Happy New Year to everyone

All that wonderful rain has been a delight for my eyes, knowing that all the trees that were planted last spring have had an excellent watering in what is usually the driest time of the year. But I sincerely hope none of you had any severe damage to your homes or properties as a consequence. I was also very heartened to receive requests from Friends for garbage bags to collect the rubbuish that had been washed out of the creek and was more than happy to oblige....Jackie

Where did the bridge go?
Flood near Cobbin Farm
Photo (complete with rain spots). Dave King

Found in the Creek

The recent heavy rains did a great job watering our plantings, filling dams and flushing out the creek.  In the process lots of reeds were flattened and lots of flotsam was deposited high on the banks where it could be more easily removed.  Among the treasures washed up in our section and found during the most recent monthly working bee were a couple of handbags, no longer containing cash, but with cards and licences of various sorts along with more personal items.

Possible reactions we contemplated:

All the cards will have been replaced and the other stuff is spoiled. It’s of no use to anyone. Let’s put it out with the rest of the collected rubbish.

• There are addresses and pictures so we know where the people live and what they look like. Maybe we could drop it round to their place. That way they will know where it got to and feel better knowing its not possibly still floating round.
• Lets let the Police know what we have found; maybe over the phone.

What is the right thing to do?

Although urban myth has the constabulary saying “Just throw it out. The cards will all have been replaced.”, this is not the reaction received when we made the effort to call. The police were extremely grateful that we had made the effort to turn these items in to them.

People do sometimes call the Police and register their belongings as missing.The Police are the appropriate agents for bringing people and their lost belongings together again, or possibly gathering clues to a more serious crime.  It might require us to take our find in to the Police Station and give a statement about how we came across the stuff but it’s not a lot of extra effort and being a volunteer is about good citizenship.

MORAL OF THIS ARTICLE:

Any valuable or traceable finds should be reported to the Police.

Keeping the Beds in Order

The plant beds, originally established by Grovedale Lions Club, near Safeway Petrol Station at Waurn Ponds shopping center, are much better in appearance and safer for citizens who walk past, thanks to members of our community who wish to make a difference. (Safer in regard to possible snakes slithering out from the dense undergrowth!). During December 2004 a massive cleanup of unsightly weeds was undertaken by volunteers from nearby and afar.A few new shrubs were planted by a group of school children to start off and several loads of weeds then pulled out by exuberant local residents and carted off to the dump.

Congratulations and thanks to all who participated in the exercise including the many passers by who offered encouragement and positive suggestions for the future.

Council, which has the much bigger responsibility in environmental care, supplied the extra mulch used to top up the existing layer between plants and this should be a great benefit.  However it is clear that more needs to be done to keep on improving the area and any person or group is welcome to physically continue the maintenance and first aid so that the site does not again deteriorate.

Xmas BBQ

For all those who didn’t attend, you missed out on a superb gourmet BBQ in early December, supplied at no individual cost, under the gum trees beside the creek. The 20 or so Friends that came along enjoyed Texan and herb and garlic sausages in soy/linseed or rye bread, followed by a fresh fruit platter and lollies accompanied by a cool drink.  They also benefitted from an informative talk from Tim about seed collection and an introduction to indigenous frogs by Dave.  Many thanks to Belmont Rotary, in particular Russell Zampatti, for supplying the BBQ. Next year we plan to have the get together slightly earlier so as not to overlap with Xmas festivities, so hope to see more of you there, getting to know each other.