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The Moorabool News – 19 July, 2022 Page 11
Green thumbs welcome By Carol Saffer The Grow West project is an ambitious landscape restoration program for 50,000 hectares of land between Bacchus Marsh and Ballan. Once a year, an invitation goes out to the community to roll up their sleeves and help with the plantings. This year it will be held on Sunday 24 July and the venue is Hopetoun Park where 4000 native plants are ready for planting. This year’s Community Planting Day, between 9.00am and 3.00pm, is the first since 2019 due to COVID-19 cancellations. The planting day will be held at Pelican Point on the Werribee River at Hopetoun Park, an important site to protect and enhance as it is known to include many threatened species and vegetation. Lindy MacRaild, Grow West coordinator said everyone is welcome to help as long as they can walk to the site, as parking will be along Thomas Drive, Hopetoun Park. “Our work along the river here will help to improve the habitat value of this important link through the landscape, which connects up with previous year’s plantings,” Ms MacRaild said. “Volunteer attendees, including children, will need to register online at Event Brite before the day, so we can organise catering requirements,” she said. Grow West provides morning tea, while Bacchus Marsh Lions Club will serve lunch and afternoon tea. “Best to get in quick as registration will be open until Thursday, July 21 or until booked out,” Ms MacRaild suggests that helpers on the day dress warmly, including a hat, gardening gloves and sturdy footwear. “To minimise waste, please bring a water bottle, use our filling stations, and most importantly, bring your own cup, plate and cutlery for lunch.” Grow West is a partnership between Melbourne Water, Moorabool Shire Council and Southern Rural Water. The Grow West Community Planting Day is an annual event run by Grow West in partnership with Victorian National Parks Association, Friends of Hopetoun Park and Parwan Gorge, Friends of Werribee Gorge and Long Forest Mallee, Moorabool Landcare Network, Bacchus Marsh Lions Club, Victorian Mobile Landcare Group and Moorabool Shire Council. Register at Event Brite at https://bit.ly/plantingday2022 For further information, contact growwestplanting@gmail.com
Lindy MacRaild with children (L-R) Isaac and Hannah, have contributed to many of the planting days. Photo - submitted
Shining a light on illegal spotlighting Illegal spotlighting puts the community, livestock, and native wildlife at risk – and it could be happening in your area. The Game Management Authority Victoria (GMAV) has put a call out for Victorians to report any illegal spotlighting they witness, by visiting www.gma.vic.gov.au, or calling 136 186. Illegal spotlighting is when people illegally use a spotlight or thermal imaging device to shoot deer or other game animals at night. A spokesperson for GMAV said if you have immediate concerns for your safety or your property, you should instead call Triple Zero (000) while the illegal spotlighting is occurring. “Keep in mind there are legal reasons to spotlight – landowners or their agents (such as permitted hunters) may spotlight under a unprotection order when controlling problem deer causing damage, and pest animals such
as rabbits and foxes may be spotlighted with the landowner’s permission.” Some public land that is not ‘recognised deer habitat’ can also be spotlighted in, but under the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2012, a person must not “possess a spotlight and a firearm in recognised deer habitat from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise”, nor “possess a spotlight and be in the company of a person possessing a firearm in recognised deer habitat from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise”. People caught hunting at night, spotlighting game, or possessing a spotlight in recognised deer habitat illegally, can face fines in excess of $3,600 and have their equipment seized, including firearms, spotlights, vehicles, and Game and Firearm licences. For more information, visit www.gma. vic.gov.au and search “Spotlighting”.
Register as a disability worker The Victorian Disability Worker Commission has launched a campaign encouraging disability workers to register to show people with disability they have the right skills to deliver quality services. Cases of abuse and neglect in the sector currently being heard at the Royal Commission demonstrate how vital it is for people with disability to be confident that their worker is safe, skilled and professional. Melanie Eagle, Chair of the Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria, said that disability workers do crucial work with some of the most vulnerable people in the community. Registration acknowledges this and recognises workers for the important work they do. “We know that disability workers are passionate and proud of their work. There is a huge amount of trust involved between a worker and a person with disability, so knowing upfront that a worker is appropriately assessed provides great confidence. “Everyday disability workers deliver diverse services to people with disability, ranging from high-level 24-hour personal care to ad hoc support as required. “Workers that register are not only providing confidence to those with disability, their families and carers, but are showing they want to be part of change in the sector to
ensure the right people are working with our loved ones,” Ms Eagle said. Victoria is leading the way in delivering better safeguards for the sector and is the only state in Australia that has a registration scheme in place for workers, introduced in July last year. Disability workers that are registered have been deemed suitable by the independent Disability Worker Registration Board of Victoria. The assessment provides additional checks to the NDIS worker screen criminal history check, by assessing a worker’s skills and experience and commitment to undertaking continuing professional development. Employers who choose registered disability workers also have the benefit of saving time, money and paperwork as checks are done by the Victorian Disability Worker Commission. Disability workers can go online to find out more and to register at vdwc.vic.gov.au/registration. Registration is currently free and a worker’s skills, experience and track record are all taken into account. Applications are now open for the second year of registration which runs from 1 October to 30 September. Enquiries call also be made by calling 1800 497 132 between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.