Riki Fulton will talk about “Beyond The Edge” – a major campaign being run by the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program. Attendees will also be briefed on fire ants, their behaviour, what their nests look like, and their impacts, and will get to view live fire ants. This is an event will worth the attention of MCCG members.
News
Tuckett Park Flood Story
There were surprisingly few losses from flood damage in the Tuckett Park area, despite the fact that some of our plantings on the lower banks in the area were 2-3m under water!
We have stopped spraying weedkiller on the grass, so the roots of the grass prevent erosion and the long grass slows the water in a flood. Before, during and after flood photos tell the story.
BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
Lord Mayors Australia Day Awards 2015
Congratulations are in order! MCCG was awarded a 2015 Lord Mayor’s
Australia Day Green Heart Award – Organisation.
The Award recognises the work done by the Group engaging
with local property owners to assist with land rehabilitation, working with
schools in the Catchment, conducting wildlife surveys and monitoring the health
of its waterways.
Aquatic Weeds Identification Workshop
Dangerous aquatic weeds occur in our catchment. MCCG supported by Brisbane City Council have run a successful identification workshop with landholders.
On 19 June 2013 a workshop funded by the Brisbane City Council`s Lord Mayor’s Community, Sustainability and Environmental Grants Program (Environmental Grants) was run with the specific aims of training 15 volunteers from Moggill Creek Catchment Group and Pullen Pullen Catchment Group in identification of aquatic weeds that are considered serious threats to creek health and stream riparian conditions. The workshop was run by Phil Moran from Noosa Landcare Ltd at the Cottage used by MCCG as its education and special function centre.
Of the 20 participants originally accepted 14 took part. Phil Moran provided an excellent range of aquatic plants concentrating on those that are known to occur in Moggill and Pullen Pullen catchments and others that are present in SEQ catchments and pose considerable threat to aquatic ecosystems if they become established. Phil gave detailed information on the different weeds including case studies in SEQ as well as nationally. He provided a range of ID sheets and emphasised the differences in the plants and the implications when it comes to management methods. The resource material provided is extremely useful, for field identification of weeds.
The hands-on identification training was provided through a range of aquatic weeds and native aquatics that are not considered threats. These were displayed in tubs and we were encouraged to handle and look at them closely. Several of the specimens were collected from local sites in the catchment.
A major benefit from the workshop is the increased knowledge of the Moggill and the Pullen Pullen participants in identification of aquatic weeds and the wider knowledge of the threats posed by them. An important point made at the workshop was that a wide range of aquatic weeds considered serious threats to creek health, do occur in our catchments. Another is that most of them are very difficult to destroy or manage. Subsequent to the workshop it has become quite clear that more needs to be done to encourage and support landholders in the management of their dams / turkey’s nests so that infestations are treated on farm and do not enter the creek systems. Currently Brian Hacker an MCCG member does provide information on aquatic weed management to landholders when the opportunity arises through his property visits. Aquatic weeds that have been reported as occurring in our creeks or drainage lines over the last 5 years include: Salvinia, Sagittarius, Senegal tea, Kidneyleaf mud- plantain, Glushweed, Parrot’s feather. Of these, the Declared Class 1 weeds which must be reported to Biosecurity Queensland are Senegal tea, Glushweed.
Of the 20 participants originally accepted 14 took part. Phil Moran provided an excellent range of aquatic plants concentrating on those that are known to occur in Moggill and Pullen Pullen catchments and others that are present in SEQ catchments and pose considerable threat to aquatic ecosystems if they become established. Phil gave detailed information on the different weeds including case studies in SEQ as well as nationally. He provided a range of ID sheets and emphasised the differences in the plants and the implications when it comes to management methods. The resource material provided is extremely useful, for field identification of weeds.
The hands-on identification training was provided through a range of aquatic weeds and native aquatics that are not considered threats. These were displayed in tubs and we were encouraged to handle and look at them closely. Several of the specimens were collected from local sites in the catchment.
A major benefit from the workshop is the increased knowledge of the Moggill and the Pullen Pullen participants in identification of aquatic weeds and the wider knowledge of the threats posed by them. An important point made at the workshop was that a wide range of aquatic weeds considered serious threats to creek health, do occur in our catchments. Another is that most of them are very difficult to destroy or manage. Subsequent to the workshop it has become quite clear that more needs to be done to encourage and support landholders in the management of their dams / turkey’s nests so that infestations are treated on farm and do not enter the creek systems. Currently Brian Hacker an MCCG member does provide information on aquatic weed management to landholders when the opportunity arises through his property visits. Aquatic weeds that have been reported as occurring in our creeks or drainage lines over the last 5 years include: Salvinia, Sagittarius, Senegal tea, Kidneyleaf mud- plantain, Glushweed, Parrot’s feather. Of these, the Declared Class 1 weeds which must be reported to Biosecurity Queensland are Senegal tea, Glushweed.
Adrian Webb ([email protected])
MCCG Annual General Meeting 2014
The Moggill Creek Catchment Group’s Annual General Meeting was held at Brookfield Hall at the Brookfield Showgrounds at 7.30pm on Monday 24th November
The Chairman’s full report is available here.
