Axe Creek Eppalock Newsletter

Incorporating news from the Eppalock Primary School, Axe Creek Fire Brigade & the Axe Creek Landcare Group.

Welcome to the Spring Issue Edition 56. Spring 2017

In this issue you will find useful information from the Axe Creek Fire Welcome
Brigade, specifically information to help you prepare for the fire
Community Notice Board
season ahead.
CFA News
We again congratulation Eppalock Primary School on another
award nomination in sustainability. Wishing them all the best for Eppalock PS Update
the October ResourceSmart Schools Awards ceremony. Axe Creek Playgroup

With national recycling week coming up in November, the Kids Landcares Latest
Corner is dedicated to recycling fun! Church News
As always, if you have something to share with the community, Community News
please email us at axecreeknews@gmail.com
Kids Corner
Sam Spence

Thank you to this issues

Contributors
Advertise your Business AND help the Community
John Wells - Axe Creek Fire
If you would like some great local exposure for a reasonable price, then advertise in the Brigade
next issue of the Axe Creek Eppalock Newsletter. Jason O'Neill & Marie Mannes
- Eppalock PS
Full Page $100
Chris Kirwan - Axe Creek
Half Page $50
Landcare
Quarter Page $25 Fees charged help cover printing costs.
Steve Weickhardt - Anglican
Parish
Advertising deadline for future issues:

Summer 2018 Dec 1st

Autumn 2018 Mar 2nd

Winter 2018 June 1st

Spring 2018 August 31st Contact us via axecreeknews@gmail.com

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 1
 Community Notice Board
Emergency Contact Numbers
Fire, Police & Ambulance 000
(life threatening or time critical emergencies only)

Vic Emergency Hotline 1800 226 226

Information about all emergencies, including bushfires, storms and floods

Burn Off Notifications 1800 668 511

Poisons Information 13 11 26
Wildlife Rescue Service 0419 356 433

Useful Websites Local Churches

CFA www.cfa.vic.gov.au
DSE www.dse.vic.gov.au
Strathfieldsaye Community Church
Vic Roads www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
920 Wellington St, Strathfieldsaye
Combined Service - Sunday Mornings 9.30am

School Terms St Josephs Catholic Church

2017 Cnr Axe Creek & Strathfieldsaye/Eppalock Rds.

Sunday Mornings 9am

Term 1
30 Jan 31 Mar All Welcome

Term 2
18 Apr 30 Jun

Term 3
Axe Creek CFA
17 Jul 22 Sept

Term 4 Captain Neil Irving-Dusting

9 Oct 22 Dec 5439 6388

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 2
 CFA News From Axe Creek Brigade
WINTER INCIDENTS
This year the winter months have been fairly quiet for our brigade, but sadly we have attended three
car accidents: two in the brigade area, and one towards Sutton Grange. Please drive carefully, and
help keep the statistics down!
WHATS HAPPENING AT THE FIRE STATION?
October will be a busy time for brigade members, with pre-season training to
refresh skills and to become familiar with new equipment. Amongst our new
devices are high-performance hose nozzles for the two fire trucks, purchased
with a grant of just over $2,200 from Emergency Management Victoria. With
these nozzles the operator can instantly adjust the spray pattern and the water
delivery rate, to make the most effective use of water while fighting fires under
rapidly changing conditions.
The brigade is also planning an exercise in responding to a motor vehicle acci-
dent, so that all members can become familiar with safe practices in this all-too
-common type of incident.

SEASONAL OUTLOOK
Fire authorities, with input from the Bureau of Meteorology, have estimated that many parts of Australia
(including much of Victoriathe red shaded area on the map), will have above average fire threat this
summer. Much of the state has had a succession of dry winters, leading to low subsoil moisture, so that
vegetation tends to dry out more quickly.
Of course trying to predict the severity of the fire season early
in the spring is very difficult. The pattern of rain and winds in
spring and early summer can change conditions greatly.
Do you feel that every year the CFA (and Emergency Man-
agement Victoria) tell us its going to be a bad summer, but
last year it didnt happen that way? Well, every year has the
potential to be a bad one, but whether that turns out to be
the case depends on unpredictable spring and summer
weather. The important thing is to start preparing now, be-
cause once the vegetation has dried out its too late.

HOW DO FIRE AGENCIES IDENTIFY LOCALITIES AT RISK?

