Hello Waterwatch Monitors A big WELCOME to our newest and youngest Waterwatch

Monitor Amelia Jasmine Watts who was born on 20 July at

7.13am, weighing 7lb 9oz. Amelia arrived 12 days late, but is a

happy, healthy and beautiful girl - CONGRATS Mel and Aaron!

I hope everyone has been enjoying the most of the wet

weather. All rivers in North Central Victoria have received

some fantastic natural flows, with some sites experiencing over

bank flows - a much needed drink for our amazing and beautiful

river and creek systems. Thank you to everyone who has sent

in photos and stories from your sites.

In August Sarah Floyd from Bendigo South East College came along to experience working within

the Waterwatch team. Sarah met some of our awesome Waterwatch volunteers, visited the

Coliban Water - Wastewater Treatment Plant, planted trees with North Central CMA staff and

spent a day in the office helping to put together some stories for this issue of Catchment Care.

Sarah was lovely and I wish her all the best for her future in Natural Resource Management!

Waterwatch has been working closely with the Loddon Stressed River Program to undertake

monitoring of macroinvertebrate communities and their response to a return of natural flows in

the Loddon River and its tributaries downstream of Cairn Curran. The rational behind the

monitoring program will be to determine the rate at which macroinvertebrate communities re-

establish in sites where there has been little or no flow over consecutive years. We will keep you

updated with our results as we head along this journey.

I would like to welcome some new monitors to the program and introduce them to you!

• Ken & Elaine from Friends of the Avoca will be monitoring a site along the Avoca at Reach 7;

• Drew & Family will be monitoring a site along the Loddon River at Glenluce; and

• Maggie & Ian will monitor a site at Kyneton.

CassCassCassCass Cass Davis – Regional Waterwatch Coordinator

Winter 2010 Regional Update

Welcome aboard, we look

forward to working with you!

P2

Landcare covers more ground!

It has been a very busy couple of weeks in the office with

the end of (and new) financial year and of course Second

Generation Landcare Grants (SGLG)!

This year we were significantly oversubscribed for the 2010-

11 SGLG program. The total value of applications received

was $841,382. The North Central Catchment Management

Authority (CMA) was allocated $300,000 by the State

Government for the devolved grants program.

It is great to see that there are so many Landcare groups

throughout the region keen to do activities in their patch.

Although not everyone will get funding, the sheer volume

of applications means that we can highlight to the

government the importance of the SGLG program and

supporting community groups to achieve onground

landscape changes – well done!

We received 34 Major Integrated Project applications, 30

Small Grant applications and 52 Group Maintenance Grant

applications. It was extremely positive to see such a diverse

range of interesting and innovative projects being proposed

across the region.

The quality of the applications was extremely high, which

made the task of the Standing Grants Committee very

challenging.

In addition to this great news, the Federal Government’s

Caring for our Country (CfoC) program recently announced

that the North Central region has been successful in their

funding application for a full time Landcare Facilitator for

the next three years.

The facilitator will work with groups in the North Central

Region to promote sustainable farm and land management

practices and conservation, as these aims align with CfoC

targets. The facilitator will also help Landcare groups and

Networks to access funding, partnerships, training and

information.

Story by Jessica Barnes

Northern United Forestry Group,

Children’s Nature Trail Activity Day

‘Last Child in the Woods’

Reconnecting kids with nature – September

Photo: Robyn McKay, North Central CMA

Contents � Landcare covers more ground 2

� Important message from a

� Waterwatcher 3

� Upcoming Waterwatch Events 3

Winter Waterwatch Activities

� NAIDOC Week 3

� Avoca Reach 7 4

� Landlearn at La Trobe 4

� Platypus at Gunbower, Cohuna and

Durham Ox 5

� River Detectives get wet! 5

Catchment Care Features

� What bug am I? 6

� Creature Feature 6

� Water Weed of the Quarter 6

� Photo of the Quarter 7

� Saltwatch Week 3

Message from our Sponsors

� Coliban Water helps the Growling

Grass Frog 9

� Shire of Campaspe @ Kanyapella

and Kyabram Fauna Park 9

P3

Upcoming Waterwatch Events - Spring

National Water Week 18 – 22 October 2010

Important Message from a Waterwatcher

Phosphate sample contamination – so easy anyone can do it!

Each month three of us go to sample three sites in the upper

Axe Creek catchment to collect the usual Waterwatch data.

We test most of the water quality parameters on site,

however we take a sample home to do the phosphorous test.

