2017–18 ANNUAL REPORT

MINUTES of the Annual General Meeting of Woodend Landcare 2017

Held on 29 August 2017, 7:00 pm at Woodend Neighbourhood House

I. Roll callThe following persons were present: K Daniel, P Yates, K Patterson-Majoor (plus Banjo, Daisy and Albert), N Middleton, N Thomson, S Carroll, C Holmes, J Moritz, H Scott, D Bower, M Horner, J Newell, A Van Dam, D Dalgleish, J Clancy, G Boldiston (Speaker) and L Healy.

II. ApologiesD Gossip, L Vale, S Marriott

III. President’s Welcome & ReportKate Daniel welcomed attendees. A summary of the year’s outcomes was presented in the Annual Report, available to attendees. Kate thanked outgoing committee member, Angela Van Dam. Motion to accept the President’s report was moved by N Thomson, seconded by J Clancy; motion carried.

IV. Approval of minutes from last AGMThe minutes from the last AGM were presented in the Annual Report. The minutes were approved as written (moved N Thomson, seconded J Clancy).

V. Election of Committee Members – Susan CarrollSusan declared all positions vacant and gave a vote of thanks to retiring committee member, A Van Dam.

Nominations were received for following positions:

President – Kate Daniel Vice-President – David Gossip Treasurer – Neil Thomson Secretary – Linda Vale General Committee – Krista Patterson-Majoor; Doug Dalgleish; Nicole Middleton; Dave Bower

All elected and appointed unopposed.

VI. Adjournment Kate Daniel adjourned the AGM at 7:20 pm. Greg Boldiston's fascinating talk on local fungi followed at 7:30 pm.

Minutes recorded by K Patterson-Majoor & submitted by L Vale (Hon Sec)

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ANNUAL REPORT 2017–18

Over the last 12 months we concentrated on maintenance of work undertaken in previous years, an important responsibility for publicly funded groups and projects. Our priority was solid weed control, particularly willow and blackberry removal on the upper end of Five Mile Creek, and a little top-up planting of grasses and sub-storey shrubs in and around existing sites from the Wood St paddock to Five Mile Creek Reserve, Tennyson St and Ruby Mackenzie Park.

Activities across the group are now fairly neatly divided by location and frequency: monthly bees focus on the creek, from the High St bridge upstream to Romsey Rd; Wood St paddock; Slatey Creek Reserve; and the odd foray to Quarry Rd. On Thursdays the indefatigable Crew tend to the creek west of the bridge; Lake Earnshaw; the racecourse and the Bawden Road area, as well as occasional special requests by council to assist. Approximately 1000 volunteer hours were clocked up at working bees during the year, with many others spent by dedicated members doing random maintenance checks, spot mowing and spraying, and undertaking vital motor and tool repairs.

Achieved during the year was some targeted weed control from Indig-We-Do, new signage on Quarry Rd for selected mow-free sites, as well as the total renovation of the tool trailer by Peter Yates. In contrast, the ancient spray trailer finally went to the tip, with John Newell miraculously selling the pump for $200. Thank you both.

We again took part in the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Festival, sharing a busy stand with other local Landcare groups, as well as having a presence at the Woodend Library during Landcare week in September. We also took part in the consultation process for drafting of council’s first biodiversity strategy, headed by committee member Krista Patterson-Majoor. Thanks Krista, for running the blog, while I lurch around on our Facebook page—both are valuable ways of disseminating information.

Membership numbers are stable and pleasingly we’re seeing new faces at weekly and monthly working bees, all young families who share a passion for nature and the outdoors. We thank them for their interest. When I see the achievements of the year I’m again astonished and so proud of the massive amount of work a few people can achieve. Plugging away with dabbers, sensitively undertaking revegetation, working for greater biodiversity and collectively holding the line to protect Woodend’s natural assets—it’s what Landcare is all about do and we do it well.

I acknowledge with thanks support from MRSC and the UCLN, as well as the prompt actions of V/Line in relation to dangerous trees on Quarry Rd rail reserve. This serves as a closing reminder to all members in the field to continue to wear PPE, conduct risk assessments and report all hazards and near misses to the committee.

Kate Daniel

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FAREWELL, JO CLANCY

We mourned the loss of Landcare member Jo Clancy on 9 April 2018. Jo served as secretary, president, vice-president and leader of the catering crew since she joined the group in 2002. The drawcard for Jo was Five Mile Creek and she was a driving force behind much of the work we’ve done there. She was passionate about Black Gum protection, habitat restoration and reclaiming usable spaces. A favourite walk of hers was the Quarry Rd rail reserve and at her urging we’ve achieved some degree of protection for a couple of especially significant wildflower sites.

Jo wrote a great press release, had contacts everywhere and lobbied keenly. She raised the bar high when it came to running meetings, conducting our affairs scrupulously, leading us to incorporation and pushing an action plan. Jo’s real gift during that 15-year period was to keep us on track with what we do—be a voice for the environment.

Jo was also very good at acknowledging the successes of our group, giving encouragement, compliments and thanks to everyone. A bit of a larrikin herself, she was particularly fond of the Thursday Crew, and was a generous anonymous benefactor in 2014.

As a friend, I most admired how unconventional and outward-looking Jo was: her activism was genuine and she had a lifelong interest in righting wrongs. She was an inspiration and mentor to many of us ‘younger’ Landcare women.

Jo’s signature call to morning tea at our working bees—‘cooee’—will be carried on. We’ll miss you greatly Jo.

