Recently MCCG obtained funding from the State Government under the Queensland Citizen Science Grants for a program to re-activate our Creek Health Monitoring Program (CHMP), with a particular emphasis on community involvement. The project is led by Adrian Webb and Lewis Peach and aims to survey at least 6 primary sites in the Moggill Creek catchment, (including Moggill, Gold and Savages Creeks) over a period of 3 years. Surveys will be carried out twice a year at each site and will comprise four elements: 1. Water Quality Monitoring, 2. Fish and 3. Macro-invertebrate Surveys and 4. Assessment of structure and composition of the creek bed, bank and riparian zone at each site (including invasive weeds).

The first major event of the program was a Fish Survey Training session on Sunday 15^th November, led by Leo Lee from ‘Save Our Waterways Now’ (SOWN), who is an expert on native fish in the greater Brisbane area. The training was held in Gold Creek just inside the Gold Creek Dam site and was attended by 18 enthusiastic volunteers. It was a very hot day, so all of us were happy to get into the creek, although care was taken to disturb the water and the creek bed as little as possible. We learned how to catch fish, both with box net fish traps and with dip nets and to identify some of the more common species, both native and introduced. (All native fish caught were returned to the creek). The event was somewhat hampered by the fact that there was no electrical power to The Cottage due to a fallen tree, which meant that we had no refrigeration, but fortunately Leo had brought a petrol generator, so he was able to conclude the training by showing us some very interesting video clips to reinforce the practical training. Leo is a mine of information and anecdotes about the fish of Moggill and surrounding creeks, so an interesting and entertaining time was had by all, despite the rather oppressive heat.

More information about the Creek Health Monitoring Project

If you would like to become involved in the CHMP, please contact me at: [email protected]

Jim Pope

Jim Pope setting a fish trap (photo: Tracey Read)

Practising with a fish net. (photo: Tracey Read)

Fish ID – Native/non-native (photo: Tracey Read)

Leo Lee presenting at the cottage (photo: Jim Pope)

Twelve volunteers recently attended a First Aid training course run specifically for MCCG by St John’s Ambulance and held in Brookfield Hall. The training was organised by Sam Bayford-Brown and funded by Brisbane City Council. It included Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training as well as basic first aid. It was attended by volunteers from our Native Plant Nursery and bushcare groups, as well as several Habitat Brisbane group leaders and MCCG Committee Members. John, the trainer from St John’s Ambulance, did an excellent job under somewhat trying conditions, (it was a very hot day and there is no air-conditioning in Brookfield Hall). John also had to compete with a thunderstorm in the afternoon and numerous police ambulance sirens, which made the experience somewhat surreal, but perhaps emphasised that accidents can occur at anytime and it is best to be prepared!

Many thanks to Sam for cajoling so many of us into updating our first aid training and to Donna Edwards and Simon Fox from Brisbane City Council (Community Conservation Partnerships/Habitat Brisbane) for supporting the initiative.

Attendees at First Aid Training in Brookfield Hall

The 2020 MCCG Photography Competition successfully concluded with a fabulous selection of photographs wowing the public at Kenmore Village recently.  See all the category winners here.

Thank you to all the volunteers, contributors, supporters and sponsors for making this annual event such a success!

Water Dragon by William McConaghy

In his penultimate issue of Feather Fascination,  Jim Butler reminds us of the importance of looking after habitats, nature and in essence our future too.  The consequences of climate change are dire for everyone.

To find out more, head to Jim Butler’s Feather Fascination November 2020.

Photo: Tawny Frogmouth and chick – Ed Frazer

As part of our new MCCG Citizen Science Creek Health Monitoring Project (CHMP) we are proposing to run a Fish Survey training session on Sunday 15^thNovember. If we have sufficient rain before then and conditions are suitable, the training will be carried out by the creek at a site to be advised. Otherwise it will be run as a classroom session at The Cottage, Gold Creek Dam.

Participants will learn about fish sampling and identification. No Previous experience is necessary and all those interested in participating in the MCCG Citizen Science CHMP are encouraged to attend. The training will start at 8.00am and last a little over half a day.  Refreshments and Lunch will be provided. Numbers are limited so if you are interested in taking part in the training, or to find out more, please email Jim Pope at [email protected] or phone (07) 3374 4181.

Brisbane’s Big Butterfly Count is an exciting project for community engagement and citizen science.

• For all ages and knowledge levels.
• A Brisbane Catchments Network project run in cooperation will all catchment groups.
• Connecting you to butterflies through talks, workshops and field training.

For more information go to Brisbane Catchment Network

Alternatively go to the Facebook page www.facebook.com/BrisbanesBigButterflyCount.

Download the Popular Butterfly Count Sheet

Join the ZOOM WEBINAR Introduction to butterflies  Wednesday Oct 28 October 6.30pm

Register here This webinar is presented by Entomologist Dr Justin Cappadonna.

Click on this link to go to MCCG’s page on Butterflies and Moths in our catchment.

Moggill Creek Catchment Group (MCCG) are thrilled to announce the receipt of a Queensland Citizen
Science Grant from the Queensland Government. The existing Creek Health Monitoring Program
(CHMP) will receive a significant boost and encourage citizen scientists to better understand our
waterways. This program will introduce community volunteers to the factors that affect creek health
and will emphasise the relevance of this information to the community.

Volunteer citizen scientists will take part in monitoring water quality, diversity of macro-
invertebrates and fish, and nearby creek conditions. The data will be used to assess creek health at
sites across Moggill Creek Catchment, and to promote the benefits of environmental health of our
waterways.

We encourage those who want to get involved in this citizen science project to get in contact with us
Adrian Webb – email: [email protected]  or Lewis Peach – email: [email protected]
and follow the CHMP on the MCCG website and on social media:  Facebook MCCG – Creek health monitoring project

Moggill Creek Catchment Group is holding its annual Photographic Competition Display in Kenmore Village Shopping Centre all of the coming week (Oct 19-25).  Please drop in to view the entries, including the prize winners. You can also cast you vote for the ‘People’s Choice Award’.

Photo: “Water Dragon” William McConaghy DIGITAL YOUNG PERSONS PHOTO COMPETITION ENTRY

Make every bird count in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count from 9-25th October.

How to get involved

The #AussieBirdCount is a great way to connect with the birds in your backyard no matter where your backyard happens to be — a suburban backyard, a local park, a patch of forest, down by the beach, or the main street of town.

You can count as many times as you like over the week, we just ask that each count is completed over a 20-minute period. The data collected assists BirdLife Australia in understanding more about the birds that live where people live.

For more information on how to take part, head to www.aussiebirdcount.org.au

Photo credit: Tracey Read

On Wednesday 30^th September, Councillors Greg Adermann (Pullenvale Ward) and Steeve Toomey (The Gap) visited the MCCG native Plant Nursery at Gold Creek Dam. They were shown around by MCCG Chairman Jim Pope and Landcare Advisor Bryan Hacker, who together with Andrew Wilson is in charge of running the nursery. The nursery is run entirely by volunteers, with financial support from Brisbane City Council under the Lord Mayor’s Community Environment Grants. Working bees are held twice a month on the first and third Monday mornings and are typically attended by around a dozen volunteers. Last year the nursery produced over 15,000 native plants from around 200 species, including trees, shrubs and ground cover. Seeds are collected locally, also by volunteers and the plants are distributed free of charge to MCCG members. If you would like to volunteer at the nursery, or for more information, contact [email protected]

Cr. Steve Toomey (The Gap), Bryan Hacker (MCCG) and Cr. Greg Adermann (Pullenvale) – Photo Jim Pope