Come and join the Fawkner Festa 2013

SusFawkner-2013Fawkner-Festa-posterSustainability Fawkner have our regular Food swap on the Saturday 9 November from 10.30am to 12.30pm in CB Smith Reserve. Come along early with your garden produce to swap and stay and join the rest of the festivities for the afternoon.

Moreland council have a full list of activities on this week which includes:

  • Fawkner Postcards exhibition and other events at Fawkner Library – Wednesday to Saturday
  • Social Bowls and competition at Fawkner Bowling Club
  • Fawkner interfaith celebration
  • Live music and entertainment at Major Rd and Bonwick St shops from Wednesday to Friday 11.30am to 1.30pm

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‘One person’s rubbish is another person’s riches’ Photo Competition

SusFawkner-recycled-wheelbarrowSustainable Fawkner want pictures of your proudest recycling moment, hard-rubbish treasures and re-purposed trash. Be eligible to win suitably sustainable prizes!

You can load them on our Facebook events page

or email to sustainablefawkner@yahoo.com.au

Hard copies can also be received at Fawkner Community House, CB Smith Reserve, Jukes Road, Fawkner

Photos will be exhibited and judged by popular vote at Fawkner Festa on 9th November & Fawkner Community House Community Market on 30th November.

Can you Zero your Waste for a Week? November 2013 challenge

Take the Zero Waste for a week ChallengeMoreland Council is particularly active in reducing it’s carbon footprint and achieving carbon neutrality in it’s operations. This still involves purchase of international carbon offset credits.

Waste collection, storage and landfill is one of the big costs, in terms of money and in generating greenhouse gases. If homes and businesses can reduce waste through more recycling and composting, then this is a substantial saving in both council expense, which can then be directed into other amenities, and in reducing carbon pollution from waste management.

To highlight the importance of reducing waste Moreland Council is urging Moreland residents to take the Zero Waste for a Week Challenge this November, to reduce your landfill waste to zero for one week.

“It’s not as hard as it sounds, changing the way you buy goods and produce, composting food scraps and recycling more all make a huge difference. Free workshops will be available throughout November on food waste avoidance and composting to help you cut your waste to zero. For more information or to register call Council on 9240 1111 or go to Zero waste for a Week Challenge” says the Council promotional material.

Registration for the challenge is only open to Moreland Residents but information is open to everyone. Tips and information on how you can achieve Zero Waste, or even substantially minimise your waste is available from Moreland Council – Zero waste for a Week Challenge. The first 150 residents to register will receive a free Waste Wise kit.

Fair Food Week at Coburg Farmers Market Sat 24 August

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It is Fair food week at Coburg Farmers Market this Saturday with a Farmers’ Market Fair organised. Transition Coburg have organised 3 candidates standing in Wills to attend the Coburg Farmers Market this Saturday 24 August to discuss agriculture and food security and food sovereignty. Come along from 10am to hear Kelvin Thomson (ALP), Tim Read (Greens), Margarita Windisch (Socialist Alliance) discuss this important topic.

Coburg Farmers Market happens at Coburg North Public School at 180 O’Heas Street, Coburg from 8:00am – 1:30pm every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. Entry is by gold coin donation which goes to school community projects.
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Wills Meet the Candidates Climate Forum Election 2013

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For the 2013 Federal Election, come and hear what the candidates have to say about policies, particularly on climate change and sustainability. Sustainable Fawkner is a sponsor of this event organised by Climate Action Moreland. The Following Wills Candidates have agreed to attend:

  • Dean O’CALLAGHAN, (Save the Planet)
  • Kelvin THOMSON, (Australian Labor Party)
  • Margarita WINDISCH, (Socialist Alliance)
  • Tim READ, (Greens)

We are hoping that the other candidates: Shilpa Hegde for the Liberal Party and Adrian Trajstman for the Australian Sex Party, and any other candidate that registers for the poll in Wills, will also come along to highlight their climate and sustainability policies.

When: 7.00pm for 7.30pm start, 19th August
Where: Coburg Concert Hall, Moreland Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street, Coburg
Facebook: register for this event on Facebook

This is a family friendly event. Gold coin donation. Further information: sallyRose m. 0431 445 930

Climate Action Moreland has organised this event but is supported by other community groups around Moreland including: Moreland Bicycle Users Group (BUG), Brunswick Residents Network, CERES, Sustainable Fawkner, Friends of Upfield Linear Park

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You may wish to compare the policies of the major parties ahead of time from the Vote Climate website or check out the Climate Institute 2013 election pollute-o-meter.

