Latest News: Scientists urge
Governments to expand the number of nature reserves. The FOO Fund for Nature
Reserves - a solution to wilderness management. More below.
Watch this page to stay informed on details of all events which take place
in our very exciting bush! We are a bush organisation run solely by volunteers!
Our Web site is updated every time a new entry warrants it. We update our
inventory on the fauna and flora also any progress on new initiatives we
undertake in cooperation with other organisations and we briefly outline
the activities of our volunteers with projects and list the submissions
by our Task Force.
The scheduled visitation dates by scientists and research groups are added
for the convenience of visitors wishing to participate. The salient points
of our conservation program and major topics are listed here with links
to speed up your search.
Valuable information and relevant links to other initiatives are also added
to assist landholders on how to develop conservation projects on their own
land with the use of a very valuable kit, and the communities, who are interested
in adopting a program similar to the Oolong program with the aim to reconstruct
and revegetate crown roads as major links between remnants on private land
to protect our heritage.
We welcome any suggestion to improve this presentation. Please contact
us
 Promotion
We are preparing several logos, related to our programs, to go on our screen printed T shirts and they should be available
in the year 2008. Which one we should have first? We would like your response by giving a priority number to each selection. Our T shirts will be available only by direct booking with donations. Sizes: child and adult: small, medium, large.
Please go to the index page and contact
us with details.
Proposed selections:
Friends of Oolong
Oolong Sanctuary
Education IN the Environment
Oolong Challenge
Protect Vegetation Remnants and Wildlife corridors
The Conservation Program, The Model on Habitat/Remnants
linked by wildlife corridors on private land: The Oolong Sanctuary and
the Progress Report including the latest on Nature Reserves
Our conservation program is a community program to stimulate conservation
on private land with contributions by volunteers, the community, local
governments, landholders and individuals in the Upper Lachlan Catchment
area and other regions.
It is critical that the last substantial remnants of the natural environment
are protected. Wilderness today is reduced to islands of nature surrounded
by a sea of developed land far from national parks. Unless we protect
these remaining bushland expanses, threatened wildlife will become extinct
and catchmnents protecting critical water supplies more polluted.
The Oolong Sanctuary includes several examples of vegetation remnants,
where wildife is concentrated together with relicts of endemic ecosystems
and where the only link between remnants is by crown roads as corridors
for wildlife. The study of our bush area has produced a model for the
reconstruction of habitats in cooperation with communities and other agencies
and we aim to assist local communites and landholders in the process.
For details and Progress Report on our consevation program please go to
Conservation
Program
ABC
News on the Need to Expand Nature Reserves:
A panel of scientists, which includes experts from the Greenhouse Office
and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
says climate change is threatening many native species. As a result, animal
refuges and wildlife corridors need to be expanded. They have called on
the Federal and State Governments to increase the number of Nature
Reserves to protect shifting wildlife.
The report was commissioned by the World Wide Fund (WWF) and is a buster
to our program. See ABC News (Posted Wed Aug 8, 2007) at http://abc.net.au
About Nature Reserves and the FOO Fund for Nature Reserves
The Friends of Oolong promote to have remnants of high nature heritage
and conservation value in the upper Lachlan region recognised and declared
Nature Reserves in a solution to wilderness management, by the creation
of a Fund for Nature Reserves. The Fund will be used to promote
donations towards the purchase of selected vegetation/remnants of high
heritage and conservation value.
To view some examples of corridors and the maps showing the regional distribution
of vegetation remnants yet to be linked in southern NSW and the very low
number of nature reserves in our region, please browse: Habitat/Remnants
The Management of the Oolong Sanctuary
The Management of the sanctuary - set on private land - and its wildlife
corridors - on crown roads - together with the on-going projects is a
cooperative effort and a major contribution by volunteers, government
agencies, study groups, and landholders to a community program of national
interest. As the volunteers contribution to the Oolong program grows with
the community support so does the big saving to governments! This is particularly
encouraging considering also the increasing popular and governments concern
on the effective management of conservation funds.
