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Friends of Lake Claremont

News December 2012 Editor: Adnan Visram

Inside this issue:

FOLC Coordinator Honoured

Ted’s Corner

A Weeding We Will Go

Whadjuk Trails

In Bloom This Month

Birdspotting

Boobook Owl

January Busy Bee

Calendar

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FOLC Coordinator Honoured

Heidi Hardisty was added to the Honour List at the

Conservation Council of WA’s (CCWA) annual Conservation

Awards in December in recognition of outstanding

commitment and dedication in working for the protection

of WA’s environment. She was honoured for her volunteer

work as the Convenor of the Cockatoo Coalition and the

Coordinator of the Friends of Lake Claremont. The FOLC

were given a special mention for the restoration work they

have achieved.

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Heidi (on left) was one of four recognized on CCWA’s Honour List

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FOLC News December 2012

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In 2012, the Friends of Lake Claremont Limited nominated Joan Tocock for a WA Lifetime

Contribution to Volunteering Award. Although she didn’t win, her contributions to the

community over the years have been extensive. Joan has been involved in volunteering in

the Claremont community for many years and at the age of 92 still comes out regularly to

help.

Joan’s first foray into volunteering was with Meals on Wheels. This was in the days they

had to go and collect the meals from the central kitchen and then deliver them around the

neighbourhood. Joan and a friend started an op-shop at the Centre behind the old Police

Station in Claremont and also held fundraising events there for Meals on Wheels.

Joan and her late husband Ted volunteered for the Claremont Museum from 1980. The Old

School was a Police residence and was given to the community for the Museum. They

cleaned and laid floorboards from the old Post Office and restored the building. Later Ted

restored an old boat. Joan helped establish the Barber shop and then started activities for

children. This became the very successful schools visiting program which remains today.

Joan is still a member of the Friends of the Museum.

Joan and Ted were among the first volunteers to help rehabilitate and revegetate Lake

Claremont. They started work under the guide of the Town of Claremont and worked

tirelessly in planting, watering and weeding back in the early nineties. They continued their

work through the formation of the Friends of Lake Claremont and helped transform a weed

infested island into a thickly vegetated refuge.

Ted’s Corner

Joan Tocock

Joan still volunteers with the Friends helping to

supervise Community Service program for local

boys’ schools and turning out for the monthly

busy bee.

Joan Tocock is a Life Member of the Friends of

Lake Claremont and of the Friends of the

Museum and is truly an inspiration to us all

FOLC News December 2012

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A Weeding We Will Go

So much weeding to do! Hand weeding was the main spring activity at Lake Claremont. It is one of

the most important tasks to ensure the success of our planting projects.

In September a group from the Conservation Volunteers removed weeds on the east side of Lake

Claremont.

The volunteers removed mostly Whiteflower fumitory along with vetch and young kikuyu (grass)

shoots. The work to restore the vegetation around and on the “island” was funded in part by an

Environmental Community Grant from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC).

Native plants are particularly sensitive to trampling, so we are asking people to stay off the island

until revegetation works are established (a few years).

Conservation Volunteers weeding on 14 September on the man-made island, east side of Lake Claremont

Before

After

FOLC News December 2012

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Opening of the Whadjuk Trails

The Western Suburbs Regional Organisation of Councils (WESROC) launched the first trail in the

Whadjuk regional network of trails in Allen Park, City of Nedlands on Friday 16 November.

The Bush to Beach Trail, connecting remnant bushlands, links Rosalie Park, Lake Jaulbup, Shenton

Bushland, Bold Park, Lake Claremont, Allen Park and Grant Marine Park, with links to Subiaco’s

Shenton Park Walk, Karbomanup Trail in Cambridge and Claremont’s Yargine Track. This is jointly

funded by Lotterywest and the Department of Sport and Recreation.

The initial concept was initiated by local Friends groups with the intention of encouraging an

appreciation and respect for our natural bushland. Friends of Lake Claremont member, Soozie Ross

was initially involved in the formation of the committee which was driven by Dani Boase-Jelinek.

They planned routes, maps, markers and promotion. When Soozie retired Heidi Hardisty continued

to represent Friends of Lake Claremont.

A message stick was created as a token of respect for the Noongar people and was presented at

the event. This was carved and painted by a Noongar artist in consultation with his Elders to depict

the icons of the six trails.

WESROC has produced a mobile phone application for the Bush to Beach Trail - a GPS enabled

travel guide. This can be downloaded by going to www.everytrail.com and search for Perth. The

Whadjuk trail is the first trail which appears and shows points of interest and photographs. There is

also an option to view topographical or terrain maps on your smart phone. A free application will

be developed for each trail which will include flora and fauna of the area. It is intended that

Noongar stories will be added in the future.

Recreational walks are becoming increasingly popular. Some of the benefits these provide include

passive recreation which can help users to gain fitness and foster general well-being, help instil a

conservation ethic amongst users and a means of education in regard to attributes of the area and

the Noongar people and their culture.

