Our Projects and Partnerships

Friends Projects

 

 

Beyond Yellingo project

Beyond Yellingbo commenced as the From Yellingbo to Butterfield Project in 2017.

Landholders quickly showed an interest in undertaking conservation works. Their enthusiasm attracted substantial funding from all levels of government and the project area  has expanded to allow engagement of more landholders in conservation action.

Beyond Yellingbo now works with landholders on nearly 85 properties. We have a 5 year plan to continue to engage with landholders along all of the creeks that flow in and out of Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area, the only home of the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater and lowland Leadbeater’s Possum.

Beyond Yellingbo is a community project, led by Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, Johns Hill, Macclesfield and Monbulk Landcare Groups.

Read more about the Beyond Yellingbo project in the attached Case Study.

Watch this video to hear from some of the landholders involved to find out how they benefit.

Watch this video to find out about why private land conservation is so important and the range of ways landholders can help.

 

 

Habitat restoration and revegetation program

Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater have a passion for protecting and increasing habitat.

Our school, community group and corporate planting days are focused within Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area.

Our current projects are supported by funding through the following organisations:

 

Government agencies/grants:

  • Melbourne Water Community Grants
  • Department of Environment and Energy – Threatened Species Recovery Fund
  • DELWP Biodiversity on-ground Action Grant
  • Commonwealth of Australia – 20 Million Tree Program
  • Parks Victoria
  • Australian Government’s National Landcare Program 

 

Philanthropic organisations:

  • Myer Foundation
  • RE Ross Trust
  • Helen MacPherson Smith Trust
  • Judith Eardley Save the Wildlife Association

 

 

Community nursery

The Friends nursery supplies indigenous tubestock for habitat plantings in the Woori Yallock Creek sub-catchment. It is overseen by an employed nursery manager but runs on volunteer effort.

We welcome new people.

 

 

Citizen science

If we don’t know it’s there, how can we care? The Friends citizen science program recognises that Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area (YNCA) is refuge for many threatened, regionally significant and common species, with all of them having importance in a healthy ecosystem. Through events that require little to no specialist equipment or prior knowledge, community members of all ages and backgrounds help in gaining a wider understanding of the current and changing ecology of the YNCA, whilst increasing, and/or sharing, their own ecological literacy. Data is uploaded to scientifically rigorous online platforms such as our iNaturalist project ‘Yellingbo and surrounds’, Birdata (Birdlife Australia) and Frog Census (Melbourne Water) or FrogID (Australian Museum). This information is then used by scientists to understand where species live, when they’re active, and any changes happening in the local environment. Anyone can be a citizen scientist! 

We welcome new people.

 

 

Community education & promotional activities

The Friends are currently:

  • Putting habitat plants into the ground through our own projects and activities and by supplying plants and advice to local projects
  • Ambassadors Program
  • Actively supporting the Helmeted Honeyeater recovery program.

Partnerships

Yarra4Life

Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater are key stakeholders in Yarra4Life, a major project of Port Phillip Westernport Catchment Management Authority (PPWCMA) to promote and support the protection and enhancement of native vegetation on private land throughout the Woori Yallock Creek sub-catchment. Wildlife populations such as the Helmeted Honeyeater and Leadbeater’s Possum cannot survive in isolated pockets of bushland like Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve indefinitely. Their long-term survival and that of a host of other fauna and flora species that co-exist with them is dependent on habitat links on public and private land.

PPWCMA has received significant funding to protect and conserve habitat for the Helmeted Honeyeater and Leadbeater’s Possum from 2010–2018.

This will predominantly focus on (but is not limited to) private land. A committee with reps from Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum, Yarra Ranges, Casey and Cardinia Councils, Parks Victoria, DELWP, Melbourne Water, Zoos Victoria Land for Wildlife etc.