FINANCIAL REPORT 2017–18

Financial position2017/18 has been a low-key year in terms of financial activity for the group. Through various grants and donations we have had over $5,000 in income. Thank you to the following organisations for their support: Woodend Rotary $1,000 Macedon Ranges Shire Council with $800 in funding for MRIMAG and $800 for General Operating expenses. Macedon Ranges Shire Council with $1,500 in funding from the Community Weed Partnership Program.

Major expenses for the year were Completing the DELWP grant $1,936 spent on weed maintenance (including the $1,500 grant from MRSC) Machinery Maintenance

Membership fees remain at $20 per year. Membership is important to Woodend Landcare to cover our administrative expenses and we appreciate our members’ on-going support.

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 JUNE 20181 Total group fundsOpening balance (1/7/17) operating account 11,642.13Total opening balance (1/7/17) $11,642.13

Income 2017/18 $ 5,340.71Expenses 2017/18 $7,823.66

Closing balance (30/6/18) operating account 9,159.18Total closing balance (30/6/18) $9,159.18

2 Current committed fundsThursday Crew $1,012.16 MRIMAG $2,145.53 Slatey Creek $ 223.07 Machinery (Discontinued as a

separate item) $ 0

DELWP (Community Action Volunteer Grant)

$ 0

Total Committed Funds $3,380.76

3. Net funds available $5,376.05

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INCOME AND EXPENDITURE STATEMENT

Income

Expenses

Neil Thomson

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SLATEY CREEK BLACK GUM RESERVE 2017–18

The Slatey Creek Blackgum Reserve is looking good at the present time due to the efforts of volunteers throughout the year.

A small amount of roadside litter has been regularly picked up, thistles were removed before flowering and a Sunday working bee by Woodend Landcare on 27 May 2018 tidied the whole area of regrowth woody weeds. Eleven adults and four children attended the working bee which was a great turnout and working in the reserve was a pleasant break from the previous few hard working bees along the Five Mile Creek.

The reserve will be continued to be monitored and another future whole-group Sunday working bee scheduled when there is too much for local residents to cope with.

David Gossip

THURSDAY CREW 2017–18

The past year has provided the Thursday Crew with plenty of opportunities to combat the spread of invasive weed and introduced tree species. Target species include blackberries, English and cape broom, gorse, hawthorn and ivy.

We did important maintenance work during the year of several previous plantings: locations included the Trees for Mum planting sites at Buffalo racecourse and Lake Earnshaw, Woodend Scouts plantings at the billabong, St Ambrose plantings, as well as earlier reveg carried out around Lake Earnshaw. Other work accomplished was the clearing up of the Blackgum Reserve adjacent Plants Lane on the railway line, and the removal of broom and blackberries along Quarry and Bawden roads. It does seem to be a never-ending struggle to get on top of things; however, we are a persistent crew.

A welcome escape from woody weeds was the construction of footbridges along Ella's Way, an extension of Sullivans Lane. We congratulate Bob Sullivan on his adoption of about thirty more Eastern Grey kangaroos, which have been displaced by the GemLife retirement village construction.

Special thanks to Brian, for ensuring the verges of the Rotary Track around the racecourse are immaculately maintained, and to Ken and Paul for their upkeep of Quarry Road. Thanks are extended to the committee for their ongoing support and to Peter Yates, who is always available for professional advice and assistance. Lastly, a big thank you to Scott Gilchrist from Macedon Ranges Shire Council for his crew's help when required.

Dave Bower

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MACEDON RANGES INDIAN MYNA ACTION GROUP 2017–18

MRIMAG has now been running for five years. It is currently operating across eight towns in the Macedon Ranges (Woodend, Newham, Kyneton, Gisborne, Macedon, Lancefield, Riddells Creek and Romsey). Malmsbury closed their program in May due to poor trapping numbers and Newham has placed their program in abeyance due to lack of a coordinator. There are now 212 traps spread across the shire program.

Reporting of birds trapped has changed during the last 12 months with Kyneton, Gisborne and Woodend reporting monthly and the remainder of coordinators reporting yearly in January for the previous 12 months. Total catch numbers to date stand at around 6509 birds, with 1479 caught in the last 12 months. Woodend trappers have recorded 1765 mynas in the past five years. This is a remarkable achievement towards the elimination of the pest species. Similar encouraging catch numbers are occurring elsewhere across the shire, with Lancefield and Gisborne being two standouts: last year Lancefield recorded 612 mynas trapped and Gisborne 643.

MRIMAG has an ever-increasing focus on community education to prevent mynas breeding. To this end, we use posters offering easy tips for people to minimise opportunities for mynas to take hold in their garden. Further efforts are being explored to support native bird numbers, such as the promotion of native gardens and the introduction of cat bibs to lessen feline predation. Our regular presence at farmers markets in spring and autumn and the annual Macedon Ranges Sustainability Festival are always good opportunities for awareness-raising and there remains a high level of interest. Most pleasing always is the feedback that native birdlife increases when the myna numbers reduce.

Annual shire funding and occasional trapper donations remain sufficient to cover the cost of insurance and promotion, but trap repair and replacement have become a financial concern. As the program moves into its sixth year, many traps have been returned damaged beyond repair or lost despite the best intentions of trappers and coordinators.

Operationally, data collection and collation has been streamlined so one person can handle the data that is fed into the system throughout the year. Unfortunately it has been difficult to attract and retain town coordinators, but I’d like to thank those we have for their interest and involvement.

Ron Fink

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