Jetsam – CaNSCC Newsletter – Issue 19 - Page 1 JETSAM Issue 19 - June 2016 Coolum and North Shore Coast Care 157 Warran Rd, Yaroomba Qld 4573 Ph: 07 5473 9322 www.coolumcoastcare.org.au [email protected]Welcome! The winter solstice is passed and the year just keeps rolling on. We profile a neighbouring bushcare group organised by some of our members and have reports on the ongoing fox control program, the past turtle season and our recent presence at World Environment Day. An interesting find and some ‘out and about’ photos complete the edition. Join the President on the deck for, hopefully, an enjoyable read. From the President’s Deck Relaxing on the deck after a great morning weeding the Yerranya Dunes… Well winter is upon us although it has been unusually warm and wet so far. The rain was timely, the plantings undertaken on the dunes in the last few months were indeed in need of a soaking. It has yet again been a productive few months with several events taking place. As well as the continuation of the dune revegetation groups, we held two working bees at Mt Coolum National Park to help out the rangers; turtle season has ended; marine debris surveys continue; planning for the 2017 calendar has begun; school talks continue and the contractors have been given their tasks for this year’s EEC grant funding. Eco Discovery had its first event on 26 June with 70 children and about 30 parent/guardians, and 24 volunteers (including three 10-year-old eco- detectives or junior leaders). Added to that, the Community Nursery is going gangbusters and the stall preparation for the Nambour Garden Expo is well and truly underway. Our stall at World Environment Day was well received, with a big thanks to Sunshine Coast Environment Council for hosting such a great event and of course to the volunteers that helped out on the day. The Landcare Award finals are looming up in September in Melbourne. As most of you know we have made the finals for the Coastcare category and have applied to do a presentation at the conference. We have also been asked to consider entering the Queensland Sustainability Awards by Dr Col Limpus, which is an honour in itself. We are also experimenting with some merchandise as a fundraiser. You can purchase a 500ml aluminium water bottle with our logo on it for $10 if you are a member, $12 for non-members - contact Susan Richards, Estelle or myself if you would like to purchase one. So as you can see our humble (dis)organization continues to make a positive difference by undertaking practical projects to conserve our local environment - thanks to your support.
The winter solstice is passed and the year just keeps rolling on. We profile a neighbouring bushcare group organised by some of our members and have reports on the ongoing fox control program, the past turtle season and our recent presence at World Environment Day. An interesting find and some ‘out and about’ photos complete the edition. Join the President on the deck for, hopefully, an enjoyable read.
From the President’s Deck
Relaxing on the deck after a great morning weeding the Yerranya Dunes… Well winter is upon us although it has been unusually warm and wet so far. The rain was timely, the plantings undertaken on the dunes in the last few months were indeed in need of a soaking.
It has yet again been a productive few months with several events taking place. As well as the continuation of the dune revegetation groups, we held two working bees at Mt Coolum National Park to help out the rangers; turtle season has ended; marine debris surveys continue; planning for the 2017 calendar has begun; school talks continue and the contractors have been given their tasks for this year’s EEC grant funding. Eco Discovery had its first event on 26 June with 70 children and about 30 parent/guardians, and 24 volunteers (including three 10-year-old eco-detectives or junior leaders).
Added to that, the Community Nursery is going gangbusters and the stall preparation for the Nambour Garden Expo is well and truly underway. Our stall at World Environment Day was well received, with a big thanks to Sunshine Coast Environment Council for hosting such a great event and of course to the volunteers that helped out on the day. The Landcare Award finals are looming up in September in Melbourne. As most of you know we have made the finals for the Coastcare category and have applied to do a presentation at the conference. We have also been asked to consider entering the Queensland Sustainability Awards by Dr Col Limpus, which is an honour in itself. We are also experimenting with some merchandise as a fundraiser. You can purchase a 500ml aluminium water bottle with our logo on it for $10 if you are a member, $12 for non-members - contact Susan Richards, Estelle or myself if you would like to purchase one. So as you can see our humble (dis)organization continues to make a positive difference by undertaking practical projects to conserve our local environment - thanks to your support.
