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Wodonga Urban Landcare Network

Bulletin

for October 2019

Workshops, Field Days and Courses

National Waterbug Blitz Training Session – Friday 8^th November
10am-3pm, Centenary Park (park on Mountbatten Road), Bright. The National Waterbug Blitz is inviting you to join their citizen science program to work with scientists and look at water quality and river health on a local and national scale. This training session is being offered for volunteers and professionals alike to learn how to collect and identify waterbugs and use the Waterbug App. Then you'll have all the skills you need to do your own waterbug blitz at your local creek or river.
Please bring on the day: a folding chair, lunch and water/drinks for the day (snacks are provided), a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent (you will be working outdoors), gumboots or waders, and your smartphone with the Waterbug App downloaded and signed in.
Please RSVP to Kathie Le Busque, Waterwatch Coordinator, on 0408 442 261 or at Kathie@petaurus@net.au by 1st November. For more information on the National Waterbug Blitz please see here.
The Waterwatch North East program is delivered as a collaboration between North East CMA and Petaurus Education Group.

Declining Species Workshop – Sunday 10^th November
9.30am-12.30pm, Wooragee Hall, Beechworth Wodonga Rd, Wooragee. “Declining” is the stage before “endangered” and “threatened”. Come and learn about Wooragee’s declining species and what we can do about it. Martin Driver has extensive experience in conservation work and farming. He worked for many years with Greening Australia, CMA, and is currently with the Australian Network for Plant Conservation. He will talk about declining species in Victoria to give the “big picture” and then you will go out and look at some Wooragee Landscapes and discuss what can be done to help our declining species.

Please wear suitable clothing to be out in the field including closed-in footwear, long trousers and shirt, hat, and bring water etc. You will be going out locally for the field trip.
This is a free workshop, but bookings are required and can be made here. For more information please contact Sue on 0427 287 285 or Fleur on 0427 282 377.

How to Become Carbon Neutral by 2030 Workshop – Sunday 17^th November
1- 4pm, Sustainable Activity Centre, Gateway Village, Lincoln Causeway, Wodonga. This is a detailed and informative workshop taking you through a five-step process in reducing your own personal carbon footprint to ‘neutral’ within 10 years. Taking an in-depth look into going solar, electric vehicles, zero waste, diet, food miles and more. This workshop is aimed at adults, but children are welcome. Please bring pens and paper.
Cost is $11.64 (child under 10 free). Tickets can be booked online here.

7th National NRM Knowledge Conference - 17-20 November
The Cube, Wodonga. Hosted by NRM Regions Australia and NECMA. Conference theme is Creating Resilience through Natural Resource Management – how do we do it? An opportunity to engage with people working in the NRM sector from across Australia, hear the latest news from our research institutes and our partner government agencies and contribute to the future direction of NRM in Australia. The aim for the conference is to identify a shared future for Australian natural resource management – and actions we will collectively pursue to address the Conference theme.

National NRM Knowledge Conferences have been held regularly over the past 15 years and provide an opportunity for NRM practitioners to share knowledge and build national networks with other practitioners, NRM regional organisations, individuals, government and non-government agencies. See more and register here.

Opportunities to be Involved

Join the Parklands Volunteer Ranger Program – Wednesday & Thursday 8am-12pm.
Join Parklands rangers to experience hands-on bush restoration work in the hills of Baranduda and beyond. A more intrepid version of our Parks Stewardship program, these mornings will have you out on the slopes of Baranduda Range and other local wild places, undertaking a variety of the physical tasks of bush restoration. Find out what`s off the beaten track, improve your plant identification skills and learn new bush restoration techniques with our experienced rangers.
You will need to register for each day you would like to attend here, so you can be contacted if the day`s plan changes. All equipment and training is supplied. Please wear bush work clothes including hat, long trousers and covered shoes/boots, and be sure to bring your water bottle.
Meet at 8am at the Parklands depot, 138 Lemke Rd, Gateway Island to travel to the site in a Parklands vehicle. For more information please contact info@parklands-alburywodonga.org.au

Get involved with local Park Stewardship – Friday mornings 9-11am.
Join in as Parklands Rangers take you through a variety of practical park maintenance/improvement tasks like planting, weeding and removing tree guards. At the same time, you will learn about the local environment and how our local land managers and community groups are working to protect threatened species, improve habitat and link habitat corridors across the region. Each Friday’s activity and site is listed on Ecoportal – please follow the links to register for the mornings you wish to attend. For more information contact info@parklands-alburywodonga.org.au

