Spikey Newsletter November 2025 Issue #126

1. FoCC 2025 Annual Meeting

The FoCC annual meeting was held at the Buninyong Community House on November 19^th 2025. Feature of the evening was the presentation by Peta Glenn Parks Victoria Ranger who outlined the progress and findings from a number of Citizen Science projects within the Park.

• FoCC Membership is at an all-time high of 140
• Subscribers to Spikey News are now 1324 and FoCC Facebook with 1300 plus followers.
• The continued success of the Citizen Science Koala sightings records, now over 400 sightings
• Successfully running several events including, a “Heritage Presentation” for the CoB Heritage Study, Mining Heritage walk and the pop-up Wildflower Walk
• FoCC stalls at the Buninyong Smart Living Festival and Ballarat Seniors Festival
• Successful application for a City of Ballarat community grant of $5200 for a tree planting resource trailer.
• A special thanks to “Lateral Plains” for the hosting of the FoCC website.

The treasurer reported a balance at the end of the financial year of $6212.75.

A vote of thanks was made for retiring Vice President Carolyn Barrie and a special thanks to outgoing President Bob Hartmann for his “tremendous efforts” over the past 12 years as Co Convenor and President.

2. Drinks at the Lookout

The 9^th annual FoCC drinks and nibbles at the Lookout will be held on Friday 5^th December 2024, beginning at 7pm. Please BYO nibbles, drinks, chairs and a jacket or coat (evenings at the lookout can be quite cool)  Only the view is provided by the FoCC. The new FoCC trailer will be on display. Forecast is 10 to 25 degrees for the day and partly cloudy.

3. FoCC membership for 2026 is now due.

Membership of the FoCC helps the FoCC in its advocacy, education and activities in support of the corridor. All 2025 FoCC members will receive an email notification that membership for 2026 is now due. (If you have already paid you will receive confirmation of your membership) Membership runs from 1^st January to 31^st December each year, Membership fee is $20 per year. Children of members are free.

To renew your membership:

• You can pay for membership via Trybooking at: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1427368
  Cost is $20.50 via Trybooking. You can also make a donation of any size via this process.
• Bank transfer to details: Bendigo Bank Buninyong BSB   633 000    Account No 184147098
• Note: Please add your name to the bank transfer and email  foccinfo@gmail.com your name and the date of the transaction. If your postal address has changed, please let us know.
• Payment to the Treasurer at a FoCC meeting
  New Members

New members are most welcome: Applications after July are credited to the next year. Membership forms are available online or email foccinfo@gmail.com

4. Lal Lal Drain Working bee

Lal Lal drain beside Burdeau St, Canadian was planted with 500 shrubs and grasses as part of the Urban Ripple project in August. The late rain has created very heavy weed growth. Weeds growing in the tree guards need to be removed and the grass around trimmed. A working bee has been organised for 10am on Saturday Morning 13^th December. Everyone welcome. Wear sturdy footwear, clothing and bring shears and weed removal gear. FoCC will provide gloves, shovels and cuppa etc. More info foccinfo@gmail.com or Jeff 0408509591

5. Koala Sightings

And a report from Linda in Geelong Rd, Mt Helen of three days of Koala rumblings amongst the trees.

October to March is Koala breeding season and peak sightings time. If you see, hear or find scat from a Koala, please send the information containing the when, where, and how to: foccinfo@gmail.com.  Images are gold (even if a little blurry). All Koala sightings are entered into the iNaturalist online data base. The complete list of sightings can be viewed at: https://www.focc.asn.au/koalas/

6. Soapy’s Dam mulching

A small team of volunteers mulched the plantings beside Soapy’s Dam on the morning of the 11^th November 2025.

7. Ballarat Bus Review

The Victorian Government is reviewing Ballarat’s Bus services and routes. Local residents wishing to learn more should engage with the review at https://engage.vic.gov.au/ballarat-bus-network-review

Public responses close on December 7^th 2025.

