MTHENRYPENINSULA CONSERVATIONGROUP NEWSLETTER
AND THATS A WRAP!
Bush Care has officially finished for 2024
I would like to thank all students, volunteers, staff and parents for ensuring the Bush Care sessions went ahead each week.
This year alone we:
Planted 250 tube stock Native Plants
Mulched approx. 650m of the firebreak Track
Handpicked approx. 2.5m3 of weeds (including Veldt Grass, Broad Leaf, Pink Gladioli, Yellow Solider & Climbing Fumitory) Removed over 176L of Rubbish from the Peninsula and Aquinas Bay Foreshore
Continued to assist in the Feral Animal - Fox Program with no foxes caught onsite
Undertook approximately 550m of Pruning
The MHPCG wouldn’t have been able to achieve all of its hard work without the help from its volunteers
2025 BUSH CARE SESSIONS
The Bush Care Sessions for 2025 have been confirmed
Thursday Service Learning Bush Care will resume in Week 1 Term 2 and conclude at the end of Term 3
Saturday Bush Care for Term 2 are:
Week 2 - Saturday 10 May
Week 4 - Saturday 24 May
Week 6 - Saturday 7 June
Week 8 - Saturday 21 June
Sign up will be available from Week 6 Term 1, 2025 in the John Beekink Room located in Mt Sion. Spaces will be limited to 15 for Thursdays & 25 for Saturdays Be sure to sign up early to secure your spot
JUNIORSCHOOLBUSHCARE
It has been a great year for the Junior School Bush Care with all Year groups getting their chance in the Peninsula. Following EXEAT in term 3; 6B finished off the last of the available mulch while the Year 2, Year 1 & Pre-Primary had a go with weeding! During their sessions they managed to remove 0 248m3 of weeds or 15 buckets worth of weeds!
Mrs McMillian’s Pre Primary Class enjoyed extra trips to the Peninsula this year as they learnt all about their outdoor environment. It was truely magical to hear the boys call out the names of the plants as they spotted them on their walk. They also took the time to create their own nest out of the sticks they found on their trips.
It has been great having the Junior School boys back at Bush Care this year. The kids bring so much enthusiasm and energy to each session. Despite the year group range; one thing that all enjoyed was getting to see the Ospreys in the nest as they prepare to lay their eggs.
THURSDAY SERVICE LEARNING
BUSHCARE
The weather hadn’t been on our side since we returned from EXEAT in Term 3. Week 6 was cancelled due to strong winds which bought down 3 trees. While Week 8 was cancelled with rain and hail making it too dangerous for the session to go ahead.
Despite this the boys did a great job helping to remove weeds from the revegetation zone and moved on to an area south of the Osprey Nest. There were a lot of tall Pink Gladioli's with flowers in this area which made them nice and easy to spot.
Each week the boys competed against each other to see who could get the most, the biggest, smallest weeds and proudly showed off their collections at the end of each session But it wasn’t always hard work with the boys taking a break in the Pre Primary Nest during the week 9 Session.
Week 10 saw the boys undertake pruning to ensure the Firebreak was kept safe over the Holidays.
SATURDAY BUSH CARE
The last two Saturday Bush Care sessions for 2024 were filled with weeding competitions. The Boys successfully removed 0 5m3 of weeds within 4hrs of work Unlike the area south of the Osprey Nest, the Revegetation Zone had minimal Pink Gladioli flowers; making them harder to spot from a distance. This however is very rewarding as it shows the success of our chemical spraying and manual removal.
During the Week 9 Session several students assisted with undertaking pruning works which are vital in keeping our firebreak accessible during the summer months
Although it was sad that we didn’t get to finish the mulching; we can take pride knowing there was minimal Pink Gladioli and Yellow Soldiers visible once we were done working. When the sessions commence next year our focus will be to mulch the section of track alongside the freeway that missed out on mulch this year
2023 SERVICE HOURS
The table to the left shows the number of volunteers and hours accumulated for Environmental Service Learning through the College and Mt Henry Peninsula Conservation Group programs in 2024.