Get Involved with the Winton Wetlands Weekly Volunteer Days – Thursdays 9am-2pm
Winton Wetlands Reserve, Chesney Vale. Join the Friends of Winton Wetlands and Park Rangers for weekly working-bees at the Winton Wetland Reserve. Activities will include tree planting and environmental restoration projects each week. All tools and safety equipment will be supplied, A free lunch of toasties and coffee from the Hub Café will also be provided. Get in contact with their office to register your interest or to discuss other exciting opportunities they have available! They can be contacted at info@wintonwetlands.org.au or on (03)57664462. More information on the Friends of Winton Wetlands can be found here.

Wangaratta Urban Landcare Regeneration Group – Thursdays 9am-12pm
As long as it’s not raining, each Thursday morning from 9am to 12pm, The Wangaratta Urban Landcare Regeneration Group works in various bush-like spaces in Wangaratta, clearing weeds to give native plants the light and space they need to thrive, and sometimes planting natives too. You’ll learn to pick an invader from a local, enjoy conversation with a group of people who like doing this sort of thing, and come to appreciate what’s been achieved here over the years. Please bring morning tea for a break at 10:30, and a water bottle.
Each Thursdays Ecoportal listing is updated with the weeks location about a week before, or you can contact Adrian Twitt on 0470 403 875 or 03 5721 5327 or at ahtwitt@gmail.com for the location or more information.

Do You Speak Water-ish? – Wednesday 30th October
4-5.30pm, LaTrobe University, Main Lecture Theatre, Wodonga. In this free public presentation, as part of the NRM on the Border seminar series, Dr Sarina Loo (Co-Executive Officer of the Victorian Environmental Water Holder) will present on the topic 'The need for clear communication in the water industry'. Free presentation, will light refreshments provided. Please RSVP by 22 October by email to cfe@latrobe.edu.au

Kaluna Park Walk – Thursday 31^st October
5-7pm, Kaluna Park, Wangaratta. Join members of the Wangaratta Urban Landcare Group and learn about Kaluna Park with Ian Davidson. More information will be posted to the Ecoportal listing here closer to the date. More information on the Wangaratta Urban Landcare Group can be found here.

Gunbower Island Turtle Nest Protection – 1^st-12^th November
Gunbower Island, Cohuna. Turtles Australia Inc., led by Graham Stockfeld, are heading to Gunbower Island again this season for “turtle spotting” and nest protection work, and are looking for volunteers to join them. This work is vital for the conservation of Victoria’s three species of freshwater turtles. One of the biggest threats to our turtle populations in Victoria is the predation of nest sites by foxes. The “turtle team”, of which you are invited to join, will look for fresh nest sites and protect these nests. If you are interested in volunteering for a day or more, go to the Turtles Australia website here, and look under the sidebar heading ‘Events and Fieldwork’. All current information is listed there, as well as registration for the event. For more information please contact turtles@iinet.net.au

Friends of Chiltern Mt Pilot NP Field Day – Saturday 2^nd November
9am-3pm, Chiltern Mt Pilot NP. Meet at the Chiltern Post Office. Join the Friends of Chiltern Mt. Pilot National Park for a day of activities in the park. Activities may include weeding, planting, maintenance of infrastructure, checking of nest boxes and more. All ages, levels of fitness and knowledge welcome. Contact Mick Webster on 0429 017 229 for more info and what to bring. More information on the Friends of Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park can be found here.

Repair Café - Featuring Device Helpdesk and Lawnmower Maintenance Demo – Saturday 2^nd November
10am-1pm, the Sustainable Activity Centre (Former Tourist Information Centre), Gateway Island. The Sustainable Activity Centre (SAC) Repair Café is a free meeting place to bring along broken household items such as furniture, clothing, battery-operated appliances, scratched CDs-DVDs and bikes and learn how to fix them with the help of experienced, volunteer repairers. You can also bring along small, blunt garden tools like secateurs and we’ll show you how to sharpen them. Maximum three items per person per session.
This month there will also be a device help desk, to trouble-shoot mobile phones, tablets and laptops e.g. how to save data from a dying phone, change settings, speed up slow laptops and investigate problems booting up. Also featuring this month is lawn mower maintenance, commencing at 10.15am with a half hour demo, showing you how to clean air filters, check spark plugs and broken leads. Then from 10.45am Wolfgang and Bill will service mower blades. Please remove and clean blades before arrival, noting blades don’t usually require sharpening but might need nicks removed, straightening and balancing. Please note there will be NO soldering, jewellery, books or leather repairs this session. More information on the Repair Café Albury-Wodonga can be found here.
The Repair Café is proudly supported by Halve Waste.