Education IN The Environment- School Program and its Environmental
Syllabus
This very innovative program - devised for schools within 100 km from
the sanctuary includes conducted tours with surveys and field work by
students.
The program and the syllabus are being developed by: Dr Tony Saunders,
Honorary Resident Scientist and the Task Force of the Friends of Oolong,
under the patronage of: Katrina Hodgkinson MP State Member for
Burrinjuck and Alby Schultz MP Federal Member for Hume for the
schools in SE NSW Region and Mary Porter AM MLA Member for Ginninderra
for the ACT schools.
School Program Coordinator: Nicolette Pidcock*, Task Force.
*Nicolette Pidcock, is one of the winners of the
2006 Commonwealth Bank Green Ambassador Awards. The
program is a partnership between the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) and Conservation
Volunteers (CVA). It recognises, rewards and supports young people who
actively assist to protect their local environment.
For details on our education program and to help us in its implementation
and to download the teachers questionnaire please go to: Education IN The
Environment - School Program where you will find also the Field
Sheets.
Field Sheets are to be used by students when visiting
the sanctuary. We suggest to teachers and students to look at them and
also print them to get an idea of what can be done in the field. More
activity sheets will be added as we get more information on the syllabuses
of the schools.
Carnivorous Marsupials:
The family Dasyuridae includes the well-known Tasmanian devil, eastern quolls (native cats), spotted-tailed quolls (tiger cats) and antechinuses (marsupial mice).
Over forty species have been described from Australia and New Guinea. Six occur in Tasmania:
Tasmanian devil Sarcophilus harrisii
Spotted-tail quoll Dasyurus maculatus
Eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus
Dusky antechinus Antechinus swainsonii
Swamp antechinus Antechinus minimus
White-footed dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus
The closely-related Tasmanian tiger (or thylacine), also a carnivorous marsupial, is classified in its own family: Thylacinidae.
Some people believe that the Tasmanian Tiger survived the attempts at eradication and continues to exist in isolated groups in Tasmania's rugged bushland. Sightings of this shy and elusive creature persist to this day. This web site is dedicated to the continuing survival of this, one of the rarest mammals on earth. To know more about the tasmanian tiger visit http://www.tasmanian-tiger.com/index.html
Save the Tasmanian Devil!
Please visit http://www.tassiedevil.com.au
"About the Tasmanian devil", click "read more", scroll to "Tasmanian devil movies" and view a short movie showing close-ups of the Tasmanian devil and also a long movie on the Tasmanian devil and the race to prevent its extinction.
The Friends of Oolong support the program and are trying to get involved in the breeding of the Devil supported by the Eaglehawk Tourist Park, Canberra.
A member of our Task Force was in Tasmania recently
to visit zoos, to familiarise himself with the management of the devil,
to discuss the Captive Management Program with the DPIW and to propose the introduction
of large fenced-island type enclosures in the program on mainland At Oolong.
The proposal has been well received at the meeting with Dr Steven Smith,
Program Manager, Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease, DPIW in Hobart.
Plans for the "insurance" population are finalised. The Tasmanian Devil PHVA Final Report was issued on 3-6 July 2008 by the Specialist Group.
The application to the Australasian Regional Association
of Zoological Parks & Aquaria (ARAZPA) for membership is in progress. To be a member of ARAZPA is a prerequisit to be able to participate in the program. We are also seeking grants to support the program including the training of the staff.
The Friends of Oolong and the owners of the Eaglehawk Holiday Park, Canberra have joined in the program with FOO being in charge of the design and management of a nature park, near the Holiday Park to exhibit indigenous fauna including the Tasman devil in a landscape of the endangered Box Gum assemblage.