Although it is a more time consuming, the water is generally

too cold and requires warming a little for the reaction.

A couple of months back we got an unusually high result for

one of the sites. We went back and collected a fresh sample

but could not reproduce the high result. We thought we must

have contaminated the first sample. We tested the soaps and

detergents we had used prior to going out but could not

reproduce the problem.

This month was wet and the stream banks were slippery, so

instead of doing our on site tests, then going back to the

waters edge to fill the sample bottles for the phosphate,

without thinking about it we just tipped the beaker full of

water into the phosphate sample bottles and conducted our

test, this time we produced three high phosphate results!

New samples showed no phosphate at all. We then dipped the

pH meter in the sample and retested the phosphate - a high

result.

Lesson to be learned from our mistake – Make sure you have a

completely separate sample for your phosphate tests, they are

very sensitive. The ph buffer solution is of course a phosphate

buffer.

Story by David Merrick

Winter Waterwatch Activities

NAIDOC Week (National Aboriginal and

Islander Day Observance Committee)

Celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate

the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year's theme is Unsung

Heroes - Closing the Gap by Leading their Way.

Jason and Sam Kerr, Dja Dja Wurrung,

‘Welcome to Country’ didgeridoo performance

Photo: Christine Taylor, North Central CMA

On Monday 5 July the Flag Raising Ceremony and Opening

of Festivities begun - Welcome to Country, Smoking

Ceremony, didgeridoo playing, presentation of annual BRIT

(Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE) Indigenous Student

Scholarships and Unsung heroes awards were presented.

Kira Meeks (Waterwatch monitor for Sheepwash Creek)

was presented with the BRIT Indigenous Student

Scholarship and an unsung hero award.

Congratulations Kira!

Kira receives an award for Unsung Heroes

Photo: Christine Taylor, North central CMA

Story continued P4…

P4

The day also showcased the R.E. Johns Dja Dja Wurrung

Collection - with original Dja Dja Wurrung artifacts of

Indigenous Cultural Heritage from the local region, on

loan from the Burke Museum, Beechworth (Indigo Shire).

It was the first time the artefacts were back 'on original

country' since they were collected by Reynell Eveleigh

Johns (1834-1910), ethnologist and amateur Naturalist.

Wednesday 7 July was Koori Culture Day for Kids held at

Cochrane’s Creek: The day was full of activities, such as a

cultural walk and talk, Boomerang throwing, badge

making, tree planting and Waterwatch activities. We had a

sausage sizzle lunch by the campfire and looked at

aboriginal artifacts such as grinding stones and axes, plus

we all got show bags!

Koori Kids Day – Throwing a Boomerang

Photo: Cass Davis, North Central CMA

On Friday 9 July a barbecue lunch and entertainment by a

young and proud Gunditjmara singer, Jayden Lillyst, was

held at the DSE to finish off a fantastic week of celebrating

a beautiful culture.

Avoca Reach 7 - Water Bugs and Tree

planting combine forces for Education!

The Avoca River Reach 7 is highly valued by the Avoca

community for its social, economic and environmental

value; the Friends of the Avoca Group are very active and

passionate about the health of the river.

The North Central CMA has worked closely with the

community in protecting the river by funding on ground

works. Activities have included river fencing, revegetation

activities, pest plant and animal control works, and off-

stream water points established for stock.

On Tuesday 3 August Waterwatch was invited along by

the Avoca Primary School and Friends of the Avoca Group

to take part in raising awareness to students about River

Health.

Waterwatch showed the children how to collect Water

Bugs from the River, identify the different bugs, the role

water bugs play in the food chain and where a water bug

might live, Waterwatch talked about how water bugs can

be used as indicators of river health by working out their

sensitivity score and tallying their total abundance!!

Avoca River at reach 7 is in GOOD health!

Landlearn at La Trobe University

While the majority of contacts for the education program

are with primary schools we often deal with teachers and

students at other levels.

Two recent activities relate to professional development

for trainee teachers at Latrobe University Bendigo.

On two separate days in July Coliban Water participated in

sessions designed to create awareness about educational

opportunities for schools provided by organisations

responsible for natural resource management.

On the first day the theme for fifty Dip Ed students

preparing to teach in secondary schools was

Sustainability’.

On the second day the focus for seventy five Outdoor

Education students was ‘Primary Science and the

Environment’.