Habitat Open Garden – Sunday 3^rd November
10am-3pm, Sharps Garden, Corner McGaffins and Drewett Rd, West Wodonga- Entry Via Drewett Rd. Take an inspiring self-guided tour of Julianne and Greg Sharp’s stunning 1.5 acre habitat garden. Their biodiverse, peaceful haven was carefully designed with wildlife in mind, attracting 70 bird species as well as reptiles, frogs, beneficial insects and possums. Cost of entry is a gold coin donation (Julianne and Greg are kindly offering their garden; all donations will be used to support future Gardens 4 Wildlife activities).
For more information please visit the Gardens for Wildlife Albury-Wodonga Facebook page here or contact Lizette Salmon at G4W@wodongalandcare.org.au
Presented by Wodonga Urban Landcare Network with the generous support of City of Wodonga and the Victorian Government.

Winton Wetlands Quarterly Bird Surveys – Wednesday 6^th November
8.45am-2pm, Winton Wetlands Reserve, 650 Lake Mokoan Rd Chesney Vale. BirdLife Murray Goulburn is a small friendly group of birdwatchers who meet once a month for a day of birdwatching. Members are to meet at the Mokoan Boat Ramp, 650 Lake Mokoan Rd at 8:45 for 9:00 am start. To RSVP, or if you have any enquiries or would like to get involved, please contact Kathy Costello on 5762 5755. More information on Birdlife Murray Goulburn can be found here.

Wildflower Walk ‘n Talk, Wodonga – Wednesday 6^th November
9-11.30am, Castle Creek Conservation Reserve, Wodonga. Join members of the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network as Parklands ranger Danny Jones leads this Walk ‘n Talk into the beautiful bush reserve on Castle Creek Rd. In the springtime this is one of our most spectacular wildflower areas. Learn about the restoration work that has been done over the years to restore and improve this important habitat for threatened species. This is an easy bush walk on earthen tracks in undulating - but not particularly steep - country. We will walk approx 1500m in total. Please dress for the weather including hat, long pants and covered shoes. Morning tea is provided, so leave time for a cuppa and chat after the walk.
All are welcome. There is no cost, but please let us know you’re coming by registering here.
Directions to Meeting place: Follow Castle Creek Rd just beyond the suburban estates until you see a large Hayshed on your right and a row of mature farm trees on your left. Look for the Landcare banner.
Organised by Parklands as part of the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network’s Walk ‘n Talk series 2019. This event is supported by the Victorian Government.

BirdLife Ovens & Murray Marlo Weekend Event – 8^th-11^th November
Marlo and Surrounding areas. Birdlife Ovens and Murray is heading over the mountains to Marlo, on the coast at the mouth of the Snowy River (near Orbost), for a weekend of birdwatching at Marlo and surrounding birding hot-spots.
Please book your own accommodation at the Marlo Caravan Park, Argyle Parade. (There is a range of accommodation options, ph: 03 5154 8226) Please let John Shepherd know if you are booking so we can include you on our list of participants. John can be contacted on 0417 274 380 to RSVP, or with any enquiries. More information on Birdlife Ovens and Murray can be found here.

Wangaratta Community Nature Day – Saturday 9^th November
10.30am-2.30pm, Apex Park, Wangaratta. Free event with nature themed activities for the whole family. More information will be available closer to the date, keep an eye on Ecoportal here.

Mitta Valley Landcare Southern Bell Frog Survey – Saturday 9^th November
4.30-8pm, The Witches Garden, 606 Dartmouth Rd, Mitta Mitta. The Witches Garden is hosting the first local Southern Bell Frog survey. Come along to help with the surveying, and afterwards enjoy a gourmet pizza and dessert meal, all made from local produce by The Witches Garden and Mitta Primary School. Guest Speaker, David Hunter, will also share his knowledge on the Southern Bell Frog. This is a free event, but bookings are essential. Please RSVP to Doris on O499 977 471 or Felicity on 02 6072 3533.

