We recognise the rich Aboriginal heritage of this country and acknowledge the Wurundjeri Willum Clan and Taungurung People as the Traditional Owners of lands within the City of Whittlesea. 

Welcome to the June-July 2024 edition of Living Green, a newsletter that provides tips for the season and information on how to get involved in nature and your local community. 

We find ourselves nestled between the Wurundjeri seasons of Waring (Wombat season) which covers April-July and Guling (Orchid season) which happens in August. Days are becoming cooler and the sun is going down earlier. Mornings are often misty and you can find moth and fungi species by the creeks. Like wombats basking in the daytime sun, you may find yourself seeking warmth whenever you can find it. If you're a gardener, now is the time you should consider planting peas, garlic, sweet peas, and herbs which thrive in the cooler weather. Learn about other veggies to plant in June here.

We hope you enjoy this newsletter and will check out our upcoming events which give you an opportunity to connect with like-minded people, enjoy our natural world, and care for Country.

Gaming for solutions and preparedness

City of Whittlesea Council's Emergency Management and Sustainable Environment teams have collaborated with Amble Studio and Deakin University to create The Adaptation Game for City of Whittlesea. The game has been run in other nearby councils and is becoming a popular way to prepare for emergencies. 

This cooperative game is based on local data about issues that face Whittlesea residents such as grass and bushfires, extreme heat, and flooding/storms. The goal of the game is to share important information and become prepared for any climate-related and natural disaster event that might impact your community. 

A Play and Plan Session was held on Thursday 30 May with City of Whittlesea staff and residents. Game Guides were trained who will lead others to play the game in future. Feedback was positive, with many participants saying it helped them think about climate change impacts differently and feel connected with their neighbours.

We are seeking more community members who would like to be trained as Game Guides. These Game Guides will run games within the community at their local libraries, community houses, schools, jobs, or group meetings.

If you enjoy connecting with the community, exploring stories and scenarios, and having fun please reach out below to become a Game Guide!

Thank you to our new Game Guides!

Spotting vital wildlife, day and night

Council’s Conservation Management Team recently completed a Fauna Survey near Whittlesea township in conjunction with Peter Homan Fauna Consultancy and the Wurundjeri Narrap Rangers. Sixty vertebrate species were recorded over several days and nights including 21 mammals, 32 birds, four reptiles and three amphibians.  

Notable sightings included: 

• One listed threatened species, a Brush-tailed Phascogale 

• Weasel Skink and a species of Feathertail Glider were found for the first time in any City of Whittlesea Reserve 

• Many Krefft’s Glider were recorded gliding all around the site 

• Scarlet Honeyeater and Common Ringtail Possum were recorded for only the second time in any City of Whittlesea Conservation Reserve  

• Nine species of insectivorous bats  

Results like this reinforce the importance of Council managed Conservation Reserves as critical habitat for local wildlife. 

(Photo credits: Peter Homan)

Expanded rebates to save you money

We are excited to announce the expansion of our Zero Waste Rebate program to include shopping carts. Residents can now receive a rebate of 50 per cent of the purchase price, up to $200 spent, for eligible sustainable items.

Introducing shopping carts to the rebate program aims to encourage sustainable transportation of goods and reduce trolley dumping in our community. The Zero Waste Rebate program also allows residents to claim rebates for multiple categories of reusable items each year. These include reusable nappies, reusable sanitary products, compost bins, composting tools and shopping carts. The program is part of our ongoing commitment to support our residents to make sustainable choices. 

Make a difference in your community 

Have you considered standing for Council as a way to actively help shape the future of the City of Whittlesea? 

When the Local Government Elections take place in October 2024, the City of Whittlesea will return to elected representatives, offering a great opportunity for community leaders to represent the voices of their local community.  

Your ideas, your vision and your leadership can make a real difference.  

Attend a local information session to learn more about becoming a Councillor.  

Renters can now take another step toward green living 

A greener lifestyle is now within reach for renters, as the opportunity to sign up for a food and garden waste bin service has been introduced. 

Recycling kitchen and garden waste through the green-lidded bin will help cut down on landfill and lower methane emissions. It's a simple way to make a big impact on the environment.  

Kitchen and garden waste will be transformed into nutrient-rich compost that will be used to enrich garden soil. To make it easy, the bin comes with a small 7-liter kitchen caddy and 150 compostable liners every year to collect food waste at home.  

Ready to make a positive change? To order a food and garden waste bin, please click below.

Free annual roll of compostable caddy liners 

The City of Whittlesea now delivers one free roll of 150 compostable liners each year for residents signed up for the food and garden waste bin.  

Using these liners makes handling food waste easier, meaning helping the environment involves less clean up. 

Medical blister pack recycling 

Chemist Warehouse stores have joined Pharmacycle and are now accepting empty medical blister packs for recycling.   

Take your empty medical blister packs to the designated recycling box at one of our recycling stations or drop them off at one of the following participating Chemist Warehouse locations: 

• Epping Homemaker Centre 
• South Morang - Home Co.
• Westfield Plenty Valley 
• Central South Morang Shopping Centre 
• Mernda Junction 
• Pacific Epping Shopping Centre 
• Thomastown 

The medical blister packs are firstly manually checked for any existing medication, then sent through a shredding process where the aluminium is separated from the plastic. The separated aluminium is used in the manufacture of de-oxidant pucks which are used in the steel making process. The separated plastic is used in the manufacture of building material- currently composite decking.  All materials go to Australian manufacturers. 

See How Pharmacycle Recycles Blister Packs in Australia.

For more information, contact Council’s Resource Recovery Officer on 9217 2170 or get in touch by email below.

Updated Community Local Law 

Council’s updated Community Local Law 2024-2034 takes effect from 1 July 2024. The Local Law helps you understand your rights and responsibilities and empowers Council to respond to local issues to protect public and private spaces, including the environment and the community’s health and safety. The updated Community Local Law will help to make the City of Whittlesea ‘A Place For All’. Local Laws cover a range of diverse topics. It’s important to stay informed about the updated Community Local Law 2024-2034 and understand how it will impact you.

Protecting our pollinators

Bees are our most important pollinators, and they are in decline the world over. They love to live in urban environments, where it's a short flight path from one type of plant to the next. But conventional gardens that favour lawns and pesticides over flowers and edible plants are scaring the good bugs away. 

The Bee Friendly Garden by Doug Purdie is a guide for all gardeners great and small to encouraging bees and other good bugs to your green space. 

Topics covered include:

• How bees forage and why your garden needs them 
• A comprehensive plant guide to bee friendly plants  
• Simple changes anybody can make  
• Ideas for gardens of all sizes 
• Natural pest control and companion planting advice 
   

Creating a native bird refuge at your home

Wake up to the beautiful sound of birdsong every day. Discover how to identify the most common garden birds, and how to choose, grow and maintain the native plants that will attract them to your backyard.   

George Adams' Birdscaping has all you need to create a refuge for birds while preserving Australia's amazing natural heritage and biodiversity. Inside you'll find colourful photographs and line drawings, plant and bird directories, planting tables and expert advice to transform any garden across Australia into a bird's paradise.
 

Event details may change from time to time so please check the status of any events promoted in this newsletter as the date draws closer.  

Click "Follow" on our Sustainability event registration page to stay up to date with all our upcoming events.

Please email us with questions or concerns

Sustainability@whittlesea.vic.gov.au