SPRING IN THE SUBURBS

The plane trees in this suburban street have sprouted all their leaves and the green canopy will provide shade, coolness and a refuge for the birdlife during the Summer months. And did I mention the carbon sink effect and the generation of oxygen?

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

FISH LADDER

Darebin Creek fish ladder in the Darebin Parklands in Alphington. A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass, fish steps, or fish cannon, is a structure on or around artificial and natural barriers (such as dams, locks and waterfalls) to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration as well as movements of potamodromous species.

Most fish ladders enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps (hence the term ladder) into the waters on the other side. The velocity of water falling over the steps has to be great enough to attract the fish to the ladder, but it cannot be so great that it washes fish back downstream or exhausts them to the point of inability to continue their journey upriver.

Carried out by Melbourne Water, the $350,000 project in Darebin Creek involved installing a series of carefully designed rock works placed downstream of the structure in Darebin Parklands. This ‘rock ramp fishway’ allows water to cascade through the structure forming eddies that act as a refuge for fish so they can move freely through the waterway.

The design targets fish species that migrate from saltwater to freshwater environments to complete their life cycle including Common Galaxias and Short Finned Eel. The fish ladder was constructed with imported locally sourced rock. The project was constructed on site where materials were matched to complement the natural waterway and the environment.

This post is part of Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

MELBOURNE ELMS

Over 6000 mainly English elms Ulmus procera and Dutch elms U. x hollandica adorn the streets, boulevards and parks in the City of Melbourne, and some 11,200 elms are maintained within a 10-km radius of Melbourne's city centre. The Golden Wych elm U. glabra 'Lutescens', the Weeping Wych elm U. glabra 'Camperdownii' and the Chinese elm U. parvifolia have been widely planted since the 1950s, especially in the gardens of Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

The impact of introduced pests, city growth and the danger of an accidental introduction of Dutch elm disease continue to threaten Melbourne's ageing elm population. As a result of these pressures, groups such as the Friends of the Elms and the Elm Pests and Diseases Task Force have been formed to protect what is considered one of the finest remaining populations of mature elms in the world.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme

FISH LADDER

The newly installed fish ladder in Darebin Creek at the Darebin Parklands allows fish in the creek to move moe freely upstream and downstream. This enhances biodiversity in the major tributaries of the Yarra River.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

IDYLLIC DRAIN!

The run off from a storm water drain cascading down a bluff. It always looks picturesque in the Darebin Parklands even where the storm water drains into one of ponds. It's so good to see the clean water running off from the streets above.  Always good to remember this and put all rubbish in the bin, don't throw it in the street. Keep our storm water drains clean!

This post is part of the My Corner of the World meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

PARKLANDS POND

A pond in the Darebin Parklands, a suburban nature reserve in Melbourne's northeastern inner city suburbs.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

ON THE YARRA

At the Studley Park Boathouse in Kew, one may rent a rowboat and enjoy a leisurely boat ride on the quiet waters of the Yarra River. A serene spot of scenic beauty in suburban Melbourne. The many square kilometres of areas of conservation along the banks of the Yarra River provide a valuable environmental resource for Melburnians.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

DON'T RUBBISH OUR CREEKS

I always harp on here about how lucky we are in Metropolitan Melbourne to have so many parks, parklands, nature reserves, gardens and green zones. But immediately I say it, I think how we are also challenged by people who are intent on destroying such beauty, and ruining such an essential part of what keeps our city and citizens healthy. 

Some conscienceless and stupid people go out of their way to litter our streets and parks, pollute our waterways, throw away their rubbish into creeks, storm-water drains and sewers and vandalise flora, fauna and facilities.

The effect is larger of course, as the more destruction occurs, the greater the consequences on the broader environment and on every living thing...

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

WATERFALL

It's been wintry, rainy, cold and grey in Melbourne the past week and there's been a lot of run off from the storm water drains. It always looks picturesque in the Darebin Parklands where the storm water drains into one of ponds. Always good to remember this and put all rubbish in the bin, don't throw it in the street. Keep our storm water drains clean!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

X for XEROPHILOUS

Xerophilous | zɪəˈrɒfɪləs, zɛˈrɒfɪləs | adjective Botany & Zoology
(of a plant or animal) adapted to a very dry climate or habitat, or to conditions where moisture is scarce.
ETYMOLOGY
from Greek, xēros, meaning 'dry', and philos, meaning 'loving'
DERIVATIVES
xerophile | ˈzɪərə(ʊ)fʌɪl | noun

The wooded area of Australia contains a large number of xerophilous trees and woody shrubs which thrive in regions receiving less than 25 cm of rain per annum. Country devoid of tree growth is rare, the conditions being due to lack of suitable soil rather than lack of rainfall. Sand dunes, rock exposures, and clay pans are the most common treeless areas.

