Wednesday 23rd March, 2005 at 7.30 pm
ATTENDANCES: Andrew Marshall (President), Graeme Heighton (Secretary), John Kratochvill, Lionel Downes, Peter Collins (CALM), Monty Walker, Noel Bignell, Phillip Marshall, John Blaney-Murphey, Julie Pech (DOE), Dale Holley (Secretary), Maurice McCormick (Vice President)
APOLOGIES: Graham Wright (Water Corp), Chris Westcott
Maurice McCormick confirmed that the Minutes were a true and correct record of the meeting held on the 9th Feb 2005.
3.1 INWARDS
3.2 OUTWARDS
3.3 EMAILS
4.1 Treasurer's report (full copy attached) Opening balance as at 09.02.05 $65,909.70 Expenses of $9283.25, Income $8011.00 which includes the $6600 from DOE and $1386 from Greenskills (for fencing subsidies)
4.2 Membership. Membership fees can be sent to the Treasurer, TCG Inc., PO Box 1900, Albany 6331. A Donation of $20.00 received from Marion and John Lightfoot - thankyou.
4.3 Coast and Clean Seas project funds Chris Gunby (District Manager DOE) has informed the TCG that funds held by the TCG for the Marshalls and Martins wetlands should be in a sperate account. The amount is around $42,000 which has already been allocated for maintenance of the wetlands. Maurice McCormick moved that a new account for the Coast and Clean Seas be established. Graeme Heighton seconded. ACTION: Graeme to attend to.
4.4 Envirofund 2004 Julie attending to the acquittal report for the 2004 project due at the end of April.
Monty Walker accepted the treasurer's report, seconded by John Blaney-Murphy.
5.1 Waterways grant allocation - update
Kevin Hopkinson has prepared and submitted the Envirofund application for $50,000. Work is being completed on Des Wolfe (3.6km fencing) and Ben Dixon's properties.
While discussing the waterways, the topic of the transportation of blue gums on Corio Road was raised. The culvert was removed to allow the large trucks to use the road. This caused flooding on adjacent properties. Maurice McCormick moved a letter be sent to the Council. Dale to attend to.
5.2 Green Corp Team Torbay Catchment work update
Paul Fassen (team leader) wants work immediately for the team. They have plenty when the rains come. Peter Collins will approach Greg Freebury (CALM) Previously the team have done some fox baiting on Breaksea and Mutton Bird.
ACTION: Wattle around the Torbay Hall could also be sprayed. Andrew to contact Paul.
5.3 Fertiliser workshop- March 30th, 2005 10-4pm
A fertiliser workshop will be held at the Narrikup Hall presented by the Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee Inc, The Department of Agriculture and DOE. Topics will include nutrient cycling and leaching processes important in high rainfall areas and how to interpret your own soil test. The workshop is free and will include lunch and afternoon tea. More information contact Lynn Heppell WICC Ph: 98 512697 or email lheppell@agric.wa.gov.au
Several members present commented they wouldn't be going to this workshop as they thought the one held for the TCG at Bornholm in 2004 was a "waste of time", with the soil test results being meaningless. This was contrary to the positive feedback received immediately after the workshop in 2004. The negative comments were countered by other members of the catchment group who thought that the workshops and soil test results were extremely useful, particularly when the tests were followed up with further soil testing the following year, and interpreted in conjunction with the information notes provided by the Department of Agriculture.
Concern was also voiced that the soil test results were not received in time to consider fertiliser applications for horticultural crops, and that the soil test results did not provide an analysis of trace elements. Members were advised that the soil testing was for P & N only, and that trace element testing requires further expense not covered by the workshop subsidy.
Field day on Improving Production with Perennials Tuesday 5th April 2005 from 9-1.pm The Sustainable Grazing on Saline Land (SGSL) site will be the main venue. This project aims to demonstrate integrated farming systems which improve productivity and sustainability on a range of varying saline soils. Lunch provided and workshop is free. Again contact Lynn Heppell (contact number above)
This workshop coincides with a Pro-graze meeting at Borden on the same day, which some TCG members will be attending. Members requested whether handouts from the Mt Barker perennials field day might be obtained and distributed at the next TCG meeting. ACTION: Julie to follow up request for perennial handouts from Dept. Agriculture.