For further information, please contact the Yarra4Life Coordinator and Environmental Projects Coordinator, Kacie Melfi on 0439 366 108 , 8781 7916 or kacie.melfi@ppwcma.vic.gov.au

Judith Eardley Save Wildlife Association

Judith Eardley Save Wildlife Association is an amazing local organisation of volunteers that raise many thousands of dollars each year to help protect Australia’s wildlife. Three properties have been purchased in recent years and handed over to Parks Victoria management to be included as part of Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve directly providing habitat now and into the future for many species in this region.

Judith Eardley Save Wildlife Association are true friends to Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater and we would encourage you to visit their shop when you’re in Healesville. Donations and volunteers are also welcomed at Judith Eardley!

Yellingbo Conservation Area Coordinating Committee (YCACC)

The YCACC is responsible for overseeing and coordinating land management for nature conservation in the Yellingbo Conservation Area, increasing the profile of the biodiversity and ecological values of the area and improving their protection. The committee will provide a first point of contact for stakeholders and the community about the Yellingbo Conservation Area and will communicate with the community through each step of the process.

In July 2013, after consultation with a Community Reference group, VEAC produced the Yellingbo Investigation Final Report. In March the Government released their response to the VEAC Final Report endorsing the recommendations and the Yellingbo Conservation Area Coordinating Committee (YCACC) was established in December 2015.

Yellingbo Conservation Area Coordinating Committee (YCACC)

7-9 Symes Rd, Woori Yallock 3139, PO Box 32, Woori Yallock 3139, Victoria, Australia.

Woori Yallock Creek Park Alliance are working to connect and protect crown land, bringing it under the proposed Yellingbo State Emblems Park

Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater are key stakeholders in a project to bring together, and protect under legislation, the major remnant bushland reserves and parks in the region. The park would be called Yellingbo State Emblems Park. Together with other environmental groups the Friends are working with State government to bring the streamside vegetation corridors linking Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve, Dandenong Ranges National Park, Bunyip State Park, Warramate, Butterfield Reserve and Kurth Kiln State Park under unified legislation to protect them into perpetuity.

This project has seen great progress in 2014. Read more:

July 2014. Applications are sought for four (4) community representative members to the Yellingbo Conservation Area Coordinating Committee. They will join a representative from each of Parks Victoria, Dept of Environment & Primary Industries, Zoos Victoria, Trust for Nature, Port Phillip & Westernport CMA, Yarra Ranges and Cardinia Councils. A convenor will be appointed by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change.

11 March 2014. The Victorian Government Response to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) Yellingbo Investigation was tabled in Parliament. The government response supports all of VEAC’s recommendations in full or in principle.

Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Team

A recovery team is established to guide and coordinate the management and recovery of endangered species. Since its inception in 1989, Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater have been represented on the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Team and its sub-group, the Operations Group. The long term aim of the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Team is to have 10 different colonies of Helmeted Honeyeaters in separate but inter-connected geographic locations.

The organisations that participate in the Recovery Team are:

Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater Ambassadors’ Program

The Ambassadors’ Program is an enrichment program for primary school aged students who show leadership skills and demonstrate an interest in learning more about the Helmeted Honeyeater and its place within the environment. Through hands on experiences, the program builds knowledge about our local endangered species and encourages children to be Ambassadors amongst their peers.

Since 2007 both Yellingbo & Macclesfield Primary Schools have been involved in this program. With the closure of Yellingbo PS in 2016, Berwick Lodge PS and Chum Creek PS have joined the program.

Yarra Ranges Landcare Network

The Yarra Ranges Landcare Network currently comprises 12 groups – 11 Landcare groups and 1 Friends of group. The Network aims to connect and support these groups in the valuable work that they do tackling pest plants and animals, waterwatch, revegetation, community education and more.

The Network are covers the Yarra Valley, from the north at the Upper Yarra, heading south as far as Cardinia Hills and westerly to Olinda, Monbulk and Thompson’s Rd group.

Anne Fitzpatrick is the Landcare Facilitator and can be contacted by:

p: 0488 766 113
e: landcare@yrl.org.au
w: www.yarrarangeslandcare.org.au

We would like to acknowledge the support of our funding partners

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