We were fortunate that Greening Australia, in conjunction with Parks Victoria, selected Bushy Park Wetlands as a major site in their 1998 Spring Planting Festival. Mick, Kevin and others, co-ordinated the event which was organised with military precision. Community groups were advised of the event well before the date. Plants from seeds collected locally in the Dandenong Valley have been growing in tubes for the last 3 to 8 months. Three sites totaling 10,000 square metres were sprayed in preparation. Signs were prepared and plans made to feed the army of workers. Even the weather was organised down to a good soaking rain in the week before the event. Finally Sunday 20th September arrived and 5200 plants and 5000 bamboo stakes were delivered to the site at the eastern end of Highbury Road. Parks Victoria staff from Shepherds Road Depot had set up a display tent with articles about various parks in Victoria. From 11am people arrived and registered their names on the attendance sheets. Then they were directed to the first of 3 planting sites over near Dandenong Creek. There they grabbed one of the 15 'Hamilton Tree Planters' (a very easy to use hole digger), or a crate of plants, or a bundle of bamboo stakes. It was a lovely sunny day and people chatted to friends and strangers as they did their bit for the environment to plant trees, bushes and grasses. A wide cross section of the community was present. There were Cubs and Leaders from 2nd/4th Glen Waverley, Scouts and Leaders from 4th/11th Waverley, Waverley Lions and Leos, Green Corps trainees from the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Greening Australia members, the Friends of Bushy Park Wetlands and many other local people who came along to help. We even had people from across town and overseas come to help. |
Michelle Mueller a Bachelor of Science student at Deakin University is about to do a thesis on Ringtail Possums in Shepherds Bush. Ian & Greta Morrison from Canada came along to lend a hand. Ian is a Park Warden in Nova Scotia and is in Australia for 10 months to learn about our Parks in Victoria.
Park Ranger showing Andrew how to plant The indigenous plants were selected for their suitability in the riparian (stream side) and wetland environment. The plants were either grown at Shepherd Road Depot with help from students and friends of D.V.P., or by Operation Revegetation. We planted - 350 Yarra Gum Around 1pm we headed to the food tent for a sausage sizzle & drink, all donated by Jells Park Cellars, Jells Park Gourmet Meat and Glen Waverley McDonalds. After a rest and a sausage or three, most of us headed back to the site to finish planting the last of the trees and to collect the empty plastic tubes and plant crates. Thanks to the 60 people who turned up to help, we were able to finish the planting by 3pm. |
