Earthcare News
April 2001
www.vicnet.net.au/~earthcare
VALE
It is with regret and much
sadness that we say goodbye to Professor Mike Cullen. For many years he gave
his precious time and expansive knowledge to work with Neil Blake, members of
Earthcare, and his students to create data relating to the penguin population
on St Kilda Breakwater. His incisive mind, his humour and generousity despite
his growing ill health has been an inspiration to all who knew him. On his last
visit in February he was as keen as ever to catch that just out of reach
penguin and record its details.
In June 2001 when this
unique information will have been collected for 15 years, there will be a
celebration of Mikes life and research in typical St Kilda penguin research
style at the end of the Breakwater, contact Zoe 0402 164 482 for details.
Come and Help Rejuvenate
Canterbury Road
The
preparation of Canterbury Road Urban forest for planting
Sunday May 13 from 10am.
(Formally
advertised as April
28th 10am-12noon)
Meeting opposite Fraser St
Removal
of dead trees and bushes and a general clean up of elm suckers and weeds in
preparation for plantings in June. Please try to come along
there is a lot of work to do.
This will be our first
working bee with Alf, come and meet the new boy.
Tea Coffee and light
refreshments provided
where were you?
You missed a delightful episode!
At 7.50pm on a Wednesday night a couple of dedicated
Earthcare members were rakali watching, when a cute young rakali decided to run
along the boardwalk and sit next to us while eating its catch. It continued to
run in and out of the water catching small morsels of seafood and bringing them
back on shore to eat. We watched and recorded its movement for 15 minutes
before it took off into the darkness under the kiosk. This is the sort of
recording we are doing and would love to have a few more recruits for the
next watch on
Wednesday 2nd May at 7pm.
Be at the start of St Kilda Pier at 7pm or on the
boardwalk past the kiosk until 9pm.
The Garden and Environment Festival
At
The St Kilda Botanic Gardens
Sunday April 22nd
11am -4pm
Featuring
Federation Walks by Meyer Eidelson
Book Launch
The Ecocentre garden at 3.00pm
Signed books1/2 price, only $5.00
Plus enrolment for free Federation walks August
-December
Health and Well Being Village
Organic food
Free Plants
Free Entertainment
Organic products
Fun Bike stuff
Skinc
Or Just come and help people Earthcare's display
Water
Quality Testing New Day and dates.
Water Quality Testing at Cowderoy Creek will now be on Saturdays, Starting on May 5th at 2pm. They will then be every second month. For your diary; July 1st, September 1st and November 3rd all at 2.00pm. Cowderoy Creek runs through the Southern side of West Beach, corner of Pier Rd and Beaconsfield Parade. Melways 57 J8
22nd April, The
Garden and Environment Festival, St Kilda Botanic Gardens 11am -4pm
22nd April,
Federation Walks by Meyer Eidelson launch, The EcoCentre 2pm Neil 9209 6491
22nd April,
Friends Of Westgate Park, 11am Check noticeboard near carpark for location
24th April,
Greening Aust. Kingdom Of Fungi. 10am-4pm Warrandyte Community Centre 168 Yarra
St Warrandyte Cost $15 Earthcare members. Kate Stothers 9450 5304
26th April,
Earthcare meeting, Discussion -St Kilda Foreshore Plans. 7.30pm The EcoCentre
28th April,
Friends Of Alma Rail, weeding. Alma Park East Dandenong Rd End. Jo 9533 8707
28th April,
Canterbury Rd rejuvination. Cancelled now on May 13th.
28th & 29th
April, Corroborree Tree Assoc. Planting all day, both days. Join your Earthcare
friends on Saturday 1pm onwards. Ph Sally Daish 9690 5818
2nd May, Rakali
Watch. Meet at start of St Kilda Pier 7pm, otherwise on boardwalk behind Kiosk
until 9pm. Details Zoe 0402 164 482
5th May, Water
Quality Testing, Cowderoy Creek, Cnr Pier Rd & Beaconsfield Pde. 2pm
6th May, Penguin
Research, Meeting Start St Kilda Pier, 7.30pm Details Angela 9527 8334
6th May, Skinc
classes, Indigenous Plant Propagation, 2pm-5pm at Skinc 525 Williamstown Rd
Port Melbourne. Free. Details Rosey or Vanessa 9645 2477
6th May,
Victoria's Parks Festival, Albert Park
11am -4pm www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
11th May,
Greening Aust. The Platypus 3.00pm -6.00pm Toorourrong Reservoir Park, Humevale
Melways 510 N11. Cost $15 Details Kate Stothers 94505304
13th May,
Canterbury Rd working bee, meeting at Fraser St and working along 10am - 12noon
13th May,
Greening Aust. Hand Direct Seeding
1pm-4pm Eummerring Creek, Narre Warren Nth. Melways 108 C5. Cost $15
Details Kate Stothers 9450 5304
20th May, Friends
of Sandy Rail, planting Riddell Pde Elsternwick Details Rob 9537 2599
20th May, Friends
of Westgate Park, 11am Melways ref 56 F1 . Free vegie bbq. Naomie 9387 9041
31st May
Earthcare meeting featuring Michelle Smith on Rakali, Ecocentre 7.30pm
Earthcare 0500 832 784. Postal PO Box 287 Elwood 3184
The Corroboree Tree Association is having a planting weekend
April 28th & 29th
With 13,000 plants to go in the ground.
