Dedicated to advancing the environmental rehabilitation of the Park
December Working Bee
The final working bee for the year in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be held on Saturday, 2 December. There will be a choice of activities: treating woody weeds, particularly ash trees, in the creek line to the west of the Viaduct Track, and assisting Robyn to collect native grass seed for the Native Grasses Project. The trailer will be located near the Pony Club.
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Following the working bee, we will have a self-catered picnic lunch under the trees near the Pony Club. Bring your own food, drinks, tables, chairs and utensils and perhaps a cake, fruit, nibbles, etc. to share. Family and partners are welcome.
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Those planning to participate in the Blackwood Pageant are reminded that it is on Friday, 1 December, starting at 6.30 pm. Please contact Ron to let him know you are coming.
27/11/2023
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November Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 4 November. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00am. We'll be working on woody weeds, particularly olive, ash and lavender, in the areas to the east and south of the archery. The trailer will be located on the Viaduct Track to the south of the archery.
30/10/2023
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Picnic lunch on Saturday, 2 December
Our last Working Bee for 2023 will be Saturday, 2 December and after we will share our picnic lunch in the Park under the shade of the Gum Trees near the Pony Club.
Bring along your lunch, hat, chairs and picnic rug. Toilets will be accessible.
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Blackwood Pageant - 1 December
Well, it’s on again in December and we will join in The Blackwood Christmas Pageant which parades down the main road of Blackwood on Friday evening, 1 December at 6.30 pm.
The Friends of Shepherds Hill has taken part in the pageant for many years and is a great opportunity for the thousands of residents to know what we do.
We are usually at the tail end of the Parade and will leave from our form up area 200 metres down Gulf View Road at about 6.45 pm.
So bring your favourite Flora and Fauna and Christmas hat and walk with us as we tow the trailer.
Ron will have the trailer in position before 6.00 pm.
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Vegetation Update - October
Robyn checked the survival rate of the native grasses we planted on 3 June this year and has asked for the results to be passed on. The results show an overall survival rate of 85 percent with the majority of the losses occurring in two species, Enneapogon nigricans losing 15 of 25 plants and Austrostipa nodosa losing 12 of 50 plants. It's not clear why those two species had lower survival rates than the others.
Fortunately the fire on Thursday night (19 October) which impacted the area of the plantings did not significantly affect them and may actually stimulate the growth of native grasses in that area.
21/10/2023
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October Working Bee #2
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 21 October. Meet in the Ayliffes Road carpark at 8.50am or at the work site at 9.00am. We'll continue to work on topped lavender in Zone 5. For those wanting a break from lavender, there are ash trees in the creek line and olives on the hillside. The trailer will be located on the Viaduct Track to the east of the archery.
18/10/2023
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October Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 7 October. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50am or at the work site at 9.00am. We'll continue to work on topped lavender and other weeds in Zone 5. The trailer will be located on the Viaduct Track to the east of the archery.
5/10/2023
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September Working Bee #2
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 16 September. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll return to the top of the hill to make a concerted attack on the topped lavender on the slope to the north of the Ridge Track. The trailer will be located on the Ridge Track near the rocky outcrop and grove of sheoaks.
12/09/2023
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September Working Bee
The next working bee at Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 2 September. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll return to the top of the hill to continue to work on woody and other weeds to the south of the Ridge Track. The trailer will be located near the grove of sheoaks to the south of the Ridge Track.
28/08/2023
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August Working Bee #2
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 19 August. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 9.00 am. We'll continue to work on woody and other weeds in the area adjacent to the car park. The trailer will be located at the southern end of the car park.
15/08/2023
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August Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 5 August. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll return to the top of the hill to work on woody and other weeds on the southern side of the Ridge Track. The trailer will be located on the southern side of the Ridge Track near the grove of sheoaks.
31/07/2023
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July Working Bee #2
Weather permitting, the next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 15 July. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 9.00 am. We'll continue to work on woody and other weeds adjacent to the car park. The trailer will be located at the western end of the car park.
