News

Native Wildlife Carers Grants

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Here is an opportunity to acknowledge the tireless work of our wildlife carers.  Few people are aware of the many people tending to injured and orphaned wildlife right here in our catchment.

The dedication required for this wonderful round-the-clock volunteer work is remarkable. It requires passion, tenacity and a willingness to forego full nights of sleep!

Brisbane City Council has opened applications for Native Wildlife Carers Grants. These provide financial assistance to groups and individuals who are involved in rehabilitating and releasing orphaned, sick and injured native wildlife originating within the Brisbane City Council area. Funding amounts range from $200 to $5000.

Applications are open until Monday 4 September.


For more info, please visit the Brisbane City Council website.

20 Million Trees Competitive Grants

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The Australian Government is a step closer to achieving its goal of planting 20 million trees by 2020.


Community groups, organisations or individuals can now apply for grants between $20,000 and $100,000 (GST exclusive) for tree planting projects. $6 million is available for community tree planting projects.

In this grant round (Round 3), projects must support a threatened ecological community and/or threatened species. Applications must be submitted by the closing time of 2.00 pm AEST (Canberra time) 15 August 2017. 


Click here to view the guidelines and application form.

Or, for further information contact the Department of the Environment and Energy on 1800 552 008 or email: [email protected]. 


National Tree Day 2017

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Did you know that it’s National Tree Day this Sunday 30 July?

Tree Day presents an opportunity to do something positive for your local environment and to reconnect with nature! It is an initiative of Planet Ark.

  Coincidentally, there are 3 working bees
that very day … 

  1. Huntington/Tuckett 
  2. Brookfield Showgrounds
  3. Russell’s property at Upper Brookfield

Why not join the team at 8.30am at Creekside Park in Brookfield for some weed clearing? For more info, please contact Jim Pope on 3374 4181.

Or pitch in with Damien Egan’s team behind the Brookfield Produce Store at 8.30am. Damien’s number is 3378 5199.

Or … help to continue weeding the creek bank on Russell’s property at 8.30am of mother-of -millions, succulent cactus, and other weeds. Contact Phil Bird for more info on 3374 0958.

Please refer to our Working Bee Calendar for more info and details of other working bees.

* Photo: Bryan Hacker



Weekend Working Bees – it’s a threesome!

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Can you spare a couple of hours on Sunday morning? From 8.30 – not too early!

We have 3 working bees to choose from!

 

  1. Huntington/Tuckett 
  2. Brookfield Showgrounds
  3. Russell’s property at Upper Brookfield

 

Why not join the team at 8.30am at Creekside Park in Brookfield for some weed clearing? For more info, please contact Jim Pope on 3374 4181.

Or pitch in with Damien Egan’s team behind the Brookfield Produce Store at 8.30am. Damien’s number is 3378 5199.

Or … help to continue weeding the creek bank on Russell’s property at 8.30am of mother-of -millions, succulent cactus, and other weeds. Contact Phil Bird for more info on 3374 0958.

Please refer to our Working Bee Calendar for more info and details of other working bees.

Thank you!!!

Wild Brisbane – Fauna Workshops at CWCN

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Martin Fingland from Geckoes Wildlife is running an exciting series of four workshops featuring Brisbane Wildlife. The dates are as follows:

  • Saturday 12 August  
   Fauna Forensics: Wildlife Identification by Evidence 
  • Saturday 30 September 
   Snake Awareness
  • Saturday 28 October  
   Wildlife Along Waterways
  • Saturday 18 November  
   Lizard Identification

Organised by Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network Inc, each workshop will be held at the CWCN Centre – 47 Hepworth St Chapel Hill.

The workshops are intended to support volunteers who are active in the outdoors. They are FREE for members of Brisbane catchment and Habitat Brisbane bushcare groups, as well as members of the Land for Wildlife program.

RSVP’s are required. Check out the attached flyer and register soon – they will fill up fast. 

More info is also available on the CWCN website or on the organisation’s facebook page.

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You like?

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Are you interested in seeing what activities other environmentally-minded people in Brisbane have been up to? Perhaps engaging with them a little? 

Brisbane City Council’s wonderfully supportive Creek Catchment Officers have compiled a directory of all the Facebook and Website addresses for Brisbane Catchments, Habitat Brisbane and other catchment-relevant groups that are known to have a social media presence.