The FoCC is interested in extending Route 20 (Canadian service) south along Kline St and Butt St before returning to Joseph St and the City terminal as the map below shows. The extension would bring a regular Bus Stop much closer to the Dementia Friendly Forest and Sensory Trail.

8. Bus routes to the Park

The map below shows current bus stops and access walk routes to the Park

 

9. Bird of the Month XLVII (November 2025)

Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris)

Sing loud.  Sing proud.  Sing persistently.  This seemingly is the mantra that Rufous Whistlers, currently in full voice, live by.  Once familiar with the vocals of the Rufous Whistler, it becomes increasingly apparent how conspicuous they are at this time of year.  So if an uninhibited songster appeals to you, the Rufous Whistler might just be your spirit animal!

A medium-sized (16-17.5cm) passerine belonging to Family Pachycephalidae (which also comprises shrikethrushes and shriketits), the Rufous Whistler is one of two whistler species that occurs in Ballarat, and indeed the Canadian Corridor; the other local species being the Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis).  Typical of whistlers, the male Rufous Whistler is of plumage more flamboyant than the female.  Adorned with a white throat and black collar, both very reminiscent to the male Golden Whistler, the male Rufous Whistler’s plumage differs from its Golden counterpart in its lesser distribution of black, which forms an eye mask, while the rest of the head and upperparts are grey (male Golden Whistlers have golden olive upperparts), and of course the titular rufous of its underparts.  These rufous underparts vary in intensity, with our local race/ subspecies (the most widespread of the four subspecies) tending to be a considerably bright orange in the coastal and subcoastal regions, whereas inland it – again, the same race – tends to be a muted, pale buff-rufous.  The female Rufous Whistler is also similar to its Golden counterpart; the plainer, duller plumage of both is characterised by grey upperparts and whitish underparts, only the Rufous females set themselves apart with fine streaks on the underparts (whereas female Goldens have unpatterned underparts).

Rufous Whistlers are distributed continent-wide (also occurring in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and New Caledonia), and occupy a wide variety of habitat types from coast to arid inland interior.  These include eucalypt forests and woodlands, scrublands, mallee and mulga communities, riparian communities, exotic pine plantations, and gardens.  Taller, denser humid forests are also inhabited (avoiding only the wettest forests), with Far North QLD having its own race/subspecies (P. r. pallida), while northern WA/NT have a race (P. r. falcata), and the other northern race (P. r. minor) is confined to Melville and Bathurst Islands (off the north coast of NT).  The rest of the continent is occupied by our local race (P. r. rufiventris).

Rufous Whistlers forage singularly or in pairs, as they methodically scour the tree and shrub canopy, and occasionally hover, in search of insect prey.  Mixed species feeding associations are another known social mannerism, at least during non-breeding season.  Upon the onset of spring and early summer, “loud outpourings of song” erupt, and – typical of whistlers – rival males and even females engage in “see-saw” displays (i.e. bobbing and bowing head and tail skyward) and chasing each other.  Males are conspicuously vocal during such time.  These antics are evident right now in the forests of Canadian – you’ve probably heard their whistled song before, but perhaps didn’t know the identity of the songster!

It is with the vocalisations of poorly seen or unseen whistlers that distinguishing between Rufous and Golden is the most difficult, given their similarities of vocals (not to mention habitat and behaviour).  Refer to the table below for call ID assistance.

Breeding season is September through February, during which time up to two broods may be raised.  Incubation (14-15 days) of the clutch of 2-4 eggs is shared between both parents.  The nest is an open cup, constructed rather flimsily out of long, fine twigs and grass, and lined with finer material.  The nest is usually supported by an upright fork or multi-stemmed fork, and situated at heights of 1-5m but may be up to 15m or beyond to 18m off the ground.  Some nests are apparently so thinly put together that the eggs can be seen through the nest’s floor by observers underneath them.

The local population of southeast Australia are typically present as spring/summer migrants, arriving in August-September, and departing for inland and northern Australia by March/April.  Elsewhere, it may be sedentary (i.e. resident year-round), nomadic or migratory.

