register your interest contact Port Stephens Community Support Officer Philippa Lloyd on 4980 0279. Support available for natural resource management activitiesWoolworths Sustainable Farming Program Grants of $5,000 are available from the Woolworths Sustainable Farming Program for farmers or land managers who have innovative ideas to encourage and develop sustainable farming practices. The Woolworths Sustainable Farming Program is a collaboration between Landcare Australia and Woolworths to develop, improve and encourage sustainable farming practices. They are seeking applications from individuals or groups who wish to undertake innovation projects in any primary production industry that are in areas that were declared eligible for 'Exceptional Circumstance' assistance or 'Interim Assistance' in January 2008. Visit the Landcare Online website for more information. Green Precincts Fund Local councils considering water and energy saving projects of public benefit are eligible to apply for funding between $500,000 and $1.5 million (covering 50% of eligible costs) from the Federal Government Green Precincts Fund. Expressions of interest must be submitted by close of business on 22 November 2008. For more information about the Green Precincts Fund visit the website for the Australian Government's Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority
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The Powerful Owl
finds a welcome home in Lake Macquarie
Bringing
Bush Regeneration Back to Boat Harbour
Carbon Cockies 2008
Kooragang Wetlands receive welcome funding
WetlandCare National Art Competition
Wyong Creek
Public School know that every little bit counts
Waging war
on weeds in Wollombi
Congratulations to 2008 National Thiess Riverprize
winner
Hunter River Explorer now online
Community action on the Upper Pages River
Landcare as sport?
Caring for our country at Kooragang Wetlands
CMA Christmas photo competition
The CMA Board meeting and project inspections will take place in the Upper
Hunter this month on 16 and 17 October. The members of the Hunter-Central Rivers CMA Board are Dr WEJ Paradice
(Chairman), Neil Rose (Deputy Chairman), John Weate, Julia Imrie, Arthur Burns,
John Asquith, and Chris Scott. The General Manager is Glenn Evans.