Sunny winter days make for perfect weather to head out to explore local wetlands, with the recent rain and a hint of spring around the corner seeing them come alive with birdsong and frog calls. On a recent Sunday, members of Avon Plains Banyena Landcare and the wider community did just that, heading out to the Rupanyup area on Wotjobaluk Nations Country.
Mutton Swamp is a short drive south of Rupanyup, and was originally set aside to be the town’s water supply. Brown Treecreepers, a species listed as vulnerable, were seen hopping along Black Box trees, many of which were planted when the area was declared a wetlands in 1987.
Mutton Swamp receives environmental water from the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, benefitting local vegetation and wildlife. An Australasian Grebe met us on the water in the middle of the reserve, where the group heard from local birding expert Ian Morgan, who said that critically endangered Swift Parrots had been seen at Mutton Swamp this time last year.
The next stop was Rupanyup Reservoir, situated on the northwest corner of town, where the decommissioned water supply area has been converted into a thriving forest and space for the community.
Rupanyup Landcare member Adrian Tyler, who is largely to thank for turning the reservoir site into what it is today, lead the group on a leisurely walk around the circuit track.
Brown-Headed Honeyeaters and Singing Honeyeaters were observed enjoying a landscape filled with thousands of native trees and shrubs (both local and non-local species), many of which Adrian propagated from seed he collected. Adrian continues to undertake planting and weed maintenance of the site, and over the years has spent countless volunteer hours improving the area, including building a footbridge and spreading tonnes of gravel by hand.
After a picnic lunch at Jack Emmett Billabong, the group headed to Jack’s Track, which meanders through Black Box and Lignum toward a wetland and woodland area.
Beginning behind the old Rupanyup Flour Mill, where the first concrete silos in Australia were built, Jack’s Track is on private land that has been opened up for the benefit of community and environment, with Adrian Tyler again playing a large role in its establishment, planting and ongoing maintenance. Converted from a site that in 2005 contained only a single Black Box tree, and where a sand quarry was once used to source materials for the town’s concrete silos, it is now a revegetated wetland that serves both ecological and community purposes. A White-Faced Heron, Australasian Grebes, Eurasian Coots and Pacific Black Ducks were observed enjoying the series of dams, which help filter water on its last stop in the town’s water treatment journey, before being put to use on the local footy oval.
Weather conditions are ideal at the moment for getting out in the winter sunshine to appreciate our local environment, or to get plants in the ground, and there are many Landcare activities happening around the district that community members are always welcome to attend. The next Avon Plains Landcare event is a visit to Dalki Garringa Native Nursery in Wail on Wednesday 22 July at 10am, all welcome.
Contributed by Alana Rivera Kingston, Yarrilinks Landcare Network
- Jun 11, 2018
Updated: Feb 9
Meet some of the inhabitants at Ned's. We carried out some bird surveys as we were going around and put 27 or 28 species on the list- the most exciting being both Butcherbirds- Grey and Pied, a Whistling Kite pair with a nest right opposite the pumphouse and a flock of Black-faced Woodswallows at the pine sandridge. These were the only birds I captured on camera- the plants were easier. On the inlet, late afternoon- Crimson Rosella- yellow form
On the big inlet- Black Swans
Pterostylis biseta -Mallee Rustyhood, close relative to our Lowly Greenhood. Rosettes just emerging.
Early morning on the river- Darter drying off.
Early morning on the river- Pelican looking for breakfast.
Taken at the Inland Botanic Gardens, these are NOT gazanias! (Sturt Desert pea)
Early morning on the river again- 4 Wood Ducks
Just over the side fence for the shearers' quarters- stickybeaking Emu
Favoured food of many creatures furry and feathered- Enchylaena tomentosa, upright form- Ruby Saltbush
Under the Hill's Hoist- Mallee Ringnecks feeding on weed seeds.
Low groundocevr plant- Zygophyllum sp (Twinleaf)
In the garden- the best use for 2km of barbed wire- rolled up by the Green Army girls and endorsed by Chris and Russell!
- Jun 7, 2018
Updated: Feb 9
Ned's Corner has an ambitious program of predator-proof enclosures for the release of some regionally threatened or extinct small mammals- Mitchell's Hopping Mouse, Fat-tailed Dunnart and Gile's Planigale.
With funding from the Yulgilbar Foundation (Myer Family) an enclosure of 2000ha is being prepared for these little people.
For more information check Trust for Nature's website
Gile's is a carnivorous marsupial also known as the Paucident Planigale(Planigale gilesi).
It needs deep cracking clays- and vegetation.
Photo- Australian Wildlife Conservancy website, photographer not given.
Mitchell's (Notomys mitchellii) is in the genus Notomys(rodents) and has large back legs like a kangaroo-rat.
It needs mallee scrub with triodia grasses on sand.
Photo- Bush Heritage Australia website,photographer Steve Parish
Fat-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) is a mouse-like marsupial which needs grassy tussocks.
Photo - Zoos Victoria website, photographer not given.
All are threatened by habitat loss and predation by foxes and cats.
Removal of stock, both sheep and cattle, and ongoing rabbit control has allowed the vegetation to recover and vigorous
replanting projects are replacing those species that were browsed right out in the past.
To provide a safe environment for these tiny Aussies, a 2m high electric fence is being built to include many different vegetation and soil types.
This is a serious fence, fellow Field Nats - double height netting with bottom skirt front and back and hot wires! Photo A Hughes
Chris and Colleen admire the excellent results of a previous revegetation project in the big enclosure-wattles, native pines, sennas, bluebushes. Photo A Hughes.
Part 3 coming soon