Woomargama NP with Albury Wodonga Field Naturalists – Sunday 10^th November
9am-4pm, Woomargama National Park. Members are to meet at 9am at the SS&A Car Park, Wilson Street, Albury, before the group will head off together for Woomargama National Park. Please BYO refreshments for the day. The leader for the day will be Neil, please contact him on 0428 235 964 to RSVP or with any enquiries. For more information on the Albury Wodonga Field Naturalists Club Inc. please see here.

Albury Wodonga Sustainable Living Festival 2019 – 16^th-24^th November
This year’s Albury Wodonga Sustainable Living Festival’s week long line up of events, is again full of inspiration, innovation and conversation around sustainable living. To download the full festival program, please visit the website here.
Presented by Wodonga Council and Albury City and proudly sponsored by WAW Credit Union, Halve Waste, Elmwood Living and North East Heating and Cooling.

Sustainable Living Fair – Saturday 16^th November
8am-1pm, Gateway Village, Lincoln Causeway, Wodonga. Come along and enjoy more than 50 exhibits showcasing renewable energy, sustainable lifestyles, farming, environment, health and wellbeing plus amazing produce from the Gateway Village Farmers’ Market and great family food, fun and entertainment. For more information please see the Albury Wodonga Sustainable Living Festival website here.
Presented by Elmwood Living, Halve Waste, WAW Credit Union, and North East Heating and Cooling

Turtles Australia Presentation and Demonstration – Saturday 16^th November
10am-12.30pm, Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop Learning Centre, Benalla Library, 2 Fawckner Dr, Benalla. Turtles Australia Inc. are back in Benalla with their live turtle display! Graham Stockfeld will share his vast knowledge on Victoria’s 3 freshwater turtle species. Come along to this free family friendly event and learn more about the turtles in Lake Benalla and ‘get up close’ with the live turtles on display! And for the first time at the Lake, Canine Ecological will demonstrate how they train dogs to find turtle nest sites through scent detection. For more information on Turtles Australia Inc. please see here.

Community Gardening in Willow Park – Sunday 17^th November
9.30-10.30am, Wodonga. Join Friends of Willow Park for a morning of Community Gardening and morning tea. Community gardening is having fun, connecting with nature, and joining others for a variety of gardening activities- including planting, mulching and weeding. Meet in the Pearce St Carpark. Ring Jenni on 0410 074 900 if you can’t see where the group is working. Even if you can’t do the gardening, just pop in to hear what the group are doing and what is planned. For more information on Friends of Willow Park please see here.

Wodonga Middle Years College School Gardens Tour – Tuesday 19^th November
10am-12pm. Wodonga Middle Years College Felltimber Campus, Hedgerow Crt, Wodonga. Take a free tour of their beautiful and diverse school gardens, showcasing wicking bed produce gardens, wildlife corridor/pollinator habitat, and much more.
Tour one: 10am-11am,
Tour two: 11am-12pm
Bookings are essential as there is a Max. of 22 people per tour. Please email Helena Foster at
hfoster@wmyc.vic.edu.au to RSVP or with any enquiries.

Gardening with the Sprouts – 19^th & 20^th November
1pm -2.30pm Lavington Public School, 497 Hague St, Lavington. Join the students in planting seedlings for the season, making nest boxes for native wildlife and let them share their garden with you with a mini-tour at Lavington Public School. This is a free event, and no bookings are required for either day (max of 20 people per session).

Albury Waste Management Centre Tours – Wednesday 20^th November

Tour 1 - 10am-11am
Tour 2 – 11am-12pm

Albury Waste Management Centre, Lavington. During National Recycling Week, come and see first-hand what happens to the waste you generate in your home including general waste, recycling and organic bin contents. Learn how commercial waste is processed and find hidden treasures at the reuse shop, including pallets turned into furniture. This is a free event, but places are limited. Book 10-11am tour tickets here, and 11am-12pm tour tickets here.

