Earthcare News
November 2001
I do what I can, where I
am.
City
of Port Phillip – Laser Arch proposal - Planning Permit No. 93/2001
The
City of Port Phillip has lodged an application for a Planning Permit to erect
six 30-metre columns at St Kilda junction. The base of each column is 4.5m x
1.5m. Three of the columns will be in Albert Park, in the area where our
Corroboree Tree Grasslands Project is under way.
Laser
lights between the proposed columns will create an 'arch'; each column will be
floodlit from below; and 'high-powered floodlights' at the top of each pillar
will shine into the sky. Furthermore,
illuminated ‘sponsorship badge zones’ (advertising) will be a feature of each
column. This, combined with funds from
new outdoor advertising panels, will fund the Arch.
We
strongly object to the project: it adds further built structures into the park,
introduces permanent corporate advertising, and compromises our two years work
with indigenous communities on the Grasslands scheme. We urge you to take time
to send comments to the City of Port Phillip and its Councillors.
-
Open space in Albert Park will be further reduced. There should be no more permanent buildings in the park. The base
of each column is 4.5m x 1.5m.
-
Construction and erection will damage existing vegetation and new planting.
-
Permanent advertising is totally inappropriate in a public park (it's ironic
that the advertising associated with the Grand Prix is permitted only for a
strictly limited period).
-The
laser lighting and floodlighting will illuminate an area of the park that is a
habitat for native birds and animals.
-
These man-made objects have no use or relevance for park users; their purpose
is to be admired only by those driving by.
As such they have no place in the park.
-
'High-powered floodlighting' which will 'illuminate ….. the sky' together with
laser lighting is massively wasteful of energy. This is the same Council that proudly trumpeted its leadership in
energy-saving street lighting a few months back.
- Laser beams can be dangerous to human eyes in rainy
conditions.
- Given their size and height, the columns will
dominate the area.
- The Centenary year is already over.
- Given their size and height, the columns will
dominate the area and are quite incompatible with our project, and the
character of the Park.
Planning
Permit Application No. 93/2001
Address:
St Kilda Junction & Albert Park Reserve
Proposal:
"Night Arch" (six free standing columns to project laser lights
at
night & incorporating sponsorship details.)
And
send your comments to:
Senior
Planner
City
of Port Phillip
Private
Bag 3
St
Kilda 3182
ST. KILDA PENGUIN REPORT, JUNE 2000- JUNE 2001 Neil Blake September 2001
In
June 2001 the study attained the milestone of 15 years continuous monitoring of
the colony. The 2000-01 year has also seen the recruitment of a committed study
team to support the long term participants (Zoe Hogg, Angela Suter, and Neil
Blake).
During
the 2000-01 year the study team continued to monitor the colony twice a month
during the breeding season; and once a month through the non-breeding season.
The 20001-01 data indicates that there were significantly more penguins using
the breakwater than in any other year. The colony has clearly recovered from
the combined impacts of the breakwater reconstruction and pilchard crash of
1995.
Sadly,
these positives have been overshadowed by the death of Mike Cullen early in
2001. Mike's role in the study was all-encompassing; providing leadership,
scientific analysis, data maintenance, practical advice and encouragement. He
had also fulfilled the role of Scientific Adviser to the Breakwater Management
Advisory committee since its inception in 1992. The loss off Mike's
contributions necessitates a review of practically all aspects of the study.
The following information has been prepared to facilitate discussion on the
future direction of the study.
Initial purpose of study:
Gather
information to determine the status of the colony (is it a colony?)
·
How many penguins are
there?
·
Are they breeding?
Success rate?
·
What is their state of health
relative to penguins in other colonies?
·
Where are they located?
·
What is their range?
Threats & Issues in 1986
Status
of colony not known/recognised;
Major
redevelopment of harbour likely to impact on colony;
Unrestricted
public access (public land); popular dog-walking area;
Breakwater
ageing (in need of repair);
Plastics
pollution and discarded fishing line;
Oil
spills;
Unrestricted
harvest of Pilchards in PP Bay;
No
management strategy or resources;
No
watch dog group;
Harbour
operations/maintenance eg pile driving may impact on colony;
Unknown
impacts of tourism operations/ no plan.
Over
the past 15 years many of the management issues associated with the penguin
colony have been addressed, primarily through the initiatives of Earthcare and
the establishment of the Cooperative Management Advisory Committee. Management
issues are now primarily associated with major disturbances to the marine
ecosystem such as large oil spills or declining fish stocks.
Future direction of the study
Peter
Dann (Research Manager, Phillip Island Nature Reserve) has agreed to take up
the role of scientific supervision of the study. Although regular monitoring of
the colony has continued since Mike's death, banding has been discontinued. The
possibility of using micro-chips to identify individual penguins is being
investigated.
Data management issues
Mike
maintained the data on D-base plus program. He and I had entered all
data up to February 2001. We had also
calculated the number of breeding attempts for the past season. Unfortunately,
due to an embargo being placed on Mike's office since his death, this
information has not been accessible. However, a general indication of the
penguin activity has been gleaned from analysis of the in-the-field records.