10am till 4pm both days
Meeting at the Corroboree Tree site,
corner of Fitzroy St and Queens Rd (St Kilda
Junction) Melway ref. 58 B7
Lunch provided
Detail Sally Daish
ph: 9690 5818 email sallyd@melbpc.org.au
St Kilda Foreshore 20 -20 Vision
This is a draft
copy of Earthcare response to The St Kilda Foreshore development Plans, on
display at www.portphillip.vic.gov.au. This draft, with ammendments will be sent to CoPP and the media. We stress
this is a draft, we desire your input at the next Earthcare Meeting, Thursday
April 26th or to Josephine Samuel-King mjsk@vicnet.net.au
Earthcare values
the St Kilda Foreshore coastal and marine environment. In particular, we value:
·
The existence
of a thriving penguin colony on the end of the breakwater.
·
The presence
of Rakali (native water rats) in and around the pier.
·
Seagrass beds
that provide habitat and breeding grounds for a range of marine species and
help to stabilise sediments .
·
West Beach
saltmarsh and fore dune vegetation and associated Cowderoy Creek estuary.
·
The mature
Coastal Banksias (Banksia integrifolia) on the edge of Catani Gardens.
Earthcare has
been intimately involved in protecting, enhancing and research these treasures
of the foreshore over the past 14 years (see our website:
www.vicnet.net.au/~earthcare).
The St Kilda
Foreshore Vision document does not mention or value these treasures. This
is despite the City of Port Phillips
stated objective To protect and enhance flora and fauna (see Sustainable
Environment Strategy
.???).
Despite some
superficial consultation (Earthcare meeting with David Harper 29/6/00) and
Earthcares detailed response to the St Kilda Planning and Design framework
discussion paper, there is no evidence that our concerns were considered in the
St Kilda Foreshore 20:20 Vision document. Attached is Earthcares June 2000
response.
In
any St Kilda Foreshore development we expect to see:
·
Protection and
enhancement of the environmental assets listed above.
·
The exclusive use of
indigenous plants. This will extend and consolidate the current indigenous
coastal vegetation providing visual
continuity along the City of Port Phillip coastline.
·
Environmentally
sustainable principles and practice.
This includes energy and water efficient design, the use of alternative power
sources (wind and solar).
·
The promotion of
pedestrian and public transport over the use of cars. This is one environmental
consideration that appears to have been addressed in the current Vision
document.
·
Residents services and
amenity improved and protected (e.g. Veg Out Community Gardens) .
Earthcare
is particularly concerned regarding the potential impact that the construction
of jetties and the extension of the breakwater back along the pier would have
on the seagrass beds (see Key Challenge 5 in Vision document).
Earthcare
is keen to discuss these issues further, please contact Earthcares president
Dr Jo Samuel-King on 9534 5751 or mjsk@vicnet.net.au.
Have Your Say, Thursday 26th April 7.30pm
at the EcoCentre
Corner Herbert and Blessington St, St Kilda
Results
of the Annual General Meeting
The Earthcare Committee now
consists of
President - Josephine Samuel-King Josephine_sk@hotmail.com
or ph:9534 5157 for Queries or offers of Assistance
Vice-President - Zoe Hogg zoemh@bigpond.com
or Ph 0402 164 482 for Queries or offers of Assistance
Secretary - Alison Strachan kingcasey@one.net.au or Ph: 9532 4138 for Queries, offers of
assistance or contributions to the newsletter or website.
Treasurer - Angela Suter suter_a@hotmail.com or Ph: 9527 8334 for Queries or offers of
Assistance
General committee members
are: Alison Rowe, Jo-Anne Thyer, Rob Scott and Barry Hart
Earthcare
Earthcare
is a practical, local environment group. We work closely with specialists and
the Council to improve the environment in the City of Port Phillip.
Our main projects
are to increase the diversity and extent of native vegetation, the fortnightly
penguin and rakali study groups, litter and water quality monitoring,
underwater studies of the St Kilda Harbour, the nest box project and
sustainable housing.
Membership
includes the monthly newsletter, admission to talks by guest speakers, access
to specialist project groups, and participation in local plantings.
Its a
great way to study local ecologies, with or without formal qualifications while
giving something to our community.
Tel. 05 008
32784 http://www.vicnet.net.au/~earthcare
Membership or Renewal Form
Membership of Earthcare St. Kilda Inc. is per
calendar year, February to January.
Membership includes a monthly newsletter and
information about coming events.
I wish to join Earthcare St. Kilda Inc.
$20 individual
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donation $
Please return completed form to PO Box 287 Elwood
3184
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