Bug detectives hit Pipemakers Park

We had a brilliant turn out for the Bug Detectives Nature Play school holiday event at Pipemakers Park with over 70 children and adults joining us to explore the park including learning all about frogs, bugs, birds and more.

We ran two sessions during the day, the first for 3-5 year olds and the second for 6-10 year olds. The sessions included an interactive talk about the plants and animals of the river and bushland areas followed by a series of activities including bug hunting with jars, magnifying glasses and field guides.

 
This event was run as part of Maribyrnong Council’s environmental education program in partnership with Leap into Nature and with support from Melbourne Water. Green Army members were part of the event and shared their knowledge of Pipemakers Park and the local environment.

The event celebrated Nature Play week. Nature Play Week was developed collaboratively by individuals and organisations involved in the Kids in Nature Network and is supported by the Victorian Government, Department of Health & Human Services. The aim of Nature Play Week is to encourage children to reconnect with nature and the outdoors.

The feedback we received from the day was particularly positive with one participant saying that ‘with three boys aged eight, five and three, it is sometimes hard to find affordable events that they can all connect with and enjoy. Today they were all very engaged.’

She thought that the activities were ‘well thought through, so that children could participate in the things they liked best; whether that be bug hunting, habitat making, colouring in, reading, or water investigation.’

Could the Growling Grass Frog return to Pipemakers Park?

The Growling Grass Frog, or Southern Bell frog, was once one of the most common frogs across Victoria and south-eastern Australia. One of the largest frog species in Australia, they can be identified by their unique loud and guttural call, which earned them their name as the ‘growling’ grass frog. Unfortunately, due to the loss and fragmentation of suitable habitat, predation, and ongoing pollution of waterways, this unique species has now disappeared from much of their former range.

Today, the species is listed as Vulnerable under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and threatened in Victoria. Yet isolated populations still persist in the greater Melbourne area.

Historical records show that the Growling Grass frog was once common along the banks of the Maribyrnong River and even inhabited Pipemakers Park. Excitingly, recent sightings across the river suggest that the species still occur within the area, and could therefore potentially return to the park in future.

In order to protect this rare and unique species, it is important that we take steps to reduce our impact upon their habitat and support them in our rivers, creeks and wetlands. Taking care not to pollute our creeks and waterways is just one way that we can help to support the growling grass frog.

Litter that falls in our parks and on our streets ends up in our stormwater drains, which connect and empty into our waterways. Even when we live far from a river or creek, our rubbish will often find its way into these waterways, polluting the water and threatening our wildlife.

Want to find out more about the growling grass frog, and help us bring it back to Pipemakers Park? Take a minute to check out the frog census app. Your next walk in the park could help us track the return of this threatened species!

Everyone has the power to help fight pollution.

 We can start small, with our own practices and product choices.

1. Choose products that have less packaging, and avoid single-use items, like bottles of water, straws, and takeaway coffee cups.
2. Learn what can be recycled in your local area and make sure you put recyclable items into the recycling bin so that we can recover and reuse these materials (and they don’t end up in landfill or in our oceans)
3. Try taking your litter with you. One of the biggest problems with waste is that we don’t have to see or deal with the amount of waste that we generate every day. We often consume things without sparing a thought to the amount of waste that is involved in packaging, and once we are finished with the item, we can simply put it in a container and forget about it. By practicing the carry-in carry-out approach, you can discover just how much waste you generate, and take steps to reduce this in your everyday life. To find out more on what you can do to reduce waste, check out this handy waste fact sheet from Cool Australia.

Would you like to help fight waste and be part of a nation-wide initiative to reduce Australia’s waste problem? Take the War-on-waste survey.

New energy saving lighting at Town Hall!

Returning Woodlands to Maribyrnong: 1 Million Trees and the Green Army

Vicroads in tandem with councils on shared path safety campaign

A new safety campaign featuring customised promotional bicycles is alerting cyclists to a road rule obliging them to give way to pedestrians on shared paths. VicRoads and Maribyrnong City Council are also encouraging cyclists to ride at safer speeds on shared paths and to use bicycle bells to warn pedestrians they are approaching.   

The campaign’s catalyst was a recent review of Victoria’s Cycling Road Rules revealing many people were unaware cyclists must give way to pedestrians on shared paths.

VicRoads data indicates many shared path riders travel at about 30km/h during peak periods when paths are busy, increasing the chances of a crash and serious injury. Furthermore, 82 per cent of riders observed during a VicRoads study did not use bells or other warning devices to alert pedestrians they were approaching.

Victorian Road Rules state that cyclists on shared paths must give way to all pedestrians, including people using wheelchairs, mobility scooters and wheeled recreational devices. Riders must also keep to the left hand side of paths unless impractical, whereas pedestrians can walk on any part or side of a path, but are advised to keep left so cyclists can pass safely. Not obeying the give-way road rule carries three $155 penalty units – a $465 fine.

While it is not a road rule, using a bell or other warning device to alert pedestrians travelling in the same direction, is strongly advisable.

Check out the new bikes at West Footscray Station and on the Maribyrnong River Trail.

 
Image 1: Footscray West Train Station. Image 2: Maribyrnong River Trail.

Plant sales raise funds for cancer research

Students at Yarraville Community Centre had a plant stall to raise funds at the Biggest Morning Tea this month. The plants were propagated from cuttings and grown from seed at the Neighbourhood House in Blackwood St. Plants for sale included jade, nasturtium, parsley, yarrow and nigella.

Yarraville Community Centre is a vibrant community hub that provides education, training and support to more than 2000 people each week. There are great short courses and workshops, including those with a sustainability & environment focus. For more information, visit https://www.ycc.net.au/short-courses/. 


Contributor and image: Helen Lucas, Yarraville Community Centre.

Event Wrap Up:

Creating a frog friendly habitat garden

Sustainable Living Maribyrnong Events

Other Events in Maribyrnong

Council Programs For You!