Claire Brittain represented FOLC at the event as Heidi and Soozie were unavailable

www.whadjukwalkingtrails.org.au

The young pink fairy orchid

FOLC News December 2012

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Candle Banksia (Banksia attenuata) - This is a favourite food of the endangered Carnaby’s Cockatoo

who are starting to return from the Swan Coastal Plain after the nesting season in the wheat belt. The

birds eat the seeds and weevil larvae in the banksia cones.

Photo of the launch

From Left to Right:

1. Mayor Max Hipkins – Nedlands 2. Cr Sally Pyvis – Cottesloe 3. Mayor Ron Norris – Mosman Park 4. Neville Collard – Noongar Elder 5. Shire President Rachel Thomas – Peppermint

Grove 6. Mike Cole – CEO Nedlands

In Bloom this Month at Lake Claremont

Carnaby’s Cockatoo

Candle Banksia

FOLC News December 2012

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By Diane Beckingham (Birdlife Australia)

Birders Spot an Amazing 47 Species

On the 15th November, a perfect spring morning, 28 people (Birdlife Australia and FOLC

members) made a circuit of Lake Claremont, observing 47 species of waterbirds and bush

birds, many of them nesting or with dependent young.

The leaders, David Free and Bruce Haynes, gave us the history of this valuable wetland which

is now an outstanding example of successful bush regeneration. With the help of David’s

telescope we all had good views of Red-necked Avocet, Black-fronted Dotterel, Red-kneed

Dotterel, Black-tailed Native Hen, Pink-eared Duck with young and we even used the ‘scope

to watch a Magpie-lark on a nest with young.

We saw six species of duck including Hardhead, Pink-eared and Blue-billed. Black Swan,

Australasian Grebe, Eurasian Coot and Purple Swamphen were all accompanied by young

ones. A Swamp Harrier circled the Lake several times, causing alarm among them. Reed

Warbler and Little Grass Bird were very vocal; while the former frequently appeared in the

reeds, the latter remained elusive as always.

Nesting boxes of different sizes have been placed high up in tuart trees to attract birds and

bats. What a fantastic sight it was to see a sleepy Boobook Owl sitting right inside the hollow-

log style entrance to one of these boxes. (Catching a bit of morning sun or claiming its piece

of territory?) Such a sighting and the vigorous growth of the newly planted shrubs are

rewards for the huge volunteer effort which is ongoing here.

As we returned to our access point on Stirling Road we saw Spotted Crake in the shadows

beneath a melaleuca. The Swamp Harrier returned, flew low over a family of Coots, hovered

and flapped until the distracted parent left a chick unguarded. The Harrier made its catch –

one fluffy black Coot chick was whisked away in its claws.

Claire and Nick attend this and said it was fabulous. Make sure you don’t miss the next one!!

www.birdlife.org.au

FOLC News December 2012

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Photos courtesy of John Litherland

Southern Boobook in box

attached to dead Marri

Swamp Harrier

Pink-eared ducks with chicks

FOLC News December 2012

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Drip Drying Owl

This young fellow was hanging around David Free’s back garden all day in December's unseasonal rain.

There was no sign of the parents which raised concern that the ravens might take him. Fortunately,

the following night David heard the owl calling. Perhaps that was his mum spotted a few weeks earlier

at Lake Claremont (previous photo)?

Was this juvenile Boobook born

in the same box?

January Busy Bee

Seed Collection and Hand Weeding

Sunday 13th January 2013, 8 am – 10am

A hot time of the year, but if you can handle the heat come and lend a hand. There are seeds

ripe to collect. Join us for a short session on the basics of seed collection followed by a bit of

hand weeding. Refreshments will be served. Meet at 8am at the Strickland Street cul-de-sac

Swanbourne.

FOLC News December 2012

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Day Event Time

Saturday 5th January National Bird Day

Sunday 13th January FOLC Busy Bee Hand weeding Seed Collection

8:00 am – 10:00 am

Monday 15th January FOLC Board Meeting

5:30 am – 7:00 pm

Saturday 26th January Australia Day

Friday 1st February

2013 WA Wetland

Management Conference

Cockburn Wetland Education

Centre

9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Saturday 2nd February World Wetlands Day

The Friends of Lake Claremont Ltd. (FOLC) is a community organization established and run by

local residents all of whom are volunteers.

Our mission is to assist in the conservation and enhancement of Lake Claremont, a Conservation

Category Wetland and Bush Forever Site

E-mail: folc.wa@gmail.com Phone: (08) 9384 2820 Fax: (08) 9383 4213

Postal Address: Friends of Lake Claremont Ltd.

P.O. Box 625 Cottesloe WA, 6911

Website: http://www.friendsoflakeclaremont.org/

Calendar January 2013

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

From the Friends of Lake Claremont

Thank you for your continuing support