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Events and News
View details of our regular activities, information about our
upcoming events and reports on past events and news by selecting the
links below:
Our Regular Activities
Valley Reserve
You could help us in our efforts to make the beautiful Valley Reserve
even better. We’d love to see you at one of our work party sessions.
These sessions are held on the last Saturday of each month except
December and January. The entry to the reserve is from Waimarie
Drive/Wills Avenue (Melways reference: 70:G2). We meet at the amenities
block at 1:20 pm for a two-hour session.
Waterwatch
The quality of the water and the type and number of ‘bugs’ living in the
creek are important indicators of the health of Scotchmans Creek. We
have a specially trained Waterwatch team which does monthly testing at a
number of sites so we have long-term health measurements. If you are a
student studying waterway health issues or just have an interest in
water ‘bugs’ or chemistry, joining our team can provide valuable field
experience.
Meetings with a Guest Speaker
We invite expert speakers to make a presentation about various
environmental subjects at our Guest Speaker meetings. There are
always new issues and things to learn, so you can keep yourself informed
by coming along. We meet at Alvie Hall on the corner of High Street Road
and Alvie Road, Mount Waverley (Melways reference: 61:D11). The meetings
start at 7:30 pm.
School Activities
We can play host to your school students. Contact us to arrange a visit
from our group to your school or to arrange an excursion. We can talk
about Scotchmans Creek and Valley Reserve and the role that pupils can
play in maintaining these wonderful areas. We can also explain about the
storm water drainage system and how rubbish and pollution affect the
environment. Or we can arrange a mini-Waterwatch session where your
students can investigate the small creatures that live in the creek and
learn about water chemistry.
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Upcoming Events
Wednesday, 15th August 2018 - Guest Speaker - James Paterson - Floods and Drains
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James works for the Monash Council and will be able to explain how Council is managing the storm water
system in Monash to help to avoid floods with heavy rain falls. New types of gutters and drains are being
installed and we will be interested to hear how well they are performing.
Chat to us over a light supper after the presentation.
Date: Wednesday, 15th August 2018
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Alvie Hall - 314 High Street Road, Mount Waverley - Mel. Ref. 61:D11
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2018 - Valley Reserve Work Parties -
The Friends of Scotchmans Creek and Valley Reserve holds regular
work parties in the Valley Reserve, Mt. Waverley, throughout the
year.
The dates are the last Saturday of every month and the time is
1:20-3:30 pm. The meeting place is the area behind the amenities
block. Entry to the Reserve is via Waimarie Drive or Wills
Avenue, Mt. Waverley - Melways Reference 70G2. Please be at the
meeting place at 1:20pm. If you are late, there will be a map on
the door showing where we are working that day. The work includes
planting, weeding,
maintenance and revegetation.
For 2018 the work party dates are:
24 February
31 March
28 April
26 May
30 June - including planting the left over plants from the Friends planting on the 17th
28 July
25 August
29 September
27 October
24 November
If you enjoy gardening perhaps you would like to join us. We are
always pleased to see new faces. For further information you
could contact Sally Walker on 0477 006 774 or Monash Council on
03 9518 3723.
Work parties are not held on days of 30 deg. or more, or on days
of total fire ban.
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Past Events and News
| Sunday, 29 July 2018 - National Tree Day Planting -
After overnight rain and an early shower the weather was fine and the sky mostly blue - ideal planting weather.
Almost 160 volunteers came to plant over 8,000 plants in the Scotchmans Creek corridor on
National Tree Day. As last year, among the volunteers were about 25 members of the Chinese Professionals Club of Australia.
There was also a group of Srilankan volunteers as well - a great representation of the Monash community.
All 8,000 plants were in the ground by 1 pm.
Thank you to everyone who came to help make this a very successfull
morning of planting.
The Scouts provided a great sausage sizzle. Our thanks go to all the bush crew from Monash who laid out the plants
and helped everyone with the planting.
We also thank Melbourne Water and their Community Grants Program for providing the funding for the
plants and their support grant for the funding to cover the costs
of the BBQ.
Some of the 45 different species planted were:
Brachyscome multifida - Cut Leaf Daisy
Bulbine bulbosa - Bulbine Lily
Chrysocephalum semipapposum - Clsutered Everlasting
Correa reflexa var reflexa - Common Correa
Einadia nutans ssp.nutans - Climbing Saltbush
Goodenia ovata - Hop Goodenia
Indigofera australis - Austral Indigo
Leptorhynchos tenuifolius - Wiry Buttons
Lomandra longifolia var longifolia - Spiny-headed Mat-rush
Microlaena stipoides - Weeping Grass
Poa ensiformis - Purple-sheath Tussock Grass
Poa sieberiana - Tussock Grass
Rytidosperma (mixed species) - Wallaby Grass
Themeda triandra - Kangaroo Grass
Wahlenbergia stricta - Tall Bluebell
Acacia paradoxa - Hedge Wattle
Bursaria spinosa var spinosa - Sweet Bursaria
Arthropodium strictum - Chocolate Lily
Carex appressa - Tall Sedge
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Tuesday, 17 July 2018 - Planting Day next to Regent Street -
We were delighted that Holmesglen Tafe were able to send an entire class of 11
students along to help planting in
the land next to Regent Street where the willows were removed in early 2017.
