Volume 40 - Autumn 2024

Trust for Nature staff measuring an ancient River Red Gum in the City of Whittlesea.

New land tax exemptions for conservation land

The State Revenue Office has recently adopted changes to land tax laws, providing a land tax exemption for any land subject to a Trust for Nature conservation covenant.

This new exemption has the potential to provide financial relief to local landowners who have protected, or plan to protect, the native plants and animals on their property.

A conservation covenant is a legally binding, on-title agreement between landowners and Trust for Nature (a not-for-profit organisation set up under the Victorian Conservation Trust Act 1972) which permanently protects and conserves private land that has natural, cultural and scientific values.

Currently there are over 1600 properties protected with a conservation covenant across Victoria and a number of those are found right here in the City of Whittlesea.

Trust for Nature has recently been working with local landowners in the municipality to help them manage and protect important Grassy Eucalypt Woodland on their property. They are focussing on Grassy Eucalypt Woodlands as they are a critically endangered vegetation community that has been reduced to less than five percent of its original extent.

As part of this work, eligible landowners who have Grassy Eucalypt Woodland on their land can choose to enter into a covenant at no cost to themselves, helping to protect the majestic River Red Gums, and the wildlife that live there.

A representative of Trust for Nature has said “this land tax exemption creates an extra incentive for those land holders who currently pay land tax and who wish to protect their Grassy Eucalypt Woodlands. It may also help individuals and families elsewhere in the City of Whittlesea, or across the state, who want to explore protecting their property with a conservation covenant.”

For those landowners who already have a conservation covenant on their land, once you receive your land tax assessment notice you can then apply for the conservation covenant exemption. Any part of the land that falls outside of the covenanted area will retain the existing tax liability.

If you want to find out more Trust for Nature's covenanting program and the recent tax exemptions, click here to visit their website or call 8632 5888.

The U3A caters to the over 50s community with a range of educational pursuits.

Whittlesea University of the Third Age

Are you over 50 years old and retired or semi-retired? Want to keep your brain and body active and make new friends? Want to share your skills and experience with others? Then you should consider joining the Whittlesea University of the Third Age (U3A).

The U3A stands for University of the Third Age, which is a community of people devoted to learning. They are a volunteer co-operative of older people who share many educational, creative and leisure activities.

This year, the City of Whittlesea’s Conservation Management Team and Whittlesea’s U3A are resuming a monthly environmental program, focussing on the restoration of Quarry Hills Regional Parkland in South Morang - the Quarry Hills Senior Stewards Program.

The 2024 program started with an introductory speaker and discussion about Quarry Hills. The second session introduced the global City Nature Challenge event, discussed the importance of citizen science and provided participants instructions on how to use the iNaturalist app. The third session will take a deep dive into Quarry Hills’ unique biodiversity, ecosystems, and restoration efforts.

Each session will include a program discussion after each speaker, giving interested U3A members an opportunity to provide input into the planning of the rest of the years’ program. The remaining sessions for the year will include a combination of hands-on conservation activities, guided walks, flora and fauna surveys, plant propagation in a small-scale nursery and citizen science activities.

If you are interested in conservation, developing a sense of stewardship for the landscape, the life cycle of plants or walking in nature, then the Quarry Hills Senior Stewards Program is for you.

If that doesn’t strike a chord, Whittlesea U3A also offers courses in craft, computers, dance, exercise, health, language, sport, heritage, music, writing to name a few.

Click here to find out more information about becoming a U3A Whittlesea member.

The new Whittlesea service hub is located at 63 Church Street, Whittlesea.

Whittlesea service hub

Our recently opened Whittlesea Service Hub is making it easier and more convenient for our residents in the north to interact with Council. Residents can drop in to chat with our customer service team from 9.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

We’ve also got a range of specialist Council staff available throughout the week, who can provide advice or information relating to particular areas; for example, on Mondays you can come and speak to someone from our rates team. Other specialist staff available include our business concierge on Tuesdays, building services on Wednesdays and on Thursday we will have someone from our planning team on hand.

Feel free to pop in and say hello to our friendly team at the Whittlesea Service Hub, located at 63 Church Street, Whittlesea.

The use of drones and goats are a couple of alternatives to traditional weed control techniques.

Showcasing innovations in weed control

On 22 March, the City of Whittlesea ran an event to showcase a range of new and emerging technologies for weed control.

The objective was to support landowners to comply with Council’s Pest Plant Local Law by showcasing new and emerging technologies.

Drone weed management companies are developing rapidly and offer a less labour intensive and accurate delivery of herbicide for small to medium sized pasture situations. They are also less restricted by ground conditions such as rocky ground and difficult to access situations.

A drone spraying exhibitor showed us the precision and efficiency that drones provide and the fast evolving features they offer land managers.

