National Eucalypt Day

National Eucalypt Day is held annually on March 23rd. The date is the birth date of Bjarne Klaus Dahl, the benefactor of Eucalypt Australia, a charitable trust that supports the conservation of, and research into eucalypts. 

The theme this year is “Celebrating our urban champions”. 

The Friends of Drouin’s Trees is conducting a vote for Drouin’s favourite eucalypt. Drouin is blessed with so many wonderful eucalypts, it was decided to suggest five of the best.

 

You can vote 1-5 or just nominate your favourite by emailing drouinsfavouritetree@gmail.com 

Tree 1 - The Settlement Giant on the corner of Settlement Rd and Springwater Dr. The Settlement Giant is a huge Mountain Grey Gum with a girth of 12.5m and is listed in Australia’s National Register of Big Trees. Historically there was an abattoir in the vicinity and it is remembered that the animals would often shelter in the shade of the tree. The Settlement Giant pre-dates European settlement and is estimated to be 200+ years old. 

Tree 2 – The Grandfather Tree in Civic Park. The Grandfather Tree is a very old Messmate Stringybark full hollows for wildlife. It is located above the playground in Civic Park, clearly visible as you walk on that section of the Two Towns Trail. Recently storm damaged but still standing! 

 Tree 3 – The Railway Giant on the corner of Albert Rd and Francis Ave. Another Mountain Grey Gum, the Railway Giant is beside the railway line in Francis Ave. One wonders at how many train travelers have mused in awe as they approach or depart Drouin station. The tree dominates the view to the south from Albert Rd. 

Tree 4 – The Old Swimming Hole Giant in Lampard Rd This sentinel giant is a Strzelecki Gum, a rare and threatened species that is endemic to parts of West and South Gippsland. The FoDT does a regular working bee in this vicinity and we always pay tribute to this magnificent tree. 

Tree 5 – The Ficifolia Corridor in Princes Way between Albert Rd and Main Neerim Rd. How stunning have these been recently? Corymbia is a sub-genus of Eucalyptus. Ficifolias are a very popular urban tree and now cultivated world-wide. The species is endemic to a small patch of south-west Western 

Australia. 

 A reminder – you can vote 1–5 for your favourite Drouin euc at drouinsfavouritetree@gmail.com 

 On National Eucalypt Day, 23rd March, The Friends of Drouin’s Trees will announce the winner at a small event at Alex Goudie Park, 10 am. Please come along and help us celebrate Drouin’s wonderful urban eucalypts – walks and talks, plantings, ‘door prizes’, etc.

Dealing with stormwater

Stormwater is an asset often regarded as a nuisance. As recent events around the country point out, stormwater in sudden large amounts is a considerable problem in some localities.

Stormwater is defined as rain water that falls to the ground. When rain hits our impervious rooftops, footpaths, road surfaces, car parks, etc. it is normally channeled away through a drainage system that often ends up in our natural waterways.  Any sediments and pollutants picked up on the way will end up in our creeks, streams and wetlands.

By passing directly through drains, the stormwater hasn’t soaked into the soil where it would recharge local groundwater sources and contribute to maintaining a healthy soil biota; the micro-organisms, animals and plants that exist in the soil.

Lost down the drain

Retarding basins are often constructed to help minimize the risk of flooding during heavy rain periods. A retarding basin may simply be a low area of land that for most of the time is just covered in grass or it may be a properly constructed wetland that contains some water 100% of the time and is a biodiversity hotspot.

Froggy Hollow retarding basin Civic Park Drouin

Individually, we can help mitigate the effects of large stormwater run-off events by ensuring our own properties are as permeable as we can make them: plant more plants to soak up the water, replace concrete patios and footpaths with flagstones or a more permeable material (gravel, mulch, permeable concrete or asphalt, etc.), swap lawn for native plants, incorporate trenches into a sloping garden design, construct a ‘rain’ garden, etc.

