Welcome to Barker’s Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group
We are local residents passionate about protecting and restoring our natural environment. Our group is also committed to celebrating and building our sense of belonging to the Barkers Creek community in which we live.
Everyone is passionate about the work that we do and can see the results. We maintain a balance between working on public and private land i.e. Bushland Reserves, etc and Members properties. The primary focus is ‘on ground works’ (monthly working bees) together with a ‘splash’ of educational and social activities.
Whilst many of the original Group, which started in 1996, have moved on the BCL&WG continues to renew itself. More than 50% of our current members are young families. The other 50% are ‘young at heart’ old codgers who still have plenty of energy and passion. Having half a dozen or so children at each working bee not only adds to the fun but instills a belief in the next generation of landcarers.
So what is our number one priority? Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!!! Everyone agrees that, ‘all the hard work that has been done so far, needs to be maintained’.
McManus Road Reserve is a great example of ongoing care. The 2 metre high English Broom is now almost totally eradicated and has been replaced with a wonderful mix of local grasses and shrubs.
Our projects
- Barkers Creek restoration
- Natural Features Bushland Reserve (Between Adams and Peelers Rds)
- Roadside Weeds Removal project (In conjunction with Mt Alexander Shire Council) – COMPLETED 2022 –
- Restoring the ‘Old Tip’ site in Barkers Creek (Peelers Rd, in conjunction with Mt Alexander Shire Council) – COMPLETED 2022 –
- McManus Road Reserve
- Restoration of the National Heritage Diggings Park (In conjunction with Parks Victoria)
- In My Back Yard (IMBY) – Local people caring for public land adjacent to their properties.
Partnerships
Much of the work our group undertakes is through partnerships. We have had ‘Partnership Agreements’ with the Mt Alexander Council for restoring the Old Tip Site (four years) and the Roadside Weeds Removal Program (six years).
We partner with Parks Victoria for the Bushland Reserve, the National Heritage Diggings Park and the Walmer Bushland Reserve. The State Government, through DWELP and the North Central Catchment Management Authority have been instrumental partners in assisting us restore our entire section of Barkers Creek.
Working Bees
Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife group conduct a working bee every month from February to November. We always meet on the fourth Sunday of the month. In December we have a lovely Christmas break up. Yeah!!! Each year we also have two reciprocal joint working bees with Harcourt Valley Landcare group.
We encourage members to put the fourth Sunday of the month in their diaries. Our working bees start at 9.30am and finish by noon. A week or so before the actual date an e-mail will be sent with all the final details – where, what, when and why? It needs to be said that after each working bee we enjoy, what can only be called, a scrumptious morning tea. All that hard work makes us hungry.
We are now into our third decade and going strong. You can read our current 5 year action plan by downloading the PDF below.
We hope that you enjoy perusing our website and the many projects that we are involved in. We have included an interactive map of the Barkers Creek area which might help you navigate your way. New members are always welcome, as are a few more likes on our Facebook page.
Meet our Exec
Daryl Colless
President
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 Munari
Vice President
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.
Lois Denham
Secretary
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 Olerton
Treasurer
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.