On Saturday 3 December we are meeting at Brunswick train station to do some weeding and maintenance work. Please join us if you can! 10am - 12 noon.
Work day Sunday 9 October 2016
Hi Everyone,
Friends of Upfield Linear Park (FULP) is having a Beautification Day at Brunswick Railway Station followed by a Planning Session - please see details below.
What: FULP Beautification Day
When: Sunday 9 October, 9:30-11am
Where: Brunswick Train Station
https://www.facebook.com/events/196622537436631/?ti=icl
We will be checking the plants planted a few weeks ago, doing some maintenance work and celebrating all your efforts! I imagine the plants would have loved this most recent rain, helping them settle in to their new home ️
Please come along and remember to bring your gloves.
What: FULP Planning Session
When: Sunday 9 October, 11am-12:30pm
Where: Ray Cafe, 332 Victoria St, Brunswick
We've had some people reach out from other train stations along the Line and keen to see how we can help with their visioning. So it would be great to get some next steps down for the group.
Hope to see you Sunday.
Cheers,
Friends of Upfield Linear Park
Contact:
Lenka Thompson
Planting at Anstey and Brunswick Stations
Over the course of about 4 hours on Sunday 11 September 2016....an extraordinary thing happened...a swarm of enthusiastic individuals collected rubbish, weeded, lay down newspaper and mulch and planted a whole set of beautiful little plants...here is a list of what when in!
Paul Kelly and Uncle Kev Carmody know a thing or two....From little things, big things grow.....can't wait to watch them grow....
ANSTEY STATION:
Acacia acinacea 20
Acacia melanoxylon 8
Brachyscome basaltica 35
Carpobrotus modestus 6
Chrysocephalum apiculatum 12
Chrysocephalum semipapposum 12
Clematis microphylla 16
Correa reflexa 12
Corymbia maculata 6
Dicantheum sericeum 22
Dodonia viscosa 8
Einadia nutans 14
Enchylaena tomentosa 16
Eucalyptus leucoxylon 1
Eucalyptus torquata 1
Lomandra longilfolia 25
Nicotiana suaveolenis 18
Pelargonium austral 14
Poa labillardieri 50
Senna artemisiodes 15
Wahlenbergia communis 20
331 plants
BRUNSWICK STATION
Acacia acinacea 18
Acacia melanoxylon 10
Brachyscome basaltica 22
Carex appressa 8
Carpobrotus modestus 6
Chrysocephalum apiculatum 10
Chrysocephalum semipapposum 10
Clematis microphylla 12
Correa reflexa 21
Corymbia maculata 6
Dianella admixta 20
Dicantheum sericeum 20
Einadia nutans 12
Enchylaena tomentose 36
Eucalyptus polyanthemos 1
Eucalyptus torquata 2
Ficinia nodosa 8
Lomandra longilfolia 48
Nicotiana suaveolenis 6
Pelargonium austral 12
Senna artemisiodes 10
Solanum laciniatum 3
Wahlenbergia communis 14
301 plants
We'll get images of these plants up and on the website one of these days.
Amazing work everyone!
Planting Day on 11 September 10-12am
FULP PLANTING DAY (BRUNSWICK)
(https://www.facebook.com/events/1741940382725706/?ti=icl)
Sunday 11 September, 10am - 12pm
Brunswick Train Station
We will be following on from the work conducted a couple of weeks ago with more weeding, mulching, planting and watering. There is an absolutely wonderful habitat being created at this location, if you're on Facebook, check out some of the gorgeous photos and stories from the previous Planting Day.
FULP PLANTING DAY (ANSTEY)
(https://www.facebook.com/events/1778955172352924/?ti=icl)
Sunday 11 September, 10am - 12pm
Anstey Train Station
We will be focusing on the eastern side of the railway line garden bed, trimming bushes, weeding, mulching, planting and watering. This one will be breaking new ground, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the outcome of this one.
At each station we will have an expert sharing their knowledge about weeds and natives, so we make sure the goodies are kept in the ground. There will be mulch delivered to each site and it is hoped we'll have a good number of hands helping out across both stations - each has about 400 plants to get in the ground so there's plenty of work to do.
Thanks for being a part of the beautification of the Upfield Line - your time and commitment is what makes it all worthwhile.
Remember those gloves.
Regards,
The FULP Team.
Interested in getting involved in planting?
Next Meeting
On Sunday 28 August 2016 a group of people interested in talking about planting/work around Anstey Train Station are getting together at Steam Junkies at 10am (the Commons).
