Working bee May 2015

It began to rain shortly before our working bee so the six Stationeers who braved the weather concentrated on the area under the station, which is sheltered. We pruned and cleaned up the overgrowth of the salt bushes and Plectranthus plants and Ian Smith managed to dig some holes in the compacted soil which we filled with water and hydrated water crystals prior to planting aspidistras in the dark areas towards the back of the bed. Meanwhile Thomas planted additional Rhagodia salt bushes at the other end of the embankment under the peppercorn tree and Jennie and Ed did the litter round. Ed continued on to the other side of the station and gathered more litter from the children's play area. At John's suggestion, I emailed Gary Mogford from KABV and Peter Watson from Metro Trains to ask if the disused safety meshing left by contractors could now be removed. It has been there since last year and work on the station has officially been completed. 

Aspidistras-just planted

Since the station landing was upgraded in 2013, there has been no rainfall penetration to that part of the station garden; the floor of the old landing used to leak when it rained. There appears to have been quite a bit of foot traffic through the garden too. Recently hardy Myoporum parvifolium ground cover plants have died and Pig-face has been attacked by mealy bug. The once-healthy Dianella plants are also struggling. We should consider installing a heavy duty watering system under the landing using part of our grant. 

Evidence of garden being used as a short-cut

There will be another working be on Tuesday June 16th or 23rd. The date chosen will depend on the weather forecast. We will be planting a small MVCC consignment of indigenous plants plus more aspidistras and salt bushes as well as reluctantly cutting down the self-seeded River Red Gum that sprang up where the old ramp used to start. Ros

Self-seeded River Red Gum

Notice of May Working Bee

The next Newmarket Stationeers Working Bee will take place on Tuesday May 19th from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. Meet in Pin Oak Crescent next to the tap. Bring gloves and a trowel if you have them. We will be planting salt bushes under the peppercorn tree and aspidistras in the area under the landing which is in deep shade.                                                                                                          

March Working Bee Report

March Working Bee Report

The March 17th working bee was attended by seven members who did some additional planting, concentrating on the Peppercorn tree perimeter and putting back the plants we had lifted from the path of the test drilling equipment last month during restoration work to the station. Melbourne received only half the average rainfall for March and Flemington missed out on most of it, our only significant rain in March was received on March 1st.  Over Easter a couple of dedicated Stationeers watered the the  new plants to keep them going until our April Working Bee. At the same time a lot of bottles and cans were collected and recycled. Discarded food rubbish was picked up and binned. John Wyeth dealt with a European wasps nest but unfortunately the wasps had another entrance to their nest and are still active. Metro Trains have been notified and will organize a pest controller to visit.  Recent rain has come to the aid of plants just in time but a sudden die back of plants under the station landing is a bit concerning. If Stationeers wish to do a bit of extra watering this section may be the place to concentrate on as the Dianella is still alive; just.Our April working bee date has not been set yet.

Ros

March Working Bee

Working Bee Tasks

The next Newmarket Stationeers working bee is due on Tuesday, March, 17th beginning at 9:30 am. Meet in Pin Oak Crescent near the seats. The shrubs we removed from the path of the test boring machinery have all survived and can be put back in the ground now. Bring gloves and a trowel or spade if you have one. There are also some smaller plants ready for planting adjacent to the peppercorn tree and the station building but  planting of them can be spread over the next four months' working bees.  One of the poplars has a broken branch hanging over the some of our plants. It needs to be  removed as soon as possible to avoid damaging our plants so Thomas and I will prune it before the working bee date.

Poplar before the branch broke.

Merry Christmas

Sticky Everlasting

I would like to thank everyone who participated in any of the working bees or supported the Stationeers  in 2014 a Safe and Relaxing Christmas and a Peaceful New Year. We will be back in action again in 2015 as the work of the Stationeers is ongoing. I plan to schedule a working bee in January because we have to tackle the poplar suckers that just keep coming back. Allan Bruno, winner of the Moonee Valley Councils' 2014 award for Public Service, recently donated his $250 award money to the Newmarket Stationeers. It is very humbling that Allan has chosen our group to receive the the donation because he has done so much for the Flemington Community via the Learn To Drive Program and setting up the Rotary Op Shop so Thank you Allan. If you would like to become a Newmarket Stationeer let me know via this blog or contact the Flemington Association website. Ros

Working Bee, November 11th 2014

Poa Labillardieri

Working Bee Tuesday, 11th: Seven attendees. We pruned the Myoporum away from the rocks and edges of the retaining walls, pulled out poplar suckers, watered, picked up rubbish and weeded. We stopped for a minute's silence at 11:00 am. Later that day Peter rang to inform us that Metro Trains would need to drill some bore holes and an access path would be made for the equipment to move up the slope. Thomas, Margaret N. and I returned and removed some of the vulnerable plants and potted them for future replanting. As November progresses the grasses are developing their decorative seed-heads and the Dianella tasmanica its blue berries.The paper daisies and Wahlenbergia are continuing to put on a good display.

Coastal Cushion Bush, Stipa elegantissima and Dianella tasmanica

October Working Bee

Lomandra longifolia & Pelargonium australe

Lomandra and Pelargonium flowers

Stipa elegantissima amongst the shrubs

Dianella admixta under the landing

The Melbourne weather forecast for October 14th was for showers, but as is often the case, Flemington missed out so the Stationeers working bee proceeded under an overcast but rain-less sky. Both Margarets, Roger, Anita, Chris, Ros and Thomas were in attendance. We pruned the acacias and various other shrubs, collected rubbish, watered the dry zones under the peppercorn and station landing and pulled out poplar suckers. With a little bit of skillful engineering using a fallen tree branch and garden stakes, Thomas and Roger constructed a rustic retainer on the steepest part of the slope to hold some new plants: Sticky Boobialla (Myoporum petiolaris) surrounded by ground-cover Ruby salt-bushes. Over the coming hot summer the retainer will slow down the water run-off and allow the new plants to become established.