Alf and Joanna are also concerned about the condition of the Diamond Creek and the surrounding vegetation. The fire and flooding seriously damaged both, and the protective fencing was destroyed. are signs that the creek erosion is healing and native vegetation is recovering, but many weeds have established, including rushes, thistles, Blackberry and willows. Along with pasture renovation, the priority is weed control and to re-fence and protect the creek and its native vegetation. Joanna said, were not farmers when we started and we’ve made mistakes on “We the way, but we’ve turned wasteland into a productive farm and it’s us great enjoyment.” The Gonnellas’ message to landholders is to keep on top of rabbits and weeds, manage pastures correctly and stick at it. It is consistent work but not hard work. And to prospective landholders they say, your responsibilities for looking after the “Take land seriously. Bad management is not neighbourly and causes problems for the whole community.” After the fire, serious erosion occurred on the bare soil of the exposed hill paddock and had to be controlled. your responsibilities for looking after the land seriously. Bad management is “Take not neighbourly and causes problems for the whole community.” Ecological Values Ecological values are generally defined as the benefits that space, water, minerals, flora and fauna and other aspects of natural ecosystems provide for native life forms. The St Andrews area is within the Highlands Southern Fall Bioregion. Bioregions are relatively large land areas characterised by broad landscape-scale natural features hills, valleys, creeks, vegetation as well as the environmental – – processes that influence them. These environmental and ecological processes include climate, geomorphology, geology, soils and vegetation. Bioregions are used as the broad-scale mapping units for biodiversity planning in Victoria, adopted under Victoria’s 1997 Biodiversity Strategy. The Highlands Southern Fall Bioregion is the southerly section of the Great Dividing Range and is predominantly hilly. The geology that underpins the bioregion is largely sedimentary and granitic rock with shallow stony soils and yellow duplex soils.
Alf and Joanna are also concerned about the condition of the Diamond Creek and the surrounding vegetation. The fire and flooding seriously damaged both, and the protective fencing was destroyed. are signs that the creek erosion is healing and native vegetation is recovering, but many weeds have established, including rushes, thistles, Blackberry and willows. Along with pasture renovation, the priority is weed control and to re-fence and protect the creek and its native vegetation. Joanna said, “We were not farmers when we started and we’ve made mistakes on the way, but we’ve turned wasteland into a productive farm and it’s us great enjoyment.” The Gonnellas’ message to landholders is to keep on top of rabbits and weeds, manage pastures correctly and stick at it. It is consistent work but not hard work. And to prospective landholders they say, “Take your responsibilities for looking after the land seriously. Bad management is not neighbourly and causes problems for the whole community.” After the fire, serious erosion occurred on the bare soil of the exposed hill paddock and had to be controlled. “Take your responsibilities for looking after the land seriously. Bad management is not neighbourly and causes problems for the whole community.” Ecological Values Ecological values are generally defined as the benefits that space, water, minerals, flora and fauna and other aspects of natural ecosystems provide for native life forms. The St Andrews area is within the Highlands Southern Fall Bioregion. Bioregions are relatively large land areas characterised by broad landscape-scale natural features – hills, valleys, creeks, vegetation – as well as the environmental processes that influence them. These environmental and ecological processes include climate, geomorphology, geology, soils and vegetation. Bioregions are used as the broad-scale mapping units for biodiversity planning in Victoria, adopted under Victoria’s 1997 Biodiversity Strategy. The Highlands Southern Fall Bioregion is the southerly section of the Great Dividing Range and is predominantly hilly. The geology that underpins the bioregion is largely sedimentary and granitic rock with shallow stony soils and yellow duplex soils.