Visitors will have the opportunity to see wildlife in captivity at the Eaglehawk Park, near the ACT/NSW border and participate in conducted tours to see the same wildlife free in their natural environment.
Volunteers are needed to participate in both programs.
Visits, Conducted tours and Bird Walk
Visitors are welcome to our conducted tours by appointment every
day of the week including public holidays on a $10 tax deductible donation
per family and commensurate donations from larger parties.
Free tours for new active members!(Registration $1,00 and membership
$2,00). Any donation will go towards some of the most critical on-going projects
such as: Project no.13 Stage-2 "Artificial Nest Boxes - Their
Setting and Monitoring"
Please note that visitors interested in research are most welcome to join
the visiting parties in their day and day/night bushwalks. For any further
information, or any booking, please contact the full time volunteer guide:
Mr Lewis Merriman on 0434 066 886 or our President Dr Gianni W D'Addario
at 0423 200 202 in any emergencies.
Our ponds are full of life and at Oolong we have all the
species of birds breeding in the ACT before the bush fires and more! Also
long necked tortoise, several varieties of frogs, including the threatened
yellow-groined toadlet, which is very rare and has almost disappeared
from NSW. While walking you may cross path with one of our echidnas, a
tree dragon, a legless lizards, a hopping roo or a wallaby and many more.
Rest near a spring and watch endangered and rare bird species having a
bath! Walk to the top of the hill (750 m asl) to admire the 360 degree
view and the upper reaches of the Lachlan River. And for any interested
bat specialist we have over ten species of them, including one listed
as threatened in NSW. Look for native orchids when in bloom at different
times in the year (details for each species in FLORA).
Warning: Look
but do not touch please! Many of the several native orchid species, including
some very rare are yet to be identified.
The Canberra Ornithologist Group (COG) visited Oolong and Dalton Park
and have been so impressed by the abundance and variety of bird species
that they compiled a Report - Oolong (Sun 7 September, 2003). The description
of the visit is at:
http://canberrabirds.org.au/Trips/sep0703.htm
For the benefit of visitors we have a note on Oolong Bird
Walk, accompanied by a Bird
List. The Sketch Map to accompany the note and list is also
available in pdf format.
Visits Schedule (Societies and groups):
For any information on visiting parties, local weather conditions, or
any booking, please contact the full time volunteer caretaker Mr Lewis
Merriman on 0434 066 886
To see the visit schedule please click here
Camping Information and Restrictions:
Visiting parties from any member societies, group, schools and researchers
are most welcome and camping by small groups restricted within the reserved
area in Dalton Park (not in the sanctuary) and by booking only. Rest room,
electric cooking facilities, drinking water, toilet facilities and electricity
available at Dalton Park. church, hotel and public phone are at the nearby
Dalton village with limited shopping at the Post Office.
Burning of wood is not allowed under any circumstances.
The Four Main Forest Ecosystems at Oolong:
Tablelands Dry Shrub/Tussock Grass Forest
Northern Tablelands and Slopes Dry Shrub/Grass Forest
Northern Slopes Dry Grass Woodland *
Tablelands and Slopes Dry Herb/Grass*
*These two ecosystems are part of the White Box – Yellow Box Woodland
which now has a preliminary listing as an endangered ecological community
in the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995.
A General Description by Greening, Australia, a Conservation Assessment,
and a Preliminary Field Inspection of the properties surveyed by Mr Rainer
Rehwinkel, Southern Directorate, NPWS together with a Report on the main
four ecosystems and an Appendix with Woodlands surveys; are added at the
end of Oolong History. To view please click: Oolong History.
The Ecosystem in the Wildlife Corridor as a Critical Habitat and its
Management:
The wildlife corridor * linking the Oolong habitat/remnants contains
a good sample of the preliminary listed ecosystem White Box-Yellow Box
Woodland and has been identified by Rainer Rehwinkel, Threatened Species
Officer, NPWS, Southern Directorate as a "Critical Habitat"
for several threatened resident bird species: Speckled Warbler**,
Diamond Firetail*** and Hooded Robin****. These birds recognised
as "Vulnerable" were officially identified and recorded in the
wildlife corridor by Tony Saunders, Scientific Advisory Board of FOO.