The Darebin Parklands are in a typical dry sclerophyll (Greek: 'tough' + 'leaf') habitat. Dry Sclerophyll Forest (DrySF) is found on a range of clay-loam, sandy-loam and shallow rocky soils of exposed hillsides, mostly between 200 and 1000 m above sea level, with rainfall between 550 and 1000 mm a year. About half of the area once supporting DrySF in Victoria falls on public land while a little over one fifth is represented in conservation parks and reserves. About 45% of all DrySF has been permanently cleared for agriculture or urban development. In a dry sclerophyll forest, xerophilous species abound. Such habitats can withstand long periods of drought successfully, with regeneration when rain falls.

DrySF is an ecosystem with relatively small and often crooked, spreading trees, usually less than 25 m tall, over a normally sparse understory of wattles and small-leafed shrubs, and a dense and species-rich ground cover of grasses and small herbs. The tree canopy is usually a mixture of stringybarks (commonly Eucalyptus macrorhyncha - Red Stringybark, Eucalyptus obliqua - Messmate, Eucalyptus globoidea - White Stringybark), boxes (commonly Eucalyptus polyanthemos - Red Box, Eucalyptus goniocalyx - Long-leaf Box), peppermints (commonly Eucalyptus radiata - Narrow-leaf Peppermint, Eucalyptus dives - Broad-leaf Peppermint) and gum-barked species (commonly Eucalyptus viminalis - Mannah Gum, Eucalyptus cypellocarpa - Mountain Grey-gum, Eucalyptus melliodora - Yellow Box). The composition of the canopy varies from place to place and sometimes according to the history of forest use but in any area of forest there is seldom fewer than five eucalypt species.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

S for SNAKE

Australia has nearly 200 known species of snake, only 25 of which are considered potentially deadly. Common snakes in the Melbourne area and surrounding suburbs include the Tiger Snake, Eastern Brown Snake, Copperhead Snake, White-Lipped Snake, Small-Eyed Snake and Red-Bellied Black Snake. There are over 27 types of snake in Victoria and a number of these are venomous, including the tiger snake, the copperhead, the brown snake and the red-bellied black snake.

Darebin Parklands being a nature reserve in the midst of inner suburban Melbourne, has a host of animal species, many of them native that live happily in its confines. These creatures of course include snakes. Numerous signs relating to snakes are found throughout the Parklands, reminding people to take care during the Summer between the months of October to April.

I have seen snakes a number of times, in the Parklands and elsewhere, but fortunately these encounters have been innocent enough. While seeing a snake may be an intimidating experience, they are typically shy creatures and most will try to avoid confrontation with humans and quickly slither away (how quickly they can move is indeed a sobering experience). My latest encounter was with a 1.2 m tiger snake that was crawling along the path, rushing to get to an area well-covered with grass and bushes. This was a couple of months ago and the day was very hot and the snake moved extremely quickly, rushing away from me towards cover. It was fortunate I had the camera in my hands and was able to take a few photos.

Tiger snakes, like this one, are a highly venomous snake species found in the southern regions of Australia, including its coastal islands, such as Tasmania. These snakes are highly variable in their colour, often banded like those on a tiger, and forms in their regional occurrences. All populations are in the genus Notechis, and their diverse characters have been described in further subdivisions of this group; they are sometimes described as distinct species and/or subspecies. Tiger snakes accounted for 17% of identified snakebite victims in Australia between 2005 and 2015, with four deaths recorded from 119 confirmed envenomations.