Brief overview of penguin numbers since June 1986
Average
numbers of adult penguins recorded per study visit for the first 2 years of the
study (1986-87 & 1987-88) was 19. A steady increase in numbers was recorded
to a high of 44 just prior to the 1995 pilchard crash. In the 1996-97 year the
number had dropped sharply to 22 (only marginally higher than the all-time low
recorded in the beginning of the study. However, by June 2001 the numbers have
progressively increased again to almost three times the 1997 figure.
Egg records in the past 3 seasons
The
increase in vigour of the colony is indicated by the number egg sites recorded
over the past 3 breeding seasons. In the 1998-99 breeding season there were 5 months when eggs were recorded.
In the 1999-2000 season eggs were found in 6 months. In both of these years
there were some months in the season where eggs were not found. In 2000-01 eggs
were found consistently over seven consecutive months.
Does the increased Search Effort significantly influence the figures?
The
significant increase in numbers recorded in the 2000-1 year corresponds with a
doubling of the Search Effort. ie twice as many people were actively involved
in the search for penguins in 2000-01 than in each of the previous two years.
However, it is noted that a significant increase of adult penguins was recorded
in 1999-2000 with no corresponding increase in the Search Effort. It is also
noted that one of the highest ever counts occurred when only Zoe & Neil
were present.
This
suggests that while the increased search effort is likely to have found more
penguins over the course of the year, it would not account for the
extraordinary increase in penguins recorded.
What's On
24th Nov. Greening Australia Training Day Intro to Seed Collection. Arthurs
Creek Hall. Cost $15 Community group member. Details John van Braam 9450 5304
27th Nov. Greening Aust AGM plus speakers on Greening in the Greenhouse.
Banyule Theatrette 10 Buckingham Dr Heidelberg 7.00pm
29th Nov. Earthcare Meeting, Celebrating another successful year. Catch up you’re your Earthcare Friends, and
the current issues. 7.30pm EcoCentre
1st Dec Greening Australia Training Day, Identification of Grasses and
Sedges, at Green Hills Primary School mel11 C10 Cost $30 Bookings 94505304
9.30-4pm
2nd Dec. Federation Walks,
Aboriginal Trail, meet at West Beach, cnr Beaconsfield Pde and Pier Rd, Mel 57
J8 10am Bookings 9690 9584
3rd Dec. Rakali Watch, intensive 2week study. 9pm -11pm Mon-Fri. Meet at
start of St Kilda Pier. Procedural info 3rd and 10th Details Jessica
0412 103 550
9th Dec Federation Walks, Foreshore Trail, meet at start of St Kilda
Pier, Mel 57 J10 10am Bookings 9690 9584
16th Dec Penguin Research. Meet at start of St Kilda Pier, Bookings Angela
9527 8334.
16th Dec. Friends of Port Melbourne Foreshore, Working
bee, Perc White Reserve, Melways 56 F3, 9.30pm-12noon Janet 9645 2269
16th Dec. Friends of West gate Park, Check noticeboard in Todd Rd carpark
for exact location Free Veg. BBQ mel 56 F1 11am onwards
This is the last issue of Earthcare
Newsletter until January 2002
Earthcare 0500 832 784 Post: PO Box 287
Elwood, 3184 email aliart@bigpond
The EcoCentre is at the corner Blessington and
Herbert Sts, St Kilda Mel 57 b11
December Rakali Watch
In order to establish our future goals for the rakali
study there will be an intensive two week watch out on the breakwater from the
start of December. Watches will run from Monday to Friday and from 9pm to 11pm
for the two weeks. Anyone wanting to participate is invited to come down to a
Monday night ‘training’ session on the 3rd or the 10th, to find out
what we will be looking for. This is so everyone is doing the same thing at the
watch and we can get some viable results from the study. Analysis of the data
we collect over the two weeks should provide us with a better idea of the
future direction of the Rakali Watch program.
For
more info or to RSVP please call Jessica 0412 103 550
Rakali Watch December 3rd- 7th 9pm-11pm December
10th- 14th 9pm-11pm Meet at Start of the St Kilda Pier,
then afterwards on Boardwalk behind kiosk.
Seastar Project Trial Dive By Allan
Budziarski
After
such a successful launch in August, plus many meetings with Department of
Natural Resources, Parks Victoria and solving problems such as insurance. The
Sea star removal project is finally on track to conduct a small-scale trial
project. The Trial event, on Saturday the 24th, shall be focused on
areas within the St Kilda harbour, near the pier with assistance from scuba
divers, snorkellers, and a land based research crew, selected from the Seastar
Project Team.
The
trial event shall only consist of approximately 35 – 40 individuals so that we
are able to easily track everyone, especially divers. Special thanks go to
Parks Victoria who has been very helpful within the project and have offered
not only rangers, but also offered the use of peripherals such as a boat.
Thanks also go to Citywide, a waste management organization, who has offered
their full commitment to the entire project as well as providing the project
with necessary equipment for the trial as well as use of trucks for
transporting the removed North Pacific Seastar.