The Superb Parrot and Regent Honeyeater, which are seasonal
and opportunistic visitors, have also been recorded there.
* The wildlife corridor - as a proven Critical Habitat-meets the essential
life cycle (eg: foraging, breeding, nesting, roosting, etc) of threatened
species. A management plan has been drafted and its progress report is
in Projects
and scroll to Project No 11 - Stage 1 and 2.
** The Speckled Warbler has suffered steady decline throughout
the ACT, frequently as a result of fragmented habitat and, as a ground-nesting
species, from human disturbance and predation by domestic and feral animals".
(The Canberra Ornithologists Group)
*** The Diamond Firetail is a declining woodland specie.
**** The Hooded Robin. A recovery plan is in preparation.
Reference: Department of Environment and Conservation.
Note: These birds as well as all other threatened and vulnerable species
at Oolong are marked by (*) in the illustrated bird list. To view
please click Fauna.
Bat Survey at Dalton Park and Oolong Sanctuary
The Survey carried out on 17 March, 2007 at Dalton Park and Oolong Sanctuary,
as part of Project no. 21, proves that the mine adits provide habitat
for numerous hollow dependent and two cave dependent species, one of them,
the Large Bent-wing Bat, is listed in the NSW Threatened Species
Act. The author states that: "The Oolong Sanctuary forms a regionally
important habitat linkage between other natural areas. Most bats observed
were hollow roosting bats, the vegetation corridor along Bush’s Road and
mature paddock trees adjacent to the road providing exceptional habitat
for hollow roosting microbats. The management of the area as a conservation
reserve is highly commended for this reason."
(Click
to get survey in pdf format)
Recovery Plans on Crown Roads as Critical Habitats for
Speckled Warbler, Diamond Firetail, and Hooded Robin.
The feasibility of Recovery Plans for these birds is pending a review
of a new set of draft guidelines produced by the Department of the Environment
and Heritage.
The Friends of Oolong have made a contribution to the review of these
guidelines to the Director, Legislation Policy Section, Approval and Wildlife
Division, Department of the Environment and Heritage.The submission refers
to a particular section of the Act.
To see details of the submission please
click here.
The Friends of Oolong in conjunction with the Dalton Park ladholder are to extend the protected area of the critical habitat into a portion of the Park. The management, including the fencing of it, is supported by the Department of Lands. The critical habitat to be declared as such is to include the crown road and a portion of the Park. The NPWS will process the application.
National Threatened Species
There are currently 1547 species and 29 ecological communities listed
as threatened under the Commonwealth's Environmental Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), and 115 species are
listed as extincts. These figures include 50 additions to the list since
last National Threatened Species Day.
In FAUNA - BIRDS we illustrate all bird species recorded and present
at Oolong but to know where and how birds live, why they are threatened,
and what we can do to help bring them back from the brink of extinction
please do a profile search by linking to:
http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/index.aspx
Task Force One
The Task Force One is composed of volunteers selected from the Research Team.
They make submissions in the national interest and coordinate some of
our programs.
Members: Gianni D'Addario, Tony Saunders,
Calvin Trinth, Oscar Violante,
Tony Yan, Theo Moody, Frances
Nguyen, Kath Kovac, Diwani Velasquez, Graeme Bradburn, Andrew Platt.
Submissions:
To see the list of submissions please click here
Task Force Two
The Friends of Oolong have reached a stage in which large funds are requested to fulfill the programs. The Task force Two is composed of specially selected volunteers to undertake the major task of fund raising. They will select the organisations to targets and prepare the applications.
Members:Serene NG, Catherine Martin, Christopher Weaver, Sharon McDonell, Dylan Roberts.