A few enlightened local governments are exploring various engineering strategies to better deal with stormwater runoff. Street trees in high pedestrian areas are planted with a surround of permeable material that allows stormwater to soak into the root zone but is safe for pedestrians to negotiate. Roadside gutters are constructed with ‘breaks’ to allow the water to soak into the root zones of the trees on the roadside. Rain gardens are built between the footpath and the road – much more efficient at absorbing water than grass ‘nature strips’.

Permeable street tree treatment Moe

Roof gardens, ‘green’ parking lots, increased tree canopy are further examples of green infrastructure that are practical ways of efficiently dealing with increased stormwater run-off that will come with predicted heavier and more frequent rain events. By relying on plants, soil, and natural systems to manage rainfall runoff, green infrastructure tackles urban stormwater issues and boosts climate resilience.

 

 

 

Mt Baw Baw in summer

The Baw Baw Plateau is a special place on our doorstep. The 80 km² plateau is separate from the rest of Victoria’s high country and juts south-east toward the Latrobe Valley. The environment consists of montane forest, rainforest gullies, snow gum woodlands and grassy high plains.

Much of the plateau is contained within the Baw Baw National Park.  The park was gazetted in 1979 but the history of the area goes back much further. Aboriginal presence is thought to be principally in summer for gathering the Bogong Moth, a food prized for its high fat content. The earliest ‘white’ evidence is a map submitted to Governor Latrobe by Charles Tyers in 1844.  Baron von Mueller first visited the area in 1860. 

Mts Whitelaw, St Phillack, St Gwinear, Baw Baw, Tyers, Kernot and Erica are all situated on the plateau. Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort is an unincorporated area under direct administration by Alpine Resorts Victoria of the Victorian State Government. At an elevation of 1567m, Mt Baw Baw is not within the top 50 highest peaks of Victoria.

The climate of the Baw Baw Plateau is sub-alpine. Soils are shallow granites, average rainfall is about 1900mm and snow can cover the ground from July to September. Mt Baw Baw is one of the wettest places on mainland Australia.

The ‘Friends’ spent a few hours at the Baw Baw Village and summit recently and took home some great memories. (Click on images for a larger view or open in a new tab/window)

Alpine Daisy-bush is a woody, low shrub that is found in swampy tracts in the alpine regions. Although not listed as threatened in Victoria, its distribution is thinly spread but it can be locally abundant.

Alpine Trachymene is an endangered (F&FGA Victoria) ground-hugging herb found in damp regions above the snowline. It is also found in the high country areas of Tasmania and NSW.

The Australian Pipit is a widely distributed grassland bird. It can be found from the coast to the alps. Most of the lowland pipits are sedentary but the alpine ones are probably altitudinal migrants.

Flame Robins breed in the summer in the higher country. During winter, they mostly descend to the ‘warmer’ lower zones. On Baw Baw, Flame Robins often live up to their scientific name petroica which means rock-dweller – they are regularly seen on top of mossy rocks.

Macleay’s Swallowtail is the most southern of the graphium butterflies, even reaching parts of Tasmania. Mostly they fly high, but on Mt Baw Baw in early summer, they can be found feeding on lower vegetation. They offer a bit of a challenge to the photographer as they dart quickly between flowers and feed with quivering wings. 

The Mauve Leek-orchid is quite common in scattered locations on exposed slopes of the plateau. It flowers mostly throughout early summer. The species can have small variations between different populations.

There are six species of small, brown Xenica butterflies found in the higher country – and sometimes lower down. The Silver Xenica is a widespread and variable species mainly found between elevations of 700 to 1500 metres.

The amazing Trigger Plant gets its name from its unique means of pollination. When an insect lands on the flower in search of some nectar, a club-shaped ‘trigger’ with a pollen packet on the end, springs explosively up from under the petals and strikes the insect. The pollen deposited on the insect is used to help pollinate the next flower it visits. A white form of Trigger Plant is far less common.

The snowfields of the Baw Baw Plateau are a popular winter playground for skiing enthusiasts. In summer they are an amateur naturalist’s delight.