Member Groups; The Lismore Land Protection Group, Weering-Eurack Landcare Group, Leslie Manor Landcare Group, Cundare Duverney Landcare Group, Weerite Landcare Group & Mount Elephant Community Management
Yarra Pygmy Perch Survey Information Session
New Calici Virus Release
Restoring grasslands to Mt Elephant
Bringing Back the Banksias
Serrated Tussock Property Inspections
Interested in Being a Waterwatch Monitor
Landcare In Action - Photographic Show
Innovation in the Otways Trip - 4 places left
Stonework play session
Coming up
Lismore Land Protection Group monthly meeting
7:30pm Thursday 9th March 28 High St, Lismore
Mount Elephant Community Management meeting
7:30 pm Monday 13th March, Mount Elephant Centre, Derrinallum
Mount Elephant open day
Open every Sunday from 1pm to 4pm
Yarra Pygmy Perch (YPP) Information Session
Interested in seeing how the survey for the Yarra Pygmy Perch in Gnarkeet Chain of Ponds is done or want to know a bit more about them? The Corangamite CMA will be hosting a short information session on the Yarra Pygmy Perch
8:30 am – 9:30 am Friday 10th March
Kevin and Maree Matthews
739 Lower Darlington Rd, Foxhow.
Contact Rod or Shari at LLPG for more information
New Calicivirus Due For Local Release In March
The release of the new RHD K5 strain of rabbit calici virus will occur during March and add another tool to the kit to fight rabbits. Since its release in 2006 the Rabbit Haemorrhaging Disease (RHD) known as calici virus (RHDV1 v351) has been instrumental in controlling rabbit populations, alongside other measures such as myxomotosis, warren ripping and baiting. However there is evidence of a growing resistance to the current RHDV1 V351 strain, and it doesn’t necessarily work that well in cooler, higher rainfall areas. The RHDV1 K5 strain is expected to work in all areas, however its’ greatest benefit will be that it works in cool wet regions.
The RHD K5 will be introduced to the wild rabbit population by placing it on carrots and fed for injestion.
Affected rabbits will develop cold like symptoms. Post-infection, they may experience a rise in body temperature after 24 hours and then exhibit signs of lethargy. However in the majority of animals, no visible symptoms are observed. After the onset of a fever, death occurs within 6-12 hours in the majority of cases. It has been assessed as having a low overall animal welfare impact.
Subsequently RHDV1 K5 can spread further by blow flies and bush flies, by direct contact between rabbits and a rabbit or carcass with the RHDV1 K5, or by contact with dung from an affected rabbit. Moving affected rabbit carcasses around can assist its’ spread to a wider area. Results of the release of the K5 strain are not expected to be as dramatic as those achieved in 2006, when the first RHDV1 v351 strain of calici virus was released, as it was released into a rabbit population that had not previously been exposed to such a virus. The overall impact of the K5 strain may vary from region to region. The K5 strain will not affect rabbits younger than about 8 to 10 weeks of age, so as with all rabbit control programs follow up works should be undertaken to clean up any misses to reduce the development of resistance or immunity and remove rabbit harbour.
Locally, the LLPG will be releasing the RHDV1 K5 strain at Pura Pura, Derrinallum and near Beeac. Pet Rabbits can be inoculated to protect them against the RHD K5 strain. This should be done at 10 -12 weeks of age, and followed by an annual booster. Contact your local veterinarian for this.
Restoring Grasslands to Mt Elephant
If you drive past Mt Elephant you may have noticed that what was a few years ago a big brown bare area on the northern and western slope, is now predominantly covered with grass. Funded by the Victorian Government’s “Communities for Nature” program, four solid years of rabbit control and spraying of Pattersons Curse and other broadleaf weeds such as Twiggy Mullein, Wild Mustard and Capeweed, has allowed the reestablishment of a mix of both native and introduced grasses. Over time, it is expected that the native wallaby (danthonia) and kangaroo (themeda) grasses will thicken up further and out compete the introduced annual grasses. On some rocky areas where rabbit grazing was the harshest, only danthonia grass has returned, with no introduced grasses. The reduction in rabbits is reflected in the amount of carrots used for baiting, with approximately 150 kilograms of carrots used in 2013 whereas in 2016 less than 20 kilograms were used, and this year it is likely to be less than 5 kilograms.
Most or all of the 130 ha area has been sprayed by helicopter in June each year to pick up the heavy infestations of broadleaf weeds and any smaller outlier infestations or individual plants. “The earlier June spraying achieves the best result as there is less grass cover and the broadleaf weeds are young and easy to kill with softer herbicides and reduced rates” said Rob Millard. “However given the difficulty of the site and even with very gentle winds, it is unrealistic to expect a 100% success rate with the June spraying, although 80% or better is regularly achieved. So we have been following up with the helicopter again in Spring, often on a much smaller area to clean up any misses. Any summer weeds are spot sprayed by hand, which this year will only take 20 hours or so, compared to about 80 hours or more a couple of years ago”.