Wodonga Landcare Quarterly Gathering – Wednesday 20^th November
6-9pm, Birallee Park Neighbourhood House, 39 Emerald Avenue, Wodonga. Join members of the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network for a light supper, exchange of news, update of Landcare activities around Wodonga, and the latest in tools and resources. All are welcome. This is a great opportunity to find out what local residents can do (and are doing!) to improve our environment. Please RSVP to secretary@wodongalandcare.org.au

Multicultural Weaving Exchange – Friday 22^nd November
9-11am, Bhutanese Community Farm, Lemke Rd, Gateway Island. This morning local indigenous artist Margaret Murray will share weaving techniques. Come along to learn different techniques and share your skills and stories at this multicultural weaving workshop and skills exchange. All are welcome to attend this free workshop, but places are limited to 20 people. Please book here to ensure enough weaving materials are supplied. For more information on the Bhutanese Community Farm please see here,

Wicking Garden Beds Demonstration – Friday 22^nd November
11am-12pm Wrenwood Farm, 3091 Riverina Hwy, Bungowannah Learn how to make a wicking bed suitable for growing vegetables, herbs etc. at this free demonstration. Wicking beds are water-wise and a great way to grow vegetables. They are self-contained raised beds with built-in reservoirs that supply water from the bottom up – changing how, and how much, you water your beds. The wicking bed design principals can be adapted to a number of raised garden bed designs, there’s sure to be one to suit you! No bookings are required. For more information please contact the Wrenwood Farm Shop & Gallery on 0409 512 081.

A Plastic Ocean - Cinema Screening – Friday 22^nd November
7-9pm Regent Cinemas Albury, 456 Dean St, Albury. Stop plastic pollution - Be part of the solution. A Plastic Ocean is a feature-length documentary that explores the fragile state of our oceans and uncovers alarming truths about the consequences of our disposable lifestyle. A Plastic Ocean documents the global effects of plastic pollution and highlights workable technologies and innovative solutions that everyone can do, to create a cleaner and greener ocean. All tickets are $10, and can be booked online here.

A Sustainable Feast on the Farm with Bunyip Hollow – Saturday 23^rd November
10am-2pm, Bunyip Hollow, 251 Carrolls Lane, Wodonga. Take a tour of Bunyip Hollow’s organic farm. Learn about more than 200 species of bushtucker plants and discover the private nature reserve with several rare and endangered species breeding onsite. You could also enjoy a feast of sustainable produce created from Bunyip Hollow’s own exotic fruits, vegetables and produce. Cost is $11.64 for tour (10am-12pm) or $27.46 for tour and feast (10am-2pm). To book your tickets please see here. For more information please contact Bunyip Hollow on 02 6056 9538.

Mt Stanley Scenic Reserve with Albury Wodonga Field Naturalists – Saturday 23^rd November
9am-4pm. Mt Stanley Scenic Reserve, Central Victoria. Members are to meet at 9am at Acacia Car Park (Woolworths High St), Wodonga, before setting off as a group. The day will be spent exploring the Mt Stanley Scenic Reserve. Please BYO refreshments for the day. The leader will be Phillip, please contact him on 02 6021 5313 to RSVP or with any enquiries. For more information on the Albury Wodonga Field Naturalists Club Inc. please see here.

Planting Locally in a Warming World Q&A Forum – Tuesday 26^th November
10.30am-12.30pm, Robert Brown Room, AlburyCity Council Building, 522 Kiewa St, Albury.
As we head into uncertain seasons, what should we be thinking about when planting into our bush parks, urban parks and gardens? Does our changing climate mean we need to think differently about retaining and improving biodiversity, and how should we do that?
This year Parklands Annual General Meeting sits within a climate focussed event created with Gardens for Wildlife Albury-Wodonga and the Wodonga Urban Landcare Network. A brief report back to the community on Parklands bush management works will lead into a panel discussion with local experts on bush, park and garden plants for a warmer Albury Wodonga. The Bhutanese Community catering team will provide a delicious lunch featuring vegetables grown on the Community Farm.
Register for your free ticket here to come along for this important discussion, enjoy the company and share lunch with the Parklands Board. For more information on Parklands Albury Wodonga Ltd, please see here.

Bhutanese Community Farm Walk 'n Talk – Friday 29^th November
9.30-11.30am, Bhutanese Community Farm, Lemke Rd, Gateway Island. Join the Bhutanese Community Gardeners for a tour of the spring garden. Learn about the development of these organic market gardens, the different types of garden beds and vegetable production, and marketing of produce. All are welcome - It will be an easy walk on a sometimes uneven earthen surface. Please meet your guide on Lemke Rd, at the Community Farm sign. If you have any enquiries please contact Ant Packer on 0427 926 282. For more information on the Bhutanese Community Farm please see here.

