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Supporting the conservation of our Stunning Shelly Beach
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Weeds in Shelly Beach have been under attack over the past year thanks to Shelly Beach Conservation Group volunteers undertaking 286 hours of bush regeneration activities with the support of Holloway Gallery.
Division 2 Councillor Tim Dwyer said their invaluable efforts had seen 27 standard wheelie bins of weeds removed, making a real difference to the local community.
“We would also like to thank the Holloway Gallery for providing sponsorship support to the value of $700 towards the Shelly Beach Conservation Group’s efforts including funding catering for each working bee as well as plants for restoration.”
Holloway Gallery owner Annie Holloway said they were delighted to have been able to play a role in the enhancement of the much loved Shelly Beach dunal and bushland areas.
Read more>>
If you or your business would like to contribute to the conservation efforts through sponsorship or volunteering, and play your part in the protection and management of our Sunshine Coast environment, visit council’s website for further details.
For more information about Holloway Gallery visit the website or go and check it out at 1 Roderick Street, Moffat Beach.
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What is that rusty paint looking substance along our coast line? |
 From August through to March our warm off-shore sub-tropical climate provides ideal conditions to experience rusty-brown looking blooms of naturally occurring Trichodesmium algae.
Trichodesmium is a cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that is commonly referred to as sea sawdust, whale sperm, whale food and sea scum.
Is it toxic?
In most cases the blooms are harmless. However, if they enter enclosed coastal water bodies such as Tooway Lake for example they can deplete the oxygen content causing the death of fish and other aquatic animals.
If Trichodesmium is allowed to stagnate it can release a clear, water soluble toxin. This causes its filaments to turn from a rusty brown colour to a green colour often accompanied by a pink pigment. It is this pink colour that reportedly gave the Red Sea its name.
These blooms, when beached or free floating, usually disappear in a few days and don’t pose a threat to human health.
Don’t Panic
Please remember if you have come in contact with Trichodesmium it can easily be rinsed off the skin.
For more information please contact Council Customer Service on 5475 7272. |
The great heights council goes to control weeds
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 Tackling weeds on our coastal headland reserves can be challenging for their steepness and inaccessibility. Sunshine Coast Council have engaged Rope Access Operators, funded by the Environment Levy, to use their combined skills of rope accessing and ecological restoration skills to control weeds on our headlands.
The Operators will be targeting specific weeds using best practice techniques and revegetating in areas where there is weak or slow native regeneration.
 Keep your eye out for them at Point Perry (Coolum), Second Bay Whale Watching Platform (Coolum), Queen Of Colonies (Moffat Headland) and Caloundra Headlands (Caloundra). |
Blue Paint Fungi
by Ian Webster and Dianne Lanskey, Flaxton Land For Wildlife Members |
 “When one is involved in large scale revegetation and regeneration projects you often come across weird and wonderful things. Too often it is too easy to just move on and continue your backbreaking work.
The real advantage of being involved in Land For Wildlife (LFW) and Landcare groups is that you are part of a large network of “go to” people when confronted with something weird, wonderful or just odd.
When we were bashing lantana (good for the soul!) we came across sticks which were obviously painted. Some were painted a beautiful blue and others painted white. Hang on – painted sticks in the middle of a vast lantana patch where no man has tried for many years? No way!
Next port of call was our “go to” contact - Gretchen Evans - who is a fellow volunteer at Barung Landcare and also a LFW member. Gretchen is also a member of the Fungal Society.
What we had found was “blue paint fungi” which is unusual and uncommon.
So the moral of this story is if you find something which appears to be strange or weird – don't dismiss it but use the great LFW, Bushcare and volunteer networks to check it out and increase your knowledge and interest.”
 The Blue Paint Fungi, Cobalt Crust (Tenara caerulea) that Ian and Dianne found has only been recorded in Australia twice before. It is a vibrant blue, velvety fungi which becomes crusty and dull when dried out. Paint fungi usually grow flat underneath dead wood and are not often seen.
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Snapshots
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Congratulations to the following winners
Phyl Bird - won a $200 Bunnings Voucher for the 'bring a friend along' competition at the Community Nature Conservation Program Open Day.
Skye Seigner - won a Garmin Vivofit for signing up to Bush hands.
Nominate a local hero for Sunshine Coast Australia Day Award
If you know a person, community group or organisation making a difference to life on the Coast, give them the recognition they deserve by nominating them for a 2017 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Award.
Nominations close 9 December 2016. You can nominate online and Entry Kits can be downloaded from council’s website or collected from customer service centres and libraries.
