Events fall broadly into three categories, but there is considerable overlap.
- Social. Two major events in the annual calendar are a Member dinner and the end-of-year BBQ. All events are sociable and fun!
- Educational. Each year we aim to have at least four primarily informative events, with topics raised by members or driven by the interests of the organising group.
- Hands-on planting sessions, or roadside weeding sessions.
There are photos on the Gallery page
Events 2024
Events on this page will be updated regularly. For more information on events see the latest copy of the newsletter.
Saturday 7 December – Christmas BBQ
When: 6.30pm – late
Where: Wesley Park, Newham
BYO plate for shared table, egg for toss, chair or picnic rug, drinks glasses, plates, utensils. BBQ items provided by Landcare
RSVP to secretaryndlg@gmail.com by December 5th
Bushfire Risk and Biodiversity events
Learn how to manage your property for bushfire risk and biodiversity conservation in two back to back events:
1. Friday 25th October
Local fire risk & “Landscaping for Bushfire”
Presentation & discussion run by CFA Statewide Vegetation Management Team leader Daniel Idczak, and Andrew Govanstone State Vegetation Management Team, Flora
Where: Newham Mechanics Institute, 6:30 drinks for 7-9 pm session.
No booking required. Flyer
2. Saturday 26th October
Field Day on a local property, 10am-3pm, lunch provided
Join CFA’s Statewide Vegetation Management team as above in discussion with David Cheal (Fire Ecologist and honorary research fellow, Federation University), and Tanya Loos (local Fauna Ecologist, Science Author) to undertake practical assessments on a local property and to discuss the decision processes in managing your land to mitigate fire risk and preserve conservation values.
Registration is essential at Eventbrite where further details are provided. Flyer
October 6 Saturday – A Spring day out at Newham: Member planting day
Help turn farm dams into habitat nodes by joining Lucy and Barnaby on their property at Newham. Our planting efforts will be rewarded by a hearty lunch.
Where: 84 Bryce’s Lane, Newham
When: 9.30am – 12.30 planting, followed by lunch
What to bring: water bottle, sunscreen, wear sturdy shoes
RSVP & queries to Barnaby Olson: 84bryceslane@gmail.com by October 3rd with any special dietary requirements
September 20th Friday – AGM and a special guest speaker Professor Tom Griffiths AO.
‘This continent of smoke’: fire in our lives and landscapes
The first Australians were possibly lured to the southern continent by smoke over a blue, oceanic horizon. They were the most adventurous humans on Earth, crossing one of the great planetary boundaries to make their home in a land like no other. In the last 250 years, the British invasion of Australia has unleashed an accelerating cultural and ecological revolution on Aboriginal lands. What does the deep and recent history of fire reveal about the place in which we live?
Tom Griffiths is a writer and historian who lives in the Macedon Ranges. He is Emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University and a prize-winning author. His books include Hunters and Collectors; Forests of Ash: An environmental history; Slicing the Silence: Voyaging to Antarctica, and The Art of Time Travel: Historians and their craft. In 2009-12, he worked with people in the Yarra Valley who experienced the Black Saturday firestorm, and they produced a book called Living with Fire.
Tom will be joined by Debbie Miller, an author and conservationist visiting from Alaska, who will say a few words about her work as a wilderness campaigner in the north. So it will be an evening of fire and ice!
When: 6.30pm drinks and nibbles; 7.00 AGM, 7.15 guest speaker and questions. Supper to follow.
Where: Newham Mechanics Hall
RSVP: Helen Scott, email or 0412 582 526
Flyer
Article in NDLG Newsletter Spring 2024, p.10-13
August 17th Saturday – New members dinner
Where: Newham Mechanics Hall
Time: 6.30>
RSVP and queries to Penny or 0418 396837
Bring something for the shared table – savoury or sweet and BYO drinks
See flyer
May 19 Sunday – Stephen Murphy at Kolora
A very special day with Steve Murphy of Recreating the Country, walking and talking about Sustainable Biorich Landscapes at the Kny’s local property Kolora. Steve will bring copies of his updated and expanded book at a discounted price of $30. It provides easy-to-read practical guidelines for restoring natural landscapes. At its heart are ten design principles, observed from nature, for land managers to apply a new form of revegetation – the sustainable ‘biorich plantation’.