Western Slope Oct 2012 Nov 2015
The results show that weeds and rabbits can be beaten but it takes persistence, and that to succeed both must be controlled together. To continue the works, this year the weed control will be funded by $8960 from the Corangamite CMA Victorian Landcare grants, while a $2000 Corangamite Shire Environmental Grant will help fund rabbit and weed control.
Bringing Back The Banksia’s
Early records by explorers and settlers referred to large stands or forests of Banksia marginate with some individuals up to 10 metres high and over 1 metre in diameter. Hard to imagine, as the impact of land clearing and grazing have seen these disappear from the landscape and the number of large, old iconic ones dwindling rapidly. Locally there was one near Dreeite, another near Dundonnell and another near Skipton.
The Bringing Back The Banksia Group recently held their second information session at Lake Bolac, with over 40 people attending from all parts of the state.
Since the group commenced two years ago at the instigation of concerned landholders such as Bill Weatherly of Dunkeld, they have made significant inroads into understanding the distribution of banksias and determining their genetic makeup and genetic diversity. This is important for restoration efforts, given the wide climatic spread they cover, and the many different locations and soil types they grow in.
Given many of the original remnant Banksia marginates are in poor health, in significant decline or dead, the establishment of seed orchards to preserve genetic diversity is considered an imperative, and some have already been established. As Banksia’s often occur in conjunction with Drooping Sheoak (Allocasaurina verticillata) and Spiny Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa), which are also disappearing from the landscape, the group is also looking to encourage more planting of these too. Over the next few years we will look to support these efforts locally with restoration plantings in our area.
Serrated Tussock Property Inspections
Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Officers will undertake up to 200 property inspections in early 2017 to determine if serrated tussock has spread beyond the Corangamite Catchment containment line.
Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Area Leader James Rowe said the original containment line was established in 2007 by conducting inspections along the western edge of known serrated tussock infestations. “Ten years later, Authorised Officers will be inspecting the western side of the containment line in the Beeac, Weering, Cressy, Werneth and Cape Clear areas, to assess how successful the program has been to prevent further spread and to identify areas of future focus”.
Individual properties within the program area will be contacted prior to inspections and their properties will be comprehensively mapped for the presence of serrated tussock. “This is an important project which will continue to reduce the spread into unaffected areas and will provide landholders with the necessary tools to identify and manage serrated tussock, should it one day arrive on their property” he said.
“Serrated tussock is a declared weed in Victoria and poses a significant threat to western Victoria’s grazing industry, as it is highly invasive and unpalatable to stock”, Mr Rowe said. “Landholders will be encouraged to be involved in inspections, as they have a legal responsibility to manage declared weeds so that they don’t impact on neighbouring properties or the environment.”
For more information on weeds call Agriculture Victoria on 136186 or visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/weeds
‘Landcare in Action’ – Photographic Show
The LLPG will sponsor a new ‘Landcare in Action’ category at the Western Plains Photographic Exhibition to be held at Lismore Community Centre on April 29th 2017. The category will showcase photos which depict a ‘positive impact on the environment’ such as land and wildlife conservation; enhancing, improving or restoring waterways or remnant habitats. There are Junior, Youth, Novice and Intermediate sections. For details see Western Plains Photographic Club section in the local newsletters or contact Shari at LLPG.
Corangamite Waterwatch for Local Streams and Lakes
Are you interested in the environment and would like to learn more about your local waterway? Then consider becoming a Waterwatch monitor. LLPG and the Corangamite CMA will host an introductory Waterwatch training session on Thursday 30th March at 10.00am at Browns Waterhole Footbridge.
Waterwatch is part of a National Citizen Science program and for over 20 years has empowered communities to collect water quality data, which is used by river managers to inform decision making and environmental action. For more information see www.vic.waterwatch.org.au and contact Shari at LLPG.
Innovation in the Otways – 4 places left
Wednesday 22nd-23rd March. Two days visiting innovative people value adding to their regular farm business. $140 pp. If interested contact Shari.
Stonework Play
A Free and Fun nature event for kids of any age that incorporates creative play and learning to engage the senses and imagination
Sunday 2nd April 10am – 12 pm
Mount Elephant Visitor Centre
Hamilton Highway
Derrinallum
Registration is required to attend. Please register with Tania Moloney 0409 843965 or Val Lang 55 962014 by Thursday 30th March
This newsletter has been funded by the Australian Federal Government’s “Victorian Volcanic Plains Small Grants” Program and the Victorian State Government “Local Landcare Facilitator Initiative”
Lismore Land Protection Group
19 High Street (PO Box 28) Lismore, Victoria 3324 Ph: 03 5596 2384 Landcare Facilitators:
Rod Eldridge: 0458 390146 email: llpgrod@westnet.com.au Shari McConachy 0409 070089 email: llpgsharim@westnet.com.au Find us on the Landcare Gateway here
