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Welcome to the July issue of Sustainable Shellharbour. This month we're excited to announce the Tinkerage is reopening for Friday drop-in tinkering, and a Saturday FixIt workshop. We're encouraging you to get behind BirdLife Australia's Birds in Backyards Winter Survey, visit our plant nursery, and have details on some fascinating finds about the Illawarra Socketwood. Keep reading for details.
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The Tinkerage is a community-use space for the making, repairing, and re-purposing of things that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Friday drop-in tinkering sessions and workshops have been on hold recently. We’re pleased to announce they are back on from Friday 3 July, with Covid-safe measures in place. The Tinkerage will open every Friday from 10am to 3pm (except public holidays), by gold coin donation.
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Check out their Instagram page here, or for enquiries email tinkerage@resourcerecovery.org.au or or phone the Revolve Shop on 42375193.
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Saturday FixIt workshops at the Tinkerage
Can’t get to The Tinkerage on Fridays? Come along and try out the Tinkerage in this Saturday workshop on 25 July from 10am – 3pm.
Bring along any item that you would like to attempt to repair, revamp, or upcycle in some way. We will work out some fixit solutions together, and use various skills such as riveting, drilling, screwing, gluing, and whatever else we might need to save that thing from landfill, and give you ideas on how to give it a new life.
This workshop is free for residents living in the Shellharbour council area. A $40 fee applies for non-Shellharbour residents.
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You must wear enclosed protective shoes to The Tinkerage. Please BYO safety glasses, ear protection and gloves. We suggest bringing three things you would like to ask advice on or have a go at repairing. Please note we do not have welding facilities and cannot repair electrical items at this stage. Feel free to bring along lunch/drink too.
Participants must be over 16 years old. Bookings for the Tinkerage workshops can be made by emailing tinkerage@resourcerecovery.org.au, phoning the Revolve Shop on 42375193, or in person at the Revolve Shop or The Tinkerage at 44 Buckleys Road Dunmore.
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Celebrating 100 issues!
This month we’re celebrating the 100th issue of the Sustainable Shellharbour e-newsletter! The first edition went out way back in November 2011, and marked the start of Council’s vibrant Sustainable Shellharbour environmental education program.
Highlights from 2019/2020 included our hugely successful Nature Talks in the Library events in partnership with Shellharbour City Libraries, children’s art workshops and guided spotlight walks for Threatened Species week, Civic Centre sustainability tours, Fair Food week celebrations, workshops on native bees, green cleaning and fungi, as well as the launch of the new Birds of Lake Illawarra brochure in partnership with Wollongong City Council and NSW Local Land Services.
While a number of Sustainable Shellharbour events and activities have been put on hold recently, we have been undertaking some exciting project planning behind the scenes and look forward to sharing details of new sustainability initiatives with you in future editions of the newsletter.
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Birds in Backyard Winter Survey
The days are shorter, temperatures drop, but backyard birdwatching never stops! BirdLife Australia’s Birds in Backyards Winter surveys are now underway. Join in the fun - count birds for 20 mins and let us know about your space. Are your resident spinebills loving the native shrubs in your garden? Do the cockatoos come for the seed you are providing? Your surveys show the Birds in Backyards team what birds are visiting gardens seasonally and what it is about those gardens that attracts them. Head to the website for info and instructions, including free webinars at www.birdsinbackyards.net. |
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Plant in the veggie garden now
In our mild coastal climate you can still be adding things to your veggie patch in winter. It’s a great time to think about planting:
• Snow peas
• Snap peas
• Lettuce
• Radish
• Rocket
If you're keen to add veggies and herbs to your garden, head into Council's Nursery on River Oak Place, Oak Flats, or contact them on 4221 6191 or at nursery@shellharbour.nsw.gov.au. They're now open Monday to Friday 7.30am to 3.45pm (except public holidays), with social distancing and COVID-safe measures in place. Staff are happy to help you with advice on what to plant when, what’s easy to grow, what can be grown in a pot and how to prepare your soil for the next crop.
