Dedicated to advancing the environmental rehabilitation of the Park
Advance Notice - our 2013 AGM is scheduled for Wednesday, 13 February
December Working Bee
Our next working bee, and the last for the year, will be on Saturday, 1 December. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. Since our last working bee, DEWNR has conducted a controlled burn in the area above the triangle which, contrary to what we were told prior to the burn, has burnt much of the hillside down to the point of the triangle and further westward to a point on the Viaduct Track some 50m west of the junction between the Ridge and Viaduct Tracks. So we will not be working in the burnt area.
Instead we want to concentrate on work near the creek line and along the Viaduct Track up to the boundary with Wattiparinga cuting and swabbing broom and scabious. There is some larger broom near the boundary with Wattiparinga which i also want to cut and swab and Robyn will be cutting and spraying some paspalum near the Viaduct Track. The trailer will be at the usual location at the junction of the tracks near the ford.
And when we've finished, Bernie is hosting a barbeque at his place, from about 12.30 pm to which everyone is invited. Wendy is coordinating the catering and will provide further information about what you should bring.
27/11/2012
End of Year BBQ
We plan to hold a FoSH Christmas BBQ after the last working bee of the year on Saturday, 1 December to celebrate the end of another successful year.
Bernie has kindly offered to host the BBQ at his home at Eden Hills. The purpose of this is to provide advance notice of the event so that you can put it in your calendars, but more importantly so that you can advise us of your intention (and your partner's) to attend so that we will know how many to expect.
So please let Alan know your intention by Tuesday 20 November.
When we know the numbers we can work out what is needed in the way of salads and sweets, etc.
15/11/2012
Memorial Dedication
A seat to commemorate the tireless Maggy Ragless, committed Friend of Shepherds Hill was dedicated at a simple ceremony today. The seat was erected by the Friends of Shepherds Hill, in recognition of the work and commitment Maggy had to the preservation and enhancement of the flora and fauna of the Shepherds Hill Recreation Park. Mitcham Mayor, Michael Picton, unveiled the plaque. Also attending were David and Lorraine Ragless and the Park's Liaison Ranger, Eric DeSmit.
Here is a tribute by Heather Beckmann, LM of the Blackwood/Belair and District Community Association:
"Maggy Ragless, Mitcham Council's beloved History Officer was appointed as the first History Officer (part time) for Mitcham Council approximately twenty-three years ago. At that time Mitcham Council was very much a 'roads, rates and rubbish' council and it was an inspiration for it to appoint a History Officer.
Maggy's selection was also an inspiration as nobody could have been as devoted to delving into, and recording the history of the Mitcham Council area. Maggy hardly recognised the concept of part-time work and was willing to help at any time.
Maggy was brilliant in the way she worked with her team of volunteers. She recognised their abilities, responded to their suggestions and was part of a friendly group determined to record and extend the community's knowledge of its local history.
BBDCA, on at least two occasions, has applauded and acknowledged her work to the Mitcham City Council. It was indeed pleasing to see that Mitcham Council also acknowledged Maggy's value with the Mitcham Citizen of the Year 2012 Award on Australia Day this year.
We shall miss that big, welcoming smile and happy laugh. Vale Maggy."
See our facebook page for some pictures from the dedication.
03/11/2012
Working Bee - November, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 3 November. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll be working on olives and scabious around the newly installed Maggie Ragless commemorative seat on the Ridge Track. The seat will be dedicated to Maggie during the morning tea break.
29/10/2012
Working Bee #1 - October, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 6 October. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll return to the triangle area to do more follow-up work on woody weeds on the hillside and in the creek line. If the weather is suitable, we'll spray bridal creeper. The trailer will be located at the junction of the Viaduct and Ridge Tracks near the ford over the creek.
01/10/2012
Working Bee #2 - September, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 15 September. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll be working around the rocky outcrop about half way along the top of the Ridge Track. We'll be working on olives, scabious and plantain near our recent plantings below the rocky outcrop and on olives amongst the adjacent Grey Box trees and, if time permits, on topped lavender further down the hill.
11/09/2012
Working Bee #1 - September, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 1 September. Meet at the Ayliffes road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll be working on olives, scabious and plantain near our plantings around the rocky outcrop with the green bench towards the top of the Ridge Track.
28/08/2012
Working Bee #2 - August, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 18 August. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We will be working at our usual site near the eastern junction of the Viaduct and Ridge Tracks. One team will be working on olives amongst the Grey Box on the hillside while another will be doing follow-up work near the creek.
14/08/2012
Working Bee #1 - August, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday 18 August. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50am or at the work site. We will be working at our usual site near the eastern junction of the Viaduct and Ridge Tracks. One team will be working on olives amongst the Grey Box on the hillside while another will be doing follow-up work near the creek.
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 4 August. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We will working on olives and scabious around our plantings near the rocky outcrop near the top of the Ridge Track where's an old green bench seat and where we plan to put Maggie's memorial seat.
02/08/2012
Working Bee #2 - July, 2012
The next working bee will be on Saturday, 21 July. Meet as usual at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am, or at the work site.