Meet the Urban Developer Field Day – Friday 29^th November
5-7pm, Merriwa Park, Ryley St, Wangaratta. Wangaratta Urban Landcare Group presents the Meet the Urban Developer Field Day. Hear from Urban developers Dion Stephenson and Trish Curtis. There will also be a BBQ and Kaluna Island walk. For more information on the Wangaratta Urban Landcare Group please see here.

Friends of Chiltern Mt Pilot NP Field Day – Sunday 1^st December
9am-3pm, Chiltern Mt Pilot NP. Meet at the Chiltern Post Office. Join the Friends of Chiltern Mt. Pilot National Park for a day of activities in the park. Activities may include weeding, planting, maintenance of infrastructure, checking of nest boxes and more. All ages, levels of fitness and knowledge welcome. Contact Mick Webster on 0429 017 229 for more info and what to bring. More information on the Friends of Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park can be found here.

Mt Buffalo NP with Albury Wodonga Field Naturalists – 6^th-8^th December
Mt Buffalo National Park. Members are to meet at the Mount Buffalo Caravan Park where the group will enjoy their Christmas festivities. Please BYO everything you will need. The group leader will be Neil, please phone him on 0428 235 964 to RSVP or with any enquiries. For more information on the Albury Wodonga Field Naturalists Club Inc. please see here.

Walk the regional bush tracks and trails with the Border Bushwalking Club

2^nd November – Kelly & Fitzgerald Huts, Falls Creek details here
2^nd November – Pub to Pub by Bike, Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail details here
7^th November – After Work Paddling, Albury details here
8^th-10^th November – Hike to Mt Jagungal, Jagungal Wilderness Area details here
9^th November – Mt Nelse and Edmonson Hut, Falls Creek details here
14^th November – After Work Paddling, Albury details here
16^th -17^th November – Buffalo Plateau Circuit, Mt Buffalo NP details here
21^st November – After Work Paddling , Albury details here
24^th November – Hotham to Falls Creek (Pretty Valley Pondage) Crossover details here
28^th November – After Work Paddling, Albury details here
30^th November - 1^st December – Dibbin Hut Overnighter, Hotham details here
5^th December – After Work Paddling, Albury details here
7^th December – Frying Pan Spur Track, Falls Creek details here

Or, with the Murray Valley Bushwalkers

7^th-15^th November – Great Ocean Walk details here
22^nd-25^th November – Hans Memorial, Mt Buffalo details here
29^th November - 1^st December – Burrowa-Pine Mountain NP details here
7^th-8^th December – Mt Cope & Faithful's Hut, Alpine NP details here

Our Native Garden Nursery – Volunteers Needed!
Our Native Garden Nursery need enthusiastic volunteers to come on board to help in their worthy cause of growing local native plants to improve the environment of our area and ultimately our wellbeing. A few hours could be all that is needed to make a difference and to help keep the nursery doors open! For more information please call 0418 579 331 or email ongnursery@gmail.com. Check out their website here for more information on the Nursery and the range of plants they stock.

The Sustainable Activity Centre – Opportunities Still Available to Be Involved
Do you have some spare time, and would like to help make a difference in the Albury/Wodonga area? The Sustainable Activity Centre (SAC) still have several opportunities for people to assist with various events and activities coming up in the area. Opportunities include volunteering within the SAC during one of their many programs, or as a ‘host’ during open hours. Or, If you have a flair for small event management or a talent for motivating a team, they have a few projects that are in need of a passionate driver as a project leader. Even if you are unable to volunteer, you can still help out. The SAC is not government funded, but they still have expenses like rent and insurance to cover. Proceeds from the Replenish Store (Cleaning and Personal care products without the packaging) help to pay for some of these costs, so your patronage is helping the environment and keeping their doors open. Another way to help financially is to change to a local bank. The SAC bank is local and offers them Community Grants if any of their members open a payroll receiving account or take out a new loan or refinance a home loan. They will be using money raised in this way to kick start new projects through a mini grants program (more information to follow). Please contact them for more information. If you can help with any of these positions, please see here to take a very short survey outlining the available opportunities, or email admin@sustainableactivitycentre.com.au
More information on The Sustainable Activity Centre can be found here.

Grants and Funding

Give Feedback, Comment or Nominate

New Wodonga Council Community Forums – Next Forum 4^th November
Wodonga Council is introducing community forums from next month as a way to engage and hear from the community. The community forums will be held on the first Monday of the month, five to six times a year with one to coincide with the draft budget and adjusted council plan exhibition period. The forums will provide the community with an opportunity to present to council on issues of importance to them and ask questions of councillors. It will also provide the council the opportunity to present to the community on key issues, projects or events in the city. The guidelines for the community forums and more information is on the council’s website here.