Queensland Women’s Week celebrates Kabi Kabi Culture
Genevieve Jones
Queensland Women’s Week was shared and celebrated recently by a collective of 25 community members gathering at Stumers Creek Park (north Coolum Beach) and at Power memorial Park, Mudjimba. Local Kabi Kabi Traditional Owner, Bridgette Davis, shared her particular worldview and life experiences as an Aboriginal woman having grown up on the Sunshine Coast, while spending much time with her grandmother. Insights were offered into the dreamtime world and how our landscapes and coastal waterways came into being, through the movements of two dreamtime serpents known as the ‘moontoogutta’ and the carblamoonta’, who helped shape icons like Mount Coolum and the Glasshouse Mountains.
Traditional technology like ‘Aboriginal telegraphy’, using the various shapes and colours of smoke signals to communicate between groups of people, were described, as were the roles of women in helping to construct bora or ceremonial grounds used by Aboriginal men to undertake initiation of the younger folk. The name ‘Mudjimba’ is derived from the possum-skin drum, crafted and played by traditional Kabi Kabi women. Participants were able to learn more about local Aboriginal culture and assist through volunteering. These workshops, sponsored by the YWCA, Queensland Government and Bunya Bunya Country Aboriginal
Corporation, and supported by Coolum and North Shore Coast Care, have provided timely networking opportunities. Subsequently, there have been offers to help with upcoming projects for site recording, weaving workshops and advocating for a Traditional Owner Ranger Program. A number of women attending the workshops highlighted the fact that they had been looking for such occasions to learn about and help conserve Kabi Kabi cultural heritage.
Improving Nature Photographs – the Tricks of the Trade
Diane Goodwillie
Coolum and North Shore Coast Care initiated another first for environment lovers with the help of the Noosa Photography Club and professional/highly experienced photographers Barry Beckham and Andrew McGaughey. The two-hour free workshop was attended by 28 participants of all ages. Andrew from Topphotos, who runs more in-depth training courses, outlined three areas to improve photographs: Light, composition and content. He outlined the rule of thirds, use of leading lines and colour to enhance composition.
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Rule of Thirds (Courtesy of Topphotos Andrew McGaughey): Imagine that your image is divided into 9 equal segments by 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines. The rule of thirds says that you should position the most important elements in your scene along these lines, or at the points where they intersect Barry Beckham pointed out that Photoshop and Lightroom software when used can enhance photos dramatically. To help people learn more about this software Barry and Carol Beckham have produced CDs
costing $25.00 which give step by step instructions on how to use the software. (Order from the website www.beckhamdigital.com.au or join the forum at www.beckhamforum.com.au). Andy explained why some photos taken on a tripod are blurred.… because the stabilizing software of the camera needs to be de-activated. Taking care of backgrounds and finding a different viewpoint and frame or include a foreground item can help draw the eye to the point of interest and improve the results. For the more advanced photographers, Andrew suggested getting a CPL filter but for the I-phone users, he suggested polaroid sunglasses can also eliminate reflection and glare in nature shots. For further information have a look at the utube at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMOsBG2JaZY Another free resource from Andrew ([email protected]) is his rules for compostion powerpoint. Participants were given a 2016 calendar as a stimulus to submit photos for our 2017 calendar. Coolum and North Shore Coast Care is grateful to both Andew McGaughey, Barry Beckham (and spouses) and the Noosa Photography Club for volunteering to share their tips for improved nature photography on a Saturday afternoon.
Marcus Beach Bushcare Association Inc.
Judy Tulloch
The Marcus Beach Bushcare Association (MBBA) is a group of people who are passionate about preserving and repairing the local natural environment. Although most of our activities take place around Marcus Beach and Peregian Creek, anyone can become a member. We became an incorporated body in September 2014 so that we could apply for funding in our own right. Having a more formal structure has helped us to plan, to focus our activities, and get more done. So now in addition to having regular working bees at Marcus Beach, Peregian Creek and the Marcus Section of Noosa National Park, we have a busy schedule of projects. Our website, mbba.org.au is the place to go if you want to find out the dates of our regular weeding sessions. But it aims to do much more than that. Although still in its infancy, the website has information on some of the worst weeds in the area, links to other useful websites, and a section on gardening with local plants.
We are looking to team up with Coolum Community Native Nursery to help us develop the garden section which will have photos from local gardens showing how native plants can be used to good effect in landscaping. The site is interactive so we can answer queries that people may have, or point them in the right direction.
