Category: Natural Values

Tail of the Squirrel Gliders night survey report

On Monday evening, Friends of Grampians Gariwerd members and Project Platypus Elia and Lee ventured along the roadside vegetation to survey the area for Squirrel Gliders. We gathered at Mt Drummond Road, equipped with thermal imaging scopes and red light torches, tools crucial for spotting nocturnal wildlife. As the sun disappeared and darkness enveloped the landscape, the bushland seemed to come alive around us.

Our night began with some remarkable sightings. Almost immediately, a Brush-tailed Possum appeared in our sights, its distinctive, bushy tail illuminated in the soft red glow. Not long after, we caught sight of a Ring-tailed Possum navigating its way through the canopy with remarkable grace. These initial encounters reminded us of the importance of roadside vegetation with its mix of trees and understorey of wattles and set an exciting tone for the survey.

The real stars of the evening, however, were the Sugar Gliders. Not long … Read the rest

The Tail of the Squirrel Glider Invitation

Project Platypus invites Friends of the Grampians – Gariwerd to join the quest for Squirrel Gliders in an exciting, collaborative effort that brings together nature enthusiasts and dedicated ecologists.

Since October 2024, the dedicated Project Platypus field crew have undergone extensive training in identifying and monitoring Squirrel Gliders. Guided by ecologist Chris Pocknee from the Biolinks Alliance, their mission has taken them to the roadsides around Dadswell Bridge, surveying a 17km stretch armed with thermal imaging night scopes, binoculars, and cameras to spot and identify various possum and glider species.

Their vigilant efforts have already led to the discovery of a new location inhabited by Squirrel Gliders, providing crucial data to understand their population and inform protection strategies. These findings underscore the rarity of Squirrel Gliders in the area, highlighting the urgent need for concerted conservation efforts to ensure the survival of this special marsupial.

Now, the project is opening … Read the rest

Meeting report on Parks Talk by Sarah Cole in February 2025 about the Fires

Parks Victoria Meeting 

Date: February 7th Location: Brambuk, Halls Gap The National Park and Cultural Centre

  1. Brush Tailed Rock Wallabies
  • Population: 60 animals across two sites in Victoria
  • Reintroduction: Since 2008
  • Recent post fire Feeding Operations:
    • 5 aerial operations using helicopters
    • Drone attempts were unsuccessful
  1. Deer and Pest Control
  • Animals Controlled:
    • 10 foxes
    • 30 red deer
    • 3 out of 4 Sambar
  1. Feeding Programs for Other Animals
  • Heath Mouse
  • River Blackfish:
    • Depend on hollow logs in rivers for spawning and hiding
    • Relocation Efforts – farm dams
  • Agile Antechinus
  • Long nosed Potoroo
  • Southern Brown Bandicoot
  1. Shelter Pods:
    • Purchased by DEECA
    • Monitored by Deakin University
    • 160 installed across two sites (80 pods per site)
    • Clusters: 16 pods × 5 locations
    • Monitoring: 2 cameras per cluster
  1. Small Mammal Trapping Program:
    • Conducted by Dr John White (Deakin University)

Funding: Possible funding for a team dedicated to fire recovery

Pest Plants

  1. Sallow Wattle:

Issues :

  • Regenerates
… Read the rest

Bird Morning : Saturday 12th August 2023

Bird Morning :  Saturday 12th August : Neil Macumber

Eleven members and myself met at the Corner of O’Sullivan’s Road and Mount Victory Road on what appeared to be a very pleasant sunny morning with lots of birds calling. By the time everyone had arrived and we had driven a little over one kilometre to start our bird-walk the clouds had rolled in and it had become noticeably duller with a lot less birds calling. Following Neil (blindly!) …can everybody see it?

Nevertheless, we did manage to record a total of 25 species of bird for the morning. Bird species either seen or heard by me were: – Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Long-billed Corella, Musk Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Fuscous Honeyeater, Weebill, Spotted Pardalote, Grey Shrike thrush, Willie Wagtail, Magpie, Magpie Lark, White-winged Chough, Grey Currawong, Australian Raven, Little Raven, … Read the rest

Dr Noushka Reiter’s Threatened Species Talk September 2023

NOUSHKA’S THREATENED SPECIES TALK

Friday 8th September

Following the AGM, our Guest Speaker Dr Noushka Reiter talked to us about the recently funded Nature Fund Project. The project ‘Raising Rarity: preventing extinction of Victoria’s threatened flora’ is a $1.35 million dollar project over 3 years with 11 partners, including Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) and Latrobe University being the lead agencies. Other Environmental and friends Groups are also contributing community support.

