October 2012
Dear NCG Members,
It is Spring on the Nepean Peninsula – with all its dramatically changeable weather. In spite of, or perhaps because of the wild and stormy seas, the gale force winds, rain and hail, Spring showers, and the already warm sunshine, the Peninsula is in full bloom and new growth is abundant: the clematis already setting seed; the Leucopogan stunning in white; the Pimelia bountiful; the common Correa laden with green bells; the scented groundsel budding, and the tea tree putting a white mantle over the dunes. Closer to the ground the Coast Swainson Pea is sending up purple racemes and the shy Pink Fairy orchid is blooming. All reminders that we live in a Moonah woodland. Unfortunately our environmental weeds also think Spring is conducive to growth, and they are doing better than ever. Watch out for Polyglala, Smilax, Dolichos Pea, Sweet Pittosporum, Boneseed, Bluebell Creeper (Sollya), Blue Perriwinkle (Vinca) and English Ivy. Remove and dispose of in the green bin. The NCG Committee is very pleased to report that the NCG has been successful in obtaining a Caring for Our Country Community Action Grant which targets removal of environmental weeds; indigenous planting and community awareness. Refer to the article in this Newsletter.
While nature in our coastal environment continues to inspire us, the actions of humans in relation to planning at the highest levels of Government do not. Australia’s Environmental Protection Laws are under threat. On 13 April 2012 COAG (Council of Australian Governments) released a plan to implement damaging changes to federal and state environmental laws. Refer to article in this Newsletter. Environmental laws are an essential element of a healthy society. They not only protect our fragile ecosystems, they also protect our health, our communities, our economy and future generations. A letter to the Prime Minister re the changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) is on its way. The NCG urges all members to write to their federal and state Members of Parliament before it is too late. The NCG has already written to the Hon Matthew Guy with a submission to register its grave concern for the environment and amenity of the Mornington Peninsula under the proposed State Government Planning Zone reforms.
Our Seasonal Rambles are continuing successfully. The NCG committee is also planning a very special boat trip for members with Judy Muir and Polperro – possibly the first weekend in December 2012. Watch your email for notice of this event and application details. I look forward to meeting a number of you at these events.
Enjoy Spring on our peninsula!
Dr Ursula de Jong, President
Successful Caring for Our Country Community Action Grant
In March 2012 the NCG put in an application for the Commonwealth Government’s Caring for Our Country 2012-13 Community Action Grant. In July we received news that the NCG was a successful recipient of a Caring for Our Country Community Action Grant. Herewith are details of our application, and the work we have before us for 2012-2013.
Project Title
Indigenous planting, removal of environmental weeds & community awareness project
Project description
Many areas of the Mornington Peninsula have been over grown or are in the process of being overgrown with environmental weeds including noxious weeds. Other areas including sand dunes, are suffering from erosion. The project will identify & remove environmental weeds from parks & reserves & revegetate these areas & sand dunes with indigenous plants & trees. The project will be executed & maintained by teams, through volunteers & volunteer friends groups on the Mornington Peninsula. The project will also include the preparation & production of literature & the further development of a website, to raise community awareness of the environmental issues & the need to protect the natural habitat peculiar to the southern Mornington Peninsula.
Project activities
Within selected areas totalling approximately 10 hectares, the project teams will identify & remove environmental including noxious weeds, from parks & reserves. Advice will be sought from experts, which will lead to appropriate indigenous plants & trees being selected to revegetate the selected areas & sand dunes suffering from erosion. The work will be conducted by volunteers & volunteer friends groups totalling approximately 50 people. Literature & the further enhancement of a website, will be produced to raise community awareness of the environmental issues & the need to protect our natural habitat on the southern Mornington Peninsula. All project teams will be given "milestones" to ensure the project is completed on time.
Reportable Outcomes
Our project outcomes include the following:
- Clearance of environmental including noxious weeds in the selected areas.
- Minimisation of erosion in the selected areas.
- Revegetation of the selected areas including sand dunes, with indigenous plants & trees.
- Production of literature to raise community awareness of the environmental issues in the southern Mornington Peninsula area & the need to protect our habitat.
- The further development of a website.
- The selected areas will be maintained on a regular basis by the volunteer friends groups.
Key steps:
1. Selection of areas to be revegetated & identification of environmental including noxious weeds to be removed
2. Production of literature & the further development of website to raise community awareness of the environmental issues & the need to protect our habitat.
