Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife are a group of local residents passionate about protecting and restoring our natural environment, and building our sense of belonging to the Barkers Creek community in which we live. We are now into our third decade and going strong. Learn more …
You would think that being the Barker’s Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group, restoration of the creek would be a priority. And so it is. But it would have to be said that for many decades prior to the commencement of our Landcare activities the creek was no one’s priority. For our original members removing all
What I remember was Bonnie Humphreys, a staff member at Connecting Country, who was working on the Yellow Box Woodland Project saying to me one day – ‘Hi guys we’re just wondering what you’re doing for the next five years and whether you’d like to look after a Bushland Reserve … it is only 35.5
– PROJECT COMPLETED 2022 – “Mount Alexander Shire Council has a funding agreement with the Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning (DEWLP), for priority roadside weed control works – the Roadside Weeds and Pests Management Program (RWPP). Council desires to ‘plan and implement control activities for the long-term management of ‘regionally prohibited’, ‘regionally controlled’
– PROJECT COMPLETED 2022 – Until about 20 years ago this area was used as the Harcourt Tip. When the Mt. Alexander Shire consolidated to one major refuse site in Castlemaine, this area was capped and left. Because it sits right beside the Bushland Reserve that we have been working on for the past six
Did you know that Barkers Creek was the site of the first ever GOLD found in central Victoria? It’s true … apparently, shepherds (employees of Mr Barker) who clearly were not watching their flocks by night but doing a little bit of prospecting on the side made the discovery. As a result over 30,000 miners
Starting in 1998, this was the first major project tackled by the Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group. At that time this Reserve was an almost impenetrable wall of English Broom as far as the eye could see (which doesn’t really make sense). The group started on the left side of the bridge pulling broom
Follow Barkers Creek Landcare on facebook for our latest news and to see what projects we are currently working on.
The bottom line is the weeds in our area are probably no different to everywhere else across Victoria and Australia. We have included some photos below, that may assist in identifying which weeds are on your property. When it comes to ‘best practice’ treatment there
One of the wonderful things about restoring the local environment is seeing the return of the birds. My place, West of the Creek, like many other ‘bush’ blocks in Barkers Creek, a little more than a quarter of a century ago was farming land, (largely)
This collection of flora photos will be added to as we go along … season by season. Each Spring when we visit one of our Bushland Reserves, the Heritage Diggings Park or even along Barkers Creek we will photograph native flowers to add to the
Daryl bought his lovely 10 acres and built his house in 2000 whilst still working in Melbourne (Northcote to be precise). He has been involved in the Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group ever since.
It is a great community of people and we are achieving some wonderful environmental outcomes. One day maybe someone will put their hand up to take over being president … but I’m not holding my breath. The thing is, I am retired and love doing it anyway.
Phil moved back to central Victoria with his family in 2010 and settled in Barkers Creek. They joined Landcare as a way to meet and work with like minded local volunteers to clean up, improve and maintain the local environment. Phil become Vice President in 2015. By day Phil is a project manager in the Australian Renewable energy industry.
The group has made real progress in a number of locations around Barkers Creek, and contributing to this progress whenever we are able is something my whole family enjoys.
My husband and I brought our 8 acre bush block in 2017. It was our place to retire to, a workshop for him and a studio space for me. The land is recovering from having been dug up for gold in the 1900s. We knew Daryl from his work in Northcote and he was very enthusiastic about the block, saying it was in relatively good shape. He encouraged us to join Landcare so we could learn more about it. I have always been a keen garden and I wanted to make sure that whatever planting or gardening we did would not have a negative impact on the bush.
Joining Landcare has provided us with a strong connection to the local community and with skills and resources to better manage our bush block. It has provided us with information about weed management and through Connecting Country, which sponsors Landcare, information about managing our bush and planting missing species.
Margaret moved to Barkers Creek from Melbourne in 1996 with her husband, to start a family and live the country life. Their neighbours encouraged them to join the Landcare group. Her husband became the Vice President, and Margaret the Secretary until 2011, when she took on the Treasurer’s role.
Over the years the members of our Landcare Group have not only done some wonderful work in cleaning up, restoring and revegetating large areas of Barkers Creek, but they have also been supportive, generous and fun people to work alongside and socialise with.
We meet on the fourth Sunday of the month at 9.30am and finish by noon with a delicious morning tea. Working Bee details are posted on facebook, and emailed to our members one week beforehand.
PO Box 43 Harcourt VIC 3453
Email: info@barkerscreeklandcare.org.au
Follow us on facebook @LandcareBarkersCreek
For more info about our group, contact Daryl Colless
Mobile: 0407 419 606