NEWS DESK
Rubbish keeps Call for fox watchers collectors busy AN old TV set, ceramic pipe, umbrella, bike helmet, 900-amp jump starter and two plastic drums were added to the 28 bags of general rubbish collected by BERG Mt Martha members at last week’s Clean-Up Australia Day event. Also picked up were another 20 bags of discarded underclothing, dirty wipes, beer and soft drink bottles and takeaway wrappings at popular The Pillars rock jumping site. Spokesman Barry Morris said 82 volunteers turned up to help in the mass annual clean-up – including 54 adults (31 females and 23 males), 28 children, and nine BERG members, with others helping at Bird Rock beach. The big turn-out was the result of “saturation” promotion, he said. This included a BERG banner, Mt Martha’s lifesaving club, Rotary, primary school, and yacht club, as well as social media and the clean-up site listing. “Even two young couples came separately from Melbourne because they liked our site’s location,” Mr Morris said. “They all helped us raise the awareness and profile of this year’s clean-up event.” “Member Jenny Selby came all morning and spent the extra hours helping pack up and sorting rubbish,” Mr Morris said.
Others sorted out the glass and plastic bottles, cans, cardboard and paper, miscellaneous and large items everyone collected. “We could not separate all the numerous bits of stray plastic, as well as plastic bags, straws, lighters, bottle caps, small pieces of polystyrene and other myriad items,” Mr Morris said. Also included in the 28 bags of general rubbish were plastic bags, bits of plastic and paper, food wrappers and containers, rope, gloves, cigarette lighters and condoms. One family of helpers collected a box of cigarette butts. Also hauled out were 233 plastic drink bottles, 305 glass bottles – 256 alcoholic and 49 soft drink, 13 thongs, one bag of polystyrene bigger pieces, 332 aluminium cans – 186 alcoholic and 146 soft drink, five large balls, 10 tennis balls and five golf balls. Birdrock Beach clean-up coordinator Di Lewis said and 35 volunteers she found it difficult to get to the site because the Esplanade was closed for the Sufferfest triathlon. “It was difficult to get tables, chairs, bags in and to arrange registrations because we could not take vehicles in,” she said. “It meant several trips back and forth. It was also difficult to bring some of the full bags back from the furthest areas as they were too heavy to carry or drag.” Stephen Taylor
THE Western Port Biosphere organisation wants volunteer citizen scientists to help keep an eye on foxes. The biosphere has been given a government grant for a two-year fox “monitoring and control” project in the northern coast area of Western Port. “Our aim is to abate the predation pressure by foxes on stock, small native fauna and ground dwelling shore birds,” executive officer Cecelia Witton said. “Photo-monitoring in the first year will assess the distribution and abundance of the red fox, which will determine the most effective areas to undertake control activities in the second year,” she said. Ms Whitton said volunteer citizen scientists would be trained to ensure the success of the program. “Landholders and community groups will be empowered to build pest monitoring and management into routine farm/land management,” she said. “Volunteers from the broader community will be trained to assist landholders and to undertake fauna identification.” The training would include using and maintaining motion-sensing cameras (supplied by the biosphere). Up to four cameras may be positioned on a property depending on its size. A workshop would be held to teach volunteers how to download photos from the cameras, identify fauna and record them on the Atlas of Living Australia. Help would also be provided to a qualified fox control contractor in the
Signs to cut roadkill
Caught on camera: The Western Port Biosphere is about to start monitoring the movements of foxes. Picture: Keith Platt
second year. “The extent of involvement will be tailored to suit individuals,” Ms Whitton said. “In the long term, through coordination of biodiversity monitoring and fox control activities by citizen scientists, integrated with other stakeholder fox management, this project will contribute to a landscape scale map of all management activities, which will identify gaps in control, and determine the effectiveness of control techniques; predator/prey relationships and, the effectiveness of control activities on target species populations.” To join the Western Port Biosphere’s fox control project email admin@biosphere.org.au or call 5979 2167. Keith Platt
KANGAROOS and wallabies may be more safely crossing Mornington Peninsula roads at night thanks to a trial of electronic signs warning road users to their presence. Mornington Peninsula Shire’s traffic transport office has agreed to install temporary signs at high risk zones on Purves Road, Arthurs Seat and Jetty Road, Boneo. Similar speed indicator signs are being used for the second year running to caution motorists on the Esplanade, Mt Martha about pedestrians visiting The Pillars rock jumping site. Results of the wildlife trial will be evaluated and, if acknowledged as a success, may lead to permanent and more informative signs being installed. The Australian Wildlife Protection Council and the Mornington Peninsula Branch of the Victorian Greens pushed for the trial. “In certain areas of the peninsula, wildlife – especially kangaroos and wallabies – regularly cross roads,” Nepean Green's candidate Paul Saunders said. “This endangers the wildlife and also car users, particularly around dawn and dusk.”
Childcare continues at Mornington Community House Mornington Peninsula Shire has stepped in to ensure childcare services will continue at Mornington Community House following the local community house ceasing its operations on 2 March. Council will run the kindergarten program for 3-year olds and occasional child care, with services resuming from Tuesday 13 March. Council is working to support the childcare programs on a temporary basis to ensure continuity of services for community and staff, while exploring longer term options with other stakeholders regarding ongoing management of the centre.
Council remains focussed on ensuring community services formerly offered by the centre remain available in the short-term, as well as supporting staff, clients and the community. Discussions continue regarding other programs at the centre, with the aim to continue same services at same venue, wherever possible. Parents seeking further information may call: 5950 1099
For more information mornpen.vic.gov.au/mch
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Mornington News
13 March 2018
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