The Victorian Fire Risk Register - Bushfire (VFRR-B) is a process in which representatives from local govern-
ment, fire services, public land managers, utilities and community groups map assets at risk from bushfire
and assess the level of risk to the asset.
Assets can include residential areas, children's services, hospitals, aged-care facilities, water and pow-
er distribution facilities, public buildings, commercial industry, tourism events, flora, fauna and areas that
are culturally significant.
The assessment of fire risk takes into account factors such as the distance from forest or other fuel, the
local terrain and access, potential sources of ignition, the consequences to the community should the
particular asset be burnt, and so on.
In regional areas such as Greater Bendigo the Municipal Fire Management Plan sets out what actions
will be taken to reduce the fire risk for the assets with the highest risk. These may include fuel reduction
(slashing, planned burns), fire prevention, or community education.
Instrumentalities such as CFA and FFMV (Forest and Fire Management Victoriathe fire management
divisions of DELWP and Parks Victoria) and the City of Greater Bendigo use the Fire Risk Register in setting
priorities for pre-season preparations like roadside slashing, planned burns, public meetings, and pre-
season publicity.
Parts of Axe Creek Fire Brigades area fall into the highest risk categorybut so do a lot of other areas
around Bendigo.

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 3
 PREPARE NOW FOR SUMMER
Prepare (or update) your bushfire action plan NOW
Experience has shown time and time again that those who have planned for an emergency are more
likely to survive with the least trauma, and to recover more rapidly.
Your familys bushfire action plan should have at least three parts:
What you are going to do before the fire season to prepare your house and your family for the threat of
bushfire.
What you are going to do when hot, dry and windy weather (= elevated fire danger!) is forecast.
The backup planwhat you are going to do of you are caught at home by a fire, and its too late to
leave.
The plan does not need to be long, but should include reminders of actions you need to take, and
items you need to take with you or secure at home. (Dont forget your pets and their needs.) Discuss the
plan with the family, and make sure that everyone knows whats in it.
If you really dont know where to start, you can download a template and an excellent set of hints from
the CFA website:
go to http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au > Plan & Prepare > Before and during a fire
> Your Bushfire Plan
then scroll down to Resources: Bushfire survival planning template Leaving early
and Your bushfire plan The basics
Give yourself a break
The first thing we need to do to protect our home from fire is to reduce the fuel around it, so hot fire
cant get close. Thats itmake a fire break right around the house.
Keep the grass mown all around the house. Once summer comes its dangerous to mow unless the
weather is cooler or damper, so this is a job for spring. Dont let the grass get away from you!
Remove dead material (branches, twigs and leaves) from garden shrubs. Note that some plants accu-
mulate lots of dry matter beneath the outer green foliage. This catches fire easily, and can form a
wick along which fire can get closer to the house.
Trim low hanging branches from trees near the house, so that fire near the ground wont be able to
climb up into the crown.
As much as possible keep garden beds, mulch and shrubs away from the house walls, and especially
from under windows.
Remove other flammable material (wood heaps, garden waste, scrap timber and so on) from around
the house
Guard the house against embers
As well as keeping flames away from the house we need to protect it from wind-borne embers. In high
winds these can penetrate small gaps in the roof, around windows or doors, or under the floor. In fact
more houses burn down from fires started from emberssometimes hours after the fire has passed
than from direct flame contact.
So another important spring job is to seal gaps in the outer fabric of the house. If you cant block them
with solid material cover the spaces with fine (metal) flywire, which will catch flying embers and con-
duct heat away so they cant ignite adjacent timber.
And if youre burning off dont forget to register your burn
This simple precaution can save our volunteer firefighters an unnecessary turn-out (and save you em-
barrassment) should somebody happen upon your fire and report it to 000. See details in the notice
elsewhere in this issue.

