COMMUNITY FORUM
SATURDAY APRIL 24TH, 11AM - 1PM
Cobbin Farm, Grove Road, Grovedale
 Come and find out exactly what is happening with your creek, the improvements being made, find out who is doing them, what is planned for the future, ask any questions you have and find out how you can help.
Program
11am prompt, in the chapel
5 guest speakers will talk for approx 10 minutes each on various topics.
- Trevor Pescott, field naturalist, on the progress of the re-vegetation done to date.
- Greg Peters, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, on plans for the creek bed.
- Kathryn Grundall, COGG, about the recreational plan for the creek valley.
- Dr Mardie Townsend, senior lecturer at Deakin University, about the positive personal benefits of being a Friend.
- Jackie Lukacz, secretary, about the groups already active and how you can help.
 We will then progress to the main building, passing by an electro-fishing demonstration, Barwon Water Waterwatch trailer, an aquarium of macro-invertebrates found in our creek and samples of the plants from the community nursery.
Tea and coffee will be served by local girl guides while you can speak individually to any of the guest speakers, browse display boards including photos, web site details, school children's contributions and register your interest to become a Friend if you wish.
Conservation Volunteers Australia will also be present.
If you can't make the whole two hours you will still gain a lot of information from the displays so if you care about your environment come and check us out.
What has happened in the past 3 months
The BBQ held last December was a great success both with attendance and weather! About 50 people turned out and enjoyed a scrumptious BBQ and fruit platter, the food kindly donated to us by Safeways, Waurn Ponds and Fresha Fruits of Belmont, under the shade of the gum trees beside the creek. We also had Tim from the community nursery demonstrate how to collect seed and the water trailer was brought on site so residents could learn how to use it over the hot summer months to give their new trees a regular drink. Thanks also to Belmont Rotary for the use of their BBQ.
The work done down at the community nursery on a Wednesday afternoon has been phenomenal, thanks to individual Friends but mainly due to a huge response by Belmont Rotary members willing to roll their sleeves up and get dirt on their hands. We already have the quota of plants we need for this year’s plantings growing steadily. Thanks also to those who have collected seeds. Again we had a great response, and these will be fantastic for getting next year’s stock underway. There are always things to be done at the nursery so if you are ever free on a Wednesday afternoon between 2-4pm just pop down there and join in.(Corner Swanston and Barwon Terrace).
Working bees … turn a frog into a prince
We have a new, large group of enthusiastic residents geared up in 'M' zone (Rossack Drive to Ghazeepore Road) who want to "turn a frog into a Prince"!! They will start with a working bee on Sunday May 16th from 10am (meeting point at the back of Harvey Norman store, highway side of the creek). If you would like to join this group just turn up on the day or for more information phone either co-ordinator Jillian or Fiona (ph. nos. at bottom of front page). A monthly 'M' zone newsletter will commence shortly to keep you right up to date with everything happening in your area.
If you want to join in 'F' zone (Torquay Road to Cobbin Farm) a group regularly meet on the first Sunday of each month from 9am, or phone Murray for more info.
How about a more robust group joining Silvanna at the back of Meadowvale Drive? ('L' zone) Quite a bit of planting was done last year but it always needs tending, weeds removed, stakes re-anchored, bags replaced etc.
And also 'C zone’, behind Winter Street and round the corner into Bailey Street. Council did a huge amount of weed removal last year and with the new culvert to gain access over the pipe, the grass cutter is now easily able to get into the wasteland and keep it mown and tidy. This will be an area for planting later this year so if you feel you can help, contact Jackie.
 Although we have had more rain than usual over summer it’s still not nearly enough to start planting so early as the little seedlings just won't get maximum growth. Council will start preparing the designated areas (as written out on the revegetation plan) by weed spraying and spreading mulch, but planting won't start until we get some DECENT rain.
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 M Zone Sunday May 16th from 10am
F Zone
First Sunday of each month 9am
Well done to all the volunteers who turned out bright and early on 'Clean Up Australia Day' in the Highmont Drive area and collected heaps of rubbish. We all appreciate it.
As well as the web site we are now creating a community access point on the internet, where you can register your name and then keep up to date with what is happening and share your views and questions on the site. It has been set up by one of our members and will be monitored by Jackie so that no inappropriate items are displayed. It will be a very useful communication tool once we have plenty of members logged on and we know how to get the most out of it. The address is mc2.vicnet.net.au
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