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FoTC Update:    August/September 2009

This edition of FoTC Update contains the following news:

Photo Gallery: Most recent images

The following thumbnail images will open a new photo gallery tab or window.

  • BMD Toolern Creek Pipe Bridge
    (24 new photos)
  • Wildlife/Environment awareness
  • Birds by Nora Peters
    (3 new photos)
  • Bugs by Nora Peters
    (11 new photos)

    • Other recent bird images are Australian White Ibis , Black Swan , viewed in 'Birds of Melton'.

    View all August photo gallery additions here.
    View Nora's great photography at her website www.ozwildbirds.com.

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    News


    Changes to the FoTC Website

    Over the next week we will be installing a content management system called Joomla! to maintain the FoTC website. To read more about Joomla visit the Joomla! website.
    There should not be any noticable differences to the site but will be much easier to add news articles, make changes and to implement functionality such as the search function and news feeds.

    Click here to read the story of the FoTC website so far.

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    FoTC Platypus Festival Secondary Schools Photographic competition

    All entries must be received by 5pm September 18th

    This year our focus is the Bunjil (the Wedge-tailed Eagle) and the Birds of Melton. We are asking the students to photograph the birds of Melton. The most original, according to the judges, will be awarded the prizes.
    Click here for information on submitting an entry.

    FoTC are holding a colouring competition for local Primary Schools, sections are Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-6 There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for both age groups.

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    Friends of Toolern Creek - Platypus Festival 2009

    Saturday, October 10 at 12:00pm at Toolern Creek

    Celebrate with us! It was an incredibly successful day last year, great fun for kids and adults. This year The Full Flight Conservation will be bringing a live eagle. The snake man will be back, the kids loved having snakes around the necks.

    Click to download the flyer.
    Visit the photo gallery to view last years photos.

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    Some dates to Remember

    Click the following links to learn more about these events

    31 August: Landcare Week
    1st September: Wattle Day
    September: Biodiversity Month
    12 September: Sustainable House Day

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    National Tree day 2009

    Toyota Melton give FoTC plants every year to plant with Melton Specialist School on Schools Tree Day. Students from Melton Specialist School planted 300 plants and picked up a large bag of rubbish. Melton Toyota donated the 450 plants stakes and guards. Plants that were left over were planted on National Tree Day.

    Click to view photos in the photo gallery.

    We had a good turn out for National Tree day. We planted 400 plants, fortunately the ground was moist and this allowed us to get more plants in. Thanks to Lisa Madigan of Wildlife Victoria, Colleen Thompson of Melton Scouts and Julie Gruis, Breastfeeding Assoc and all volunteers who participated.

    Click to view photos in the photo gallery.

    Toyota celebrates it's 10th year as the major partner of National Tree Day. Visit Toyota's National Tree Day website for more information.

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    FoTC - Feedback from the Community

    We've received some very nice emails about the website and FoTC's activities and have created a page on the website to display some of the messages.

    Click to view the page.

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    Melton Shire Council wins national Sustainability Award

    Melton Shire Council has been recognised at the Environs Australia 2009 Sustainability Awards.Council won the Outstanding Sustainability Partnerships (urban and larger Councils) award category for its work with the community and other key stakeholders across a range of projects including the Environmental Enhancement Policy, community education and support for environmental groups and volunteers.

    Visit Council website for more details.

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    Wildlife/Environmental awareness day at Woodgrove Shopping Centre

    Friends of Toolern Creek, Melton Environment Group and Wildlife Victoria had a table at Woodgrove Shopping centre. It was a very successful day for us, we gained nine new members for Friends of Toolern Creek and there was a lot of interest in the Platypus Festival.

    Click to view photos in the photo gallery.

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    Toolern Creek Regional Park - Community Update August 2009

    This document includes information about the Discovery Day held in July, summary of Responses to Draft Master Plan and updates on progress of Building Stage 1.

    Click to download the document.

    Click here to visit the Parks Victoria website for more information.

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    Toolern Creek Pipe Bridge - giving access to Toolern Creek Regional Park

    The building of stage 1 of the new park will focus on providing access into the park. The footbridge link across Toolern Creek to Blamey Drive is being built as a deck over the Western Water sewer pipe, which was installed in July 2009.

    Click to view time lapse video (21.5 mb) of the bridge construction.

    Click to view photos of construction of the bridge in the photo gallery.

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    Big planting day at Myrniong

    19th July. Over 7000 trees were planted on the day by 130 volunteers. More than 60,000 trees have been planted in about 3 years. The project is run by Grow West and Conservation Volunteers of Australia and volunteers from many environment and conservation groups participate. This Project is large scale revegetation with solely indigenous species of the Werribee Gorge and surrounding areas.

