• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Resident road rage over reduced speed limit
  • Steele retires, ‘Stirts’ to Seagulls
  • Pythons and Tigers all square, oh my!
  • Frankston Football Club hold a successful fair
  • Home services crisis after switch to private providers
  • Call for help after donation drop
  • True passion the source of author inspiration
  • OAM for ‘Coodabeens’ Bill Baxter
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»News»Joint project a bonus for the bush
News

Joint project a bonus for the bush

By Stephen TaylorDecember 11, 2018No Comments3 Mins Read
Helping hands: Plants, birds and animals are returning to a piece of neglected bushland at Hastings thanks to a dedicated band of workers, including Work for the Dole supervisor Sam Knowles (left) and volunteers Ray Lothian and Maree Millar. Picture: Yanni
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
Helping hands: Plants, birds and animals are returning to a piece of neglected bushland at Hastings thanks to a dedicated band of workers, including Work for the Dole supervisor Sam Knowles (left) and volunteers Ray Lothian and Maree Millar. Picture: Yanni

AN impenetrable thicket of weeds and scrub at Hastings that has been inhospitable to wildlife and a setting for antisocial behaviour is having a make-over.

It’s all part of a collaboration between a team of work skills participants and Advance Community College.

Together, they have breathed new life into the wasteland adjacent to the Hastings Community Hub.

Over the course of the year participants in a federal government Work for the Dole scheme have set about regenerating the area and transforming it into open woodland with paths and secure habitats for plants and wildlife.

Invasive pittosporum and ivy have been cleared and replaced with more than 200 indigenous plants supplied by the college’s Mornington-based plant nursery.

Participants built and installed nesting boxes to encourage the return of rosellas and lorikeets, as well as possums and micro bats, and a frog bog was constructed that has already become home to common eastern brown frogs and pobble bonk frogs. Birds, blue tongue lizards, butterflies and insects have returned in abundance.

The space has areas set aside for visitors to sit and soak in the surroundings.

Mornington Peninsula and especially Hastings residents can see the transformation during Bush Week Celebrations, 17-20 December. Between 10am-2pm there will be guided walks through the reserve as well as talks about native flora and fauna. Bush Week will end with a community barbecue, 12pm, Thursday 20 December.

Project leader Lachlan Knowles said the project was primarily about “doing something positive” to protect and nurture the peninsula’s natural environments. He said it was a “great thrill” that many animals and insects were returning and that the indigenous plants were thriving.

“It was a real buzz to work with the participants and to watch them become inspired about caring for the environment as they learned about the plants and animals and their care,” Mr Knowles said.

Participant Mark Glover said being in the project had given him greater knowledge of the different needs of a healthy environment. “I have learnt a lot of names of plants and enjoyed planting and seeing things grow and establish,” he said. “I enjoyed making and installing the bird boxes; it’s changing our environment for the better.

“The leadership of the project made it a pleasant place to work and it has been a therapeutic experience. I have gained skills that will help me get future work, I hope.”

Hastings Community Hub is at 1973 Frankston-Flinders Road, Hastings.

Details: call 5979 1398.

First published in the Western Port News – 12 December 2018

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Resident road rage over reduced speed limit

July 5, 2022

New CFA vehicle honours service

July 4, 2022

Jetty repair in the budget pipeline

June 27, 2022

Bus shelters vandalised

June 27, 2022
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Weather
Jul 7, 2022 - Thu
Mornington, Australia
12°C
scattered clouds
scattered clouds
2 m/s, W
69%
762.82 mmHg
thu07/07 fri07/08 sat07/09 sun07/10 mon07/11
light rain
12/11°C
light rain
11/9°C
light rain
12/9°C
sky is clear
12/9°C
light rain
12/10°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

June 27, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

May 26, 2022
Council Watch

Keeping watch on councillor costs

June 27, 2022

Leadership lacking for ‘neutral’ policy

June 20, 2022
Interview

True passion the source of author inspiration

July 4, 2022
Property of the Week

278 Dundas Street, Rye

May 11, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

Frankston Football Club hold a successful fair

July 5, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.