Building homes for flying fauna

A WORKSHOP aimed at providing habitats for some of the region’s airborne animals is set to return for its second year.

Under the auspice of Geelong Landcare Network, members of the Batesford, Fyansford and Stonehaven Landcare Group are putting on their nesting box workshop once again.

The group’s secretary Felicity Spear said the workshop is not just about woodwork, but about native animals require to survive.

“As we lose our older trees for various reasons, we lose habitats for these native animals and the biodiversity of our natural environment,” she said. “And the healthy mix that keeps it thriving.

“There’ll be boxes for microbats, parrots, pardalotes, and a choice of three different boxes to construct from a kit, which they can erect at their trees themselves.”

Attendees will need to bring their own drill or Phillips head screwdrivers.

Ms Spear said she hopes the workshop continues to be beneficial.

“Last year…was a great success,” she said. “We had a really great community thing with people of all ages.

“Everybody was so interested and enjoyed the morning. We had a guy, Grant Baverstock, who’s an expert on microbats, who came and spoke.

“There’s obviously a need for these boxes and it was a good community thing to do. It’s a maximum of 25 and that’s what we had last year.

“If it’s really successful, we could probably even run another, two a year of this, and see how it goes.”

The nesting box workshop will be held from 10am to 12pm on Sunday 25 August at 15 Regent Street, Batesford.

Tickets are $25 and can be booked at bit.ly/4cmneIP.