National Tree Day – A Great Success!!!

Sunday the 28th July was National Tree Day. The Upper Goulburn Landcare Network Groups held three separate events on the day, all with great success!
Kinglake Landcare Group held a planting day at Koala Browse Project. Strath Creek Landcare Group held a planting day at a property on King Parrot Creek Rd, Strath Creek as part of their Biodiversity project and our third event for the day encompassed four sites along the Great Victorian Rail Trail.

Merton, Home Creek-Spring Creek, Molesworth and Yea River Catchment Landcare Groups planted at four sites along the trail with assistance from members of the Strathbogie Ranges Conservation Management Network and other volunteers who generously gave of their time for the day. In total there were approximately 60 adults and 15 kids digging, planting, hammering and chatting at various stages. Morning tea was provided at two sites, Cathkin and Cheviot.Those who could continue on for lunch at the Molesworth hall enjoyed a warm, delicious lunch catered for by the ladies from the Molesworth Hall Committee.
In total over 600 plants were planted on the day along the trail, a stunning feature entrance was erected at the Molesworth Rail Park and a fabulous social atmosphere was enjoyed by all. Thanks to Cameron Patterson from Merton Landcare who assisted with coordination on the day.

A total of 521 seedlings were planted by 17 Strath Creek Landcarers(adults) and seven juniors in 2 and 1/2 hours on a windswept slope, slippery
with capeweed. Another 3 Landcarers were doing a fantastic job of catering,
which in this case meant gourmet pizzas in the wood fired pizza oven! Joel
and Sue now have 20 seedlings left to plant out of 1,000 allocated to this
site by the Strath Creek Biodiversity Project. In September, the ridge top
will be mechanically direct seeded.

Stakes and guards were recycled from revegetation projects the King’s have
undertaken in previous years.

This slope will now benefit from the fencing previously completed by the
Project to lock out stock. The only browsing animals now present are the
local Kangaroos. With a bit of capeweed control where possible over the next
few weeks, the struggling remnant wallaby grass should begin to recover and
form a good cover on the ridge top.

One of the values of this site is it’s visibility factor to other Strath
Creek residents and tourist traffic. Hopefully as the vegetation grows, it
will inspire others to plan their own environmental restoration projects.

Species that went in to this site included;
Grey Box
Red Box
Yellow Box
Broad leaf peppermint
Narrow leaf peppermint
Drooping She-oak
Long leaf Box
Common Cassinia
Drooping Cassinia
Purple Coral Pea
Pale Flax lily
Black anther flax lily
Large leaf bush pea
Narrow leaf bitter pea
Running Postman
Prickly Moses
Lightwood
Blackwood
Black Wattle
Kangaroo Apple
Red Stringybark
Cinnamon Wattle
Hedge wattle
Narrow leaf hop bush
Austral Indigo
Gold dust wattle
Tree violet