Research Team
The Research Team of the Friends of Oolong have dedicated active volunteers
trained to assist not only with various aspects of the conservation program
and the management of some of the projects (to view please click Projects) but
also with other numerous tasks, including fund raising and the promotion
of our programs regionally and state-wide.
Research Projects:
To view please click: Research Projects.
New Research Project:
Statistical Model or Analysis of Habitat/Remnants Linked by Wildlife
Corridors at Oolong.
Project Leader: Tony Yan, Research Team.
To view progress on the analysis please click Statistical Model.
(Results briefly summarised in Projects, Part two,
please scroll to Project No 37)
Honorary Editors: Kath Kovac Meryl McQueen,
New Applicants For volunteer's positions :
Sonia Roberts, Amanda Tissen, Sharon McDonell, Chris Weaver,
Rebecca Bush, Dylan Taylor Roberts, Kerry Oddy, Kathrina Furniss.
Management Strategy and Recovery Plan for Grassy Box Woodlands:
Yellow and White
To propagate native deep rooted perennial and shallow rooted annual
grasses, local understorey and tree species. Seed collection for germination
of native grasses in trays and trees and shrubs in tubes by Friends and
Volunteers. Trees in tubes will be propagated in the Dalton Park greenhouse.
They will be available for collection each Spring to participating parties
in the Oolong Challenge combined with Landcare CarbonSmart
in revegetating wildlife corridors.
Project Manager: Stephen Selden, Seed Specialist. Further details
in Projects, Part one,
please scroll to Project No 16
The Friends of Oolong and the Landholder of Dalton Park participate and
contribute in the collection of seeds in the sanctuary also for: The
Seeds for Survival Project. 
This Project is funded by the ACT Government and the Australian
Government through the Natural Heritage Trust and is a partnership between
Environment ACT, Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG), CSIRO Plant
Industry, Canberra Urban Parks and Places and Greening Australia ACT &
SE NSW.
The Seeds for Survival Project Web pages are at:
http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/GA/ACT/WhatsNew/seedsforsurvival.htm
Click to go to the top of the page
|
Friends of Oolong Annual General Meeting,
2007 and Newsletter No7.
The 2007 Annual General Meeting took place at 5PM on Thursday 29 November
at the Labor Club Belconnen, ACT. A Newsletter presented each year by
the President at the AGM with any amendments is adopted as the Annual
Report of the Committee. At the top of this page please click Newsletter
No.7 to read the latest report by the Chair of the Friends of Oolong
Committee.
Testimonials
We proudly show extracts from some of the numerous testimonials we receive
in response to our program, recognised as of national interest, from governments,
universities, agencies, societies, groups, associations and individuals.
Please click Testimonials
Field Days As part of our educational program we have 24/7 conducted
tours as well as special events for the community and schools.
We particularly encourage landholders and any members of the community
to contact us to discuss our program. We are prepared to assist in setting
up the management of remnants close by or that are separated from us by
a wide gap. With some cooperation we would fill these gaps with corridors,
which are a must for wildlife survival!
Landholders and community groups within the Upper Lachlan Catchment Region
should closely cooperate with the Friends of Oolong in a coordinated revegetation
plan towards the establishment of the network of wildlife corridors to
facilitate the movement of wildlife between remnants and to the nearby
national parks, while also reducing erosion and salinity.
Dates of Local Events:
Saturday 25 March and Sunday 9 April, 2006.
Morning: "Birdwatchers tours" conducted by Dr Tony Saunders, Cumberland
Bird Observers' Club and Alistair Bestow, Canberra Ornithologists Group
(COG)
Note: Dr Saunders was able to compile a list of 56 resident
bird species during the tour regardless of the very dry conditions. From
November 2006 Dr Saunders is also our Honorary Resident Scientist.