Hot water is a fairly new treatment method and can offer land managers a non-selective weed control option. The treatment works by applying a curtain of hot water that cooks the weeds causing them to defoliate. At this stage it mainly deals with ground level annual weeds and some perennials with shallow root systems, but the technology is always evolving.

The use of goats is another fast developing weed control option and increasing numbers of operators are going into business. A third exhibitor took us through their awesome weed munching goats. They have been found to be particularly useful for weeds like Gorse and Blackberry which typically need years of treatment with herbicides.

Thanks to Dronespray, Acacia Environmental and Two Girls and their Goats for presenting at the event.

To learn more about alternative weed control technologies feel free to contact Council's Rural and Environmental Planning Team on 9217 2170 or via email. 

Spraying to create a dead zone prior to planting can greatly aid in plant establishment.

Preparing for success

Have you ever spent hours of back breaking work digging holes and planting seedlings only for them to struggle to survive and thrive?

As we head into the planting season here are a couple things to consider to give your revegetation planting the best chance of establishing and growing to their full potential.

Preparation is key

Depending on where you’re planning on undertaking your revegetation the ground may be heavily compacted from previous land uses, for example old vehicle or stock routes. Compacted soils have low water and air infiltration so breaking up the soil through ripping reintroduces water and air back into the soil profile which will aid plant root growth.

Ripping or cultivation also makes planting a lot easier, but be mindful of ripping on slopes and in dispersive soils as this can lead to erosion.

Creating a “dead zone” where you are going to plant aids in seedling establishment by removing competition in the immediate vicinity. Spot spraying with a non-selective herbicide to kill pasture grasses and herbs up to 50cm in diameter will greatly assist new plants. Try and keep it weed free for 12 months during the initial plant establishment period. If you don’t want to use herbicide, chipping out the grass achieves the same result.

Even little things like digging holes a week or two prior to planting and then filling with water a couple times will soften the soil and get water into the soil profile. This will assist tubestock plants with the transition from a nursery life to real-world conditions.

Ensure plants are planted deep enough and the tops covered with excavated soil so no potting mix is exposed, and water in well at time of planting. Protect with tree guards or fencing and provide additional watering during hot and dry periods in the first few months.

For advice on revegetation contact Council's Rural and Environmental Planning Team on 9217 2170 or click here to send us an email  

Click here to download our Revegetation Guidelines factsheet.

Brush-tailed Phascogale and Cunningham's Skink captured on remote sensing cameras.

Snapping up new records with wildlife cameras

Ever wondered if the dense scrub at the back of the block might be home to something cryptic or rare? Or whether the hollow in that old tree harbours something that only emerges at night?

Wildlife cameras are a simple and effective means to observe what fauna may be around. Perfect for the armchair naturalist, ‘set and forget’ is the name of the game. All you need to do is choose a location where animals are likely to live and/or visit.

The Conservation Reserves team at the City of Whittlesea has gained extensive experience with wildlife cameras through its annual surveys of Northern Landfill Conservation Reserve in Epping. The reserve includes a section of the eastern escarpment of Merri Creek, with a number of different habitats.

Over several days in December each year wildlife cameras are set up at locations where animals are likely to frequent, for example, basking spots on boulders next to crevices to target reptiles, in and around dense shrubs for mammals.

Last year’s camera survey picked up the first confirmed record for the municipality of the Spotless Crake, a cryptic wetland bird species. Also recorded were a diversity of reptiles (Eastern Brown Snake, Lowland Copperhead, Cunningham’s Skink) and mammals (Short-beaked Echidna, Black Wallaby) which underscore the significance of the Merri Creek corridor for wildlife.

Whittlesea Landcare will be participating in a guided site visit at Northern Landfill Conservation Reserve in May- click here to email us if you're interest in more information.

Home energy audit kits are available for loan from libraries.

A library loan to cut your energy bills

The City of Whittlesea has recently purchased four home energy efficiency audit kits for residents keen to improve the thermal comfort of their home and farm buildings and reduce power bills. The kits have been added to the Yarra Plenty Regional Library system including at the Whittlesea Community Activity Centre (57-61 Laurel Street, Whittlesea).

The kits enable residents to gather data to help inform how you can make small changes around your home and farm to make positive impacts for your comfort, budget and the environment.

A thermal imaging camera can help identify draughts and heat/cold leaks in the shell of your home or shed. A Power-Mate device will enable you to measure electricity consumption for your appliances and pumps when in use and on standby. A thermometer is supplied to check the accuracy of your fridge, freezer, heating, and cooling thermostats.

The kit also includes a water flow rate cup to measure the flow from your water outlets and therefore identify opportunities for improvements.

Each kit includes detailed instructions and can be borrowed just like borrowing a library book.

A number of energy efficiency events have already been organised for 2024, with more in the planning stage. These workshops will explore in more detail the various options for improving home energy efficiency.

Click here for more information on upcoming events or send us an email.