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 ARE YOU A CARER OF A YOUNG, OLD OR DISABLED PERSON?
Some people (very young, elderly, sick, physically or mentally impaired) are more vulnerable to risks
from bushfire. If you are a carer of such a personor peopleyou should know about a comprehensive
resource that can assist with planning for the bushfire season.
It provides Home and Community Care workersas well as family and friends caring for people in their
homeswith the information and tools they need to prompt and/or assist home care recipients to un-
derstand their risk and prepare a Leaving Early plan.
Find the link on the CFA website:
go to http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au > About Us > Publications > Plan and prepare
and scroll down to Fire Ready Carers Kit
FROM THE ARCHIVES
This report, from 1913, describes a fire that burnt from the Wellsford forest through Junortoun (then
known as Homebush) towards Axedale. I havent found any information about Grand View Hill in Ben-
digo. Can anybody help? (Might it have been One Tree Hill?)
Bendigo Advertiser Wednesday 5th February 1913
BUSH FIRE AT AXE CREEK
One of the largest bush fires that has been experienced in the Axe Creek district for many years broke
out yesterday afternoon. The fire started in the State forest behind the rifle butts at Wellsford, about 1.30
p.m. Aided by a strong wind, it took an easterly direction, and approached Mr. S. Lazarus's estate at
Homebush, nearly touching his property. It crossed the Mclvor-road twice, and then attacked Roberts's
property near the McIvor-road, about 1 miles further on.
A band of 20 men succeeded in saving Mr. Roberts's haystack, but the wind was too strong for them to
completely extinguish the fire. The band of firefighters was augmented at this stage by a gang of plate-
layers, who noticed that the fire was approaching the railway, and they at once attempted to save the
Government property. The members of the gang were Messrs. W. Fitzgerald (ganger), A. Waldock. J.
Mills, and C. Rowe, of Longlea station. When they arrived on the scene the fire was travelling through a
paddock belonging to Mr. Fitzpatrick, of the Farmers Arms Hotel, Homebnsh, situated about half a mile
from the hotel, and it destroyed about 36 acres of grass.
The next homesteads to be threatened were those of Crs. Doak and Hedges at Axedale, the fire going
towards the old Perseverance Hotel. About 150 men were doing their utmost to keep the fire within
bounds, and they prevented it from again crossing the McIvor-road. The water race and the Axe Creek
acted as barriers, but at a late hour last night the fire was still burning. The principal damage was
caused in the State forest, where a large quantity of timber was destroyed. The damage to private
property was comparatively light.
It is not known how the fire originated. The theory that it was caused by a spark from the engine of the
Heathcote train is discounted by the fact that the fire started fully 2 miles from the Heathcote line.
The smoke was plainly discernible from the city, the progress of the fire being followed with keen interest
by a large number of people. A number of citizens went to the top of Grand View Hill, and thus ob-
tained a good view of the fire.

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 5
 Axe Creek Fire Brigade
Burning Off
Burning off grass, stubble, weeds, undergrowth or oth-
er vegetation is generally permitted outside the Fire
Danger Period. Local laws on burn-offs can apply year-
round. Check with the local council before lighting up.

Before burning off:

Check and follow local regulations or laws set down

by CFA or your local council
Notify neighbours at least two hours before starting
the burn
Notify the Emergency Services Telecommunications
Authority (ESTA) on 1800 668 511
Check the weather forecast for the day of the burn
and a few days afterwards
Check the fuel moisture conditions
Establish a fire break of no less than three metres
cleared of all flammable material
Make sure there are enough people to monitor, con-
tain and extinguish the burn safely and effectively.

Register your burn-off:

All burn-offs should be registered with ESTA on 1800
668 511.
Please provide the following information about your
burn-off when registering:
Location
Date and expected start and finish times
Estimated size
What you intend to burn

Unregistered burn-offs can cause brigades to be called

out unnecessarily. Information that you provide may be
displayed on the Vic Emergency website (http://
emergency.vic.gov.au/) at the time of ignition, as well
as the VicEmergency app (http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/
plan-prepare/vicemergency-app) and internal incident
management systems. This may include the street
name and area where the planned burn you are regis-
tering will take place.

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 6
 Eppalock Primary School

Eppalock Primary School Finalist in Resourcesmart School Awards 2017

Eppalock Primary School has been named as a finalists in Victorias

biggest sustainability awards for schools the ResourceSmart Schools
Awards. These Awards recognise the sustainability achievements of
Victorian schools and their contribution to taking action on climate
change.

The finalists were announced by Minister for Energy, Environment and

Climate Change, Lily DAmbrosio, ahead of the presentation ceremony on Monday 16 th October.

In 2017 the Awards celebrates its tenth anniversary. This years awards focused on the theme a decade
of school wins for the environment and have inspired school communities to take sustainability and cli-
mate action, while providing learning opportunities for students.

