
No Landcare Monthly Gathering this month!
We’ll be having a Winter holiday - no regular Landcare Monthly Gathering this month.
Marcus Hill Hall, cnr of Bellarine Highway and Banks Rd, Marcus Hill

Geelong Nature Festival Family Fun Day
Let the wild fun begin! Kick off Geelong Nature Festival in spectacular style with our fun launch day celebration for the whole family at the Fyansford Paper Mill:
inspiring speakers to stir your imagination
engaging performances (the Bandicoots from Born in a Taxi)
close-up wildlife encounters (Wildlife Xposure and Roaming Reptiles)
hands-on kids activities and nature play (Nurture in Nature & Kids in Nature Network)
nature-based art, crafts and pottery making
guided walks and native plantings
Bellarine Landcare will be present as part of these activities. If you would like to help out on the day please let us know.
Address: 100 Lower Paper Mills Road, Fyansford

Geelong Nature Festival
Geelong Nature Festival 2025 Explore and Restore - 12 July to 27 July 2025 in multiple locations across the region.
The festival offers a wonderful opportunity for the community to discover the biodiversity we have around us, and to act for nature by participating in one of the many scheduled activities.
This family friendly event is packed full of nature-based activities around our themes of Explore - including wildlife attractions, guest speakers, practical demonstrations, group displays and nature walks and Restore - including planting and habitat restoration opportunities.
The festival kicks off on Saturday 12 July with a Family Fun Day at the Old Paper Mill in Fyansford, featuring inspirational speakers, wildlife interactions from Wildlife Xposure and Roaming Reptiles, kid’s activities, performances, guided walks, community plantings and more. Wear warm clothes, including scarfs and hats. It is winter and we are outside so expect it to be cold. Look out for further details about the many activities in mid June 2025.
The following two weeks will be jampacked with over 50 events across the region, offering an array of activities from garden and sanctuary tours to nature play sessions, workshops, restoration plantings and celebrations of Geelong’s more unusual wildlife.
The festival concludes on National Tree Day, Sunday 27 July at seven locations across the City. More info about all the activities here Geelong Nature Festival - City of Greater Geelong

Winter Planting Day #2
Join us to help landholders plant indigenous plants for wildlife habitat along a creek in Mollers Lane, Leopold. More information and register here

Woodlands of the Bellarine Art Exhibition
The Bellarine Landcare Group and Artisans of Australia invite you to EXPLORE the FREE ‘Woodlands of the Bellarine Peninsula’ exhibition.
Learn more about the beauty and importance of these habitats. From paintings to pottery, sculptures to stories, mosaics to metalwork – see our precious woodlands come to life in every form.
Fully accessible, including accessible parking.
The Exhibition will run from Wednesday 16 July to 11 August 2025. Doors are open 9 am to 4 pm daily (closed Tuesday).
This Exhibition is a part of the Geelong Nature Festival.
More information here: 'Woodlands of the Bellarine' Art Exhibition - City of Greater Geelong


Winter Planting Day #1
Join us to help plant indigenous plants for wildlife habitat. More information and register here

Friends of Mannerim Memorial Indigenous Garden
Join the Friends for their third Sunday of the month working bee, caring for this World War 1 Memorial planted out as an indigenous garden.
For more information contact Sophie: facilitator@bellarinelandcare.org.au
640 Swan Bay Rd, Mannerim (next to the Bellarine Rail Trail).

Monthly Gathering: Bellarine Woodlands
Where do you find the ‘woodlands of the Bellarine’, those special bushland spots? We’ll give you a short overview of those ecologically significant spots and what makes them unique and important.
If you are an artist this is a chance to get more information and inspiration to create art work for ‘Woodlands of the Bellarine’ exhibition at Artisans of Australia gallery, 16 July - 11 August, a part of the Geelong Nature Festival.
Pizza & social catch up afterwards. Please bring $15 to cover pizza. RSVP here:
Marcus Hill Hall, cnr of Bellarine Highway and Banks Rd, Marcus Hill

Working Bee - Friends of the Basin & Belchers Reserve
Come and join in the fun! Everyone welcome.


