Minutes
Smiths Gully Landcare
Annual General Meeting
10th October 2011
Panton Hill Living and Learning Centre, Bishops Road, PANTON HILL
Meeting Opened 7.41 pm
Present: Pat Reynolds John Ryan, Chris Sanders, Mick Okey, Trish Ebert, Lynlee
Tozer,
Apologies: Maryanne Freeman
Minutes of Previous Meeting: (AGM October 2010) Accepted
Presidents Report: Pat Reynolds.
Welcome to everyone.
I would like to present the President’s Report for Smiths Gully Landcare Group for the year ended 30th June 2011.
Well, it’s been a fairly quiet year.
Most of the activities have been following up on things that were started in the previous year.
The restoration of the Brens Road – Black Cameron Road intersection has been very successful. I’ve had a few photos printed as a record of what we have achieved there.
Before September 2008 and after September 2011
It’s amazing what nature can do, given half a chance.
Lynlee has been direct seeding with an assortment of mainly grasses, and I have seeded with casineas that are coming up, and planted about 30 tube stock that, hopefully will grow up and cover the big logs. (I tried to coax the workmen to dig the logs in with their machine, but they weren’t too obliging). Half the plants were bought from Lynlee’s nursery, and I grew the other half.
There are quite a lot of eucalypts coming up in the reclaimed area that have self-seeded from what’s around the site. The spot is another great example of what Landcare Groups can achieve.
The blocking off of the short cut from Salters Rush Road to Cants Creek Road has also been successful, but will take much longer to reestablish vegetation as it was previously eroded down to the bedrock. Quite a lot of “good” ground cover species are coming up along the edges.
The mulch we requested from council that was dumped at the top, and spread by our group, was loaded with Ash tree seed that came up in profusion. So… there was another working bee to pull them out.
This seed infested mulch was reported to council, along with a telling photo. The depot have been told not to dump mulch unless they are sure it is weed seed free.
A whole new crop of these Ash seedlings is coming up again. They will need to be monitored and another working bee planned in the future.
The walking trail has still been the focus of our attention. The track is very well used and appreciated by the community. Fortunately, there is only very occasional inappropriate use.
Around this time last year, the two new additional signs acknowledging the Wurrundjeri people went in at both ends of the track. Thanks to Delsha for creating the digital artwork for these. After hunting unsuccessfully for suitable illustrations for the sign, I found good photographic reference of the Wurrudjeri people on the internet and did the illustrations myself.
These new signs are in addition to the first trail signs that went in in 1995 and were replaced about three years ago.
This year’s main project has been to replace the two big signs at each end of the trail which have become very degraded. The Bendigo Bank have given us a grant for $1000 to help with these, valid to 30th June 2012. Delsha was inspired by trail signs in National Parks that she and Warwick visited in S.A earlier this year, and has designed something completely different to the old ones. They will be in full colour and have a fresh contemporary look.
The sign writer in Diamond Creek – Print Savers, that were to do the job, went out of business, so a second quote has been sought for Artcal Pty Ltd, who did the Hall sign. They have quoted $631.40. The previous quote was about $900. the remainder will go toward design costs.
At regular intervals trees fall over the track, and Parks Vic at Warrandyte has been very quick to come and remove them, sometimes even arriving the same day that they get the request. Smiths Gully Landcare members have had two sessions cutting back overhanging vegetation.
Thanks to Delsha, the Smiths Gully Website now has it’s own domain, and can be found at – www.smithsgullylandcare.org.au.
Chris is working on a colourful backdrop for the notice board. The board has been a bit neglected lately…hopefully the bright colours will draw people’s attention to a sign that will promote the website.
Trish has been working on rewording ad re designing the Smiths Gully Landcare brochures with Delsha. A complication with the computer program software has resulted in the project taking longer than expected.
Although we are a small group, we still make a big contribution to our local environment and community.
Treasurers
Report:
Yearly Treasurer’s[A1] Report as follows:
Total Cash/Bank as at 1st July 2010 $2157.42
Income
Memberships $66.00
Grant: Port Phillip and Western Port $550.00
Grant: Melbourne Water $1100.00
Australian Tax Office Refund $20.00 $1736.00
Expenditure
Vic Roads $37.40
Consumer Affairs $41.80
Insurance $350.00
Incidental Expenses $233.43 $662.63
Balance of Bank Account as at 30th June 2012 $3230.79
Election
of Office Bearers:
The following people were elected to Committee:
President: Pat Reynolds
Secretary: Trish Ebert
Treasurer: Mick Okey
General
Committee: John Ryan,
Market
Report: Report of the St Andrews Hall and Reserve Advisory Committee.
Partly due to a restrictive at Council and the resultant uncertainty as to who would be the council representative, there has not been a meeting this year.
Rather than wait for a meeting, I decided to proceed with a project to have a sign painted for the front of the St Andrews Hall. People were confusing the Hall with the Community Centre, and sometimes the hall was referred to as “The Market Hall” in the press- (Diamond Valley Leader November 24th 2010). The first sign writer provided a sign that was so different to what had been approved that it had to be declined and removed and another company sought. They produced a perfect sign, and there will be no more confusion.
I would like to report on the big addition to the St Andrews Hall. After two years, we were finally granted Bushfire Recovery Funds to have a top of the range Audio Visual system installed. The launch is on the 30th October at 2pm. The hope is that we will establish a St Andrews Film Society and be able to have regular screenings in the hall.
I was successful in applying for a grant of $3000 from Nillumbik to cover the first six months start-up costs of a film society. The Bendigo Bank also approved a grant application and offered $2500, but as only one could be accepted, it was best to choose the larger one. Should efforts to establish a Society fail, the grant money will have to be returned.
An invitation was received to put in an application to host a EFFM (Environmental Film Festival Melbourne) session which was to take place in November, but due to an overwhelming response, the organization had to reject the application. The festival was Victoria wide, and I think they probably chose towns that were further away from Melbourne, where the main festival takes place. Still, this demonstrates the kind of events that can take place now that the AV equipment is installed.
As well as the ability to screen films, all free TV channels can be watched on the big screen, so events like the AFL Grand Final, Melbourne Cup etc can be enjoyed with friends. Young people can have gaming competitions, and CDs with photos can be displayed on the big screen at weddings etc. Local film makers and school children can view their creations on the big screen. The St Andrews P.S. children have and animation program this term and will be using the hall to show their work at the end of the year. It has been suggested that a program of animation workshops could be held for kids over the holidays.
Next Annual General Meeting: Monday 8th October 2012. 7.30pm at Panton Hill Living and Learning Centre – 18 Bishops Road, Panton Hill
Meeting closed: 8.16 pm