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This weekend was a BIG one on Phillip Island
(Victoria).
The Island is well known in the district for the
exceptional co-operation between various environmental groups which saw the
establishment of of our Barb Martin Bushbank - a seedbank/nursery which supplies
indigenous seedlings for all local revegetation projects. Local Landcare,
Conservation Society, Coast Action groups, Friends of the Koalas, WESBOC
(Western Port Bird Observers Club) and Phillip Island Nature Park (Penguin
Reserve, Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island, etc) set up a co-operative
which runs this very productive resource.
This weekend these and numerous other groups from
other parts of Bass Coast Shire and many non-environmental organisations (Pony
club, Rotary, Scouts, Guides, Netball Club, local tradepeople etc.) participated
in a mammoth project over three days to restore a previously neglected/degraded
reserve called Ventnor Common in conjuction with Burke's Backyard, Backyard
Blitz and Landcare Australia. The TV crews filmed the highlights (or some
of them) and it will be screened later this year as Burke's Environmental
Blitz.
Two Phillip Island Landcare employees prepared the
submission which won over 300 others. They then spent a couple of months
organising the mammoth event with the help of a Landcare Australia employee from
Sydney. The camera crews arrived last week and the whole thing got going on
Friday when the machinery large and small started establishing the groundwork.
On Saturday and Sunday over 300 volunteers arrived to help with planting over
1200 trees, understorey plants and grasses. A boardwalk and birdhide was
built into a wetland area, trees from a pine plantation were taken down and
mulched on site, a bog area was planted out, both sides of a road were planted
out to join up to the Wildlife corridor, walking tracks were
established and a picnic area was set up with tables and shelters.
The excitement of all participants throughout the
weekend was infectious. Luckily it didn't rain but the last day got quite
hot. We all crowded onto the new boardwalk for the final shot and
three cheers for Landcare.
Understandably not many birds showed their beaks
over the weekend at the points where I was marshalling except a few New Holland
Honeyeaters, ravens, Ibis overhead and a couple of kookaburras arrived to put in
their notes of appreciation each afternoon. The highlight was a Collared
Sparrowhawk, which glided over the site to inspect the activity on Sunday
afternoon and the Silver Gulls which appeared to pick over the soil turned up by
the small earthmoving machines in the wetland almost as soon as the first sod
was turned.
Overall, the whole weekend was a great community
event inspiring all participants and many locals strolling past. It was
lovely something being done that will not be a major tourist attraction, but of
great benefit to the environment and locals. Of course, birdwatchers from
all over Australia and the world may like to check the progress and help us
build up our local birdlist for the site.
Elizabeth Shaw
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