Bellarine Landcare AGM
You are invited to the Bellarine Landcare Group 2024 AGM, Wednesday May 14th, 2025, at 6.30pm in the Marcus Hill Hall, corner of Bellarine Highway and Banks Rd.
Stephen Murphy will talk about ‘Recreating biodiversity on the Bellarine guided by echoes from the past’. Steve will give us a glimpse into the landscape as it was under Wadawurrung management and discuss how we “recreate the country” in the 21st Century. His discussion contributes to our planning towards Bellarine Biolinks.
A brief AGM will be followed by Steve’s presentation and we’ll finish with finger food. The Annual General Report will be available on the night. Please find the 2023 AGM Minutes here.
An election will be held for five committee positions. We encourage and welcome new members onto the Committee, so if you are interested in bringing your ideas and contributing to the leadership of BLG, please consider nominating. A 2025 BLG Committee Nomination Form is here.
Nomination forms should be returned to the secretary@bellarinelandcare.org.au, or given to the Secretary, Alison Murphy, prior to the commencement of the meeting on 14th May.
All are welcome regardless of membership to BLG, however it must be noted that only current financial members of BLG are entitled to vote on any motions put to the meeting. You are welcome to email the Secretary on the above email address if you would like to check your membership status.
We look forward to seeing you there!

Bellarine Rabbit Sweep Blitz
It’s time to feed the rabbits….
You are invited to a free Bellarine Rabbit Sweep Blitz on Saturday May 10. It will run from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm for activities and 12.00 - 2.00 pm for a picnic lunch/'Bunnings’ sausage.
The aim of our free blitz is to help neighbours progress rabbit control activity. We know from experience that working with neighbours is the only way sometimes and it can be fun!
Register now at the Rabbit Sweep website.
We would like you to come because:
you want to join one of the local groups, or
you would like to work with your neighbours to form a group, or even
because you are willing to volunteer to help others with their rabbit problem.
We call new rabbit control groups 'cells'. Small groups of landholders will be assisted by experts who will have clearly defined rabbit control tasks. Participants can engage and try out some of the relevant processes.
Things you can choose to learn about:
identifying and assessing a rabbit problem;
habitat removal; rabbit-proof fencing;
planning action; details of necessary tasks; engaging experts, and
meeting contractors and volunteers. .
We will have experienced people demonstrating the various activities.
Our experts will invite questions and discussions - not talk at you!
Our desire is to have you help someone to get help from themI help 3 so they will help me!
Securing our environment will take a few years so good initiation and maintenance events with neighbours will make a difference.
Our events are kid friendly but we do not welcome dogs.

Working Bee - Friends of the Basin & Belchers Reserve
Come and join in the fun! Everyone welcome.


Nursery Closed
The Nursery will be closed on Monday 21 April Easter Monday Public Holiday, and will reopen on Tuesday at 9am.

Soil it’s in Your Hands: Reading the Soil, Paddock walk with Chris Alenson
'Reading the Soil: A half day workshop' with Agricultural Scientist, Chris Alenson, followed by lunch
Chris will lead us on paddock walks on two Bellarine farms with different soil types and farming operations to dig up some soil, discuss the soil management, look at the visual indicators & discuss soil tests and how to read them.
We'll start on the black volcanic "self-mulching" clay of Mt Bellarine, where we'll visit the Harpur's property running sheep for fat lambs.
10am - 10:30 am Gather, morning tea and welcome
10:30 – 11:30 Paddock walk & talk
11:30 – 12:00 Travel to our second property, featuring sandy soil. Address to be confirmed.
12 – 1 pm Paddock walk and talk
1pm Lunch in the paddock.
Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/reading-the-soil

Soil it’s in Your Hands: Understanding Soil with Chris Alenson
Chris Alenson will join us to share his knowledge on soils and it’s impact on sustainable agriculture. Copies of his book ‘Deep Time and the Implications for a Sustainable Agriculture’ will be on sale.
Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/understanding-soils-with-chris-alenson
This talk will be followed by a paddock walk on the Thursday 10 April.
Marcus Hill Hall, cnr of Bellarine Highway and Banks Rd, Marcus Hill


Working Bee - Friends of the Basin & Belchers Reserve
Come and join in the fun! Everyone welcome.

Mannerim Memorial Indigenous Garden Working Bee - POSTPONED THIS MONTH.
Join the Friends' Working Bee at the Mannerim Memorial Indigenous Garden, Swan Bay Rd next to the Bellarine Rail Trail. All welcome. BYO gloves.