3. Removal of environmental weeds
4. Revegetation of the selected areas
Nominated sites (being confirmed and finalised):
Shire Reserves and PV sites under the NCG umbrella such as: Diamond Bay, Dimmicks Bushland Reserve, E.G. Ritchie Reserve, Policemans Point, Sorrento Beach, Point Nepean, Sid Baker Reserve, Slips Reserve, Tuckey Track Reserve, Spray Point Wild Coast, Sorrento Park.
Other organisations we will work with
Jane Burke Bush Restoration and SPIFFA for advice in relation to environmental weed eradication & planting of indigenous species.
Glenvue Nursery and The Briars Nursery- supply of indigenous plants & trees
Various Contractors to be identified
The project specifically addresses:
- Coastal Environment
- Reducing the impact of invasive species
- Engaging the community in coastal rehabilitation, restoration and conservation
The Funding was requested for
- Invasive species control (such as Polygala, Italian Buckthorn, Bridle Creeper, Cape Ivy, English Ivy)
- Educational and community awareness activities (such as trials/demonstrations, workshops, field days, website development, and community monitoring)
- Re-vegetation (e.g. for habitat, biodiversity corridors/linkages, erosion control)
- Administration support
- Accounting costs
Work is underway and the NCG Committee look forward to many members and friends becoming involved – please let John Franklin know of your willingness to participate in whatever capacity you are able to do so. During the next few months there will be calls for help and for specific tasks/jobs to be undertaken. We look forward to welcoming you.
Membership Strategy for the period 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013
Purpose
- To increase memberships from 244 to 300, which represents an increase of 25% over our existing membership numbers;
- To reduce the number of memberships in arrears – presently 56 or 23% of the membership base of 244 to 10%; and
- To increase the number of members who are willing to be actively involved in the NCG, from 9% to 15% of the membership.
The Strategy
Our Membership Strategy aims to meet the purpose set out above and is detailed as follows:
A Engage with members
A1 Contact members to confirm membership.
A2 Identify members (& their interests) who have indicated they would like to be more active.
A3 Communicate with Friends Groups and identify if all volunteers are NCG members and hand out membership forms if they are not.
A4 Actively encourage members to volunteer for Friends Groups.
A5 Email our Newsletters to members
A6 Email our members to encourage them to recommend people & / or approach friends & relations to join NCG.
A7 Identify projects / activities that active members could be involved with (Caring for OUR Country: Community Action Grant Project).
B Promotional material
B1 Continually update our website to make it relevant to our members & potential members.
B2 Develop a section on the website for NCG Committee.
B3 Engage a printer to print generic business cards NCG Committee
B4 Create and produce a promotional flyer (A5), Fridge magnets and Postcards and engage a printer to prepare copies for distribution.
B5 Create and produce a portable Roll Up sign for use at any events NCG members attend for promotional purposes.
B6 Create and produce a large banner promoting the NCG for use at outside and inside events and engage a firm to produce the banner
B7 Create and produce a timber sign that can be reproduced and erected permanently at all NCG project sites.
B8 Create and produce a sign suitable for use on a portable A board that advertises NCG work sites, during working bees, Friends Groups activities, etc.
C Engage with community
C1 Advertise for members in related community / group newsletters (art, playgroups, schools, surf-lifesaving, coast management groups, bird watching, gardening and other aligned with our values), local papers, notice boards and website, Friends’ Networks.
C2 Hand deliver membership forms & promotional material including past Newsletters to Sorrento, Portsea and Blairgowrie businesses
C3 Organise ONE street stall and / or stalls at community events
C4 Advertise our involvement in projects & issues in local community radio, newspapers, newsletters, noticeboards, our website, facebook and twitter
C5 Advertise our downloadable membership form on website
DEFENDING ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS: PROTECTING THE PLACES YOU LOVE
Under pressure from big business and the mining industry, federal and state governments have recently announced a plan to wind back essential environmental protection laws. In the guise of cutting ‘green tape’ government and industry propose to hand important federal approval powers under the EPBC Act to the states and fast track approvals for large developments, as well as removing energy efficiency and climate change schemes in each State. These threats have very real implications for land, water, wildlife and climate change in Victoria. As it stands there is no proposal to consult the community, and the changes are being pushed through by the governments as ‘urgent’ reforms.
The VNPA (Victorian National Parks Association) and the EDO (Environment Defenders Office) delivered a seminar briefing for community groups and individuals on Thursday 20 September. The speakers Elizabeth McKinnon (EDO) and Matt Ruchel (VNPA) were there to help people understand the broad-scale attacks on environmental laws, and explain how community members can respond and be heard on the issues. They addressed a full house at the Rosebud Library.