Frank Box, from Ozbox, The Australian Nestbox Company was guest speaker at the meeting and gave an interesting talk on nesting boxes and their “users”.
Another Successful Photography Competition 2014
The 2014 Photography Competition was again hugely successful with over 200 entries across the 6 categories.
The Supreme Exhibit prize was won by Tony Watts with his photo of a Green tree Snake, which also won the “Native Animals” category.
The People’s Choice
Over 450 people voted for the people’s choice prize which was won by Brian Krieger’s picture of a wallaby entitled “Hobbies”
A rare night out with night creatures
Martin Fingland (the Geckoes Man) and Dr John Stanisic (‘the snail whisperer’) presented a night out with a variety of native nocturnal fauna at the Brookfield Hall in an event hosted by the Moggill Creek Catchment Group.
An audience of close to 100 were entertained by Martin’s entourage of night animals consisting of a croaking frog, a silent native gecko, a brown tree snake doing a herpetological version of the Indian rope trick, a host of furries and a range of local night birds (owls and a tawny frogmouth). As usual Martin’s collection of furry, feathered and scaly creatures were the hit of the night, especially with the younger brigade. However, just to redress the biodiversity balance in favour of the other 99% (invertebrates), ‘the snail whisperer’ brought along a range of native banded snails collected in the Childers-Biggenden-Maryborough region. These silent invertebrates slimed their way through the evening whilst munching on a combination of commercial mushrooms and cucumber peelings. A rare night indeed and an event thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended including the presenters. Thanks Dale
Kids’ Day At The Cottage 2014 – A Happy Day Out
Another successful Kids’ Day at the Cottage was enjoyed by an attendance of around 300. This included equally interested adults who came with enthusiastic youngsters.
Many a mum was seen carefully following Carolyn Parson’s directions for making a dragonfly to help a youngster when there were so many eager fingers trying to make one to take home. The platypus papering had plenty of parent help too. The very popular jewellery making activity had Dale’s daughters, Deborah Craig and Julie Borgelt, and granddaughter, Rebecca Craig, always busy helping more than 100 children make creations to proudly wear home. At the very busiest times there was even a dad or two seen helping their child thread a bead, a seed, or a disc of leather.
There was plenty to see, do, and talk about in the marquees on the hill, too. This was where kids could meet living examples of nature’s wonderful biodiversity. The Snail Whisperer had added live snails. Geoff Monteith had wonderfully camouflaged insects on eucalypt branches, and the much more obvious giant burrowing cockroach to hold. Tony Goodrich had a working hive of native stingless bees (that turned out to be a bit more active than polite at one stage). Potting a seedling was another popular activity. Children happily took home some 300 native plants which they had potted with guidance from Andrew Wilson. I know that one little boy, Angus, was so enthusiastic he spent the afternoon planting and working in their own garden when he got home. The hope is that all the young visitors took home something special, be it knowledge, experience, or just happy memories, so that they take an interest in their environment and the natural world. Kids’ Day at the Cottage would not be complete without the Wildlife Show. He photo on p.1 shows children admiring a python. The highlight of highlights was when Martin Fingland brought out Bumpy the beautiful 5 year old female wombat at the end of his wonderful Geckoes Wildlife Presentation. Our 96 year-old oldest kid, Graeme Wilson, loved it. So did Cr Margaret de Wit, also in the photo, who is a supporter of Kids’ Day especially via the Lord Mayor’s Suburban Initiatives Fund in the Pullenvale Ward. MCCG is very grateful for this support which helps us make Kids’ Day at the Cottage a FREE event for children.
Kids’ day at The Cottage 2013
On Sunday May 26th, perfect day weatherwise, the 2013 Kids’ day at the Cottage was again a most enjoyable day for all involved.
Each presenter had an activity for young people that engaged, entertained and informed on some aspect of our biodiversity. The adults with them also found out more about the Cottage, the MCCG and its activities.
- Martin Fingland managed to refer to MCCG activities and value to the environment as he entertained the enthusiastic crowd with his wonderful wildlife show.
- John Stanisic -The Snail Whisperer- had children sorting snail shells as if they were scientists.
- Geoff Monteith had live stick insects camouflaged on a branch for children to find -and a giant burrowing cockroach for them to hold – as well as look at his display cases of interesting invertebrates.
- Anne Kemp in the Lungfish tent was kept busy doing a creative craft activity with the help of her Grandson.
- Jan Blok had kids using a simple leaf key to ID leaves of native plants she had brought which showed the relevant features. (We gave copies of Fragments of Green to 6 children who showed great interest and ability in this activity- potential for the next generation of environmentally interested native plant enthusiasts.)
- Andrew Wilson had many budding native plant enthusiasts potting seedlings and finding out about Callicarpa for example.
- Tony Goodrich had a working hive of Native Bees that interested children and adults alike.
- Naturesound’s Sheena Gilman could let kids hear Bird calls on an ipad and gave booklets on bird spotting to kids interested in Bird ID.
- As usual, a very popular activity was Jewellery Making with Deborah Craig using Marjorie Welch’s handmade, kiln fired clay native leaves. This supply is now used up, but Deborah will be happy to improvise some other way of creating environmentally themed jewellery or craft