Afternoon: "Introduction to wildlife in woodlands tours" conducted
by Dr Rebecca Montague-Drake, Centre for Resources and Environmental Studies,
ANU.
Friday 15 September, 2006,
Tours conducted by Dr Tony Saunders for the Gunning and Dalton Primary
schools.
Morning: Dalton Primary.
Afternoon:Gunning Primary.
9.30, Saturday 14 June, 2008
Guided Walk for Jerrawa Creek Landcare Group.
Conducted by Dr Tony Saunders, Honorary Resident Scientist, FOO.
During the visit a new species of bird has been sighted: The Brown Tree Creeper.
We advertise our event
in The Chronicle and in the local Lion Notice Board. We expect
mixed groups, including local landholders and members of local communities.
We will be also advertising with schools, Post Offices and shops.
Make a secure donation online now! Click here:
Affiliation Overseas
We are seeking actively to affiliate with an organisation in the USA.
This is a requirement by the Internal Revenue Office, Dept of Treasury,
USA for recognition of Tax-Exempt Status for the Friends of Oolong to
receive tax-deductible donations from the USA.
The Southern Wilderness Protection Plan 2005
The Friends of Oolong support the Southern Wilderness Protection Plan
2005, which covers 313,000ha of the SE NSW. For further information on
this major project, which is supported by the Colong Foundation, Total
Environment Centre, National Parks Association of NSW, the Nature Conservation
Council of NSW, and the Wilderness Society, please contact: Keith Muir,
Colong Foundation for Wilderness, Suite 201, Fortuna House, Level
2, 332 Pitt Street. Email:keith@colongwilderness.org.au: Phone (02) 9261-2400
and to view relevant maps and how they relate with each other and with
our program please go to: Habitat/Remnants
The Southern Wilderness Protection Plan 2005; the Lachlan Action Plan
of the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority; Bush Heritage, its Anchor
Region and The Grassy Box Woodlands Conservation Management Network; a
2800km Long Coastal Wildlife Corridor Development; the Oolong Challenge;
the Landcare CarbonSMART
The Friends of Oolong with The Oolong Challenge and Landcare with
CarbonSMART support these major plans with contributions to communities
on reforestation on private land and incentives to landholders. To read
more about these major developments please go to: Strategic
Direction and Initiatives To Preserve Our Heritage - The Oolong Challenge*
and CarbonSMART
*The Oolong Challenge project is under the patronage of Katrina Hodgkinson
MP State Member for Burrinjuck, Shadow Minister for Community Services
Volunteers Needed!
We welcome local, interstate and overseas volunteers but please note that
the Oolong Sanctuary is not a touristic venture and working in it is a
privilege we proudly wish to share with people dedicated to conservation
and - while we appreciate the in-kind contribution from our volunteers
- no remuneration is offered in return. However at present only basic
accommodation is provided in a shed for men and separater female accommodation
is available at Dalton Park. Improved facilities should be available in
the near future as we get more sponsorhips.
Volunteer
Small Equipment Grants (VSEG) 2007.
In response to the immense contribution that volunteers make in our community
the Australian Government has announced the Volunteer Small Equipment
Grants (VSEG) 2007.
Preference is given to organisations with a larger volunteer over staff
ratio.
Since our organisation is entirely managed by volunteers we welcome this
government initiative. These grants are only for the purchase of necessary
equipment that support volunteers in making their valuable contribution
on their local communities and exclude any permanent improvement to accommodation
and have applied for a grant of $3000 to be used towards the purchase
of a small 4x4 vehicle to move volunteers between places of work within
the sanctuary to remove woody weeds, patrol electrified fences and vermin
control.
National Australia Bank (NAB) Volunteer Program
NAB runs an employee volunteer program to help not for profit organisations
by providing their staff as volunteers for one off events and projects,
skill based activities or ongoing initiatives.The Friends of Oolong participate
in the program and is making use of the additional staff provided by NAB.