Both days were coordinated by staff from the Department

of Primary Industries’ schools education program

‘Landlearn’. Also involved, as a partner in delivering the

water component, was North Central Waterwatch, which

is a community water quality monitoring program

sponsored by Coliban Water.

The prospective teachers, many of whom will be teaching

in the Coliban Water and North Central Region either on

teaching rounds or during their future placements saw

demonstrations of resources and support Coliban and

Waterwatch provide for schools.

These topics cover topics such as the water cycle, water

use in the home, water quality, the core activity for

Coliban's education program ‘Taps & Toilets’ and Water

Bug education by Waterwatch.

Story by Rob Krober

Future primary teachers learn

about perceptions of water quality

at Latrobe University during a

professional development day

entitled: ‘Science and the

environment ~ in the classroom

and the field.’

Photo: Rob Krober, Coliban Water

P5

Platypus at Gunbower, Cohuna

and Durham Ox

Dr Melody Serena and Geoff Williams from the Australian

Platypus Conservancy (APC), along with the North Central

CMA, visited Gunbower, Cohuna and Durham Ox in

August to talk about monitoring Platypus populations and

the general biology and habitat requirements of these

incredible animals.

The events were a great success, attracting more than 60

people. A number of Platypus sightings in Serpentine

Creek, Gunbower Creek, Gunbower Lagoons and Pyramid

Creek were reported at the information sessions from

prior to 1990 as well as recent sightings from 2009.

With overwhelming help from the community the North

Central CMA and APC were able to identify areas where

Platypus still exist, this information is critical to the APC

for gathering baseline information about the platypus and

the changes in distribution and populations over time.

Sightings of both platypus and water-rats in the

Serpentine Creek seem to have declined in the last five

years, presumably due to lower flows. Results from

Gunbower and Cohuna also highlighted that Platypus

populations are declining.

Other community feedback from the events was that the

use of illegal drum and gill nets continue to pose a threat

to platypus, however it was expressed that one of the

biggest threat to Platypus in the area is large irrigation

pumps, “young platypus can be sucked into the pumps

and are quite often killed by the propellers inside” said Dr

Melody Serena from the APC.

Dr Serena holding a juvenile Platypus

Photo: Australian Platypus Conservancy (APC)

Recent conditions may well see a return of healthy

numbers of platypus in the lower Loddon River system

and Gunbower Creek. Dr Serena said that because

platypus breed in spring, recent rainfall in the Loddon

catchment has so far been well timed in terms of

encouraging female platypus to breed successfully. “Of

course, if the area continues to experience really heavy

rains, it could eventually be too much of a good thing, if

eggs or juveniles are washed out of nesting burrows later

in the year.” Dr Serena noted that during floods, platypus

are often seen in all sorts of unusual places as they

explore their changed surroundings.

She urged anyone seeing a platypus over the next few

months to please report where and when the animal was

seen, as this information is extremely valuable in assessing

where the animals continue to be found and how well the

population as a whole is currently coping. Details of

sightings can be reported on-line by visiting the Australian

Platypus Conservancy’s website www.platypus.asn.au, or

by accessing the APC’s Platypus and Water Rat census

form from the North Central CMA website:

www.nccma.vic.gov.au

Documenting sightings is very important and easy to do;

the Census is a very basic form to complete allowing

anyone from primary aged students through to adults to

get involved. Data received will also be placed into the

Waterwatch database and will be used to assist important

river health decisions into the future.

River Detectives get wet!

For two weeks in September our River Detectives have

been learning all about macroinvertebrates or ‘Water

Bugs’ as we like to call them (it’s a little easier on the

tongue).

Over 300 students across the region took part in

identifying different species of water bugs, learning about

their habitat, life cycles, food webs and why they are used

as indicators of a healthy waterway.

Students when asked said this part of the River

Detectives program was the ‘best’ as they got to look at

really cool Bugs!

Strathfieldsaye PS students searching for Water Bugs

Photo: Cass Davis, North Central CMA

Even some of the girls, who at first thought it was gross

got into it and got their hands wet, some students got to

put on their Gumboots and stomp through muddy

puddles on the way down to their creeks!

Others didn’t get to do this, due to timing

of rain and high flows in our rivers

but many had stories to tell about

how the water came right up to

their house!

WOW!

P6

Creature Feature “Hello my name is Sarah Floyd and I am doing work experience

here at the North Central CMA for one week. I chose to do

Swift Parrots for this article because I love them and it’s my

goal to find one around Bendigo”.

Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor)

The Swift Parrot is a threatened species that lives in southern

Australia. It breeds in Tasmania and migrates to Victoria,

eastern New South Wales and south east Queensland from

March – October. The Swift Parrot lives in forests, woodlands,

parks and gardens and can only found in Australia.

Swift Parrots are slender about 25cm long, with a long thin tail

around 12cm. They are bright green with red shoulders and a

blue-ish/purple-ish crown. They have a red face and throat

lined with yellow. Its tail is red and its eyes and bills are pale.

Favourite foods of the Swift Parrots include nectar from

flowers and lerp – crystallized honeydew formed by the

larvae of insects as a cover. Some of their favourite trees

are White Box, Mugga Ironbark and Spotted Gum.

The numbers are declining due to clearing of their habitat

for agricultural and urban development. They also have

accidents with cars, fences and windows (particularly

when these things are close by to suitable habitats).

Ways to help protect Swift Parrots are make windows and

fences obvious (e.g. make windows dirty, put bright colour

tape on fences), plant and protect their favourite trees

and report sightings. Information and pictures for the

Swift Parrot were sourced from:

www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au

Want to be involved or learn more? Please contact:

Chris Tzaros

Woodland Birds for Biodiversity Project - Birds Australia

Suite 2-05, 60 Leicester St, Carlton VIC 3053

T (03) 9347 0757

F (03) 9347 9323

E c.tzaros@birdsaustralia.com.au or

www.birdsaustralia.com.au

Water Weed of the Quarter

Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)

Family: Amaranthaceae

Origin: Native of South America

Flowers: White, papery ball-shaped flowers grow on

stems from the point where the leaves and stem meet.

They are approximately 1cm in diameter. Flowering

season is January to the end of March.

Description: Alligator weed can grow on land or float

freely. The stems can grow up to 10m long.

The leaves are long and narrow and are usually between 2

and 7cm. The leaves occur in pairs along hollow stems. It

is spread by small pieces of the stem breaking of and

floating down stream or by stems growing along the

ground.

Alligator weed can tolerate brackish water but loves

nutrient-rich water. They grow from September through

to the end of March. It grows in slow moving or stationary

water, creeks, drains, channels, riverbanks and dry lands

that only occasionally flood.

Notes: It can be confused with other species of

Alternanthera. CSIRO has demonstrated an effective

herbicide. Alligator Weed is regarded as one of the worst

weeds in Australia because it can grow in water or on

land. It also spreads very easily. The long stems spread

across the water forming a thick mat,

blocking out the sun.

Information and picture for the

Aligator Weed was sourced from:

www.weeds.gov.au

Stories by Sarah Floyd

P7

Catchment Care Features

What bug am I?

I am one of Australia’s smallest dragonflies.

My wing span is approximately 40mm.

I am bright red with a pale head and dark eyes.

I have a squished abdomen.

The bases of my wings are slightly yellow.

I am an E _ _ _ _ _ _ P _ _ _ _ _ _ _!

Check out page 11 for the Answer…

but make sure you have a go first ;)

Photo of the Quarter

So many volunteers sent in amazing photos from their homes during the

recent floods, so I have tried to include as many photos as possible….

The following photos were taken by Rob Loats in August, Rob lives

monitors in the Avoca and Avon - Richardson Catchment.

East York Plains Swamp Filling

Avon – Richardson River

Ron Cosgrave monitors a site along Birches

Creek in the Loddon Catchment

Birches Creek

Photo’s continued P8…

P8

The Little Coliban River receives a drink on Craig

and Gill Gauder‘s property in August

Little Coliban River

Veronica Palmer took some great photos of

Laanecoorie Weir August (below & right)

Laanecoorie Weir

John and Ruth Penny received just a

‘little’ bit of water too…

On the Loddon River, floods reached the

front gate of John and Ruth’s property

And throughout their property too…

Laanecoorie Weir

P9

A Message from our Sponsors…

Coliban Water helps the

Growling Grass Frog

Growling Grass Frog habitat at Bendigo Water

Reclamation Plant

Bendigo Water Reclamation Plant (WRP - aka Wastewater

Treatment Plant) is home to seven different frog species.

The site provides a variety of frog and water bird habitat

including May Swamp, storage lagoons, farm dams,

irrigation channels and bays. Eaglehawk Creek crosses the

site and Bendigo Creek runs along the east boundary of

the plant.

