New Fence at Furness Street Entrance

• Council recently replaced the deteriorating steel wire rope and recycled power pole fence between the Furness Street entrance and the bridge with a new “standard” post-and-rail wooden fence.
• A good-looking response and one that protects park users from the steep creek bank nearby and from car incursions from the road.

Refurbishment of the Laurel Grove Pedestrian Bridge

• While we are discussing renovations, most regular park users would already know that the Laurel Grove bridge renovation has been completed – especially it being in such a central spot in the park.
• The renovated bridge looks very good indeed with the dark “grain” in the Trex deck toning in well with the black-painted superstructure.
• Committee suggested Council consider use of Trex along with some other recycled timber/plastic alternatives.  It is a composite recycled plastic/wood which has the advantages it resists insects, cracking and rot – it is reputed to last twice as long as normal decking timber.
• We congratulate Council on the excellent result and for its outstanding communications during the project which allowed us to keep everyone up to date.

Maintenance Team Report

Stormy Weather

• On the evening of Friday 22nd, we received quite a surprising burst of rainfall and hailstones with nearly 30mm falling in less than an hour.  The problem with such a fall is that much of it runs off into the storm-water system (which includes our creek) – rather than soaking in to the soil.  Ruth’s photo of the flash flood debris in the fallen tree shows how high the water got in the creek.
• Friend Megan reported that the Billabong system was completely full – as was the creek – to the point it was difficult to see whether the creek was also feeding the Billabong directly or not!
• Nevertheless, apart from erosion damage to the steeper paths, the rain was just the tonic the park needed after such a long dry spell.

Maintenance Activities

• We think the recent news that the State Government has ordered 125GL from the Desal plant over the next fiscal year is a good indicator of the long range forecasts for rain. This is the largest order ever for the plant and more than 80% of its annual capacity.
• So, despite the rain event discussed above, the Maintenance Team ran two weeks of weed’n’watering working bees either side of that day. Younger plants to the north of Blacks Walk bridge and in Furness Park on the track up to Gardenia Street were targetted.
• What we do is dig shallow “gutters” around the plants – this aids is watering, helps absorption and assists in pooling water when rain eventually comes.

First Working Bee for the Year

• We didn’t have to wait long for the rain – we just had to call a working bee!

• The plan for our first working bee was to weed and mulch this year’s project area just to the west of the Laurel Grove bridge on the southern side of the creek.

• It was quite wet and the coldest March day in a long time and, to rub salt into the wound, in a March which is the hottest on record!  Anyway, we had good attendance considering the challenging conditions.  The mulch we had was quickly spread and a respectable weed pile produced.
• Thanks to all who came along to work and/or enjoy morning tea with us!

Bird Survey Coming Up Soon – Saturday, 13^th April 07:30

Change of Venue

• Our next Bird Count will be Saturday, 13th April, 2019 starting at 07:30.  This year will see a change of venue – the event will be run from the Kalang Oval pavilion – not the Scout Hall!
• There is limited car parking at the Pavilion – parking adjacent the nearby Bowls Club or the Scout Hall may be more reliable.

Zero to Hero ?

• One of our Bird Survey regulars (John) says:

“I’ve only missed one or two Bird Surveys since they started in 2011.  I only knew a few species like Lorrikeets for sure when I started.  I hardly knew anything at all about the smaller birds.  I’ve always been interested – but never really had the time or opportunity to get out in the field with someone knowledgeable to fast-track my learning when I was working.   Anyway – I haven’t gone from zero to hero – but rather from zero to a fair bit more than zero.  

I’ve learned something new at every event.  Whether it’s how to use binoculars more effectively from Ian or how to tell the sex of magpies from Pat – there’s always been something new and interesting or surprising.  You are not expected to know anything scientific – and everyone is welcome including kids.  There’s no such thing as a dumb question.  And don’t knock the kids – they may not have our experience or wisdom yet (that won’t take too long…) – but they sure have sharp eyes!”.

