Day to highlight plight of koalas ROSEBUD resident Dirk Jansen is organising events to highlight the plight of koalas on the Mornington Peninsula, including a koala day next month. “Many people are surprised to find out there are still koalas living on the peninsula,” he said. “There is something special about observing wild koalas in their natural habitat and residents and visitors are always delighted when a koala visits their backyard or is spotted on one of the many bush walks.” Mr Jansen said the peninsula’s small population of koalas has been declining rapidly. “Like everywhere else on the east coast of Australia, koalas face many challenges, such as habitat loss due to land clearing and climate change; vehicle strikes, disease and dog attacks,” he said. He said long-term residents are concerned at the lack of koala sightings in recent years, prompting fears that the remaining population is too small to be viable. A 2016 study by Deakin University found that koalas were not thriving on the peninsula, with no record of breeding. “Many old koala trees are being lost through removal and dieback, and parks and reserves are not connected well enough for animals to move from one reserve to another,” Mr Jansen said. Koalas are regularly sighted at Somers, Balnarring, Arthurs Seat State Park and Greens Bush, with occasional sightings at Mt Eliza, Mt Martha and Tyabb, Red Hill and
Peninsula plants AUSTRALIAN native plants will be on sale 10am-3.30pm Saturday 4 May at Seawinds Garden, Arthurs Seat State Park, Purves Road, Arthurs Seat. The Australian Plants Society Mornington Peninsula group’s sale will feature plants suited to conditions found on the Mornington Peninsula.
Being neighbourly
MT ELIZA Neighbourhood House will hold a free “pizza with friends” night 7pm-8.30pm Wednesday 1 May. Call by 4pm Tuesday 30 April as pizzas need to be ordered. A 9.30am-11.30am Wednesday playgroup is being at the neighbourhood house. Cost: $2 a family. A Nordic walking group is also held for 45 minutes from 9.15am on Wednesdays. Call 9787 8160 for information about all activities at Mt Eliza Neighbourhood House, 90 Canadian Bay Road, Mt Eliza..
Ancient sharks
In decline: A koala on the Mornington Peninsula. Picture: Supplied
around Flinders. The only place where koalas are not naturally found is on the Nepean Peninsula from Capel Sound to Portsea. Favourite trees for koalas are manna and swamp gums and messmates. Areas with mature trees are vital for the
survival of koalas and other wildlife, such as sugar gliders, possums and many birds. Koalas are fussy eaters and it takes at least five years for young trees to grow tall enough for koalas to consider them as food trees. “Without urgent intervention, koalas
face an almost certain local extinction on the Mornington Peninsula,” Mr Jansen said. The Saturday 4 May koala day runs 10am-midday at 20 Kinwendy Road, Boneo. Stephen Taylor
FOSSILS such as sharks' teeth, will be discussed by Museums Victoria palaeontologist Tim Zielger at the Wednesday 8 May Peninsula Field Naturalists Club meeting, 16 High Street, Frankston. Details: 0400 910 941.
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• Mornington • Rosebud • Seaford • Toorak Mornington News
30 April 2019
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