For information on food gardening ideas check out Council's Grow Local Illawarra Edible Garden Guide on Council’s website.
City Library, Warilla Library & Albion Park Library reopened on 1 June, and you can have a great selection of gardening books. To find out what you need to know before you visit the library please see here.
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New South East Environment Newsletter
Have you seen the new South East Environment newsletter by the South East Biodiversity and Conservation team from the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment? It started out providing updates on wildlife recovery along the coast during and after the Black Summer bushfires, and has now expanded to cover broader biodiversity and conservation issues, aswell as the southern highlands, southern tablelands, Monaro and alpine regions.
The latest issue includes good news that the entire colony of brush-tailed rock-wallabies in Kangaroo Valley survived the 2019/2020 bushfires, and how a citizen scientist found a new population of rare orchids. Check out the latest edition and subscribe here.
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Fascinating finds about the Illawarra Socketwood
Council’s Environment team works with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment staff to protect threatened plants in Shellharbour, like the Illawarra Socketwood. This rare rainforest plant grows only in the Illawarra.
Find out about some fascinating new discoveries about the Illawarra Socketwood in this new video by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. |
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Shellharbour City Council's Environment and Natural Areas teams work to protect Illawarra Socketwood (shown in the front centre of this photo) in a Council managed reserve in the suburb of Blackbutt. Image by Jedda Lemmon.
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BushCare and LandCare
BushCare and LandCare working bees are still on hold, however Council’s Natural Areas staff have been working safely at all the sites to ensure the hard work of the volunteers is not set back.
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Have you seen Parthenium weed?
We need your help to protect the region from a potential biosecurity risk caused by the NSW invasion of Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus).
The weed is thought to have been transported from Queensland through hay, fodder or seed or on earthmoving equipment. It spreads rapidly & is dangerous to grazing animals as well as reducing crop & land values. Contact with the plant or pollen can cause serious allergic reactions in people.
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This could mean inspecting roadsides & areas with bare soil, where soil or compost have been delivered or where earthworks have taken place. You can also check areas where hay, grain or bird seed has been fed to pets, livestock or chickens. If you suspect that you have seen any Parthenium plants, please contact NSW DPI on 1800 680 244 or IDWA on 4233 1129.
For more information on the weed & how to identify it during its various growth stages, or for an online form to record sightings, see here.
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Indoor plants at Council's nursery
Council’s plant nursery at River Oak Place in Oak Flats has a great selection of indoor plants. Why not pop in and purchase something to add to your indoor oasis? They're now open Monday to Friday 7.30am to 3.45pm (except public holidays), with social distancing and COVID-safe measures in place. You can also call the nursery on 4221 6191 to check if they have the plants you’re looking for.
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In the neighbourhood
The events/opportunities listed in this ‘In the neighbourhood’ section are other sustainability initiatives happening in the region. They are not managed or endorsed in any way by Council. If you would like to submit details of local sustainability related events for consideration to be included, please email sustainability@shellharbour.nsw.gov.au.
Visit the Ocean Action Pod at Shell Cove
From Friday the 3rd to Sunday the 5th of July from 10am-3pm the Ocean Action Pod will be visiting the Shell Cove Town Centre, courtesy of Frasers Property Australia.
As we near closer to the Marina filling with water it is important that we learn about how each of us will play a part in keeping the marina and ocean clean.
The Ocean Action Pod travels the coast of Australia, educating and entertaining coastal communities to inspire you with positive solutions to care for your beaches, ocean and marina! Don’t miss your chance to visit. It’s a great activity for all ages. COVID safe practices will be in place. Please follow directions and instruction from the Ocean Action team on the day.
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COVID-19 updates from Shellharbour City Council
In response to the evolving situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19), Council is doing all it can to protect the wellbeing of our customers, our community and our staff.
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