Sunday 28 August, 10 - 11am
Steam Junkies
7 Florence St, Brunswick
The Anstey crew are keen to talk and share knowledge about the Anstey Station project and environs.
Next Planting Day
Planting Day - Brunswick Train Station
Sunday 11 September
10am - 12pm
Please bring gloves!
Brunswick Station - August 14 2016 weeding and planting day
VicTrack - Stationeer Grants
If anyone was interesting in becoming a "Stationeer" - here is some information and contacts you might find useful!
Stationeer VicTrack grants now open
VicTrack has generously made funds available to assist established Stationeers groups with their beautification projects.
Keep Victoria Beautiful (KVB) will be managing grants on behalf of VicTrack.
Details of the grants are as follows:
Maximum Grant $700.00
Grants can be used for:
- Mulches/coverings
- Planter boxes
- Murals
- Plants
- Water tanks
If projects require approval for the new work, KVB will work with the appropriate rail manager/s to obtain these approvals
Important dates
- 9 September 2016 applications close
- November 2016 applicants advised and successful applicants receive funds
- 31 December 2016 progress reports including photos are required
- 31 March 2017 progress reports including photos are required
- 30 April 2017 projects must be completed
- 30 April 2017 final project report including photos and a financial acquittal must be provided.
Other information
VicTrack will determine the successful applicants.
Should all grant funds not be allocated, higher grant requests will be considered.
To apply for a grant Stationeers groups must supply details of the project including: nature of the works, the location, estimated costs, contact person and the benefits that will follow from the project.
All submissions are to be either sent to Keep Victoria Beautiful, PO Box 16105 Collins Street West 8007 or emailed to info@kvb.org.au .
For further details please contact Gary Mogford KVB phone 0438 354 837 email, gmogford@kvb.org.au
Gary Mogford | Program Manager
Keep Victoria Beautiful
PO Box 16105 Collins Street West; Melbourne 8007 Vic.
E| gmogford@kvb.org.au M| 0438 354 837 W| kvb.org.au
Herbicide and Pesticide Use
While it is mainly Metro Trains who spray along the trainline, Moreland City Council also uses spray around the bike path. Sometimes this spray kills newly planted trees and vegetables. Sometimes it just leaves a dead patch of ground... have your say on Moreland City Council's herbicide and pesticide plan:
http://www.moreland.vic.gov.au/about-us/have-your-say/consultations/
Metro trains - whipper-snipping
So we've discovered one of the problems....Metro employs people with whipper-snippers to cut down the vegetation.....as part of their "Clearance Plan".
This year (2016) they cut down 10 small trees between Munro and Reynard Sts.
In Northcote in 2015 it appears they cut down a whole vegetable garden plot at the Merri Train Station. The Leader Newspaper reports that over 30 people were involved in planting and were devastated by the loss. Furthermore, Metro Trains apologised and offered to pay for re-planting.
Metro's Pauline O'Connor was reported to say:
“Stationeers groups play an important role at many of our stations and we support the great work they do to beautify our stations and improve the community amenity,”
The people with whipper-snippers have said things like, "Personally, I like the trees, but we have to keep trees more than 3 metres from the tracks." And "we are doing this to prevent a fire hazard." Others have said, "If the trees/plants are obviously being looked after, we leave them alone."
From the Clearance Plan, the issue seems to be keeping tree branches from the high voltage power lines.
So...if this is the case one would think that...low vegetation within 3 metres (herbs/vegetables), and trees from three metres should be ok.
This is not what happened at Merri Station though....and the trees between Reynard and Munro sts were further out than 3 metres... So what is going on?
I'll get in contact with Metro Trains...follow up on the Northcote story..... and report back.
Survival
The survival chances of an urban guerilla tree are poor. The main threats are lawn-mowers, removal by non-tree enthusiasts, removal and replacement with something smaller by council (Council love those low growing grivilleas...nice flowers.... but zero shade qualities). Trees get hacked, pulled out and discarded by baked and concrete jungle enthusiasts, sawn off at the trunk, ring-barked. Sometimes they are poisoned and very occasionally they die of drought.
The main cause of death is human intervention.
If we are to survive on a rapidly heating planet...we need a different approach to trees and growing food and vegetation in the city.
On a practical note the areas of the Upfield Urban forest that are doing best are those covered in tree-growth and vegetation and where flowers outgrow the weeds. It looks like working intensively on small pockets has the highest chances of success. Well done foresters. Please get involved...everyone!