Overall we had 315 students from across the college contribute 596 hours of Environmental Service
Students from the Middle School (Year 7-9) contributed most hours as they work towards their community service goals
The Junior School Wednesday program was back for its seventh year and we hope to see them back in 2025 . The Junior School boys bring so much enthusiasm to bush care which we hope encourages them to maintain the environment for years to come.
We would love to see some new faces in our volunteer group next year - if your interested in volunteering in any way please email me at maddison.nicholls@aquinas.wa.edu.au
I would like to give an honourable mention to the following students who volunteered a considerable amount of hours to Bush Care this year;
Christian O’Neill - Year 9 - 20 hours
Xavier Murray - Year 9 - 12 hours
Angus Parkin - Year 7 - 10 hours
Duy Pham - Year 7 - 10 hours
Hudson Smith - Year 7 - 10 hours
Samuel Canterino - Year 7 - 10 hours
GRANT FUNDING SUCCES
The MHPCG was successful in the 2025 Swan Alcoa Landcare Program (SALP) Grants earning an impressive $11,880 Grant for Weed Management, Rehabilitation and Feral Animal Control
Each year the MHPCG spends a huge portion of its funds on weed management; it is a vital job for us to keep on top of. Without the funds from the Swan Alcoa Land Care Program our bushland would rapidly become over run with weeds such as Veldt Grass, Pink Gladioli, Cape Tulip and Watsonia just to name a few.
We thank the team at PerthNRM, DBCA, Alcoa, Burswood Park Board for considering our application
CLEANUPAUSTRALIADAY2025
THANKYOU CITY OF SOUTH PERTH
The MHPCG & Aquinas College would like to thank the City of South Perth (COSP) for their on going assistance in 2024 with Feral Animal Control & the supply of Native Tube stock.
Our Clean Up Australia Day event will be held on March 14, 2025
Sign up for the event will be available in the Mt Sion Office - John Beekink Room in Term 1, 2025. This year we will continue to focus on the school grounds and surrounding natural areas
BABYOSPREY
We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newest Osprey on the Peninsula Our resident Ospreys have returned to the nest and we believe are currently sitting on eggs. Only time will tell how many chicks we have this year.
2024 SALP Recipients at the awards ceremony
MCDOUGALLFARMCOMMUNITYGARDENOPENDAY
Join us for the McDougall Farm Community Garden Open Day!
Saturday 26 October, we’re having an Open Day for the McDougall Farm Community Garden. Come explore what is currently growing within our garden and meet our friendly group of volunteers! Pop in for a for a cuppa, cake and chat
Date: Saturday 26 October 2024
Time: 2:30PM - 4:30PM
Location: 20 Clydesdale St, Como WA 6152
Bring your friends and family, and let’s grow together! See you there!
NOTE FROM THE COORDINATOR
To Aquinas College students, Mr Richard Kostecki - Head of HASS, Science Teachers Natalie Trew, Jacquline Pederson & Bradley Nicholls, Junior School staff members and JS parents/guardians, thank you for your valuable help this year.
To Mavis Andrews for always being a phone call away when I needed advise regarding the Peninsula (or when I locked the only set of keys I had in the Shed)
Huge thanks to the Steve Burke and the Aquinas Grounds team for moving mulch piles along the Peninsula for us.
To Sue Harper & Marcus Singor for continuing to keep an eye on the Mt Henry Peninsula Osprey Nest.
I welcome Carolyn & Andrea to the MHPCG Group we are looking forward to seeing you at our sessions next year.
Lastly, I would like to wish all readers a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and a safe and relaxing holiday season.
Maddison Nicholls
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mt Henry Peninsula Conservation Group
Mrs Maddison Nicholls - maddison nicholls@aquinas