NAB provides two days paid volunteer leave for their 22,000
Australian employees. Their people use this leave to carry out voluntary
work for non-profit organisations within communities across Australia.
In the past year our people have provided 6,700 volunteer days, some $1.5
million of in-kind support for communities. The work is varied and includes
indoor and outdoor activities, plus skills-based volunteering opportunities
such as IT training, marketing plans and mock interviews for job candidates.
NAB is looking for activities that: benefit community groups who need
unskilled labour, with the focus on participation; benefit organisations
through the use of their employees' specialist skills such as strategic
and business planning, financial analysis, marketing, and project planning;
can be held out of the office of the organisation at your location, preferably
during the working week; are at easy to get to locations as employees
make their own way to the site of each activity; are safe and supervised;
and do not involve direct contact with children.
Supporting agencies and individuals
For the list of supporting agencies and individuals, please visit: Supporters
Owing to the high price of petrol and depending
on availability of funds, we sponsor ACT and NSW volunteers and in special
circumstances we may refund some of travelling costs.
Training of Volunteers
Volunteers - within our members - or recruited from outside - participate
in several research projects and are instructed and guided by our specialists,
including our Honorary Resident Scientist.
To contact the Honorary Resident Scientist please click Scientific
Advisory Board and look for the last entry.
Support and guidance is given also whenever possible by visiting specialists
and/or members of the Scientific Advisory Board.
Some of these volunteers are in our Task Force to take up some
of the extensive research work associated with state-wide and national
conservation activitie. They prepare applications for grants, and submissions.
How and where to apply to volunteer? Wish to volunteer? Positions
offered by the Friends of Oolong are listed with "GoVolunteer".
Please visit:
http://www.govolunteer.com.au
Overseas Rostered Volunteers
Jenny Bolles-Duke University, North Carolina, USA.
Caroline Fallourd, France
Nicolas Ciolek, Germany
Pfenningschmidt, Germany
Kristen Wesenberg, Germany
Tete Awotedu
Ana Brasil, Azores
Babu, Thailand
Amanda Tissen, Johannesburg
Pankaj Sharma, New Delhi
Overseas volunteers please note that you have to find your own way
to come and support yourself while in Australia. Oolong is situated on
the Southern Tablelands between Sydney and Canberra. See below how to get
there!
 To get information on Australia, interstate and overseas volunteers
and visitors please link to and browse: Road
to Australia and discover premier guide for travel in Australia.
A travel guide to Australia with info for tourists, businessmen, students
and more...
About the support and contribution by the Lachlan Catchment Management
Authority (LCMA) for joint projects with Landholders to the benefit of
the Lachlan catchment
One of our landholders has been successfull in his application to obtain
funding through Round 3 of the Lachlan Catchment Management Authority
(CMA) Incentive Funding for his sediment and Nutrient Control and Riparian
Revegetation project under the Water Quality and Vegetation Management
Programs.
Owing to the high value score of the project, the Lachlan CMA contribution
for this project will be $21,801 out of the total project cost of $28,985
with the difference born by the landholder.
Quoted here is a portion of the letter received by the landholder on 9
February 2007 from Mr. Rob Gledhill, Chair of the LCMA on the partnership
agreement:
“Your project will improve water quality/soil quality/vegetation and
the health of the Lachlan catchment and help to ensure the economic and
environmental viability of our community. We greatly appreciate your willingness
to work with the LCMA to achieve these objectives. I am especially pleased
that this Agreement has been developed in an environment of negotiation
between yourself and the LCMA staff.”
The works include reforestation with planting seed germinated in tubes
and direct seeding to facilitate the establishment of a wildlife corridor
to link the western portion of the property to the sanctuary. And this
is an example to be followed by other landholders in the region and the
Friends of Oolong will support and promote the cooperation with the LCMA
and will contribute with the supply of native seeds under the Oolong Challenge.
A survey of the adiacent area to the north and to the south will determine
what is needed there.