    Click to view photos of the planting day in the photo gallery.

    Photo were taken by Jean and Alan Partridge of Friends of Melton Botanic Garden.

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    Green Awards 2009 - Finalists announced

    News.com.au Green Awards: Voting for People's Choice closes 5pm Wednesday 2nd September

    The news.com.au Green Awards recognise and reward everyday Australians who have made a contribution towards helping the environment. Selected as a finalist in the Green Invention category, the 'greensacks' fruit and vege bag was developed by Pam Bellette to help reduce the excessive use of plastic in our lifestyle. The problem of the excessive use of small plastic bags when buying fruit and veges has previously been ignored and a solution to this is important in protecting wildlife and the environment.

    Visit the greensacks website for more information about the product at www.greensacks.com.au.

    Click to read about the experience of Lucky The Platypus and other wildlife (Planet Ark).

    To vote for greensacks visit the www.news.com.au website, click the 'green invention' tab in the animation click 'vote now' and select 'greensacks' in the list of 4 finalists. (The information about greensacks on the Green Invention tab incorrectly describes it as a shopping/grocery bag, it's purpose is to replace the single use plastic fruit and vege bag ).

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    WaterLinks: A New Water Knowledge Exchange Program

    WaterLinks is a joint initiative of Environment Victoria and Waterkeepers Australia. .

    Click to download the flyer.

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    Changes to the way Landcare will be supported in the Werribee Catchment

    The Port Phillip & Westernport CMA has been advised that the CatchmentCare program, which has supported the Landcare movement, will no longer be funded by the Australian Government. This means that, as of the 1st of September 2009, there will no longer be a CatchmentCare Coordinator for the Werribee Catchment.

    Other sources of support for Landcare groups and networks in the Werribee catchment are;

    • your local council environmental officer
    • your neighbouring landcare and friends groups
    • the Western Melbourne Catchment Network – Facilitator - Colleen Miller
      Email: colleenmiller@optusnet.com.au, Phone: 0401 645 468
    • The Moorabool Landcare Advisory Committee ( for those of you in Moorabool Shire)
      Email: jspittle@moorabool.vic.gov.au, Phone (03) 5366 7100
    • Victorian Environmental Friends Network – Bernie Fox, Phone: 9741 9859
      Email: hayburn@bigpond.com

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    Two Senior Parks positions available at Hume City Council?

    Horticulture and Playspace Coordinator Band 7     closing 4th September.
    Senior Arborist’s position Band 6           closing 11th September.
    Details are on the Council Website www.hume.vic.gov.au

    These are key senior roles in the Parks and Open Space Department in a thriving growing municipality. If you want a change of scenery consider Hume.

    For more information contact Jason Summers, Open Space coordinator by phone on (03) 92052387 or mobile 0400861703 or email jasons@hume.vic.gov.au .

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    Events

    Visit the FoTC Calendar of Events page to view events in calendar format


    Friends of Brisbane Ranges Biennial Wildflower Show

    Sunday 11th October from 10am at Anakie Hall, Staughtonvale Rd, Anakie 3221

    This is a great opportunity to see the diversity of our Brisbane Ranges wildflowers.

    For more information contact Helena Lindorff by email at helenal@pacific.net.au or Judy Locke on 5367 2922

    Click to visit the FoBR website.

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    Wyndham Botanical Artists Society - 'Spring Awakening 2009'

    Sunday 30th August to Sunday 13th September 10am - 4pm
    Wyndham Cultural Centre, 177 Watton St, Werribee

    For more information click to visit the website.

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    Victorian Environment Friends Network - 13th Biennial Conference

    When the going gets hot ... Volunteering in a Greenhouse World

    September 11–13 at Grantville Lodge, 200 Grantville-Glen Alvie Rd, Grantville

    Click to download the Program and Registration Form.

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    Walk for "Pink Ribbon Day"

    Sunday 25th October

    The Diggers Rest Walking Group have invited our Walking Group to participate in a walk on 25th October 2009 for the Breast Cancer Foundation's "Pink Ribbon Day" to help raise funds for breast cancer research.

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    For your diary: Coming Events

    Visit the Calendar of Events to view these events


    • Land Care Week : Mon, September 7 to Sun, September 13
    • Clean up the World Weekend : Fri, September 18 to Sun, September 20
    • Platypus Festival : Saturday, Oct 10

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    Past Editions


    Local News from

    Other News


    Regular Activities

    Walking Group
    Walking group meets every Monday at 10.30 ...more

    Water Testing Days
    10.30am - meet at Big Red. ...more

    Tree Planting and Clean up Days
    Monday and Thursday afternoons ...more




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