The entire species population of Rufous Whistler has a conservation status of ‘Least Concern’ (global), but it is classified as having a decreasing population trend.  The Rufous Whistler does not qualify as a threatened species according to Federal and Victorian state government listings, i.e. considered ‘Secure’ in both jurisdictions.  It is considered common and widespread.

Next time you wander through Woowookarung RP, or the Corridor’s other forest patches, take some time to familiarise yourself with the conspicuous vocals of the unabashed songster – and consciously admire the irrepressible Rufous Whistler!

Author note: FoCC Committee member and co-admin of FoCC’s Facebook and webpage, Joel Ellis is the resident bird nerd, amateur Powerful Owl researcher, and editor of FoCC’s (co-funded) ‘Indigenous [Species] of Southern Ballarat’ brochure series.  Joel has studied birds up to Honours degree level, is a professional ecological consultant (ornithologist), and member of BirdLife Australia (Ballarat branch).

10. Recreation Rd Mt Clear upgrade news

Last year it was announced that a grant had been received by the City of Ballarat to upgrade Recreation Road, Mt Clear. Council staff have been busy this year surveying the road and identifying all the services and issues for the road upgrade. Originally it was thought the planning may take around a year or two. There are a number of issues to be resolved and the latest estimate is that the process will be later than expected.
Some of the issues are:

• Dealing with CHW main water pipes
• Tree removal permits
• Cultural and heritage issues.
• And fitting the road into the gazetted road reserve. At the moment some of the road is in the Park and some sort of land swap may be necessary.

The conversations the FoCC has had with Council officers have been very convivial. They are understanding of the environmentally sensitive nature of the area in which the road traverses. Traffic calming measures and other ways to protect the wildlife and the ambience of the Park have been received positively.

11. Rifle Range still for sale

The future of the Rifle Range is a regular question at FoCC meetings. The property is listed with Core Land, South Melbourne for sale as follows:

 Expansive 38.68ha (95.59 acres) allotment
• Just 4km from Ballarat’s CBD
• Directly abutting residential development
• Multiple Road frontages and excellent connectivity to Geelong Road and Midland Highway, providing easy access to Geelong and Melbourne CBD.
• Existing dwelling on-site provides immediate-term lifestyle opportunities (with upgrades/replacement)
• Currently under Rural Conservation ‘placeholder’ zoning, pending a proponent-led rezoning process (STPA). Ref: Core land website

What is not mentioned is the Bushfire Management Overlay, Koala Habitat Overlay ES05, the 1998 Commonwealth Government Environmental report which included lead contamination and the long history of failed attempts to change the zoning of the property. The property even has its own special Ballarat Planning Scheme clause schedule 35-06s01 RCZ Schedule 1, gazetted on 5^th September 2013.  Anyone wanting a unique block of land for lifestyle and conservation purposes should look at the property. It has a Boer War era heritage rifle range infrastructure and some of the best-preserved forest in the Corridor.

12. City of Ballarat Trailer Grant

The FoCC received a City of Ballarat “Ballarat Community Impact Grant Program” for the “Purchase of Community Tree planting Resource Trailer” in August 2025. The grant of $5200 was to purchase a closed tradie style trailer including signage and registration. The trailer will be used to transport the FoCC tree planting equipment including shovels, mattocks, hammers, BBQ, gloves vests etc to FoCC tree planting events. The trailer was constructed by Eureka Trailers in Ballarat and has now been handed over to the FoCC. Images below show its painting during construction and then the final Forest Green at delivery. The signage for the trailer has been organised and will be installed over the next week or so.

13. Late Rains

Autumn and winter this year were very dry. The past weeks has seen quite a bit of rain fall and for the first time this year the creeks within the Corridor are flowing again.

14. Nefarious activities

The bush around Ballarat has been used for many purposes, some good, some not so good. A close inspection of this rotting tree near Red Hill on Boundary Rd, Ballarat East, showed it to be heavily pock marked with round shot (ball). This suggests the tree was target practice a long time ago. Some of the shot had degraded to powder (lead oxide). The ball and fragments shown below are around 11mm or 7/16 inch in diameter.