Sustainability Victoria manage these Awards as part of the ResourceSmart Schools program to help
schools embed sustainability into everything they do, and acknowledge the steps schools are taking to
minimise waste, save energy and water, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

After several rounds of judging, Eppalock Primary School was announced as a finalist in two categories
Biodiversity School of the Year
Community Leadership School of the Year

At Eppalock Primary the Living Green / Sustainability program is led by our very dedicated staff member,
Lydia Fehring. Lydia works tirelessly with students and staff to
provide a wonderful environmental program that inspires students and our school community to take ac-
tion on sustainability and climate change as well as helping students through hands-on real-life learning
opportunities.

We are extremely proud and excited to be a finalist and look forward the Award ceremony on Monday
16th October at the IMAX Theatre Melbourne Museum.

KIWANIS TERRIFIC KIDS AWARD

Mr John Reid from the Kiwanis Club came out

Thoughtful
to present the term 3 Terrific Kids Award to
Liselle from grade 2/3. Liselle certainly is a Enthusiastic
Terrific Kid and deserves the award for term Respectful
3. Liselle is always polite and well-mannered
and always tries her best with her school
Responsible
work. She is a very positive role model for her Inclusive
peers. Well done
Friendly
Liselle and enjoy
Inquisitive
Caring

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 7
Camp

Term 3 saw the 3-6 group head to Melbourne to stay at the Urban Camp complex in Royal Park. 19 stu-
dents attended with our 3 adults, leaving on the Thursday morning and returning on Friday afternoon.

When we arrived in Melbourne we unpacked our

cases from the train and sent them off to camp
and we made our way to ACMI. It was great to
look at all the examples of technology and how
they have advanced over the years.

From there we headed to the MCG for a tour of

the stadium and also look at the National Sports
museum. We were able to walk out onto the hal-
lowed turf of the MCG and then sat on the actual
benches the AFL players use each week. It was
interesting to visit the football and cricket change
room and also see where the cricketers sit and
watch their team mates. In the National Sports
museum we were able to see the photo taken of
past Eppalock students playing cricket on a dried
up Lake Eppalock.

We then made our way back to camp via public

transport which was a terrific learning experience.
We had our tea and then headed back out to the
Eureka Sky deck at night. The lights of Melbourne
seemed never ending and it was hard to spot key
landmarks with so many lights.

The next morning we watched a dinosaur movie

at IMAX theatre and it was good to be able to sit
down for a while and rest our legs. After a quick
shopping tour of the Vic Market and a few small
purchases we finally made it to the Aquarium. It
was great looking at the different marine life there
and we were able to link some of our classroom
learning. The turtles, crocodile and penguins were
a hit with everyone.

A few people had a quick sleep on the train on

the way home as we were very tired. Overall it
was an amazing
experience for
everyone involved
and once again
the students of Ep-
palock PS repre-
sented the school
really well. A huge
thanks to Di
Riepsamen for her
excellent organisa-
tion and to Miran-
da for coming with
us.

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 8
SCOPE & ART GALLERY

We have been very privileged to have partnered with SCOPE Disability Services to create a number of art-
works over the last 12 months. Marnie, Emily, Jamie, Nikki, Lyn, Chris and some of the other artists at SCOPE
have shown us some terrific techniques with pottery, resin, spray paint and other art mediums; and their
generous, caring and humourous personalities have made each experience all the more enjoyable.

We've learnt so much from them! For example, how to create eye-catching space street art, nature neck-
laces, pottery pendants and most recently, chia seed pets. I wonder what we might create next?

For our most recent art lesson, the SCOPE artists visited our Prep - Grade 2 students and the Grade 3 - 6 stu-
dents caught the bus to SCOPE and were able to work with the artists in their art space. Both groups
worked on these beautiful chia seed pets and the pottery wheel.

The Grade 3-6s also shared morning tea and lunch with the artists and got to see their amazing garden
before heading to the Art Gallery together with Marnie and Heidi from SCOPE (artist & teacher, respective-
ly) to visit the Rona Green exhibition. The Prep-Grade 2s also visited the Rona Green exhibition the follow-
ing week.

