Quiksilver continues to sponsor Torquay Landcare's Revegetation projects.
Around fifty people gathered at the sand dunes of Anglesea’s main surf beach.  The aim was to plant 1,400 seedlings in the morning. This re-vegetation day was funded by Quiksilver Foundation, Torquay Landcare Group’s Sponsor. Quiksilver is a large Corporation, seeking ways of contributing to caring for the environment and 2010 is the third year that Quiksilver Foundation has sponsored Torquay Landcare Group’s revegetation efforts in the region.  These occasions have become a general callout to volunteers who want to work alongside Quicksilver staff who work with dedication and commitment to the task.There were 26 Quiksilver staff, 11 people came via Torquay Landcare, 4 from Anglesea Coast Action, 4 from DSE & GORCC, two independent photographers and after that, our counting becomes a bit vague, in spite of efforts to sign people up to ensure good coverage of OH&S.Volunteers need to know they are appreciated, so Torquay Landcare provided a tasty lunch in the way of hot chicken & vegetable soup, vege-burgers/ hamburgers made and served by Geoff French of ‘Frenchy’s on the Esplanade’; with sumptuous muffins being served for morning tea, thanks to a donation by Martina Harris of ‘Moby’s’, Torquay. It was also thanks to the good will of Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club that these tasty morsels were served in comfort, with an unsurpassed view of the expansive surf beach.And the plants? They included 300 Moonahs and 1,100 under-story plants, so as to revitalise Moonah and Moonah under-story on the inland side of the dunes. Melaleuca lanceolata    MoonahLeucopogon parviflorus    Coast Beard HeathOlearia axillaris    Coast DaisyGoodenia ovata    Hop BushClematis microphylla    Small Leafed ClematisTetragonia implexicoma    Bower spinachDianella brevicaulis    Coast Flax-lilyFicinia nodosa    Knobby club-sedgeCorrea alba    White CorreaCarpobrotus rossii    KarkallaApium prostratum    Sea CelerySaul Vermeeren, Biodiversity Officer of the Department of Sustainability and the Environment (DSE) had previously inspected the site and estimated that less than 25% of appropriate sand dune vegetation remained.  This assessment echoed that of the locals, and helped pave the way for a major on-ground clearance of the existing vegetation, considered as weeds in this fragile dune habitat. T/tree (Leptospermum laevigatum), African Box thorn (Lycium ferocissimum), Mirror bush (Coprosma repens), Bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides) and Pottosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) had been dominating and smothering indigenous plants of local provenance, so were removed to make way for the Moonah and Moonah understory plants.  The 1,400 seedlings were provided by Geoff Clark of Otways Indigenous Nursery.Prior to the big planting day, Anglesea Coast Action (ACA) with financial assistance from Alcoa, completed much of the on-ground preparation. The Land Managers from the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) supported the work of the volunteers and also provided truck loads of mulch for the seedlings on the day. GORCC also supplemented the costs of the revegetation by extending a $1,000 Community Grant to Torquay Landcare Group. DSE took a strong interest in the project, keeping a critical eye on the volunteers’ organisation and were there on the day, joining forces with volunteer planters.  Looking at the project in retrospect, one sees staff from a large corporation, community volunteers, local business people, land managers and government authorities working together. The revegetation of the Anglesea dunes was a satisfying project for all concerned and many passers by have expressed pleasure at seeing the revegetation of indigenous flora. Anglesea Coast Action who spend much time planting and weeding in the area, would like to have us all return, to continue the good work.
Quiksilver Anglesea Dunes