The Growling Grass Frog was found at the WRP after Dani

Ruedin, a keen North Central CMA Frogwatch monitor

who heard a lone Growler calling on Bendigo Creek. Staff

from DSE’s Arthur Rylah Institute subsequently found

several populations at the WRP. Dani continues to monitor

the frog populations each spring and summer, which is a

great help to Coliban Water.

The Growling Grass Frog was once widespread throughout

Victoria but has been in decline for the past two decades.

They are listed as a threatened species at state,

commonwealth and international levels. These are large

frogs which call through the warmer months, are active

during the day and prey on other smaller frogs. They like

small farm dams with some fringing vegetation and not

much shade from trees. They are believed to overwinter in

sheltered spots.

Coliban Water has undertaken some habitat works with

help from the DSE Biodiversity team. The first thing we did

was fence the dams off from stock. This should allow the

fringing dam vegetation to persist over the summer

months and prevent trampling of dam margins. The sheep

will be allowed to graze when the frogs aren’t breeding.

This will control weeds and grass fire hazards.

Coliban Water also plans to install pipework to allow the

water levels in the dams to be manipulated to prolong the

breeding season if necessary. This will only take place if

extensive water quality testing shows that the irrigation

water is similar to the natural runoff which fills the dams

currently. Other habitat improvements will include the

placement of rocks and timber for shelter and protection

against predators such as cats and foxes.

Spiny Rush and other weeds were removed by hand at the site

to avoid using herbicides. Originally revegetation of the dam

margins was planned, however the potential introduction of

chytrid fungus was considered to be too great a risk. This fungus

is one of the biggest threats to frog species in Australia along

with habitat destruction.

The Growlers are quite commonly seen around the site and have

even been rescued from a pump sump at the UV unit of the

plant. The WRP was recently registered as a Land for Wildlife

property, which goes to show that industry and biodiversity can

happily co-exist.

Story and photo by Lisa Cox

Senior Environmental Coordinator

Coliban Region Water Corporation

Shire of Campaspe @ Kanyapella and

Kyabram Fauna Park

Sunday 24 October Bike ride - 9:30am start at Koyuga Hall. Bring a picnic lunch or

BBQ facilities will be available back at the hall upon return at

approx 1.00pm.

Will visit the Kanyapella basin.

Contact Rhonda Day if interested or need more information on

03 5481 2804.

Sunday 24 October

Enjoy a tour of a wetland – 4.00pm start Kyabram Fauna Park.

Bird information, children's activities, giveaways and a BBQ

dinner.

Numbers are limited

RSVP by 21 October to

Rhonda Day on 03 5481 2804.

P10

Special Feature Blue Pond Mystery in Kyneton

A mystery Blue Pond lurks deep within the bushes of

Kyneton! It was time to put on our thinking caps and

lab coats at the North Central CMA and investigate,

while I sent a sample to the lab, as any inquisitive

Waterwatcher would do, I set out amongst my fellow

colleagues to help me with this bizarre investigation!

Blue Pond at Maggie and Ian’s in Kyneton

Photo: Cass Davis, North Central CMA

Its amazing the response you get when you mention a

Blue Pond in a place where some very intelligent

people work.

Here are the responses I received….

* * * Robyn McKay - Project Officer

Robyn consulted her two gorgeous daughters with

the mystery; here is what they told their mum:

‘A whole lot of blue tongue lizards went swimming in

there’. – Gee mum, that wasn’t hard!

‘The people wanted to go to the beach and swim in

the sea but they couldn't afford to go there so they

dyed the water blue.’ – Of course!

Robyn’s personal favorite…

‘A herd of passing Giraffes (which have blue tongues)

stopped and had a drink.’

* * * Tim Shanahan - Project Manager

‘My guess it is an accumulation of sodium chloride

(NaCl) in the water causing the blue colouring. Where

has the NaCl salt come from - simple - washed off

Cookie Monster when he was bathing in the pond!’ – I

almost believed you Tim!

* * * Phil Slessar - Project Officer

‘I have a new theory on this. It is Phil's theory number

83. Said pond is mega deep, and through a bizarre

twist of geological fate is connected to the Blue Lake

in Mt Gambier.’ – could this possibly be…?

Rhonda Leed - Secretary

‘Well I reckon it's because we had a visit from the aliens from

Avatar who came to take a swim’. – Interesting do they really

exist?

* * * Ross Pittaway - IT

‘Clearly there are Smurfs ‘weeing’ into the lake, maybe we can

set a trap and catch them??