The current weather forecast for Saturday is not very encouraging, so check your email before setting out in case there is a late cancellation.
10/07/2023
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July Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 1 July. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 9.00 am. For a change of scenery, we'll be working on woody weeds, olives and boxthorn, on the northern side of Wattiparringga Creek near the car park. The trailer will be located at the western end of the car park.
27/06/2023
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June Working Bee #2
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 17 June. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll continue to work on woody weeds, particularly olives, on the slope to the south of the Ridge Track. The trailer will be located on the Ridge Track near the grove of sheoaks.
13/06/2023
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June Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 3 June. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50am or at the work site at 9.00am. We'll be planting native grasses in the area to the west of the Ridge Track. The trailer will be located up the hill towards the junction between the Ridge and Walkers Creek Tracks.
29/05/2023
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May Working Bee #2
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 20 May. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll be continuing to work on woody weeds, mainly olives, on the south-facing slope to the south of the Ridge Track. The trailer will be located on the Ridge Track at the top of the hill.
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The current forecast for Saturday is for scattered showers, so check your email before setting out in case there is a late cancellation.
17/05/2023
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May Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 6 May. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. The main target for the day will be woody weeds, mainly olives, on the hillside to the south of the Ridge Track. The trailer will be located on the Ridge Track as shown on the attached map.
02/05/2023
April Working Bee #2
Weather permitting, the next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 15 April. Meet in the car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll be working on woody weeds, particularly ash trees, in the creek line towards the eastern side of Zone 2. The trailer will be located near the pony club.
The current forecast is for rain on Saturday so it is quite likely that we will need to postpone the working bee. If you haven't heard anything beforehand, please check your email on Saturday morning before heading out.
10/04/2023
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April Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday 1 April. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50am or at the work site at 9.00am. We'll be returning to the east of the archery to continue to work on woody and other weeds in the creek line. The trailer will be located near the ford over the creek.
27/03/2023
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March Working Bee
The next working bee in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be on Saturday, 4 March. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll be working on woody weeds, particularly ash trees, in and near the creek line to the east of the archery. The trailer will be located at the head of the triangle on the Viaduct Track near the ford over the creek.
27/02/2023
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2023 Annual General Meeting
The 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Shepherds Hill Recreation Park will be held on Tuesday, 14 February in the Blackwood Uniting Church Hall (Coromandel Parade, Blackwood) following a General Meeting commencing at 7.30pm and all members are encouraged to attend.
The agenda and minutes of the previous meetings have been circulated.
Perhaps the most important item on the AGM agenda is the election of officers. All offices will be declared vacant at the AGM and it has been customary for the existing office bearers to accept renomination in the event of no new nominations, but this year, with our aging senior management team, we would like all members, particularly our new younger members to give serious consideration to nominating for a position, particularly President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Some of you may be unsure what the various positions entail, so a Roles and Responsibilities document providing a brief description of what is required has also been circulated.
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We realise some of our newer members will feel that they don't have the experience to take on some of these positions, but be assured you that the former office holders will be available to provide help and guidance whenever you need it.
So, please consider nominating for one of the offices and speak to the Secretary or any of the other Committee members if you need additional information.
06/02/2023
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February Working Bee
We hope you've all had a good break and are ready to get back to work in the park. Our next working bee, and the first for the year, will be on Saturday, 4 February. Meet in the Ayliffes Road car park at 8.50 am or at the work site at 9.00 am. We'll return to the north-western corner of the park to work on woody weeds in the Walkers and Wattiparringga Creek lines. The trailer will be located near the Pony Club.
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The working bee will be followed by a short Committee Meeting near the Pony Club and all members are welcome to attend. Bring your own chair.
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Put a note in your diary that our Annual General Meeting will be held in the Blackwood Uniting Church Hall, Coromandel Parade, Blackwood on Tuesday, 14 February at 7.30 pm. A notice with the agenda and minutes of the last meeting will be sent out early next week.
Social distancing will continue to be observed.
30/01/2023
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