We still have quite a few of Bernie's golden wattles and a small number of drooping sheoaks to plant and we want to plant them below the rocky outcrop at the top of the Ridge Track. The outcrop is about half way along the flat section of the Ridge Track on the top of the ridge. That is where the trailer will be located.
If time permits, there is plantain and scabious around the outcrop which can be cut and swabbed as well as olives near our earlier plantings in this area which can be drilled and filled.
19/07/2012
Working Bee #1 - July, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 7 July. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. The main activity will be planting trees under Ron's direction near the rocky outcrop on the Ridge Track just below the junction with the Walkers Creek Track. A smaller party will be planting trees with me near Walkers Creek below Hillcrest Drive. The trailer will be located near the rocky outcrop on the Ridge Track.
02/07/2012
Working Bee #2 - June, 2012
The next working bee will be on Saturday, 16 June. As this is the second working bee in the month, we'll be working in one of our alternative areas, planting shrubs in the area below Ellis Avenue. So, on this occasion, we will meet in Ellis Avenue, Eden Hills and will walk into the park from there. The trailer will either be in Ellis Avenue or on the Boundary Track at the southern end of the park depending on the accessibility of the park. Depending on the number of shrubs to be planted, there may be time for follow-up work in the 2009 burn area or additional olive control in that area of the creek line north of the Sewer Easement Track.
13/06/2012
Working Bee - June, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday, 2 June. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll be working at our usual work sites near the eastern junction of the Viaduct and Ridge Tracks which is where the trailer will be located. As before, we'll be working in two teams, one on woody weeds amongst the Grey Box on the hillside above the trailer and the other on the flatter ground near the creek upstream of the ford.
And, if you fancy a walk in the Shepherds Hill Recreation Park on Sunday, 3 June.... Register for the Go Red For Women at the June Park Walk! For details, visit the ‘Events’ page at www.heartfoundation.org.au/walking or call 1300 36 27 87 by Wednesday, 30 May.
29/05/2012
Working Bee #2 - May, 2012
The next working bee will be on Saturday, 19 May. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. As this will be the second working bee for the month, we will work in one of our alternate areas, in this instance in the creek line north of the Sewer Easement Track in the southern part of the park below Ellis Avenue. The trailer should be located about half way along the Sewer Easement Track near the walking track which crosses the creek. Many of the large olives in this area were removed in preparation for the controlled burn to have occurred in this area last year and this has opened up the area considerably. There are still plenty of smaller olives and other weeds near the creek which we will be targeting.
09/05/2012
Quiz Evening Details
The fabulous Friends of Shepherds Hill Quiz Evening returns on 23 June at Blackwood Uniting Church Hall. All the details can be found by clicking here! Make it a date - all funds raised go to support the ongoing and essential work we do to maintain and encourage the Grey Box grassy woodland of Shepherds Hill. Of course, we can always do with more! We will be preparing baskets of goodies as prizes in the week before the Quiz night, but would like to receive donations well before that, if possible. We are hoping to raise a good amount of money to help with running expenses. e.g. tools, trailer registration and insurance. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Contact us "ASAP" if you can assist.
09/05/2012
Working Bee May, 2012
The next working bee will be on Saturday, 5 May. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll be working in two teams again, one on olives and boneseed amongst the Grey Box on the hillside above the triangle area and the other on weeds in and near the creekline upstream of the ford on the Viaduct Track. The trailer will be located at the eastern junction of the Viaduct and Ridge Tracks.
01/05/2012
Working Bee #2 for April, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday 21 April and is the first of our second working bees in the month. The first would have been on 7 April, but was moved forward to 31 March. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll be working on woody weeds in the creek line to the west of the ford on the Viaduct Track. The trailer will be at its usual location at the eastern junction of the Ridge and Viaduct Tracks near the ford.
16/04/2012
Working Bee #1 for April, 2012
Our next working bee will be on Saturday 31 March (in lieu of 7 April). Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll be continuing to work in two teams as last time and will carry on from where we left off. The trailer will be at the track junction near the ford.
28/03/2012
Working Bee - March, 2012
The next working bee will be on Saturday 3 March. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. The trailer will be at the eastern junction of the Viaduct and Ridge Tracks. We'll be working in two groups, one on woody weeds on the hillside to the south and the other on the flatter terrain near the creek line to the east of the ford.
Note that, as the first working bee in April would have occurred during the Easter weekend it has been brought forward to Saturday, 31 March.
27/02/2012
Working Bee - First One for the Year
Happy New Year to you. I hope you all had a good festive season and are ready to return to the fray.
The first working bee for the year will be held on Saturday 4 February. Meet at the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site. We'll continue our attack on olives and lavender amongst the grey box on the hillside above the triangle. The trailer will be located at the junction of the Ridge and Viaduct tracks near the ford over the creek.
There will be a Committee Meeting, to which all members are invited, at Robyn's house at Eden Hills, after the working bee in preparation for the AGM to be held at the Eden Hills Uniting Church Hall on Wednesday 15 February.
30/01/2012