5.4 Weed mapping
Andrew Marshall handed out maps for land owners to identify areas sprayed for weeds both on private land and road verges. The purpose for this is to acknowledge the effort that volunteers and individual landowners put into weed control on public and private properties. Yearly mapping of weed control will also provide the means to compare the success of annual weed control efforts over a number of years.
6.1 Catchment Restoration Plan - February workshop summary
The summary of input into the restoration plan from workshop participants was tabled following the workshops held at Redmond, Torbay and Elleker mid February. The draft can still be commented on and further copies can be obtained from DOE. The Restoration Plan will be discussed further at the next Steering Committee Meeting on 13th April, 2005 Elleker Hall.
6.2 Research:
Geoscience Australia 6-14th April, 2005. An 11-day survey will be carried out by Geoscience Australia (Canberra) investigating benthic nutrient fluxes in Torbay Inlet, Lake Powell, Marbellup Brook and Manarup Lagoon. A device called a benthic chamber will be placed at various sites in the waterbodies to determine what nutrients are being released from the sediment into the water column, and therefore what nutrients are available to feed the algal blooms. All the data will be analysed and reported on by June 2005. A presentation on the research will be held at 7.00 pm at Elleker Hall prior to the Steering Committee Meeting 13th April 2005. Interested community members will be able to view the field work at Lake Manarup on Saturday afternoon, 9th April ACTION: Julie will circulate final details for the 9th
UWA Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management, Albany. Simon Brett (4th year Honours Student) has started his project on Sediment Nutrient load and mineralisation potential (looking at water quality rather than the sediments) This will provide information on water quality in Lake Powell that we don't currently have. Gerard Edwards has enrolled with CENRM to do an honours research project investigating the hydrological pathways of nutrient movement into Lake Powell. This extends the work that was done in the ground water study of 25 bores put down in the catchment
The private landowners who volunteered their properties for such projects requested direct feedback on the reporting of the work carried out on their properties and also requested that they be notified when the work was to be carried out by leaving card identification or phone call. Some landholders were not happy with the minimal level of contact from the contractor carrying out sampling work on properties, and were not provided with raw data for the individual bores on their properties during the sampling period.
ACTION: Julie to obtain the data and report and provide to landowners involved in the study; and to discuss with the project manager appropriate contact protocol for the sampling contractor when visiting private properties.
Letisha Newman (Water Corp) visiting Albany in April. Letisha is employed full time by the Water Corp in Busselton. She will be working on the Environmental Improvement Initiative for the Torbay catchment and the area. Letisha has been supplied information on the work of the TCG over the past 6 years and about the Watershed Torbay project. It is hoped that Letisha will be able to attend TCG meetings on a regular basis. This was seen by the TCG members as a positive step by the Water Corp.
7.1 handout
A handout on yearly meeting dates for TCG and Watershed Torbay Steering Committee was again tabled.
7.2 Clean up Australia
John Blaney Murphy commented on the small number of people who turned up for the Clean up Australia Day (Elleker area). Only 4 people volunteered. However, they still managed to collect 3 tonnes of rubbish along Marbellup Road, around the Lake and the old school.
Meeting CLOSED 21.50 pm
NEXT MEETING: 4TH May, at 7.30 pm - Elleker Hall .
Financial Report as at 23rd Mar 2005
| Opening balance as at Feb 9th 2005 | $65909.70 | |||
| Expenses: (inc GST) | $9283.25 | |||
| (since Feb 9th) | ||||
| P Marshall | $2310.00 | |||
| Habitat Tree Farm | $3347.30 | |||
| W & G Yagmich | $2090.00 | |||
| Greenskills Inc.(wages) | $1124.75 | |||
| Aust. Post | $56.00 | |||
| Aradlay Insurance | $300.00 | |||
| Petty Cash | $50.00 | |||
| Gov Debit tax | $5.20 | |||
| Outstanding Expenses: | H & D Van der Meullen | $330.00 | ||
| Income: (inc GST) | $8011.00 | |||
| Membership / donation | $25.00 | |||
| Dept. of Environment | $6600.00 | |||
| Greenskills Inc. | $1386.00 | |||
| Closing balance as at 23rd Mar 2005 | $64637.45 | |||
A Marshall (President)
G Heighton (Treasurer)