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In this edition of Wingecarribee Web, we have stories and updates on the following:
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- Project News
- Caring for Guula Ngurra
- Local Heroes Project
- Willow choke removal
- Sustainable Living
- Plastic Free July
- Compostable vs. Biodegradable
- Solar my School
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Caring for Guula Ngurra
The Southern Highlands Koala Conservation Project has had the privilege to collaborate with Gundungurra Traditional Owners, Saving our Species and National Parks to restore Koala habitat at Guula Ngurra National Park.
See the recent NSW Koala Country story for insights into what has been achieved.
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Do you know someone who is driving environmental change in our Shire?
Who is your unsung hero?
In our everyday work we in the Environment and Sustainability Branch come across fantastic initiatives, completely owned and run by passionate locals. To showcase these Local Heroes we are producing a video series called the Local Heroes Project.
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The series will feature inspirational stories about our neighbours and friends and how each one of us can reduce the impact our lifestyles have on the environment.
To feature your favourite initiatives, please drop us a line to nominate a person or project that makes a difference every day. Big or small, elaborate or simple, we want to hear about them all.
Please send the details of your Local Hero to sustainabilityservices@wsc.nsw.gov.au
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Threatened Species Day and Biodiversity Month
Threatened Species Day (7th of September) and Biodiversity Month (September) are coming up.
Due to the current COVID situation, we have decided to shift to online talks and events. In the coming weeks, a Wingecarribee Web special edition will be circulated to promote planned webinars.
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Willow choke removal
The Wingecarribee River now runs a little freer. After several years of planning, gathering funds and approvals, a major weed choke has been removed along the river between Burradoo and Berrima. This choke had almost completely blocked the river, impeding the natural flows and increasing local flood risk. Dense weed infestations in our waterways can also have negative impacts on native animals, including stopping access for platypus when constructing burrows. We have now cleared the blockage, allowing natural flows to restart. Our next steps will be replanting this section of the river with local native species.
This work forms part of the Wall to Wollondilly project, a partnership between Wingecarribee Shire Council, South East Local Land Services, Greening Australia and several community groups.
The project is funded by the NSW Environmental Trust.
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Plastic Free July
Plastic Free July has wrapped up but that doesn’t mean your plastic free journey has to end!
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Across the month, we learnt that with a little pre-planning, refusing and replacing everyday plastic items can be quite simple.
Using a re-usable produce bag, shopping smart and making your own homemade toothpaste or dish washing tablets are some of the simple steps you can take to reduce your plastic use.
Keep up the great work and continue with your plastic free actions to create good, lifelong habits.
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If you missed out on our workshops or are looking for a place to start, check out our Plastic Free July video series here.
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Federal Government Grant: Powering Communities Program
The Powering Communities Program provides grants to not-for-profit community organisations to improve their energy efficiency practices and technologies.
This aims to reduce energy use, improve energy productivity and reduce carbon emissions.
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The program will assist organisations to:
- upgrade equipment to reduce energy consumption
- undertake energy management activities and assessments, such as energy systems assessments and feasibility studies
- invest in energy monitoring and management systems
- invest in on-site renewable energy and solar-connected batteries.
The grant amount will be up to 100% of eligible project expenditure. Grants will be between $5,000 and $12,000.
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Compostable versus Biodegradable
It’s time to bust some myths on compostable plastics and packaging!
Biodegradable, bio plastics, compostable and eco are some of the terms out there that are used in the waste industry that don’t necessary mean what you think.
For example, bio coffee cups are made from renewable plant resources like corn (this is different to traditional coffee cups that are partially made of plastics, derived from finite fossil fuels). Bio cups cannot be placed in the kerbside recycling bin, with the yellow lid or the garden organics bin, with the green lid. They actually have to be placed in the general waste bin, with the red lid. This is because bio cups are made to be composted in industrial composting facilities where they will completely biodegrade into non-toxic high-quality compost. Bio cups also can’t be home composted as this is a different process to industrial composting. So check the label first!
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If it is compostable at home, it will have the home compostable label AS 5810, if it is compostable through industrial composting, it will have the compostable label AS 4736. If it has neither of these labels and says biodegradable or eco, it is most likely not compostable and does not meet Australia composting standards!
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Worm Farming
As the weather starts to warm up and we head into spring, there’s no better time to start composting or worm farming.
Did you know that worms thrive between 10 to 25C and can eat their own body weight in food each day! Why not try out a worm farm this spring, to help reduce food waste sent to landfill, add nutrients to your soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
There is a 50% discount and free delivery on selected worm farming and composting equipment is available to Wingecarribee Shire residents through the Compost Revolution
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Solar my School
Council has recently partnered with the Solar my School program and are committed to helping schools in our area go solar by providing free independent support from start to finish and linking schools with industry experts to get the right advice.
If your school is wanting to get involved then please reach out to council via email (sustainabilityservices@wsc.nsw.gov.au) to register your interest and we will contact you with more information on the process.
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Bushfire Preparedness
Coming into the warmer and drier months, it is important to create or review your Bushfire Survival Plan. RFS have incredible online resources to help you create a plan for your property.
For more information see the below link and watch the Prepare. Act. Survive. short video RFS recently put together.
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Koalas on the Move
Spring is koala breeding season. During this time you may hear male koalas calling (listen here). As males search for a mate, they will spend more time on the ground and may end up in backyards or cross local roads.
During this time it is important to keep an eye out for koalas crossing local roads. Roads where koalas have been observed previously include; Tourist Road (Glenquarry, Kangaloon, East Kangaloon), Hume Highway/ Old South Road (Yerrinbool, Alpine), Tugalong Road (Canyonleigh) and Wombeyan Caves Road.
Koalas will often dawdle as they cross the road (so please don't expect them to get out of the way).
If you do come across an injured or ill koala, please get in touch with one of the local wildlife carers.
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Swooping Birds
We have entered the breeding season for many of our native birds. During the coming weeks, you may see birds building nests and hatchlings starting to emerge.
During this time, some of our birds may exhibit protective and aggressive behaviour to ward off threats to their young.
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Magpies and plovers are two species that may swoop people and their pets. This behaviour only occurs for a short period of time (up to 6 weeks), so it is important not to harass these birds as they are only being protective parents.
For more information, visit Council's Bird Interactions webpage.
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Shared spaces
Our local waterways are a shared space. Home to several aquatic species, our local waterways are also popular for kayaking and fishing.
Sadly in the last two months a couple of iconic aquatic species were found dead near waterways in the Southern Highlands. It is a timely reminder to remember to make sure you appropriately discard fishing line and rubbish. Platypus, like the one found, are vulnerable to rubbish and fishing line entanglement. If a platypus or rakali become entangled, it can lead to significant injuries and a slow death.
If fishing for yabbies, it is also important to use legal traps. Opera House traps have been banned in the Southern Highlands since the early 2000's, and are now banned across NSW. These traps have been known to capture and drown, turtles, platypus and rakali.
For more information, please visit the NSW Department of Primary Industries' website.
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- Thursday 26 August – Regen Action Wingecarribee Launch (webinar). Register here
- September – Biodiversity Month
- Tuesday 7 September – Threatened Species Day.
- 18-24 October – Aussie Backyard Bird Count
- Wednesday 20 October - Australian Platypus Conservancy Talk (COVID restrictions pending)
- Thursday 21 October - Morning Platypus Survey (COVID restrictions pending)
- 8-15 November – Pollinator Week
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