Tiger snake venoms possess potent neurotoxins, coagulants, haemolysins, and myotoxins. Symptoms of a bite include localised pain in the foot and neck region, tingling, numbness, and sweating, followed by a fairly rapid onset of breathing difficulties and paralysis. In a study, the mortality rate from untreated bites is reported to be between 40 and 60%. The risk of being bitten by a snake or dying from a snake bite is extremely low. While highly variable, it is estimated that no more than 100 or 200 people each year get bitten by snakes in Victoria. Despite this, on average only one person every 5 years dies of a snake bite. The last recorded fatal snake bite in Victoria was by a tiger snake in November 2014. To put the risk of dying from a snake bite in perspective, consider that each year in Victoria about 40 people die from drowning in waterways and about 250 people die in car accidents. 

Treatment is the same for all Australian venomous snakes. The pressure immobilisation method is used to inhibit the flow of venom through the lymphatic system. Broad, thick bandages are applied over the bite, then down and back along the limb to the armpit or groin. The affected limb is then immobilised with a splint. Identification of the venom is possible if traces are left near the wound. The availability of antivenom has greatly reduced the incidence of fatal tiger snake bites. Among the number of deaths caused by snakebite in Australia, those from tiger snakes are exceeded only by the brown snake. In most Australian states, tiger snakes are protected species, and to kill or injure one incurs a fine up to $7,500, as well as a jail sentence of 18 months in some states. It is also illegal to export a native Australian snake.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

FRUIT AT CERES

CERES - Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies, is an award winning, not-for-profit, sustainability centre located on 4.5 hectares on the Merri Creek in East Brunswick, Melbourne. It is no accident that the acronym was chosen mindful of the fact that Ceres was the ancient Roman goddess of agriculture (hence "cereals").

It is also a thriving community, an urban farm, Australia’s largest deliverer of environmental education, an event and conference venue and a place rich with social and cultural diversity. CERES is recognised as an international leader in community and environmental practice. Built on a decommissioned rubbish tip that was once a bluestone quarry, today CERES is a vibrant eco-oasis. 350,000 people visit CERES each year.

CERES’ green technology displays, buildings, education and training programs and social enterprises (CERES’ Organic Market, Café, Permaculture Nursery and Fair Food organics delivery) demonstrate food security, sustainable agriculture, energy efficiencies, renewables and water conservation in action.

We often visit the organic grocery and green-grocery onsite, where you can find delicious breads, grocery items and seasonal fruit and vegetables, most of which are produced at the urban market garden in CERES. Delicious and wholesome!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

M for MAGPIE

The Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. Although once considered to be three separate species, it is now considered to be one, with nine recognised subspecies. A member of the Artamidae, the Australian magpie is placed in its own genus Gymnorhina and is most closely related to the black butcherbird (Melloria quoyi). It is not, however, closely related to the European magpie, which is a corvid.

The adult Australian magpie is a fairly robust bird ranging from 37 to 43 cm in length, with distinctive black and white plumage, gold brown eyes and a solid wedge-shaped bluish-white and black bill. The male and female are similar in appearance, and can be distinguished by differences in back markings. The male has pure white feathers on the back of the head and the female has white blending to grey feathers on the back of the head. With its long legs, the Australian magpie walks rather than waddles or hops and spends much time on the ground.

Described as one of Australia's most accomplished songbirds, the Australian magpie has an array of complex vocalisations. It is omnivorous, with the bulk of its varied diet made up of invertebrates. It is generally sedentary and territorial throughout its range. Common and widespread, it has adapted well to human habitation and is a familiar bird of parks, gardens and farmland in Australia and New Guinea. This species is commonly fed by households around the country, but in spring a small minority of breeding magpies (almost always males) become aggressive and swoop and attack those who approach their nests.

Over 1000 Australian magpies were introduced into New Zealand from 1864 to 1874 but have subsequently been accused of displacing native birds and are now treated as a pest species. Introductions also occurred in the Solomon Islands and Fiji, where the birds are not considered an invasive species. The Australian magpie is the mascot of several Australian sporting teams, most notably the Collingwood Magpies, the Western Suburbs Magpies and Port Adelaide Magpies.

The Darebin Parklands provide an ideal habitat for magpies so large numbers of these birds may be seen throughout this nature reserve. Their distinctive melodious song announces their presence and one may approach them quite closely before they walk or fly away.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

L for LEAF LITTER

Leaf Litter, (also, litterfall, plant litter, tree litter, soil litter, or duff), is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that have fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituent nutrients are added to the top layer of soil, commonly known as the litter layer or O horizon ("O" for "organic"). Litter has occupied the attention of ecologists at length for the reasons that it is an instrumental factor in ecosystem dynamics, it is indicative of ecological productivity, and may be useful in predicting regional nutrient cycling and soil fertility.