This year we are installing signs at the Peregian Creek boardwalk and the main access path to Marcus Beach. These will form an interpretive walk that explains the ecology of the dunal system, and highlights some of the plant species. Funded by a grant from the Noosa Council, these will be the first interpretive walks along the beach accesses in Noosa. The MBBA sign team is looking for volunteer post hole diggers and concreters in July so if you know anyone... In Marcus Beach, we are fortunate to have energetic locals, willing to get in and clear weeds in degraded areas of natural bush land surrounding their properties. The MBBA along with Council supports these efforts by providing advice, practical assistance and
encouragement. It was from the weed clearing initiatives of an MBBA member Lyn de Waard and her neighbours that the idea of hosting a National Tree Day planting hatched. So the MBBA registered the site at Redwood Reserve (located between David Low Way and Redwood Avenue) for Sunday July 31, from 9.00-11am. One of the aims of the MBBA is to encourage the active participation on the community and governing bodies in preserving bio-diversity and conserving the natural areas adjacent to Marcus Beach. That’s made all the easier to achieve with a hardworking, multi-skilled committee, wonderful Marcus Beach residents, and good working relations with the Natural Areas Team at the Noosa Council.
Turtle Nesting Season 2015-2016 has ended
Leigh Warneminde
The 2015- 2016 CaNSCC marine turtle nesting season, which started on November 19th 2015 has come to an end. The last of the 16 known nests emerged on the 17th May.
While the actual number of nesting turtles on our patch were fewer than the last season the season was one of firsts and surprises! Our first nesting turtle was a loggerhead turtle at Glen Eden beach. As it was reported at 3pm in afternoon, it was thought to be an injured turtle. As you can imagine, there was a flurry of activity when it was realized she was nesting. Thanks to the great team work of the turtle team, the turtle was tagged before disappearing back into the ocean. There was even greater surprise when Dr Col Limpus told us that our tagged loggerhead turtle had journeyed on to Mon Repos to continue her nesting season. We asked him to send her back! The second nest, our only green turtle
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nest of the season, was laid at the Southern end of Castaways Beach. An albino turtle hatchling, one of the 122 hatchlings that emerged from the nest was sitting just under the sand when the nest data was being collected. Pictures of Alby caught the attention of the world (albeit briefly). Alby’s photos were posted on social media and attracted over 100,000 people to our facebook page. CaNSCC volunteers were fielding phone calls from news agencies all over the world. Thirdly, thanks to help from Park Rangers, we managed to monitor turtle activity at Alexander Bay at Noosa for the first time. Previously, it had been decided that the time required to get in and out of ABay on foot on a regular basis was too difficult. The partnership between rangers enabled us to get driven in with mesh and pegs after reports of a turtle nest in the bay. While volunteers and the rangers remained clothed three nests were located and successfully hatched.
From 16 nests there were 1735 hatchlings. Our biggest nest was at Yaroomba with 182 eggs. One nest was predated by a fox between when it was laid and when we arrived at 5am, resulting in the loss of about 30 eggs. Our TurtleCare Sunshine Coast buddies down south had 66 nests from Caloundra to Pt Arkwright with 6380 hatchlings. A big thankyou must go to all involved, including the beach walkers and those good folk who called us to let us know they had
found turtle tracks. We couldn't have had such a good season without you. Thanks also to our TurtleCare buddies to the South. Until November we can all sleep in!
Coastal Fox Control Program
Darcy Murray (SCC Feral Animal Control)
During winter, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and Sunshine Coast Council are working together to implement the annual coastal fox control program in an effort to protect local wildlife.
The European red fox is a declared pest in Queensland, and the program’s goal is to reduce fox predation on small mammals, ground nesting birds and marine turtles at the egg and hatchling stage. Fox control activities are being conducted in coastal bushland areas from Mudjimba to Peregian. Control activities commenced on the 9th of May and will run until the 23rd of August in a bid to reduce fox breeding activity over winter.
The control program involves the use of soft catch traps, baiting and the deployment of fox detection dogs to locate dens. Each part of the program has been carefully considered to minimise the likelihood of wildlife being harmed. Fox and wildlife activity will be monitored to measure the effectiveness of the program.
Developed with significant input and support from Coolum and North Shore Coast Care, Biosecurity Queensland and QPWS, the 2016 program is going well so far. 19 foxes have been removed from the beaches and bushland areas so far and it is hoped this number will increase over the second half of the program. Most importantly, it is hoped the 2016 coastal fox control program will succeed in reducing fox predation on local wildlife.
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Residents can assist with the management of foxes by reporting suspected fox dens to council on 5475 7272.
