| |
|
|
Contents
Click here for the PDF version (0.4 meg). |
 |
Welcome
Welcome to the August 2006 edition of "The Eco", the newsletter
for Friends of the Port Phillip EcoCentre.
Our aim is to provide
an informative and entertaining snapshot of the activities, achievements
and interests of all the wonderful people who contribute towards
the goals of the EcoCentre, inspiring us to take
'local
action for a global future'.
Do you have some news for The Eco? Contributions are always welcome.
Email info@ecocentre.com
with your contribution and contact details.
|
‘Wild About Port Phillip Bay’ Schools Art Comp exhibition
|
| Bay-lovers and art buffs are invited to view the works of young artists at Mordialloc Yacht Club later this month. The art works are the entries in a state-wide poster art competition for all primary and secondary schools.
There has been a fantastic response to the competition with well over 200 entries received.
The title of the show, and the theme of the posters, is “Wild about Port Phillip Bay”. Prizes will be awarded to the winning entries in each age group.
|
|
The exhibition will be held at Mordialloc Motor Yacht Club, from Friday 25 August to Thursday 31 August (12noon to 6pm). The official opening will be at 3pm on Saturday August 26.
The exhibition will then move to Gasworks Park Gallery from September 5 to 24.
The Schools’ Art Competition has been organized by the Blue Wedges Coalition, a not-for-profit coalition of community groups working to protect the environment of Port Phillip Bay.
Supporters of the competition include Port Phillip EcoCentre and Polperro Dolphin Swims, and Mordialloc Motor Yacht Club.
Mordialloc Motor Yacht Club is located on Lambert's Island in Mordialloc creek between the Nepean Highway bridge and the creek entrance to Port Phillip. Access is via a footbridge from the car park of the Bridge hotel (Melways 92F1).
Contact Jim Walker Ph 9527 5601 |
ST KILDA ORGANIC FOOD COOP (SKOF)
http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/skof/web/index.html |
All Welcome, call into the EcoHouse on Saturdays (except public holidays!), 10.30 till noon and join St Kilda Organic Food Cooperative Ltd. (skof)
We are in the process of placing a bulk order of cleaning products from Back to Basics, a Gelong based company. Come in on a Saturday morning, check their product list and place your order, (eg. dishwashing machine powder, cleaning vinegar), the deadline for this order is August 26
|
|
 Ramana and Joe: SKOF Dudes on deck Preparing the order for cleaning products from Back To Basics.
Newsletter Contents
|
SEASONAL GREETINGS
With thanks to Ian Levy and Heather Walkerden
|
Black and white by nature, Magpies live in strictly ordered territorial groups. Depending on the quality of habitat the group size can vary from 2 to more than 20; and the whole group will defend the territory.
Although Australian Magpies have been known to breed as early a June, it’s generally around the end of July you’ll notice the females collecting sticks. They take care of the nest building and incubation unaided. Meanwhile, the top male is busy mating with any female in the group, and asserting his dominance over lesser males.
The dominant male will sometimes feed one female. Nests that are not protected/supported by him rarely succeed in producing young. Just another variation on a theme: the beak shall inherit the turf?
The First Warm Rains of August … a great name for a song! That’s what the Brown Tree Frogs reckon anyway. They’re all just waiting for that rain to inspire a rousing chorus that ultimately leads to spawning.
There’s no doubt about it, if you have frogs in your neighbourhood, you have a living treasure that deserves care and protection. The first step is to record where they are and identify the species. The Port Phillip EcoCentre is producing a local frog map (within a 5 km radius of St Kilda Botanical Gardens) and wants to hear from anyone who hears frogs in the coming spring, even if you don’t know what species they are. We’ll be there to audio record them at the first available opportunity and will forward the tapes to the Melbourne Water Frogwatch program for formal identification. |
|
Seen @ Westgate during the last week of July: Spotted Pardalote (a first for Westgate), newborn tiger snake - 6 inches long; and a Pink-eared Duck (another first).
Schools in! A very calm July Saturday provided Parks Vic Marine Ranger, Peter Johnstone, with ideal conditions to snap this fish photo from St Kilda’s Brooks Jetty. The baitball (possibly Sandy Sprat) was approx 8m x 4m in size and 1m deep. It kept moving around a central point, and was located about 500mm under the surface.
Seagulls would float over the top looking at the "food". If the school moved towards the jetty pylons, the fish would keep a uniform 500mm from the pylons and move between the pylons. Peter saw another school near St. Kilda pier about 20 minutes later.
 Humpback at Port Phillip Heads
Not surprisingly, there were very few gulls eying-off the two Humpback Whales that recently visited Port Phillip Heads.
Newsletter Contents |
Albert Park Reserve… A New Era, or More of the Shame? |
In an age where the principles of wildlife habitat are well understood; and good environmental management is central to organisational goals it seems incredible that an entire suite of bird species can be lost from a large tract of intensively managed parkland. Yet this is the case with Albert Park Reserve. During the mid 1990’s the Reserve was subject to an extensive planning process and subsequently renovated. Thanks to ongoing bird observations and records kept by Mary Ellen Talmage we’re now beginning to see the impacts. In particular, those species which survive from gleaning foliage have declined.