The Darebin Parklands are rich in leaf litter and the amount of this organic material on the top layer of soil and in the creek contributes to the health of the ecosystem in this urban nature reserve in metropolitan Melbourne.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

K for KOOKABURRA

Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28–42 cm in length. The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, onomatopoeic of its call. The loud distinctive call of the Laughing Kookaburra is widely used as a stock sound effect in situations that involve an Australian bush setting. They are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, as well as in suburban areas with tall trees or near running water. Even though they belong to the larger group known as "kingfishers", kookaburras are not closely associated with water.

The genus Dacelo was introduced by the English zoologist William Elford Leach in 1815. The name Dacelo is an anagram of Alcedo, the Latin word for a kingfisher. The laughing kookaburras shown here are Dacelo novaeguineae (native to eastern Australia, introduced to southwest). Kookaburras are almost exclusively carnivorous, eating mice, snakes, insects, small reptiles, and the young of other birds; they have also been known to take goldfish from garden ponds. In zoos they are usually fed food for birds of prey.

The Darebin Parklands is a perfect habitat for these handsome birds and one may see these quite commonly right throughout the area of the park. Their laugh-like call is definitely a sign you're in Australia!

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

J for JUNK

Although Darebin Creek and the Darebin Parklands are a relatively clean urban natural reserve, pollution and litter are still major concerns. Some drains along the Darebin Creek have signs with a number to help in the location of pollution points, and if one is present please ring the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) quote the number printed on the sign and report the nature of the effluent.

Shopping trolleys are one of the biggest items that litter the Darebin Creek and the Darebin Creek Management Committee has pulled hundreds of trolleys out of the creek since 2003. As we are having a dry spell at the moment, the ponds in the parklands are at low level, exposing parts that are normally underwater. All sorts of junk has been exposed, which has been unconscientiously dumped there: Tyres, metal pipes, wire mesh, building materials, all sorts of litter.

EPA Victoria regulates the environment and is an authority on the things that impact on our environment. Call EPA 24 hours a day to report sightings of pollution or illegally dumped materials. Their phone number is: 1300 372 842 or 1300 EPA VIC, and their website is: https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

H for HABITAT

habitat | ˈhabɪtat | noun
The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism: Wild chimps in their natural habitat.
• informal a person's usual or preferred surroundings.
ORIGIN
Late 18th century: from Latin, literally ‘it dwells’, from habitare

The Darebin Parklands provide a large variety of habitats for numerous native species of flora and fauna, as well as hosting some introduced and exotic species. The large area of natural woodland, wetland and pond environment as well as the Perennial Darebin Creek running through its midst are a valuable conservation resource for suburban Melbourne.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

E for ECOSYSTEM

The Darebin Parklands around Darebin Creek support a wide diversity of bird, mammal, reptile, fish, amphibian and insect life in a rich background environment of mainly native flora. The ecosystem is stable and thriving, but highly responsive to change (for example, human activity and pollution), which can have catastrophic effects on the ecology of the communities of the ecosystem. See here for more information.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

GORILLA IN ZOO

The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, commonly known as the Melbourne Zoo, contains more than 320 animal species from Australia and around the world. The zoo is 4 kilometres north of the centre of Melbourne. It is accessible via Royal Park station on the Upfield railway line, and is also accessible via tram routes 55 and 19, as well as by bicycle on the Capital City Trail. Bicycles are not allowed inside the zoo itself. The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens is a full institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Nobody misses a visit to meet the Western Lowland Gorillas at Melbourne Zoo. These fascinating creatures, which are from the same family as humans, Orang-utans and chimpanzees, share many features with us – they even giggle when amused! Melbourne Zoo is one of 150 zoological institutions worldwide participating in a survival breeding program for Western Lowland Gorillas. The population within these participating zoos totals 856 gorillas. 

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

SUBURBAN TRANSFORMATION

A suburban house with its leafy green front yard in Melbourne may be a vanishing species as more and more of these single occupancy houses are being demolished to make way for blocks of units, flats or even big apartment buildings. In the last 2-3 years, the building boom in Melbourne has seen an amazing change in the face of the suburbs. The worst is still to come as green Melbourne is transformed into a concrete jungle...

This post is part of the Friday Greens meme.