Greater Western Water (GWW) and Pinkerton Landcare & Environment Group (PLEG) invited the public to join them on Sunday 28th August for a large scale tree planting day at Pinkerton Link.
This is located at GWW’s water treatment plant at Surbiton Park. A total of 28 people took up the invitation to plant trees, ranging from people from Bacchus Marsh, Melton and other places. We planted a total of 460 Grey Box trees!
Present were Maree Lang (Managing Director, Greater Western Water), William Rajendram (Senior Environmental Chemist Greater Western Water), Darren Coughlan (IWM & Liveability Project Officer, Strategy & Planning, Greater Western Water), David Tsardakis (Naturewest) as well as many others, including Western land Services, , Greening the West, GrowWest, City of Melton and Melbourne Water.
We were also welcomed to country by Wurundjeri elder Auntie Julienne Axford. As Auntie Julienne was giving her welcome a flock of corellas noisily circled overhead, giving emphasis to her words. This event was funded by the Victorian Government’s ‘Greening the West ‘500,000 Trees for a Cooler, Greener West’. Holes had been drilled by Western Land Services (WLS) so all we need to do was plant the trees in the holes already prepared, hence the large number of trees planted.
Afterward WLS watered all the trees. Tree planting on an industrial scale! 21 mm rain fell over the two days following the planting, ensuring they were well watered in. As another La Niña cycle is likely for the next few months the prospects of these new trees thriving are excellent.
Only plants indigenous to local Grey Box Woodland, of local provenance, were planted on this highly sensitive site. These were sourced from Ian Taylor’s ‘Western Plains Flora’. Ian is highly particular concerning provenance so local provenance is assured.
Families in particular were represented. The presence of children was especially welcome as these children will be our future leaders in the years to come. Greater Western Water provided a food truck that cooked a selection of lunches to order! As well as providing tea and coffee. There was also a huge marquee offering shelter from the elements. The morning, although a little windy, was pleasant. Certainly a pleasant way to spend a morning, on the verge of springtime. As another La Niña cycle is likely for the next few months the prospects of these new trees thriving are excellent. PLEG may even have attracted a few badly needed new (and younger!) members!
Daryl Akers