I was asked to do a 30 minute interview on 3WBC radio (94.1FM Whitehorse Boroondara Community Radio) with Jim Mead of Greening Australia and Viarnne Mischon of "Wonderful World Media Network" on the 26 March, talking about Burke Rd. Billabong Reserve and the Friends Group. There should be a podcast of the interview available and I will link to it on the website.
WILDLIFE
While working in the 2013 area on 22 March I saw and photographed the kangaroo. Melbourne Water have also reported seeing the kangaroo in this area.
The ephemeral wetland has dried out and the billabong level has fallen, hence there are fewer waterbirds in the reserve.
MICROBATS
There were four microbats in 1 tube on 24 March. All were Gould's Wattled bats, and all females. Three of the four assessed were banded and all were from Burke Rd. Reserve. It is becoming clearer that the Burke Rd. bats are a totally different colony to the Wilson Reserve bats. At this time of year the young males will leave the colony and find a home elsewhere while the females will stay with mum (and grandma.)
A recent article in the Age...
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/go-batty-in-your-own-backyard-but-only-if-trees-are-left-alone-20120404-1wd85.html
gives a broad overview of bats in Melbourne.
I have started some plants for this year's planting -70 Goodenias. 120 Poas, 30 Fishweed goosefoot (Einadia trigonis), 20 Native raspberry (Rubus parvifolius) 40 Bidgee-widgee (Acaena nova-zelandiae) so far. Plans are for these and more plants from VINC to go into the 2013 area mid-year as Melbourne Water are doing direct seeding trials in the 2012 area.
COMMUNITY WORK DAYS
In March nine people attended the Friday work day and weeded more of the 2008 area and planted 40 Dichondra and Poa labs. Three attended the Sunday work day and we worked on the 2008 area again. This area is looking very good now and hopefully will need only minor maintenance in future.
RMIT CaLM (1st year) students visited the reserve as part of their restoration studies on 14 March.
OTHER WORK
I have worked on some more weed trees in the 2009/10 and woodland areas. They now appear to be changing colour a little early. David and Melbourne Water have sprayed a lot of blackberries in the 2013 area and I have slashed and pulled out some kapok vine along the golf course fence. I have done some maintenance slashing in the woodland and 2008 (picnic) areas, and beside the shared path.
FRIDAY 13 APRIL 2012
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
&
SUNDAY 29 APRIL 2012
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Stanley Barker,
Burke Rd. Billabong Committee of Management.
www.vicnet.net.au/~fobrb