15. Roger Thomas awarded “2025 Australian Natural History Medallion”

The Ballarat Courier reported on the 11^th November 2025 the following award. “Ballarat naturalist Roger Thomas has outshone professionals to win the 2025 Australian Natural History Medallion.

Over four decades, Mr Thomas, 72, wrote more than 2070 weekly Nature Notes articles for The Courier from 1983 to 2024.  During that time, he changed jobs several times, but never thought of giving up writing Nature Notes. His contribution to public education, conservation, birds and botany earned him national recognition at the Australian Natural History Medallion presentation on November 11. Nominated by the Field Naturalists Club of Ballarat, Mr Thomas never expected he would win the national honour. “I was very shocked, very surprised,” he said.”
Article courtesy of the Ballarat Courier, 11^th November 2025.

16. Neighbourhood Safer Places

Neighbourhood safer places were established after the 2009 Black Saturday Fires. Also called “Bushfire places of last resort”. There are four sites along the Canadian Corridor.

1. Ballarat central – Sturt St
2. Canadian Springs Boulevard
3. Mt Clear – Midvale shopping centre car park
4. uninyong – Midlands Highway in the centre of town.

   

Canadian Springs Boulevard Safer Place

17. Sparrow Ground Regrowth

The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners in conjunction with the City of Ballarat, CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria completed the first traditional burn in Ballarat on Friday 20^th June 2025 at Sparrow Ground in Canadian. Traditional burning involves a slow and cool fire across the top of the land. A recent visit showed the regrowth of native grasses and flowers to be very healthy. The purple flowers in the foreground are chocolate lilies – a native wildflower.

 

18. Rubbish dumpers, thieves and vandals

The FoCC urges Park friends to report vandals as well as rubbish dumpers, wood thieves and other suspicious activity to Parks Victoria on 13 1963 or email: woowookarung@parks.vic.gov.au

In emergency situations please call 000. If an offender is spotted, please note vehicle registration details as vehicle identification is most helpful, plus location and details. All information is treated by Parks Victoria Rangers professionally and confidentially.

19. Useful information

• Parks Victoria Woowookarung email address: woowookarung@parks.vic.gov.au
  City of Ballarat wildlife information:
  https://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/me/pets-and-animals/wildlife
• Wildlife Victoria (03) 8400 7300

 DEECA wildlife issues reporting information
Report wildlife crime to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000. Report any wildlife at immediate risk of deliberate harm or neglect to 136 186. Other matters relating to wildlife and wildlife management should use the 136 186 too. The Help for Injured Wildlife tool will help you locate and contact the closest relevant wildlife carers and rescue and rehabilitation organisations to help the injured wildlife.

20. Membership

Membership runs from 1^st January to 31^st December each year, Membership fee is $20 per year. New members and renewals after July 1 are credited to the next year. https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1427368 or email foccinfo@gmail.com

21. FoCC Facebook and webpage
    www.facebook.com/friendsofcanadiancorridor/ 
    Rob is overseeing the webpage  webmaster@focc.asn.au

The FoCC has over 1300+ friends following us on Facebook and growing. Welcome to all new friends. Feel free to pass on to other friends and press the Like button.

22. 2025 Calendar

The calendar is prepared by the FoCC committee.

A 2026 calendar will be published in the next Spikey News 

Spikey News is published monthly for the Friends of Canadian Corridor Incorporated. Registered No A0097535B. The FoCC is a Landcare group registered with Landcare Victoria Inc and a member of the Yarrowee Leigh Catchment Group. The purpose of “Spikey News” is to link the community to Woowookarung Regional Park and the Canadian Corridor

Circulation this issue is to 1306 1324 subscribers. Welcome to all new friends.
Any opinions expressed in Spikey News are made by the editors in good faith and do not officially represent Parks Victoria or the FoCC.

Previous issues of Spikey news can be found at our web site, here.