Dalton Park to be gazetted as a Wildlife Refuge.
The application for Dalton Park to be recognised as a Wildlife Refuge
has been drafted and has to be submitted to the NPWS for assessment. (To
be gazetted if and when approved).
Oolong in the Register of National Estate?
Because of its White Box Woodlands and fauna habitat the sanctuary is
of national significance and we have applied for its recognition.
Threatened species conservation in NSW. Reform proposal - August 2004
More than 80 species of native plants or animals that used to exist in
NSW are now extinct, and over 800 more species are on the path of extinction.
In 1995, the Government introduced threatened species legislation. While
there have been significant increases in our knowledge, and many important
conservation gains, more powerful tools are now required to better integrate
conservation with mainstream decision-making about how we use land and
build our economy. These reforms address six key areas.
We welcome the reform that fully supports and facilitates the adoption
of our program by identifying it as one of the more powerful tools needed
by the government to implement the reform.
The Reform Proposal is provided to assist stakeholders who are interested
in the Threatened Species Legislation Reform Bill tabled in Parliament
on 1 September 2004. Available as PDF (248kb) from the Department of Environment
and Conservation (NSW):
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/tsreformprop.pdf
The Effect of Bushfires on Wildlife and the need for Artificial Hollows:
The latest bushfires in the ACT have decimated wildlife and destroyed
their habitat. This will have a lasting effect also on the breeding of
several species, who need tree hollows for their nests. Preliminary results
indicate that about 70% of the ACT forest has disappeared and so did almost
all native endemic faunal species. No natural hollows for wildlife will
be available in the ACT new forest for many, many years.
It is reassuring to know that the birds survey at Oolong has already demonstrated
that all bird species previously present in the ACT are surviving, thriving
and breeding at Oolong. Our program is giving also to all other creatures
a chance to repopulate the region.
The FOO have several on-going R&D projects, including a study on the
usefulness of artificial nests for wildlife. Donations help to support
these vital projects. To see the list of projects please click: Projects.
Communitybuilders.nsw: A Community Volunteers Success Story at Oolong.
To find out please click:
www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/builder/volunteering/cvs.html
The Australian Government Register of Environmental Organisations.
Facts and Figures:
The Friends of Oolong listing on the Register was established under the
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (The Act). Under this Act, the Minister
for the Environment, along with the (Assistant Treasurer), is responsible
for the adminstration of the Register.
To February 2005, the environmental organisations in the Register were
317, as well as 13 organisations listed specifically in the Act. The Register
continues to grow, with 39 organisations added in the previous twelve
months.
Combined financial and property donations by the Australian public exceeding
$72 million. This represents an increase of $18 million from the 2002-03,
and an overall increase of nearly $60 million over the term of the present
Government. The Government's continued support for the Register is in
addition to its own spending on the environment, which in the financial
year 2005 has been in excess of $2.4 billion.
Farmers changing attitude:
Are you a farmer looking at ways to improve conservation on your land?
Please go to Farmers
changing attitude and browse that page to find details on how
to get the 'Save the Bush Toolkit' and much more!
Wildlife Carers Group Inc. Canberra, Australia
More than 7000 native animals are killed by motorists on NSW roads every
year. The most common victims are swamp wallabies, brushtail possums,
ringtail possums, Wombats and including some endangered species of small
birds, parrots and Kookaburra. Warning signs are not effective.
A Group, supported by our Organisation is promoting the general welfare
and continued survival of native fauna and flora as an essential element
of the environment. One of the main objectives of this group is to undertake
the specialised care necessary for the rehabilitation of orphaned, sick
and injured native birds and other animals. To support or join this group
please link to:
http://www.geocities.com/wildlife_carers_group/
Cameraman Work
To find the photos please go to Fauna and click:
"Frogs" and "Reptiles".
Shots by Mick Hines, FOO
Shots by David Nelson, FATS
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