Elizabeth McKinnon stated that all States have a track record of putting economic and political short term aims FIRST. At what cost? Environmental impacts of projects (such as the Desal Plant and the Frankston By-pass) are subject to a highly discretionary EES (Environmental Effects Statement) process. The EES is not enforceable or binding, and can be departed from at will. State governments often benefit from the projects they are assessing themselves; or they are proponents or supporters of the project. The EPBC Act is not a perfect piece of legislation – but it is better than what we have at State level, and it provides layers of protection. The EPBC Act has higher standards of regulation, it allows the public to access information and to participate in a process. The federal government is generally better placed to consider State projects at arms length. When the State stands to benefit from the outcome, it is unrealistic to expect the State to make an impartial decision. Further, the Commonwealth is party to a number of International agreements, such as RAMSAR, Biodiversity, UNESCO, and it meets these conventions through the EPBC Act. If the Commonwealth devolves the powers to the States, the States would be unwilling and unable to enforce the Commonwealth’s regulations and responsibilities. The timeframe for the proposed changes is short: drafted agreement to be in place by December 2012; and the legislation to be in place by March 2013. The significant law reforms needed to make a new system workable will not be in place.
Matt Ruchel explained that the VNPA focuses on conservation; education and empowerment; and activities and adventures to protect our Parks, special places, seas and shores, biodiversity and ecosystems. Their charter is the conservation of the State of Victoria. He presented State and Federal listing: the federal list is smaller but stronger than the State lists. If a place or species is State listed there are ways of getting around that! Ruchel discussed a number of case studies (especially Alpine National Park and the Melbourne Metropolitan Strategic Assessment and Grasslands) arguing that if the States are left to their own devices there is no oversight. Federal protection is needed. Currently the EPBC Act has a great deal of leverage. Under the new proposed system, the State would make decisions on behalf of the Commonwealth. In summary, handing back laws to the States is a huge backwards step leading to weaker legislation and reduced capacity. States are open to influence and short term agendas. We need stronger federal laws not weaker ones. Final message to all: take action; stay informed; write letters to the Prime Minister, to Federal Ministers and MPs; keep asking questions and keep the issues alive. We need better quality decisions rather than political decisions to protect the places we love.
Ursula de Jong, notes from meeting.
News in Brief
President addresses SPIFFA
On Monday 3 September Ursula de Jong was a guest of SPIFFA. She spoke about ‘Water and Place Identity on the Nepean Peninsula’, highlighting the role water has played in creating a sense of place here over time and across various themes. Beachside holidays are only one small part of the complex web of poetic, leisure and health appreciations of this narrow peninsula located between the Bay and Bass Strait.
Plan Peninsula
While the State Government considers MPS a Peri- Urban area (a non-urban area adjacent to cities), it is very much Shire’s view that MPS is not part of greater Melbourne. The MPS has therefore been running a number of community workshops on the future look, feel and role of the Mornington Peninsula. At the same time it has tried to gauge community concerns for the future. Feedback from the workshops formed the basis of the Shire’s submission to the State Government’s Mornington Peninsula Planning Statement – a plan that will set the direction, extent and nature of development on the Peninsula for the next 20-30 years. The Metropolitan Planning Strategy and Regional Growth Plans can be found at The NCG has also written to the State Government supporting the MPS position. Refer to NCG website for full submission.
Point Nepean National Park
Work has begun on the $13.88 m infrastructure and essential services upgrade program. This is the biggest services infrastructure investment ever delivered into a Victorian National park. The program includes 5.5 k of service trenches for electricity, sewer, water, gas and telecommunications, as well as upgrades to existing roads and a new car park within the Quarantine Station. The work is expected to be completed in December 2012. The park will remain open during the works. Refer to
MPS Council Elections 2012
Information from the Victorian Electoral Commission will be posted to all residents early in October. Nominations closed on 25 September. There are 8 candidates standing for the Nepean Ward – 2 from Sorrento and 6 from Rye. You are advised to check each candidate’s position in regards to conservation and protection of our natural and cultural heritage prior to voting for them. When further information comes to hand details of the candidates will be posted on the NCG website.
Portsea Foreshore
Department of Sustainability and Environment has recently advised that it will undertake works to strengthen the sandbag seawall so that it can continue to protect Portsea beach. After investigating coastal erosion management options for Portsea beach, DSE determined that maintaining the sandbag seawall was the only viable approach for protecting Portsea foreshore. The DSE’s ‘Pre-feasibility Study of Coastal Erosion Management Options to Protect and Manage Public Assets at Portsea Front Beach’ is now available at the DSE website:
Southern Peninsula Aquatic Centre (SPA) Rosebud