• So please come – all are welcome.  Our usual group leaders Pat Bingham (Birdlife, Australia) and Ian Moodie (WCC Team Leader, Environment & Education) will be there to share their knowledge, wit and experience as usual.  Please dress for the weather and, by all means, bring your camera and binoculars if you wish.

Another Illegal Mulch Dumping

• Two piles were recently dumped in the park near the end of Malcolm Street.
• It seems “cowboy” operators continue to save the cost of proper green waste disposal by dumping in the park.  No doubt they charge their customers for waste disposal – so make a tidy profit at the expense of :
  1. damaging the park
  2. making the council (ie the community) bear the costs of its removal and disposal.
• If you see something suspicious, please note down the truck’s registration or take a photo.  Council will prosecute.   Call the Local Laws people on 9262 6588 to report.
• Only vehicles operated by Whitehorse Council, Melbourne Water and their respective contractors should ever be in the park.  Council and Melbourne Water vehicles are easily identifiable by their signage – council vehicles usually belong to its Parkswide Division.  Identifying legitimate contractor vehicles is more problematic. If in doubt, note down the registration of the vehicle and telephone Parkswide on 9262 6213 to check.

Recent Vandalism in Park

• The Maintenance Team recently discovered further unusual vandalism in the park.
• A  couple of young Eucalypts had been recently sawn down at about a meter’s height, then the top taken off and discarded – apparently to take a piece out of the middle.
• The two trees are one either side of the Blacks Walk bridge.  This is disturbing – in that it seems the vandals carry a saw…  Who knows what (if anything!) is in the mind of these people ?

Sightings

Kangaroos or Wallabies in Furness Park

• We’ve had reports of Kangaroos or Wallabies in our park.  Apparently on 6th March before it was properly light, two kangaroos or wallabies were sighted in Furness Park.
• These sightings confirm others in the Blackburn area reported in the Whitehorse Leader of 4th March on page 5.  Our photo from the archives (courtesy of friend Sid) shows a previous sighting published in our web news of November, 2015.
• It seems the drought is forcing the animals to travel further in search of grass to eat and to feed on road sides.  Unfortunately they do not have much road sense which, too often, results in casualties when they are forced to use main roads in the absence of bush corridors.

Hearings!

• By the sounds of it, the frogs have delighted in the water within the Waratah Wetlands ever since that big dump of rain!

In the Corridor

• We were sad to read an article in the Whitehorse Leader of 18th March (p16) about the demise of the Cootamundra Walk Advisory Committee as of 30th June.  We wish to acknowledge the outstanding contributions our colleagues from that Committee have made after 41 years’ service to the Blackburn North community.
• Fundamentally, Committees are folding because members are becoming too old to continue and the next generation is not coming on board.   The R.E. Gray Reserve Advisory Committee (in Nunawading) was forced to fold last year.  The good news is that the news article has inspired a few people to step forward who may help the Cootamundra Walk Committee to survive.

Plant of the Month

• Our Plant of the Month is the Twiggy Daisy Bush (Olearia ramulosa) again!   This was the June and November, 2018 winner and is still looking good here and there with its tiny white daisy-like flowers visible here and there all over the park!
• It seems to be one of the very few plants that thrives in drought conditions.

Weed of the Month

• This month’s Weed of the Month is  European Black Nightshade or Blackberry Nightshade (Solanum nigrum) which is fruiting in the park (prolifically) now.   It is a common short-lived perennial plant found in many wooded areas, as well as disturbed habitats – such as newly weeded areas.
• It is native to Eurasia and has been introduced into the Americas, Australasia and South Africa.  Although its fruit is toxic (especially when green), the plant is not actually the very toxic “Deadly Nightshade” as many people think.  It is from the same plant family as a creek-side weed Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum) but also the household potato, tomato and eggplant!
• Not surprisingly, its flowers resemble small potato flowers.  These develop into 6 to 8 mm green berries which ripen to black or purple-black (see the inset in our photo).  The plant reaches a height of 30 to 120 cm.