Flyers in colour and grayscale are attached below to print or photocopy and distribute.

 

Election 2013 called on Threatened Species Day – September 7

The election has been called by Kevin Rudd at last for September 7th, one week before Julia Gillard’s announced date. The campaign is on. September 7 also happens to be Threatened Species Day. It is perhaps significant as action on climate change, the future of clean energy programs and investment, and conservation and biodiversity programs are at risk.

Matted Flax lilly

Matted Flax lilly

One tends to think in the city that biodiversity is not a great concern, but here in Fawkner we have the Matted Flax-lily (Dianella amoena) at Bababi Djinanang native grassland. The species is nationally endangered although only listed as vulnerable in Victoria. We sometimes have platypus in Merri Creek and kangaroos that follow the creek down into the Fawkner grasslands.

These are wondrous sights to see in our urban environment along our creek nature reserves. Once degraded and used as little more than drains, many people have put incredible effort into re-vegetation and restoration of our creek environments, including Friends of Merri Creek and Merri Creek Management Committee.
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Secure Bike Parking at Fawkner Station but Gowrie Station still needs to be zone 1

Secure Bicycle parking at Fawkner Station installed

Secure Bicycle parking at Fawkner Station installed

Fawkner Station now has a secure bike cage for those who choose to cycle to the station and take the train. The parkiteer security bike parking cage was launched by Moreland Mayor Oscar Yildiz, State Transport Minister Terry Mulder, and Christine Campbell MP for Pascoe Vale on July 1st.

Cr Oscar Yildiz said in the council media release “Moreland residents love their bikes and now they can travel to Fawkner station and have peace of mind that their bike will be secure and undercover,” Cr Yildiz said. “This is a brilliant example of a joint government initiative that will make people’s life easier and more sustainable in their daily commute.”
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Moreland Council confirms new name for grasslands at Jukes Rd as Bababi Djinanang

Kangaroo Grass

Kangaroo Grass

Moreland City Council has confirmed that the name for the reserve at Jukes Road, Fawkner has now been approved as “Bababi Djinanang” and will be gazetted in the Victoria Government Gazette on Thursday 30 May 2013. Following the gazette notice, both Vicnames and Vicmap will be updated.

Bababi Djinanang means “mother’s foot” in the Wurundjeri language and it forms part of an innovative system of Wurundjeri names for native grasslands along Merri Creek as making up parts of the mother’s body.

Five names were provided by the Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council in 2006, after a request by Friends of Merri Creek to provide appropriate names for sites of cultural and ecological significance.

The names were bestowed by Wurundjeri Elder, Doreen Wandin-Garvey, on 14 August 2006, according to Council meeting minutes: “The remnant grasslands along the Merri Creek reveal glimpses of the land as the Wurundjeri would have known it, making it appropriate that they have Wurundjeri names.” say the minutes (PDF) of the Council meeting 10 October 2012.
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Bird survey: Red-capped Robin visits Bababi Djinanang grasslands

Red-capped Robin at Bababi Djinanang

Red-capped Robin at Bababi Djinanang

The Merri Creek bird survey at Bababi Djinanang in Fawkner recorded 36 different bird species in the May survey. Last year the survey at the same time of year recorded a similar number: 37 species. Relatively still conditions, but overcast made for good birdwatching. For several birds we heard their song well before seeing them.

Some of the highlights of the survey include seeing a purple swamphen in the reeds where Central Creek meets Merri Creek. Though common elsewhere along Merri Creek and Edgars Creek it is not often seen in Fawkner.

Up in the open grasslands we flushed into flight some Brown Quail, saw Spotted Pardalotes in a mixed species feeding group, and even caught a sight of a Golden-headed Cisticola.

Right at the end in some re-vegetated woodland at the edge of the grasslands we came across a Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii) mingling with a small flock of female Flame Robins. An exciting find, not having been seen before at this location. Red-capped robins favour perching on rocks and low branches and are subject to predation by domesticated and feral cats, and nests sometimes raided by larger bird species. Welcome to Fawkner, little Red-capped Robin!
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Surveying the birds of the Merri in Winter Sunday 26 May

IMG_1101_New_Holland_HoneyeaterAutumn is upon us and another bird survey is about to take place up and down Merri Creek. Bird surveys provide useful data for mapping the changing patterns and distribution of bird species. It is one small but significant way that anyone can contribute to science. (See Using Citizen Science in Urban Bird Studies)

In Fawkner the survey will be at Bababi Djinanang (Jukes Road grasslands), Fawkner. Meet on Merri Path at end of Jukes Road at 8.45am, Sunday 26 May 2013.
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