Farm to Ferment Workshop
A part of Taste the Bellarine event series, meet three local growers & tour their farms, harvesting as you go, to create a vegetable ferment with ferment connoisseur, Patrick Meaney - Farm to Ferment. with Patrick Meaney (Farm to Ferment) & growers, James McLennan (Farm My School), Riona Seehusen (Bellagreen Organics) & Cameron Matthews (Bellarine Fungi) Start in the vegetable beds at Farm My School, where James McLennan will share their work connecting the school community with local food production. From there Bellarine Landcare will guide you through the Basin Reserve, a precious patch of bush, and a significant site for Wadawurrung people. Then a short walk to Bellagreen & Bellarine Fungi. Riona Seehusen will guide you through this no-dig market garden & you can harvest more vegetables for your ferment. Cameron Matthews grows mushrooms here, and you’ll be blown away by the magic of fungi. And finally, Patrick Meaney will guide you through an hour long 'basics of fermenting' workshop, exploring the fundamentals of fruit & vegetable transformation. Spice up your ferment with Shire House Farm produce. Take home the jar of ferment you’ve prepared.
Address: Starting at Farm My School, Bellarine Secondary College, Peninsula Drive, Drysdale
There are two sessions starting at 11 am and 12 noon.
Bookings: Farm to Ferment Workshop
Find out about other Taste the Bellarine events at Belllarine Farm Gate website here
This workshop is part of our Landholder Stewardship Project funded through a Victorian Landcare Grant
Landcare Monthly Gathering: Lake Victoria Walk & Talk
Walk at 'Wirilda By The Lake' with the Spry family & Dr Paul Carnell.
Join the Sprys for a walk across their magnificent property on Lake Victoria, and hear from Dr Paul Carnell from Blue Carbon Lab, who will share the research findings about the importance of saltmarsh for carbon storage.
Address: 592 - 670 Shell Rd, Point Lonsdale

Nursery Closed
The Nursery will be closed on Monday 10 March for the Public Holiday, and will reopen on Tuesday at 9am.

Bellarine Agricultural Show, BLG Display & Activities
BLG will have a display at the Bellarine Agricultural Show. If you are able to help out for an hour or two please contact us here
Portarlington Recreation Reserve, Boat Rd, Portarlington

Nursery Sale (First & last Sunday of March)
We had to stay closed on the last Sunday of February due to total fire ban so the Nursery will open twice in March - on the first Sunday and last Sunday. See you there :)

Farm Dam workshop with Sustainable Farms, ANU
Sustainable Farms will present a workshop near Colac on Farm Dams, how and why to enhance them through fencing them off and planting them out. Details to be confirmed.


Stephen Murphy: 'What the first settlers Saw': POSTPONED
PLEASE NOTE STEVE’S PRESENATION HAS BEEN DEFERRED, but the Clifton Springs Coastcare meeting will go ahead.
Steve Murphy: “What the first settlers saw - the land under First Nations management prior to European Settlement”. This is a Clifton Springs Curlewis Coastcare Group Event but everyone is welcome. For more info contact: cscecoastcare@gmail.com or check out their Facebook page.
Springdale Neighbourhood Centre, 17 - 21 High St, Drysdale, 3222

Landcare Monthly Gathering: iNaturalist Picnic & Nature Ramble
Join us for a picnic & iNaturalist nature ramble at Gateway Sanctuary. Learn how to identify plants and animals using iNaturalist, an easy to use app, which helps us understand the plants and animals with whom we share this beautiful land. Members of the Geelong Field Naturalist Club will join us to assist as iNaturalist guides.
We’ll start with a walk and finish off with a picnic. Bring a picnic dinner, drinks, and a rug to sit on (picnic tables also on site). All welcome. Register here and we’ll send you instructions for starting out with iNaturalist.
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS INSTEAD OF THE MONTHLY MEETING AT MARCUS HILL HALL. All welcome.
130 - 168 Melaluka Rd, Leopold

Nursery Closed
The Nursery will be closed on Monday 27 January for the Public Holiday, and will reopen on Tuesday at 9am.

Nursery last opening day
The Nursery will close for the year, and will reopen on Monday 6th of January.

Bellarine Landcare End of Year Party
Come and celebrate another year of caring for community and this beautiful land on which we live.
BBQ dinner provided. BYO drinks, crockery, cutlery, glasses.
Marcus Hill Hall, cnr Banks Rd and Bellarine Highway, Marcus Hill.

Working Bee - Friends of the Basin & Belchers Reserve
Come and join in the fun! Everyone welcome.

Working Bee - Mannerim Memorial Indigenous Garden
Join the Friends' Working Bee at the Mannerim Memorial Indigenous Garden, Swan Bay Rd next to the Bellarine Rail Trail. All welcome. BYO gloves.