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Pinkerton Forest

Pinkerton Landcare & Environment Group (PLEG) is concerned with the restoration of native grasslands and grassy grey-box woodlands, including the grassy woodland of Pinkerton Forest, the nearby native grassland in Mulla Mulla Grasslands (Bush's Paddock) and of the adjacent section of the Werribee River Volcanic Gorge, (which adjoins Western Water Treatment Plant at Surbiton Park) within the City of Melton, Victoria, Australia.

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Watering trees in Pinkerton Link - 9th May 2019

On Thursday 9th May members of PLEG and Andrew of VNPA returned to Pink Link to water the Grey Box seedlings planted by Melton Secondary College students in 2018.

Platypus eDNA testing in the Werribee River

Platypus eDNA sampling was done recently by PLEG volunteers on behalf of Melbourne Water in the Werribee River. This involves volunteers taking filtered samples of water from various sites & handing them to Melbourne Water to be laboratory tested for Platypus DNA. Environmental flows were underway so the DNA would have been mixed with more water than normal.

Alisa Fisher of Melbourne Water advises that water sampled from beside Western Water’ Surbiton Park treatment plant at Exford tested positive for the presence of Platypus. Other positive results were recorded from Bluestone Ford, Werribee South & Bungeys Hole, Werribee.

Watering trees in Pinkerton Link - 6th March 2019

On Wednesday Irene, Rosemary & Daryl returned to Pinkerton Link to water the trees again. As we left red dust clouds were appearing on the southwest horizon.

Melton bids farewell to Frances Overmars

On Thursday 28th March thirty people from the environmental community bid farewell to local environmental champion Frances Overmars, who is leaving the district for Anglesea.

Frances has been a leading force in defending our local natural environment over many years. She has been the Environmental Co-ordinator for Pinkerton Landcare and Environment Group, leading the restoration of local remnant woodland Pinkerton Forest.

PLEG Annual Picnic 6th January 2019

PLEG’s annual picnic for 2018 was held on Sunday 6th January 2019

Our picnic/BBQ was originally planned for Sunday 16th December but this was cancelled due to the deteriorating weather forecast. It was considered that in the event of forecast heavy rains the access track would be muddy and slippery. Also, old growth woodlands are unsafe in thunderstorms due to the possibility of falling trees and branches.

Open Day at Surbiton Park

Launch of Werribee River biodiversity brochure

On Saturday 2nd June Pinkerton Landcare and Environment Group (PLEG) and Western Water welcomed the community to an Open Day to visit the Werribee River Volcanic Gorge beside Western Water’s treatment plant at Surbiton Park. PLEG launched their brochure ‘Restoration of the Werribee River Volcanic Gorge’ funded by a City of Melton World Environment Day Grant.

PLEG: Diary for 2018

diary blog

Click here to read about PLEG's activities for 2018

Weeding at Pinkerton Link: Sunday 14th January 2018

Weeding in Pinkerton Forest: 16th January

Ballarat Line Upgrade: removal of trees from rail corridor

Relocating felled Sheoke trunks from rail reserve to Pinkerton Link

At a meeting with Pinkerton Landcare and Environment Group (PLEG), Regional Rail Revival, Melbourne Metro Rail Authority and LendLease concerning removal of native grassland vegetation from the rail corridor between Deer Park and Melton, PLEG were informed that a stand of Drooping Sheoke trees, a few hundred metres east of Ferris Road was to be removed to make way for railway duplication works.