World Environment Day 5 June 2016
Estelle Blair
After a very shaky lead-up weatherwise to the Sunday event, the day dawned beautifully clear and sunny. Cotton Tree Park was a great venue for such an event: fresh air, beautiful coastal position and central for residents and tourists alike to visit and enjoy the displays food and entertainment. About 5,000 people passed through the site during the day, and many stayed for the toe-tapping music at the end (even the local police looked happy!). As usual CaNSCC had a presence and display which was well patronised. It provided good publicity for EcoDiscovery – we handed out over 100 flyers – and it seems many of them signed up, at least for the turtle workshop! Thankyou Susan for selecting and assembling the information on the display board which was read by many passers-by.
Grateful thanks to the 15 volunteers on the roster who provided information to visitors to our display throughout the day, and who set up and pulled down the display and marquee. We hope you enjoyed the day as much as the visitors seemed to.
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An Interesting Find
Frank McGreevy
Early Saturday morning, 11th June 2016, strong winds blew over an old dead Macaranga in my back yard at Mount Coolum. On investigating the trunk and peeling off some bark about 2.5 metres from the base, I discovered a Red – Triangle Slug, (Triboniophorus graeffei Humbert, 1863; Family Athoracophoridae) 70mm L x 40mm W, and when moving became 85mm L x25mm W. Apparently, it lives in rainforest and eucalypt woodland, buried in ground under logs and rocks during the day and crawling on tree trunks at night, particularly after rain, leaving lines of small circular markings on smooth barked Eucalyptus after feeding, a herbivore, it feeds on algae and fungi living on tree trunks, rocks and leaf litter on the forest floor. The species is oviparous, laying soft spherical eggs in a small cluster. Only the one genus with one species is found in Eastern Australia. The single genus, Triboniophorus is found from the Illawarra district of NSW up the Australian East Coast into Papua New Guinea, also Irian Jaya, New Britain, New Ireland and Admiralty Islands. A large colour range exists in this species, the most common being bluish grey. On Mt Bellenden Ker (NQ) it is bright orange, Mt Bartle Frere, (NQ), white, Mt Kaputar (NSW), bright red. (For colour photos see Stanisic et al. (2010) P373.) Some controversy exists as to whether the family arose in the North and spread south, or it arose in Antarctica followed by a two-pronged northern radiation (Ref Beesley et al. 1998). The jury is still out on this issue and we may never know of an outcome. Bibliography: Beesley,PL, Ross, GJB. & Wells, A, (eds) (1993) MoIIusca The Southern Synthesis. Fauna of Australia, Vol 5, B, CSIRO. Melb. P1109-1110. Stanisic J, Shea M, Potter O, Griffiths O, (2010) Australian Land Snails Vol 1., A Field Guide to Eastern Australian Species. Bioculture Press; Mauritius, P372-373. Queensland Museum (2007) 2ed. Wildlife of Greater Brisbane, P20.
Out and About – Members at work and play
Abdul and Jim from the Watercourse Warriors Our recent lunch at Curlys on the Boardwalk
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DATE CLAIMERS
Event Date Place Details Surf Movie - Chasing Mavericks
2 July 2016 Civic Centre Coolum Beach
CaNSCC will have a display, and a % of the takings are donated to CaNSCC. Doors open 6.30pm; Movie starts 7pm.
EcoDiscovery 17 July 2016 21 August 2016 25 September 2016
Muller Park, Bli Bli Keith Royal Park Marcoola Environment Centre Wallace Road Noosaville
Exploring the Maroochy River at Muller Park Bli Bli; Photographs and Nature’s Secret at Keith Royal Park Marcoola; The Art of Nature at NPA headquarters, Environment Centre, Wallace Road Noosaville.
National Tree Day 31 July 2016 Redwood Park Marcus Beach
BA 135 Twin Waters
Organised by Noosa Council and CaNSCC/Marcus Beach Bushcare Association President, Judy Tulloch Organised by Sunshine Coast Council
Sunshine Coast International Readers and Writers festival
9-11 September 2016
Civic Centre and Tickle Park Coolum Beach
CaNSCC will have a display and be involved in several activities during the festival. Details will be circulated closer to the event
National Landcare Conference
21-23 September 2016
Melbourne Leigh and others will represent CaNSCC at the Awards night (as last year’s State winners of the Coast Care section, CaNSCC is a national finalist)
Heron Island Weedos October Heron Island Watch this space….