Silver-eye or Grey-breasted White-eye. Where to now??? Pic Greg Sujecki
n the 1980’s the Burnley Horticultural College established beds of native plants which proved very supportive to a range of bird species. Wholesale removal of these habitats was implemented on the basis that shrubberies were a risk to human safety. To compensate, the planners promised a major tree planting program. Unfortunately, as often as not, these were deciduous trees which are of minimal habitat value to Australian birds. In the absence of under-storey shrubs and groundcover, which provide habitat for prey such as insects, spiders and other small animals, even native trees are of limited value.
During recent drought years, the lake has been a valuable refuge for waterbirds from across the state. Given the sheer size of Albert Park Reserve, and its proximity to the Bay and Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens there is considerable scope for improving its habitat value without compromising recreational amenity for people and sporting activities. While Parks Victoria (the Reserve managers) can rightly claim that they are already proceeding down that path their progress would be enhanced by an active partnership with other agencies and local community organisations sharing a common purpose.
|
|
Albert Park Reserve bird population change 1995-2006
White-plumed Honeyeaters, Little Wattlebird, Red Wattlebirds (still present, but numbers down)
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Sacred Kingfisher, Spotted Pardalote (visiting less frequently)
Yellow-rumped Thornbills (no longer breeding, gone?)
Grey Fantails (were breeding, now only visiting migrants)
Silvereyes (were breeding, gone since 1996)
Richards Pipit (not seen since park changed) Note: Being a relatively common bird of open grasslands, recently seen in Elwood, it is surprising that Richard’s Pipits are no longer in Albert Park..
Golden Whistlers, Brown Thornbills, White-browed Scrubwren, (gone)
Flame Robins (used to over-winter, migrants now only seen in small numbers)
Clamorous Reed-warbler.. Singing the praises of the new lake! Pic Greg Sujecki
Bush birds which have appeared or increased
Grey Butcherbird, Noisy Miners (moved in mid 1990s).
Eastern Rosella (nesting south of aquatic centre car park)
New birds attracted by improved lake habitat
Little Grassbirds, Clamorous Reed Warblers, Pied Stilts and Black-fronted Dotterels.
Happily, some bird species have benefited from establishment of aquatic vegetation around the pollution control ponds in the lake. However, with well founded knowledge that the reconfigured parkscape no longer accommodates many bush birds which previously existed, surely a fresh approach to managing the ecology of Albert Park Reserve is warranted and should be set as an objective.
Newsletter Contents
|
Renewable Energy and Environmentally Sustainable Design |
Integrated Environment Partnership (IEP) case Studies
St. Kilda Park Primary - Solar Pumping
Site: St. Kilda , Victoria
Dates: Design Phase Commencement: May 2006
System Installation and Commissioning: June 2006
Partners: Port Phillip Eco Centre/St. Kilda Park Primary School
Project Goals:
To illustrate Sustainable garden practices to primary school children by saving rainwater and limiting greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing a solar powered pump.
Project Features:
Working in conjunction with the Port Phillip Eco Centre to bring Sustainable solutions to local schools that received small grants from the CSIRO for such projects. This was the first of three installations for the Eco Centre.
The process involved discussions with the Eco Centre and school representatives to ensure a suitable system within a small budget. To keep costs down, the system was designed to use existing structures and materials the school had on hand. A pump stand was built out of wood off-cuts. The battery and electrical equipment were housed in an existing cupboard in a storage shed adjacent to the water tank.
Pump and cabinet containing the battery and controls
The system pumps water from the existing 9000L rainwater tank to the children's vegetable garden approximately 10-15 metres from the tank. Allows for water to be pumped for up to an hour a day at 10L/min.
The roof runs north-south, so a side-pitch frame was used. A eucalyptus tree that could not be removed or trimmed casts an afternoon shadow on the panel so the system was sized accordingly to accommodate for this.
|
|
Water tank and photo voltaic cells viewed from the roof
Project Team:
Joleen Hess, Project Design and System Installer, Going Solar
Duncan MacGregor, System Installer, Going Solar
Julia Martin , Project Manager, Port Phillip Eco Centre
Geoffrey Barry, Project Manager, Port Phillip Eco Centre
Christine Beckingsale, Convener of Buildings and Grounds, St. Kilda Park Primary
Jane Bennetts, Science Coordinator, St. Kilda Park Primary
Sue Knight, Principal, St. Kilda Park Primary
Further Information:
joleen@goingsolar.com.au
www.goingsolar.com.au
The IEP program is sponsored by GM Holden.
Newsletter Contents
|
Port Phillip EcoCentre Membership.
|
We are a not-for-profit umbrella organisation that supports groups, individuals, schools and businesses in the City of Port Phillip and the wider region to protect / enhance biodiversity and promote sustainability.
By becoming an Individual, Household or an Affiliated member allows us to grow the aims of all involved in sustainable living. Call in for a cuppa: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, or phone 9534 0670 to learn more about the benefits membership can offer you.
|
|
Proudly sponsored by
City of Port Phillip.
Newsletter Contents
|
Tell someone who’s interested!
Vicki Jaeger - News co-ordinator
The newsletter is distributed to EcoCentre members and is on the web. This makes it a great voice for your group.
To submit articles on issues and action, events or projects
|
|
Send items to: info@ecocentre.com
Ph: (03) 9534 0670
Fax: (03) 9525 3312
www.ecocentre.com
Deadline for contributions is the 15th of each month
Newsletter Contents
|
| |
|
Top 
|
|
|
| Home
| News
| Current Newsletter | Archive