Rona Green studied here in Bendigo and has used

printmaking techniques to create a number of
thought-provoking and clever artworks that pair the
head of an animal onto a human body with lots of
other surprises and things to look at! But she doesn't
choose just any animal. Some of the students might
be able to tell you what kind of animal she tends to
choose. Students then set about creating their own
Rona Green inspired artworks - and WOW! So many
unique and beautiful ideas!

So what's next? We're about to explore printmaking further during art sessions back at school.

Di Riepsamen
4/5/6 Teacher

Bush Tucker Garden

A highlight of term 3 has been the creation of a Bush Food & Fibre garden in partnership with Axe Creek
Landcare Group.

The project really brought our community together with the vision of teaching children to value and appre-
ciate plants native to the region. It also allowed children and families to learn about the Dja Dja Wurrung
and indigenous culture generally.

A variety of indigenous and native plants were planted in the garden which we will be able to use to taste
and weave with in the future. We planted 100 food & fibre plants...we even taste tested some tubers
when we planted and the children thought they were yum.

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At school we have been working very hard to learn about how Aboriginal people used indigenous plants
in our area. This helps us understand what is being planted in our Bush tucker garden.

We have learned all about tubers, seeds, fruits and leaves and how Aboriginals have used 65,000 years of
knowledge to develop an in depth understanding of plants!

We have also learned that the Aboriginal people were the first bakers in the world...with the idea that the
first bread was probably made right here in Australia using native grass seed!

Young, not-so-young and in-between participated in the two working bees and everyone loved utilising
our community kitchen in the cold drizzly weather!

Thanks to Neangar Nursery for their fantastic indigenous plant knowledge and product and Ken for throw-
ing in some ready to go edibles! Thank you to Axe Creek Landcare who applied for the grant and built
the garden (with help from some very keen small Landcarers!).

We look forward to watching it grow!

Come in and learn from our Bush food & fibre posters that we have created. You probably have some of
these plants in your backyard!

**Never eat anything that hasn't been recommended by someone knowledgeable in this area. Some
plants are VERY poisonous.

Tree Planting
As part of National Tree Day we spent an afternoon of tree planting in Junortoun. Although the day was
very chilly, the childrens enthusiasm kept them warm and busy planting lots of trees, shrubs and grasses
along the OKeefe Rail Trail to improve habitat and water quality of our local ecosystem. The afternoon
was a great success and proudly supported by Longlea Landcare Group, Friends of the OKeefe Rail
Trail, City of Greater Bendigo and Bendigo Toyota.

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 10
When Mondays 1.30 pm 3.15 pm
Thursdays 1.30 pm 3.15 pm
Where Eppalock PS Old School Building.149 Patons Road Axe Creek
(just a few minutes from Strathfieldsaye)

Come along and join other families for a cuppa and chat whilst your pre-school children enjoy lots of fun
activities. Fresh fruit is provided.

Morning Tea & activities provided.

Gold Coin Donation per child.

For further information please

phone (03) 5439 6366
email: eppalock.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
http://www.eppalockps.vic.edu.au
All Welcome

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 11
 Axe Creek Landcare
The Axe Creek Landcare Committee meets at Eppalock Primary School
in the Community Room
on the first Monday of each month
at 8.00 pm during the daylight saving months
or at 7.30 when we are on EST.

Meetings and activities of interest to the general public are advertised on the notice
board in the Strathfieldsaye Shopping Centre.

Members of the community are always welcome to attend any meeting!

The 201718 Landcare Year got off to a good start with the election of an enthusiastic committee at the
September meeting. Chris Kirwan was gratefully thanked for agreeing to be President for a second year.

In his Presidents report for 201617 Chris commented on the committees decision to restrict time spent in
business meetings and to spend more time on constructive and appealing activities to involve a greater
number of people. A Good Decision, it was felt!

A year filled with interesting activities

We installed nesting boxes at the Stony Crossing Reserve

early in the year. Some birds and animals are already using
them.

The collaboration with Eppalock School this year culminated

in two joint working bees. The Landcare Group had ob-
tained a grant to cover the cost of materials, soil, mulch and
plants to enable us to establish a Bush Tucker Garden at the
The site for a new bush garden
school. Who would have thought a garden could be
established from scratch and planted out in less than two
weeks? It was done on two successive Saturdays by about
30 school parents and children and Landcare members. The
children planted out the plants
during class time the next week.