Environmental Impact Statement for ‘Snowy 2.0’ – Submissions Close 6^th November
Snowy Hydro Limited (Snowy Hydro) is proposing a pumped hydro-electric expansion of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme (Snowy Scheme), called ‘Snowy 2.0’. Snowy 2.0 will be built in two stages: Exploratory Works (which has commenced) and Snowy 2.0 Main Works. An environmental impact statement (EIS) has been prepared for Snowy 2.0 Main Works to support the application and the development of Snowy 2.0 within Kosciuszko National Park. You can find out more by looking at the National Parks Association website
here, the National Parks Association of NSW strongly urges everyone concerned about the unique flora and fauna of Kosciuszko National Park and the principle that National Parks are for conservation, not commercial development, to make a submission on the environmental impact statement. Details about the project and how to make a submission can be found on the NSW Government project page here.

Visitor Servicing and Engagement Review – Closes 14^th November
AlburyCity are seeking your help to learn how they can best inform and inspire visitors and locals about our tourism experiences. This project was identified in the Albury Wodonga Destination Management Plan 2019-2023 to ‘Align Visitor Servicing with Contemporary Trends’. The nature of visitor services is changing, driven by the rapid adoption of digital technology and the growing prominence of social media; this has resulted in the changing expectations and requirements of our community and visitors.
The aim of this survey is to gain a better understanding of how our community views the way that Councils deliver visitor servicing and engagement. To take part in the brief (approximately 5min) survey, please see here.

Community Resilience for Dry Conditions Survey – Closes 15^th November
Upper Hume Primary Care Partnerships is seeking farmers, service providers and community members in the Ovens Murray area to complete a short online survey. The purpose of the Community Resilience for Dry Conditions project is to build on the current capacity of farming communities in the Ovens Murray area to respond and adapt to the impacts of, and complex issues associated with, dry conditions. The project aims to strengthen the wellbeing and resilience of farming communities and to build on community connectedness. As well as increase farming communities’ knowledge of pathways to relevant local services.

The purpose of this survey is for Central Hume and Upper Hume Primary Care Partnerships to gauge the baseline knowledge and understanding around community connections and mental health within farming communities and those who work in the sector.

The survey should take you no longer than 10 minutes to complete and is confidential. To take part in the survey, please see here. Please contact Sarah Crosthwaite
Coordinator – Community Resilience for Dry Conditions Project on 02 6022 8818 or at sarah.crosthwaite@upperhumepcp.com.au with any enquiries.

Tourism North East Employer Survey
Staffing and employment issues are frequently reported as concerns for tourism businesses in North East Victoria. Tourism North East is conducting a survey of regional business to get a better understanding of issues facing the industry. If you employ staff and would like to share your experiences they would welcome your input. To take a brief, anonymous, survey (around 10mins) please see here

National Carp Control Plan – National Carp Survey
The Fisheries Research & Development Corporation (FRDC) is inviting you to take part in an important three minute survey. The National Carp Control Plan needs your help to record where you have seen carp aggregating in high numbers to plan future carp control programs. FRDC is coordinating a large program of research and consultation to identify a smart, safe, effective and integrated suite of measures to control carp impacts. A key focus of this process will be to explore the potential use of biocontrol measures. For more information or to take the short survey please see here.

Resources and Inspiration

National Recycling Week – 11^th-17^th November
Planet Ark's theme for National Recycling Week 2019 will soon be announced, along with new resources and tools to make it easier for you to continue, further expand or rediscover recycling. Keep an eye on the Planet Ark website here.

National Pollinator Week – 10^th-17^th November
Australian Pollinator Week acknowledges our important and unique insect pollinators during our southern spring. It is a designated week when community, business’ and organisations can come together to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and support their needs. Further information and resources can be found here.

World Fisheries Day – Thursday 21^st November
World Fisheries Day aims to highlight the critical importance of both fishing and water and the lives they sustain. World Fisheries Day celebrations serve as an important reminder that we must focus on changing the way the world manages global fisheries to ensure sustainable stocks and healthy lakes, river and ocean ecosystems. More information can be found here.