We had 2,000 plants to help rehabilitate this area. We have purchased these plants with
Melbourne Water grant funds. They were all put in the ground in very good time. The shower of rain in the
afternoon has helped to water them in.
Some of the species planted were:
Acaena Novae-zealandiae - Bidgee-widgee
Dianella leavis var laevis - Pale Flax-lily
Dichondra repens - Kidney Weed
Eucalyptus cephalocarpa - Silver-leaved Stringybark
Eucalyptus radiata - Narrow-leaf Peppermint
Gonocarpus tetragynus - Common Raspwort
Hakea nodosa - Yellow Hakea
Leptospermum lanigerum (scotch ck) - Woolly Tea-tree
Lomandra longifolia var longifolia - Spiny-headed Mat-rush
Melicytus dentatus - Tree Violet
Microlaena stipoides - Weeping Grass
Myrsine howittiana - Muttonwood
Poa morrisii - Velvet tussock-grass
Pomaderris aspera - Hazel Pomaderris
Pomaderris racemosa - Slender Pomaderris
Stylidium armeria - Grass Trigger Plant
Carex appressa - Tall Sedge
Carex inversa - Knob Sedge
A great range of plants for this area. The plants that we planted last year have grown very well. This year's plants will thicken
up that area.
We must thank the Monash bushland crew for all the preparation and the hard work in
supervising such an eager group of students.
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Thursday, 12 July 2018 - Planting at Crosby
Drive with Novotel -
The conservation group from the Novotel Hotel in Glen Waverley supported us again this year.
Twentytwo of their staff joined us in planting 2000 tubestock
on the south side of Scotchmans Creek east of Crosby Drive.
After a good morning's hard work, they rewarded themselves and us with a great picnic lunch.
Our thanks go to Novotel for their continued support with our planting program.
This was our first planting for 2018 with plants purchased with our
Melbourne Water grant funds.
Some of the species planted were:
Brachyscome multifida - Cut Leaf Daisy
Cassinia longifolia - Shiny Cassinia
Dichondra Repens - Kidney-weed
Goodenia ovata - Hop Goodenia
Gynatrix pulchella - Hemp Bush
Hakea decurrens ssp physocarpa - Bushy Needlewood
Hakea nodosa - Yellow Hakea
Melicytus dentatus - Tree Violet
Microlaena stipoides - Weeping Grass
Myrsine howittiana - Muttonwood
Poa ensigormis - Purple-sheath Tussock Grass
Poa Morrisii - Soft Tussock Grass
Pomaderris aspera - Hazel Pomaderris
Pomaderris racemosa - Sender Pomaderris
Stylidium armeria - Grass Trigger-plant
Wahlengerbia stricta - Tall Bluebell
Dianella admixta - Black-anther Flax Lily
Dianella leavis var. leavis - Pale Flax Lily
Lomandra filiformis - Wattle Mat-rush
Carex appressa - Tall Sedge
Carex inversa - Knob Sedge
Gahnia radula - Thatch Saw-sedge
Gahnia sieberiana - Red-fruited Saw-sedge
An excellent range of plants for the creek and we must thank the Monash bushland crew for all the preparation and the hard work in
supervising such an eager group of workers.
Have a look at the photogallery for some photos from the planting.
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Sunday, 17 June & Saturday, 30 June 2018 - Planting Days in Valley Reserve -
A Special Friends planting in Valley Reserve.
As we did last year, we have purchased some plants with Friends Group funds to add more
flowering plants to the area to the west of the amenities block in Valley Reserve.
Despite the rain the day before and the fact that it was raining in the morning, eight dedicated members of our group
turned up to plant. Andy from the bush crew had laid out about 500 plants which we put into the ground in just over an hour.
The recent rains had softened the soil which made digging holes much easier.
As we had purchased 800 plants we planted the remainder at our work party session on Saturday 30th June.
Again we had rain in the morning but it had cleared up before the afternoon's session.
Here is a list of most of the plant species that were planted.
