Revegetation rejuvenation for Point Lonsdale

Swan Bay Environment Association has enjoyed an influx of new members in recent years, rejuvenating the Borough of Queenscliffe's native vegetative bodies. Now, the community is being invited to be part of the action. Pictured left to right are Swan Bay Environment Association members Sandra Nowland-Foreman, president Greg Parry, Kyne Krusic-Golub, Christine Rees, and secretary Eva Mutton. Photos: VINNIE VAN OORSCHOT

NATURE enthusiasts will get a chance to contribute to the ongoing work of a Swan Bay environmental organisation during a free upcoming weeding event this weekend.

Swan Bay Environment Association president Greg Parry said the War on Weeds event in Point Lonsdale on Sunday, October 1 would allow nature-lovers to contribute to years of hard work rejuvenating native vegetation along Point Lonsdale’s Foreshore.

“We expect a lot of like-minded people to come together for our event on Sunday, there’s always a lot of chat.

“The site itself is stunning, on a beautiful location with an abundance of bird life. Only recently we saw wallaby scats, and that was huge for us as an organisation to see native species returning back to the region.”

Swan Bay Environment Association president Greg Parry is encouraging anyone in community to attend Sunday’s War on Weeds event in Point Lonsdale this Sunday.

The weeding event, created as part of the month-long Geelong Nature Festival, will focus primarily on the removal of prevalent woody weeds, namely polygala.

Originally from South Africa, polygala is highly invasive, particularly near coastal shrublands and can grow up to two metres in height.

Mr Parry says polygala is quite an easy weed to remove because it doesn’t drop seeds back into the soil bed, as long as the root is fully removed.

The association, which meets once a month to strategise its nature projects across Swan Bay, Queenscliff, and Point Lonsdale, experienced a severe dip in memberships throughout 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

Association secretary Eva Mutton said total member numbers dropped to as low as 90 during that time but has since increased to 150 today, allowing the community group to conduct a greater number of projects across the Borough of Queenscliffe.

“It’s an exciting time for the association.

Swan Bay Environment Association secretary Eva Mutton pulling out a polygala root.

“We’re always encouraging new volunteers to join up and the newly expanded Nature Festival will allow us to showcase to the wider community the work we are doing.”

Sunday’s War on Weeds event will run from 9.30-11.30am. Participants are asked to meet at the Rip View Carpark in Point Lonsdale.

For more on the Swan Bay Environment Association, head to swanbayenvironment.org.au