Interesting talks and presentations during 201617 included:

visits to the gardens of three members, a talk on the creation
of a permaculture garden in Timor Leste, a bird identification
walk followed by a brunch, a talk about bees and bee
keeping, a discussion about climate change, a presentation A week later: ready to plant

by Mr Trent Nelson, Dja Dja Wurrung Ranger Team Leader,

Parks Victoria & Chairman Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Corporation, on the Indigenous heritage of the area and
a panel discussion about local weeds. A number of those activities were accompanied by delicious
meals.

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The group took advantage of the opportunity offered by the 2016 Strathfieldsaye Community Carnival to
introduce itself to local people. That seemed so worthwhile that we will be there with a stall again at this
years Carnival.

Chris pointed out that planning was well underway for the second Biennial Spring at Pilchers Bridge, which
will be held at 178 Huddle Road Myrtle Creek on Saturday 7th October. (See your invitation in the box that
follows.)

At its next meeting the group will be planning activities for the next year as well as developing a long term
plan for the next three years, Chris announced.

The group is seeking new members, particularly young people with IT skills. Please come to our next meet-
ing and put forward your ideas for future activities!

At the AGM the group decided, once again, not to increase its membership fee so it continues to be only
$25.00 pa per landholder (which includes all members of a household) and $15.00 pa for students and
concession card holders.

Everyone is invited to enjoy Spring At Pilchers Bridge

A free event at 178 Huddle Road, Myrtle Creek
All day Saturday 7th October
Be an early riser and arrive in time for a bird spotting walk at 8.00 am followed
by breakfast pancakes. Enjoy a nature ramble. View a film of a recent trial con-
trolled burn using cool indigenous burn techniques. Educate yourself at inter-
esting talks and demonstrations on fire season preparation, hollow-dwelling fau-
na of the box-ironbark forests, orchids and flowering eucalypts. Check out the
displays.
Lunch for sale provided by Eppalock School.

Poo Pile!
Need manure for your
garden? Bags available
from out the front of
125 Axe Creek Rd at
$2.00 each or phone
54393144 for a trailer
load at $10-$15.00 per
load.

All proceeds to Riding

for the Disabled Associ-
ation.

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 13
CURSE THOSE WEEDS OR EMBRACE THEM
A lively discussion about weeds followed the reports and elections at the AGM.
Some of the audience brought along weed specimens for identification and there were many ques-
tions for the panel members who proved very able at answering them. Bernie Mannes, local organic
dairy farmer, Adrian Martins from the Loddon Campaspe Catchment Management Authority and Ben
Kroker from the Melton City Council Environment Department shared their extensive knowledge and
opinions.
To summarise the discussion conclusions would be too hard, but here are a sample of the opinions put
forward for you to think about.
Managing weeds is as easy as ABC Accurate knowledge, Better attitude (It can be how we think
about the weeds that makes them a problem. Slashed weeds can make useful mulch, for example)
Consistent effort.
Some garden plants (both exotic and native) escape easily and become environmental weeds. In
many cases we could choose local options for our gardens that would be similar to and as pleasing as
the potential environmental weed. Local wattles give pretty yellow flowers without presenting the
problems of montpellier broom, for example.
Weeds can be considered a symptom of other things, eg spiny rush thrives in salty soil, most weeds
prefer an acid soil. Think about correcting the underlying problem.
The use of organic alternatives to conventional herbicides has some appeal. However, being
natural does not necessarily make a weedicide good or effective. Using salt and vinegar against
weeds, for example, does the soil no good at all!
Well-directed spraying of conventional herbicides according to the manufacturers directions can
have a role with weed management.
Most annual weeds can be largely eradicated in 3 or 4 years. Mow (repeatedly) or pull out before
they seed, mulch heavily. Give the plants you prefer a fighting chance of outcompeting the weeds.

LANDCARE BENEFITS FROM INDIGENOUS HERITAGE

The Axe Creek Landcare Group is enjoying our developing relationship with Trent Nelson who is Chair-
man of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Corporation and also Dja Dja Wurrung Ranger Team Leader at Parks
Victoria.

Trent gave an engrossing and wide ranging talk at our July meeting.
He began with observations about the decline in our areas aboriginal population following the advent
of the whites (from about 3,000 to about 300 people) and then its gradual regrowth so that now it is
approaching pre-white levels. Trent went on to describe the local tribes as gentle nomadic people, not
given much to fighting except when set upon by people from outside their borders who were maybe
stealing their women.