Do I get a frog????´- I never ever thought of a Smurf having

blue wee, but that does make sense – Did I mention I offered a

Freddo Frog for the best story? I’ll think about that one Ross!

* * * Sandra Volk - Communications and Engagement

‘Once there was a boy called Chad who lived in Kyneton. He

was in Year 11 and wanted to be individual, not like anyone

else. Chad did all sorts of things to try to be different - body

piercing, tattoos, skinny jeans with strategic rips.

Unfortunately there were lots of other Year 11 students with

body piercing, tattoos and strategically ripped skinny jeans.

Chad decided to get some blue foils in his hair to try even

harder to look unique for the end of year party. This touch

made Chad a real hit with the girls at the party. In fact, so

much of a hit, that the most popular of them all - Jenny -

wanted to meet him in the bush around the back of the hall at

the end of the night. They had been keen on each other for

ages, and when they finally had time alone, decided to go for a

midnight swim in a nearby waterhole. But poor Chad forgot

that the blue foils in his hair were temporary and the

hairdresser's warning that they would wash out as soon as

they were wet. Chad and Jenny had a great time swimming in

the waterhole, but the legacy they left was this blue water..!’ –

Well, what’s a mystery without a love story, thanks Sandra

* * * Phil Dyson - Project manager

I started to think (again) about your blue water… The blue

color is almost certain the result of a mass of microscopic

particles present in the water. Blue light is more absorbed

than light of other wavelengths, and it is more prone to 'back-

scattering' (a sort of reflection back to the surface that

provides the blue appearance). Since the phenomenon does

not involve a chemical contaminate I doubt you will see

anything unusual in the lab results.

The more interesting question is the nature of the particulate

matter causing the back scattering? Phil Slessar spoke to me

about this site a few weeks ago and suggested the dam may

be spring fed. This provides a clue, as does the Kyneton

location. The basaltic terrain of the Kyneton area forms a

fractured rock aquifer. Groundwater migrates through

millions of fractures in the mineral rich basalt

down a hydraulic gradient. It moves under

gravity from positions higher in the

landscape to position lower in the

landscape and in many instances it

discharges as springs in the latter.

Story continued P11…

P11

Phil Dyson - Project manager

(continued – what a scientist!)

Groundwater reacts with the minerals in the rock as it

migrates down the flow path. By the time it reaches the

spring zone it has usually picked up small amounts of

dissolved decay products, typically sodium, potassium,

calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and sulphate and silica.

Under the right conditions these things may combine in

the spring zone and precipitate as new minerals.

Calcium and bicarbonate will combine to form calcite

(limestone) if the pH is raised high enough. In the aquifer,

the pH is held a little on the low side because of high

levels of dissolved CO2 in the groundwater. Upon reaching

the spring zone, however, some of this CO2 will de-gas to

the atmosphere causing the groundwater to become more

alkaline. This is often enough to cause calcite to

precipitate.

I suspect calcite may be forming as microscopic particles in

the uppermost layers of the dam where the CO2 is being

lost to the atmosphere. The concentration of calcium and

bicarbonate is probably not high enough to produce

massive precipitates, but high enough to produce enough

particulate matter to cause the back-scattering that

establishes the blue appearance. – WOW… did you get all

of that? Thanks Phil!

* * *

So Phil was right there was nothing extraordinarily out of

the ‘blue’ in the lab results which leaves us to believe that

Phil Dyson my be on the right path, we have concluded

there are no dangerous toxins in the water and it has been

reported that frogs are now living in and around the pond,

I think it is a very special place where two very lucky

people have found their very own piece of magic.

But wait, the mystery continues – In a bizarre twist of

natural downpour we are left with this……

The now Brown Pond at Maggie and Ian’s in Kyneton

Photo: Cass Davis, North Central CMA

Just when we thought we had solved the mystery of the

blue pond – The blue pond turns into a brown pond…

Blue Pond mystery to be continued….

Partner Agencies

What Bug Am I?

I am an Eastern Pygmyfly!

Source: www.ecology-solutions.com.au

P12

I hope you enjoyed the ‘new-look’ and ‘newly-named’ Catchment Care

quarterly Waterwatch newsletter.

If you have any feedback or suggestions, or if you would like to contribute

stories, information or photographs, I would LOVE to receive them from

you!

When I’m not out and about in the field (in my waders!) you can contact

me at the North Central CMA Huntly office on:

Email: cass.davis@nccma.vic.gov.au or telephone 03 5440 1863.

Until next time!

CassCassCassCass