There are 24 threatened plants across Victoria which will be researched in various ways to try to prevent their extinction. Of these five are found only in the Grampians region.

  • Undertake community surveys Community groups and partner organisations are being invited to help with surveys to check areas from old herbarium records and potential sites to ascertain the extent of populations.
  • Collect seed, mycorrhiza or rhizobia.  For all species, seed will be collected from across populations to ensure genetic
… Read the rest

NATIVE FLOWER WALK Saturday 14th October 2023

NATIVE FLOWER WALK on Saturday 14th October
It was yet another overcast Spring day, but we were lucky enough to be in one of the flower gardens of Gariwerd – this time at Heatherlie Quarry. Sunshine was limited, with the cold wind all day made for rugging up.
With help from eager (useful?) assistance, Wendy created a list of the various species we encountered. A valiant effort indeed.

A: Gompholobium ecostatum
B: Green-comb Spider Caladenia dilatate
C: Goodenia sp.
D: Waxlip Orchid Glossodia major
E: Grevillea alpina

F: Dillwynia oreodoxa

G: Apple Berry Billardiera scandens

H: Bearded orchid Calochilus sp.

I: Caladenia pusilla

The list of Wendy’s recording:
Flowering species
Grevillea aquifolium, Grevillea alpina, Pimelea sp, Conospermum mitchellii, Conospermum patens, Banksia ornata, Banksia marginata, Calectasia intermedia, Dillwynia sericea, Dillwynia hispida, Gompholobium ecostatum, Brachyloma daphnoides, Stackhousia sp, Spyridium parvifolium, Tetratheca ciliata, Dodonaea viscosa, Isopogon ceratophyllus, Hakea sp, Correa aemula, Allocasuarina muelleriana… Read the rest

REPTILE WALK Saturday 11th November 2023

REPTILE WALK : Saturday 11th November
Eleven of us met at the Staplyton Campground on a pleasantly warm and near windless day. We met David Steane who presented us with reptiles: their variety and habits. Copies of his notes are available on request. He also again recommended the CSIRO’s ‘Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia’ as the current authoritative guide for those who are keep to keep on looking.
He then took us for a walk up the Staplyton Track: a track that was unknown to most of us. The variation in vegetation ranged from woodland through open regrowth (tea tree, banksia, cypress pine and low shrubs) to the rock slopes of the range. Well worth the walk if you have yet to do it.
Unfortunately we only passed an unidentified lizard scurrying under a xanthorrhoea and the sand track of a passing snake.
We did, however, and thanks to … Read the rest

Official Park Update 17-01-2025 Pest Control Operations

 Grampians (Gariwerd) aerial pest animal control operation

20th – 24th January 2025

Parks Victoria is conducting a conservation program to respond to the ecological impacts of the Yarram Gap fire.

An aerial shooting operation will be undertaken between Monday 20th – Friday 24th of January 2025 to target pest animals and to support the recovery of the park and its native species.

The fire affected over a third of the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park impacting native plants, animals, aquatic species, and invertebrates.

Urgent action is being taken to reduce predators (foxes and feral cats) and introduced herbivores (deer and feral goats), threatening the survival and recovery of vulnerable native plants and animals.

Foxes and feral cats’ prey on Grampians native animals such as the Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby, Long Nosed Potoroo, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Smoky Mouse, Heath Mouse, and Grampians Mountain Dragon. These native animals are now … Read the rest

Raising Rarity

Raising Rarity:

Preventing extinction of Victoria’s threatened flora The Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria (RBGV) was successful in procuring a grant to fund this 3-year project. The project starts on 1st June this year and covers 24 threatened species across Victoria, 11 of them occurring only in Western Victoria. RBGV are partnering with a number of organisations and there is a community engagement component to help with searching for and monitoring of these species. There will also be conservation genetics work done on collections already at RGBV as well as the collection of additional material to ensure the species diversity into the future. The gardens will also do work to optimise methods of germination on 11 species which are currently difficult to grow. For 10 species, little is known about how they are pollinated, so baseline data will be collected on pollination for these species; a researcher based at La … Read the rest