Check it out! 

You may wish to ‘Like’ other groups in your area or other catchment groups in Brisbane in order to support each other and keep the sharing of information (as well as the Catchments) flowing!

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Inaugural THECA Art Show

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Calling all artists with an interest in nature studies!


Here is a way of showcasing your own talents (and possibly making a bit of money!) and giving publicity to THECA’s (The Hut Environmental and Community Association Inc) work. 

The inaugural THECA Art Show will be held on Saturday and Sunday 21-22 October 2017 at the Hut on Fleming Road at Chapel Hill. The theme will be “The Wild and the Beautiful“, Australian native flora and fauna.

There will also be an opening wine and cheese night on Friday 20 October, and a “People’s Choice” prize will also be awarded at the end of the show.
Art work using any media (drawing, watercolour, acrylic, oil, pastel, mixed media) that focuses on our beautiful wildlife, native plants and natural environment will be accepted. The entry fee is $5 per artwork (a maximum of 2 artworks can be submitted per person), and no commission on sales will apply.

Details and a link for online entries, together with conditions of entry (please read carefully!) will appear on the THECA website shortly. Online entries open on the website 17 July 2017 and close on 30 September 2017.

If you have any queries after reading the website material when it becomes available, please contact Christine Zupanc on 3202 9301, or [email protected].

Opportunities to assist the MCCG

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The MCCG is always looking for volunteers to help with the  many tasks we undertake to make a real difference to our local environment. Here are some examples:

Join a Bushcare group

These groups meet regularly to weed and replant mainly along our extensive creek network. Working with Habitat Brisbane, the groups have achieved considerable success in removing threatening weeds and replacing them with native plant species. These sites are being maintained and expanded. This is of great benefit to our local environment, but it requires an ongoing effort. If you are interested in helping your catchment, contact the nominated Section Leader from our list. There are also community led groups at Pacey Rd and along Upper Brookfield Road. 

Help our Creek Health Monitoring Program

This project began in 2011 to measure a variety of health indicators at several sites in the catchment.  It is critical that we know how our waterways shape up and how they are changing in response to land use and most importantly, how we can restore the system to normality. Adrian Webb is the project leader and our Landscape and Water Quality Adviser. Adrian’s contact details are available by clicking here.

Committee positions

These are elected at the AGM in November each year. We welcome any enquiries if you have a desire to get more involved in helping to put our plans into action and to be a more effective catchment group. The current incumbents in the Chairperson and Secretary positions will not be standing for re-election at the next AGM so there will be an immediate opportunity for you to become involved if you are interested.  We know there is plenty of talent and expertise out there.

We welcome any assistance even if you can only help out on one or two days each year. 

For example, our annual Kid`s Day at the Cottage held in June each year is always in need of willing hands. Similarly, our displays at the Brookfield Show in May and the Photography Competition in October require the efforts of many people. 
If you are interested, please contact Warren Hoey on 3878 9123 or via email [email protected] 
or Cathie Mortimer on 3374 1418 or via email [email protected] 
You can also find more opportunities from our “Get involved” page.

What comes up ….

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… must come down! Or so the saying goes!
The Varied Sitella has a remarkable foraging method. It hops HEAD-FIRST down tree branches and trunks to find its prey (insects and spiders living under the bark).

Photo courtesy of Ed Frazer

Open the July version of Jim Butler’s “Feather Fascination” to see an image of the Varied Sittella on its way down a tree, and read more about these beautiful and uniquely-shaped residents of our Catchment.

Guided REPA Walk along Gap Creek – 9 July

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Join Mike Humphreys and others from the Rural Environment Planning Association Inc (REPA) for a morning walk along Gap Creek on Sunday 9 July.

You will be guided through a riparian zone which has been lovingly nurtured for over 15 years by a group of dedicated volunteers supported by Habitat Brisbane.

Come along for a walk with nature and enjoy all they have achieved!

The walk will commence at 10.30am on Brookfield Road, Brookfield, near the tennis courts (UBD 177 C/D2). Bring your own lunch, water and sun protection and wear sensible shoes.

RSVP’s to Jenny Hacker are essential by phone on 3374 1468 or via email on: [email protected]