Acacia genistifolia - Spreading Wattle
Acaena ovina - Australian Sheep's Burr
Billardiera mutabilis - Common Apple-berry
Bossiaea cinerea - Showy Bossiaea
Brachyscome multifida - Cut-leaf Daisy
Chrysocephalum semipapposum - Clustered Everlasting
Coronidium scarpiodes - Button Everlasting
Correa reflexa var reflexa - Common Correa
Daviesia latifolia - Hop Bitter-pea
Dichondra repens - Kidney Weed
Glycine clandestina - Twining Glycine
Hakea decurrens ssp physocarpa - Bushy Needlewood
Hardenbergia violacea - Purple Coral Pea
Hibbertia riparia - Erect Guinea-flower
Indigofera australis - Austral Indigo
Kennedia prostrata - Running Postman
Leptorhynchos tenuifolius - Wiry Buttons
Pimelea humilis - Common Rice-flower
Pultenaea gunnii ssp gunnii - Golden Bush-pea
Veronica gracilis - Slender Speedwell
Viola hederacea - Native Violet
Wahlenbergia communis - Tufted Bluebell
Wahlenbergia gracilis - Sprawling Bluebell
Have a look at the photogallery for a photo from the planting.
Our thanks to everyone who came along to help.
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Wednesday, 16 May 2018 - Guest Speaker - Dasarath Jayasuriya - Floods and Droughts
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Dasarath is employed at the Bureau of Meteorology and gave us an excellent presentation on how climate change and
variability affect the availability of water. This in turn impacts on ecological sustainability.
We were shown how the compounding effect of hot and dry conditions on land can produce higher temperatures in the
surrounding sea water which results in increased moisture in the air and more significant rain events on land.
We were also shown many graphs showing how temperatures have been changing over time. I am sure that this presentation
has given us much food for thought.
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Wednesday, 21 March 2018 - Guest Speaker - Fungi in Valley Reserve - Peter Uhlherr -
Peter has been photographing the fungi in Valley Reserve for many years. He gave us a very informative presentation
explaining the different types of fungi he has found. By comparing photos of different species he showed us the various
colours and textures they have.
We were very pleased with the excellent attendance at the meeting.
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Monday, 19 March 2018 - PALS event - Exploring Scotchmans Creek and the Mount Waverley Wetlands -
The Friends group hosted a 5 km walk through Valley Reserve and through the Mount Waverley Wetlands for our senior citizens.
The seven attendees enjoyed the fine weather and the friendly chat as the Friends answered questions as we walked along.
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Sunday, 4 March, 2018 - Clean Up Australia Day -
We had a fine, cool day for Clean Up Australia and our efforts to remove litter from the
Scotchmans Creek Reserve. 12 volunteers gave us a hand and we collected 14 bags of rubbish.
The small foot bridge over the creek near Regent Street was unavailable as it has been
removed prior to replacement. This made trekking back from the wetlands rather longer and more tiring.
We found the usual take away food wrappers, a small number of drink containers and lots of bits of plastic.
including several drink straws. We also found over a dozen tennis balls and a small cache of wine bottles - empty ones.
Getting rid of the rubbish that finds its way into the Scotchmans Creek reserves is a
great way to make them better for everyone.
Have a look at the photogallery to see the bags of rubbish and some of the volunteers.
A big thank you to all the volunteers who came along to help us Clean up Australia.
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| Saturday 27 January 2018 - Annual BBQ in Valley Reserve - CANCELLED -
Unfortunately we were unable to hold our annual barbecue due to a forecast temperature of 39 degrees.
On the actual day, the temperature was about 35 degrees but still very hot. We are considering other options for our barbecue
as it is getting more difficult to get a suitable shady area in Valley Reserve.
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Friday 27th October, 2017 - PALS Seniors Festival -
Learn about the flowers and animals of Valley Reserve -
More than 20 seniors joined the volunteers from the Friends of Scotchmans Creek and Valley Reserve as they gave a guided
bushwalk around the reserve while showing off the many flowering plants and talking about the animals and birds that live in the Reserve.
After the walk there was a pictorial quiz with prizes of Brachscome Daisies for the three participants who gave the best answers.
The City of Monash provided a light lunch.
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| Wednesday 18th October 2016 - Annual General Meeting and Guest Speaker -
Guest Speaker - Rob Mineo From Monash City Council - Trees in Monash -
Rob gave us an excellent presentation which started with an explanation of how trees and their root systems
grow.
He explained how arborists assessed trees and determined the health of trees and how they can and cannot be pruned.
Annual General Meeting -
The normal business of the 19th Annual General Meeting was then conducted. This covered the President’s,
Waterwatch and Treasurer’s reports and the election of the Committee.
The President, Alan Moore, summarised the group’s achievements for the year which included the regular
Valley Reserve work party, planting projects, community events and events with local schools. The Waterwatch coordinator, Fred Bullock,
reviewed the team’s work for the year making some observations about the health of Scotchmans Creek and the Treasurer’s Report was
presented and accepted.
The election of the Committee resulted in the following:
| President: | Tony Walker |
| Vice President: | Alan Moore |
| Secretary: | Sally Walker |
| Treasurer: | Fred Bullock |
| Ordinary Committee: | Nira Jayasuriya |
| Ordinary Committee: | Carlie Dann |
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For further information about any of these events, please contact Tony Walker, Sally Walker or any member of the committee
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