For more information visit council’s website or email ausdayawards@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
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Wildlife Rescue - the basics
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Council recently ran a Wildlife Rescue workshop for members of the Land for Wildlife program. Since then there has been a lot of interest and people are keen to learn what to do when coming across injured or orphaned wildlife.
Visit council's website for a basic 'how to' for wildlife rescue>>
Helpful Hints
 Treat the animal as you would want to be treated – i.e. get it into care or to a vet as quickly as possible.- Record details – write down the address of the rescue location as this will help carers to return wildlife back to their habitat.
- Always take wildlife brought in or ‘mouthed’ by dogs or cats to a vet or carer – even if there is no obvious sign of injury. Often there is extensive internal injuries which cannot be seen.
- Always put a rescued animal in a secure basket or container, ideally one that can be locked or tied shut. A panicked, injured animal on the loose in a vehicle can be a significant safety risk when driving.
- Do not feed or give the animal water – whilst well intended, such attempts usually result in the animal aspirating it into their lungs or getting sick from being fed the wrong food.
- Do not try to sooth the animal by patting or cuddling – this will only cause the animal further stress.
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Fauna Survey at Kawana Forest Bushland Reserve
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A recent fauna survey for Kawana Forest Bushland Reserve recorded 26 native mammal and 11 reptile species.
 Two microbats, the yellow-bellied sheathtail bat and Gould’s wattled bat, both listed in the Sunshine Coast Biodiversity Strategy 2010-2020, were recorded.
A common planigale (Planigale maculata), an insectivorous feeder like the microbats, was also sighted.
Numerous listings of striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) across the entire reserve suggests that this species is locally important, as evidenced by the abundance of frog specialist snakes also present. |
I'm just wild about wildflowers
It is that time of year that the Sunshine Coast becomes a bloom with colourful wildflowers.
Dig out your walking shoes and explore our local reserves and see the colourful display.
To assist you in your exploration download the Sunshine Coast Wildflower Self-Guided Walk brochure highlighting a collection of 10 self-guided walks with over 40 images and descriptions of the most widely observed flowers you can discover.
Download your Sunshine Coast Wildflower Self-Guided Walk brochure>> |
Environment Levy Highlights
To find out all of the achievements of the Environment Levy in 2015 – 2016 financial year please visit council's website>>.
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Events, workshops and volunteering opportunities |
4 Oct - 8 Nov Sustainable Gardening
Sunshine Coast Libraries
Join Will Waterford from Caloundra Garden and Pet Supplies for simple sustainable gardening tips.
Free. Bookings essential. Visit libraries website for full list of dates and booking information.
8 Oct - 5 Nov Workers and Warriors
Sunshine Coast Libraries
Join Pia Dowling author of Common Scents Organic Gardening for a closer look at the intricate backyard garden eco-system.
Free. Bookings essential. Visit libraries website for full list of dates and booking information.
30 October Glossy Black - Cockatoo Birding Day
 The Glossy Black Conservancy is holding its annual Glossy Black-Cockatoo Birding Day and they need your help to record sightings of this elusive and cryptic threatened species.
The reporting of sightings helps to further the understanding of the habitat, distribution and ecology and assist with conservation efforts.
You can help by searching your own property or local reserve in the hours around dawn and dusk and reporting your findings.
Fantastic prizes are up for grabs for participants. If you would like to attend a workshop to learn how to correctly identify a Glossy Black-Cockatoo as well as fill in field data forms, please email council to express your interest.
For more information about the Glossy Black-Cockatoo Birding Day visit the Glossy Black Conservancy website.
7- 13 November National Recycling Week
Did you know you can discard your old mattress and fridge at no charge at Sunshine Coast Council’s resource recovery centres?
To achieve council’s vision to become Australia’s most sustainable region, council has committed to reducing waste going into landfills by introducing a number of incentives.
This includes recycling or reselling as many items that come through our resource recovery facilities as possible, not only saving residents’ money, but helping the environment at the same time.
As well as mattresses and whitegoods, at no cost you can also dispose of unwanted gas bottles, e-waste, scrap metals, domestic quantities of oil and pesticides and many other recyclables.
For further information about council’s resource recovery centres including a full list of accepted items visit council’s website>>.
10 Nov - 10 Dec Keeping Happy Chickens
Sunshine Coast Libraries
Join Kirstie Henning from City Chicks as she discusses the variety of chicken breeds available, suitable housing for backyards and what to feed your chickens.
Free. Bookings essential. Bookings available from Monday 26 September, 9.00 am. Visit libraries website for full list of dates and booking information.
5 December Sunshine Coast International Volunteers Day Morning Tea
Lake Kawana Community Centre
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