The photocopying of this newsletter is courtesy of Bob Stensholt local MLA for Burwood. Funds supporting the printing and distribution of newsletters provided by Melbourne Water
Greetings friends and other residents interested in Back Creek
This is the 25th edition of BACKCREEK BRIEFINGS.
Progress made is as follows:
Membership subscription:
Membership subscriptions for 2007 are now due. If you would like to become a member and or make a donation, contact our treasurer Bob Strickland on 9830 0749 or print off a membership form from our website and send us your subscription.
Working Bees:
Our first working bee for 2007 was on Sunday March 4th 2007 "Clean Up Australia" day. Over 20 people participated collecting nearly 30 bags full of rubbish.
If you want to help out, come down to the Cornell Street end Sunday Morning from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm. Just bring a good pair of gloves and shoes, drinks and refreshments will be provided. Other working bees will generally occur around the third Sunday of each month. All our community events will be based at the Cornell Street end of the creek
Details of the FOBC event dates are as follows:
April 15th 2007
May 20th 2007
June 17th 2007
July 15th 2007
July 27th 2007 - Schools Tree day
July 29th 2007 - National Tree day
August 19th 2007
September 16th 2007 - Spring Planting Festival
October 21st 2007 - Spring Planting Festival
November 18th 2007 - Spring Planting Festival
December 16th 2007 - (only if numbers permit)
FOBC WEBSITE:
We have updated our website so check us out.
European Wasps.
FOBC have discovered a couple of wasps nests down the creek which have since been destroyed. Generally if you see a wasp in your backyard the chances are there is a nest within 50 - 70 metres.
If you see any wasps nests near the creek, avoid them but contact us and we will arrange for them to be poisoned.
Annual General Meeting:
On Tuesday 15 May at 4.00pm, FOBC will hold its 7th Annual General Meeting of members. The meeting will be held at 3 Nicholsdale Road Camberwell.
Nominations for the election of Office bearers and committee positions can be made by completing the form below and sending to our Secretary Chris Walta 29A Cornell Street Camberwell. 3124.
Tawney Frogmouths continue to live and breed in Back Creek. Recently one was discovered on a low lying fence of a house. FOBC members took it to a native animal VET who diagnosed it as having a broken wing. Sadly the wing could not be repaired and the owl was out down.
Community Notice Board.
Late last year the City of Boroondara installed a community notice board at the Cornell Street end. FOBC have been using it to show examples of work done by our group as well as post our newsletter and advertise working bees. If your community group would like to also use the space contact us. Thanks to our local councilor Heinz Kreutz for arranging it.
Drought:
The ongoing drought is severely restricting activities of FOBC. Planting schemes scheduled for the Riversdale Road end are delayed until at least June in the hope that rain will soften the ground and provide a basis for seedlings to survive. Many of the seedlings planted last spring have struggled to hang on over summer and many have died. Happily most are still growing!
FOBC will be using greater amounts of jute matting this year. This will not only hinder weed growth but will retain moisture better as well as hold the soil together which has become very crumbly due to the dry conditions.
Tree removal:
The City of Boroondara has just removed a couple of fallen willows along the Quinton Road embankment. In addition a 30 metre pine tree was removed after it had died over the past few months. Council will also be lopping willows along the middle section of the pathway to provide greater clearance to the community walking along the path. Branches earmarked for lopping are painted in yellow.
Melbourne Water:
Over the next few months Melbourne Water will be removing a couple of fallen willows just past the Quinton Road creek crossing. The June 2006 Newsletter outlined on a map the specific trees earmarked for removal. These are crowding our growth of plantings as well as restricting storm-water flow during heavy rains.
FOBC Committee:
President - Robert Brierley - 9836 3779
Secretary - Chris Walta - 9888 4461
(29A Cornell Street, Camberwell, 3124)
Treasurer - Bob Strickland - 9830 0749
Committee members - Barrie Gallacher, Eleanor Stephenson, John Cott, Jim Breen, Rosemary Buchanan.