Phillip Island Conservation Society

The Penguin

Newsletter of Phillip Island Conservation Society - Third Quarter, September 2004

Dates for your Diary | From the President| Newsletter Note |PICS Committee

Dates for your Diary

Friday 5^th November: Committee Meeting, 8.00

pm, Cultural Centre, Cowes

Saturday 13^th November: Children’s Environment

Morning: “Microscope Day”, 10.00-12.00noon

Saturday 20^th November: Seasonal Walk,

Saltwater Creek; meet at end of Richardson's

Way

Friday 3^rd December: Committee Meeting, 8.00

pm, Cultural Centre, Cowes

Friday 4th December: Children’s Environment

Morning: “Seahorses and Dragons, 11.00-12 noon

Saturday 8^th January: Children’s Environment

Morning: “Dinosaurs", with Mike Cleeland, 11.00-12noon

Saturday 15^thJanuary: PICS AGM, 8.00pm,

Heritage Centre, Cowes

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

We've come to the end of a satisfying wet winter, which, hopefully, means the end of a long dry period. Michael Cleeland tells me that the dry
years we've been through could be compared to the 1896-1906 drought. So, our Island is green and flourishing, the plants at the Barb
Martin Bush Bank look magnificient and tree planting is in full swing.

Last Saturday, members of the Green Corps helped at the Friends of Koalas Habitat Day. Several small coops were planted near the top of
Conservation Hill. If you're walking in the Oswin Roberts Reserve, head along the track between the dam and the Rhyll Rd. The first big
coop, planted 10 years ago, is ready to have its fence removed, and the second isn't far behind.

Christine Grayden and John Eddy led our August Seasonal Walk at Swan Lake. Christine has included in this newsletter some of the
fascinating history she told us on the walk. Our next Seasonal Walk will be at Saltwater Creek when we will learn about projects in that area.
Plans are being developed by the Advisory Committee for all the land at Saltwater Creek and the Ventnor Common.

I've asked Christine to publish Greg Johnson's report to the last General Meeting about the three VCAT mediations in which PICS has been
involved. There were some positive outcomes in all three, and, if we hadn't objected, none of those safeguards would have been put in place.

ANDREW MASON, Director of Planning for Bass Coast Shire Council has set up the 'Phillip Island Planning Interest Group' which meets
bi-monthly. So far, two meetings have been attended by PICS, Landcare and Wesboc. These are not decision making meetings but an
opportunity to talk through environmental problems, and to suggest solutions which may eventually work their way into the Planning
Scheme. It is hoped that this process will achieve a much stronger Planning Scheme which will be strictly enforced. When that happes the
appeals to VCAT will not be needed!

If you are on the Electoral Roll for Flinders, do come to the Heritage Centre on Friday 24th and "Meet the Candidates". The next night will
be our General Meeting, with Peter Dann as Guest Speaker. (If you missed hearing Roger Kirkwood speak about Antarctica, you missed a
REAL TREAT!) The next day, Sunday 26th, instead of our usual Working Bee after a General Meeting, PICS members will be providing
children's environmental art activities at the Red Cross "Monster Family Day" at the Ventnor Recreation Reserve (where the Pony Club
meets), in Lyall Street, Ventnor. Christine Grayden and Gillian Armstrong will be running these, but will be glad of any help available during
the day.

Welcome back to our Treasurer, Gillian Collins, who has been visiting her family in USA, and a special Thank You to Ronnie May who has
kept our finances in good order during Gillian's absence. Welcome back to Anne Davie who has been travelling the Canning Stock Route - by
4-wheel drive, not on horseback! And good luck to Greg Johnson who is standing for re-election to the Nullumbik Council in November.

I look forward to seeing you during the school holidays.

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Hancock, President.

A NOTE ON THE NEWSLETTER

Due to technical problems, some parts of this issue of the newsletter were unable to be published online. The hard copy of the newsletter is available at the Phillip Island Library, Heritage Centre, Thompson Avenue, Cowes.

YOUR PICS COMMITTEE

The PICS Committee, elected at the last AGM, meets once a month to discuss issues of immediate concern to conservation on Phillip Island. These meetings are very informative and challenging. Members are welcome to attend at 8 pm on the first Friday of each month in either the Heritage Centre or Cultural Centre, Cowes.

The elected committee for 2004 is:

President	Margaret Hancock (Ph/Fax 5952-2557)
Senior Vice President	Rose Thomas (on leave)
Secretary	Margaret Johnson
Minutes Secretary	Bruce Howe
Treasurer	Gillian Collins (Ph 5956 8840)
Other Members	Anne Davie, Penny Manning, Greg Johnson, John Jansson, Julie Box
Other PICS Responsibilities:
Newsletter	Christine Grayden/John Eddy (Ph 5956 8501; Fax 5956 8314; cgrayden@waterfront.net.au)
Meeting notices and publicity	Rose Thomas (on leave)
Ventnor Public Land Committee	Gillian Collins
Red Rocks Coast Action Project	Gillian Collins
South Coast Walking Track	Penny Manning
Bike Paths	Penny Manning
Friends of Churchill Island Liaison	Christine Grayden
Barb Martin Bushbank Liaison	Anne Davie
Membership Officer	Morag Mackay (Ph 5678 2240)
Landcare Salinity Committee	John Jansson
Website Manager	Diane Baird (dianebaird@yahoo.com)
Grant Investigation	Tim Patkin