Following settlement by white graziers the life and culture of the indigenous groups was changed. They
lost knowledge of bush tucker and bush medicines and had to rely on western food and medicines.
Many got jobs working for whites, Trent saidwomen in the kitchens and men working outdoors.

As Trent continued, he spoke about the tangible cultural heritagescar trees, rocks for axe sharpening
and stone toolsand told us where some can be found in the district. Hed brought some examples of
small items to show us. Greenstone, which comes from Mt Camel and Mt William and is very hard was a
valuable asset for aborigines both for its use and for trading. Artefacts are still out there in the land-
scape, he said, but they are deteriorating--and they are hard to find. The extensive earthmoving need-
ed for the Ravenswood Interchange has provided an occasion for some archaeological work resulting
in the discovery of a midden on the site. Carbon dating has shown that the midden was about 31,000
years old.

Trent went on to describe his current roles in relation to State Parks and reserves that are to be jointly
managed by Dja Dja Wurrung (who hold the title of the jointly managed parks) and Parks Victoria.
Trent is involved in the development of the joint management plan which recognises that some natural
park values have been lost over the years and aspires to enhance the values that remain.

One part of Trents talk that particularly interested the Landcare group concerned experiments with
Indigenous Burning techniques that Dja Dja Wurrung has been carrying out. There will be more on this
topic at the Spring At Pilchers Bridge event in October and we will leave writing about it till the Sum-
mer edition of the newsletter.

axecreeknews@gmail.com Issue 56 14
 Church News
Theres a pandemic going on, and Im not talking about the rotten cold virus that is knocking everyone
over around the district. Its a growing sense of panic, an inability to concentrate, a need for activity. Its
called distraction.

This distraction affects us all differently. For some it is the non-stop mobile phone notifications and social
media demands. For others it is the need to be needed, to be busy enough not to think about the deeper
issues they are trying to block out.

All of this affects our ability to respond in healthy ways when things go wrong. Instead we might neglect,
reject, lash out, go silent, or generally default to levels of behaviour we are deeply ashamed of. And
shame compounds our fear and distraction, and the cycle spirals on.

Is this you? Sometimes, this is me.

We are a highly complex mix of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual being. We were created to be in
good relationship with other people, and above all, with the God who created us.

He understands the effect of the stresses and pressures we are under even better than we ourselves do. He
knows the effect it all has on our soul, and that our soul becomes distressed under all of it. Our soul fights to
be free from the disaster of constant distraction.

In Jesus, God confronted head on the pressure and disaster of distraction. Jesus frequently taught His fol-
lowers to find in God all that they required, to spend time in quietness to allow the soul to re-create. At
Easter we are reminded of everything Jesus did to renew and recreate all who turn to Him and find in Him
new life. God will lift their souls up, embrace and make them new.

In this age of instant communication, instant invitation, instant information and instant affirmation, God
knows every single bit of it and calls us to find a better way. Keep the phone, but be use the power-off
button. Access social media, but on your terms. Be affirmed for the person you are, not the image you try
to present. Know who you are instead of trying to be everything for everyone else.

If you would like to find ways to tend to your soul and gain freedom from the disaster
of distraction, its time to pray. Prayer is the God-given gift of soul-care, and is the way
of freedom from the cycle of distraction, bad response and shame.

We would love to pray with you if you are willing. Were not that hard to find.

Your local Rev,

Steve.

The Strathfieldsaye Community Church has a hall available for hire for small to
medium size groups with heating, kitchen facilities and toilets all under the same roof,
and plenty of parking.
Contact details are on the sign on the front of our Church at 920 Wellington Street,
Strathfieldsaye. Please note that no alcohol is permitted.

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email us at axecreeknews@gmail.com

Community Gamelan group

Mugi Rahayu is your local gamelan (Javanese music and dance) group. We are from
Eppalock and we practice weekly and perform at various cultural events and fund-
raisers around the district. No experience required and its free.
New members Welcome
Practice every Saturday 2:00 pm at 101 Carneys Rd, Eppalock.
Contact Nita or Aaron phone: 54392678
email: aaronita94@gmail.com

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Source | recyclingweek.planetark.org

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