Agenda at Kolora, 279 Shelton’s Rd, Newham:
- 9.45 am for 10.00 am start
- 10.00 to 10.30 presentation on design principles in the conference room
- 10.30 to 12.30 field walk discussing biodiversity plantings, shelterbelts, fauna, managing and restoring grasslands and grassy woodlands
- 12.30 to 1.30 picnic lunch provided at the old shearing shed
- 1.30 to 2.00 walk back along Garden Hut Creek discussing creek restoration.
RSVP essential for catering by 15 May to: email Penny Roberts or 0418 396 837. Please indicate any dietary issues
Flyer
Article in NDLG newsletter no.73, Winter 2024 pp.5-8
May 12th Sunday. Planting Corner of Jim and Boundary Rd Newham
In recent years we’ve not had many ‘member plantings’. They are remembered by participants as an enjoyable way to spend an Autumn morning …. and they have been missed. So, join the landowners of this property and other Landcare volunteers to assist with the revegetation of a stretch of denuded creekline.
South of the Jim Jim, it will tie in with mature Eucalypts on the adjacent roadside and remnant on the Jim itself. Rehabilitation of waterways is a logical step towards landscape connectivity for wildlife, with the added bonus of improved water quality.
When: planting 9.30 – 12.30 followed by lunch (the super-keen are welcome to stay for an afternoon session as well..)
Where: SE corner of Jim Rd and Boundary Rd Newham. Enter by Jim Rd, the gate is close to Boundary Rd and will be marked by Landcare A-frame.
Bring: gloves, drinking water, picnic rug/seat
RSVP to Penny with numbers and any special dietary requirements (penroberts@bigpond.com or sms to 0418 396837)
Article in NDLG newsletter no.73, Winter 2024 pp.9-10
May 5th Sunday. Anderson Rd triangle
Join us for a morning of planting, corner of Anderson and Boundary Roads, followed by a picnic lunch. We’ll be adding under-storey trees and shrubs to recent plantings that extended the revegetation east of the small dam, along with massed Spiny Mat-rush and Tall Tussock Grass. (Photos of the Triangle’s evolution are in your latest newsletter).
When: 9.30am to 12.30pm planting. Lunch to follow
RSVP to Penny: penroberts@bigpond.com or 0418396837 with any dietary requirements
BYO drinking water, gloves, picnic rug/chair
Free native plans for your property
NDLG is giving away 4000 indigenous local plants to landowners in the Cobaw Biolink, thanks to a Biolink Boost Grant. See flier
When: April 14 and 21, 10am – 1pm, Wesley Park, Newham, plants and advice from Landcare members
April 25 – May 16, 4-6pm at Newham Store – Plant pick up.
Queries or other arrangements via Penny Roberts or Howard Stirling
April 16 Tuesday – Night time visitors insect survey
Where: at the Anderson Rd triangle from 6.00 pm,
corner of Andersons Road & Boundary Rd, Newham. Parking: along Boundary Rd north of the Anderson Rd intersection. Bring a torch, and perhaps a chair or rug.
Join noted local Field Naturalist, John Walter, for a Light Sheet Survey at our Anderson Road site to observe local insect life after dark.
John will set up special lights designed to attract insects and will be on site until midnight recording all of the insect visitors. The lights will be turned on at sunset a little before 6.00 pm but it will most likely be 6.30 before the insects begin to arrive in larger numbers.
While most visitors are likely to be moths, it is also common to see Lacewings, Crickets, Katydids, Beetles, Mantids, Leaf and Tree Hoppers, small Wasps, Flies plus many other insect groups.
Newham primary School staff and families are joining us and running a BBQ – all are welcome to come from 4.30 to see site changes, refreshments from 5pm – RSVP to Penny Roberts if you wish to partake in them.
Article in NDLG newsletter no.73, Winter 2024 p.14
Newham Primary School is running a series of Biodiversity Workshops to which Landcare and community members are invited: 27 February on Pollinators, 13 March on Weed ID, 26 March on Animal and nest box monitoring, 17 April TBC on Carbon sequestration. Details are on this flyer.
Sunday 3 March – Clean Up Australia Day
Paul Carter is organising a Newham site participation in Clean Up Australia Day.
10.00am kick off – finish around midday. Meet at the Newham Store, 2 Don’s Road Newham to clean along Anderson Road.
Please register your participation by using the link below and click (Join this site) then complete your details.
Site Name: Anderson road, Newham (Newham Store)
Site Number: 46536
Site URL: Clean Up Australia – Anderson road, Newham (Newham Store)