The frogs are calling you!
Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) are asking citizen scientists in northern Victoria to help them find frogs and record their calls, using the FrogID app, as part of their WetMAP monitoring program. Combining these observations with those from ARI scientists will help discover how delivery of water for the environment is affecting frogs.
By working with citizen scientists, ARI will improve their scientific knowledge and increase awareness of the benefits of providing water for the environment. This will also increase connections between Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program for environmental water (WetMAP), scientists and those interested in frogs.
Getting involved is easy, sign up to the project, download the Australian Museum’s FrogID app, then citizen scientists simply visit wetlands and record frog calls, using the Australian Museum’s FrogID app. For more information, or to get involved, please see here.

Bogong Moth Tracking Website
State Wide Integrated Flora and Fauna Team (SWIFFT) and Zoos Victoria have launched a Bogong Moth tracking website and need your help with uploading photos of Bogong Moth sightings in your area. Each spring, Mountain Pygmy-possums wake up from hibernation and are hungry for Bogong Moths. For the last two years, Bogong Moths have arrived in very small numbers in Victoria. If you see a Bogong Moth, take a photo and record your sighting on Moth Tracker. Your sighting will help scientists better understand where the Bogong Moths are travelling. See the Moth Tracker website here for more information.

IPCC Special Report on the Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate Released
The Special Report on the Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC), released in September by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), confirms years of previous evidence that the oceans and cryosphere are changing, and that the effects are significant. The new report shows the impacts of climate change on polar regions and oceans are worse than previously thought. Read a summary of the report on the CSIRO website here, or for the full report, please see here.

iNaturalist Australia is now live
Last month iNaturalist Australia was launched, the Australian node of iNaturalist, the world’s leading global social biodiversity network. All observations uploaded to iNautralist Australia are fed into the Atlas of Living Australia. iNaturalist Australia’s species identification features and data quality measures will ensure your plant, animal or fungi sightings are more valuable than ever. Once signed up, you can record observations with iNaturalist Australia on your desktop and by using the iNaturalist app on your iPhone or Android device. You can also connect and discuss you findings with other citizen scientists and experts. For more information, or to take part, please see the iNaturalist Australia website here.

How Much Fishing Gear is Lost at Sea?
Researchers from CSIRO recently generated the first ever global estimate of how much fishing gear winds up in our world’s oceans. To crunch the numbers for these estimates, they used data from all studies published between 1975 and 2017 (68 in total). They then looked at the type of fishing gear used including nets, fishing line, and pots and traps. The research found that around 6% of all fishing nets, 9% of all traps and 29% all lines are lost or discarded into our oceans each year:
The most common reasons fishing gear is lost or discarded includes bad weather, gear becoming ensnared on the seafloor, and gear interfering with other equipment (known as gear conflict). It’s estimated that over 40 million people are employed in fisheries globally so all that lost gear can quickly add up. To read the CSIRO summary article (with a link to the full study) please see here.

Weeding out a Killer Pesticide
A new study by CSIRO researchers, published in the Journal of Clinical Toxicology, examines how effective enzymes can be for not only degrading the insecticide pollutants in the waterways quickly, but also for potentially treating organo phosphate poisoning in humans. Read more on the CSIRO website here.

Wodonga Regional Waterway Action Plan: The new Waterway Action Plan for Wodonga’s local waterways is now available on the WULN website at https://wodongalandcare.org.au/information/ The Waterway Action Plan contains valuable information about the current trajectory and management of our waterways and what we can do to improve them, with detailed sections for each waterway in the Wodonga LGA catchment.

Wodonga Plants Lists available: WULN now has a live plant species listing on our website. It is a simple listing of local area plants divided into plant types, with live links to relevant photos (mostly courtesy of the Friends of the Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park) and plant notes (mostly from Woolshed-Thurgoona Landcare). Thanks to volunteer Penny Wladkowski for putting these lists together for us.

Indian Myna Traps available:
Invasive Indian Myna birds have moved in to Castle Creek and West Wodonga. Once established, these birds will gather in large flocks, causing property damage by nesting in roof spaces and creating large accumulations of droppings. They carry diseases dangerous to human health, eat and contaminate livestock and poultry feed, and aggressively out-compete native birds, possums and gliders for food and nesting sites. Please check for Indian Mynas in your garden and consider borrowing our trap to assist with control.
WULN now has 2 Indian Myna traps. These are available for borrowing, with full instructions. Contact wodongalandcare@gmail.com

Our thanks to WULN volunteer Beck Humphries, Bulletin editor.