Environmental Education – Great Ocean Road Coast Committee Blog

Inaugural Great Southern BioBlitz a huge success

November 9, 2020November 10, 2020greatoceanroadcoast

Biodiversity Month was different this year for the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC), with COVID-19 restrictions limiting the opportunity to run several activities. Instead, the Great Southern BioBlitz was formed, bringing together citizen scientists from across the Southern Hemisphere to observe the local flora and fauna in their own backyards.

Biodiversity Month runs throughout September and citizen scientists are encouraged to upload their observations of biodiversity to the online database, iNaturalist. More than 3,000 people took part this year, making over 90,000 observations of more than 12,000 species!

Southern Caracal – Image Credit Gigi Laidler

GORCC Environmental Education Program Coordinator Pete Crowcroft said participation in the BioBlitz was greater than anything the organisers could have anticipated.

“The incredible response from South America took us all by surprise, with hundreds of new users to iNaturalist documenting their observations to the website. Lima in Peru had 229 participants with 6,485 observations, the Huila region in Columbia with 114 participants taking 3,506 observations, Quito & Pichincha in Ecuador had 144 participants with over 2,000 observations, and Brazil had nearly 2,000 observations including 168 species of birds.”

Swallow-tailed Hummingbird in Brazil – Image Credit Diogo Luiz

“At home on the Surf Coast, we have been participating in the BioBlitz for a few years, with modest but steady increases in participation and observations each year. We totalled over 400 species for this BioBlitz which is our best result yet. This year some new observers joined in, including the legendary local Marg Macdonald who wrote the book on local plants and orchids, and contributed 40 observations.”

“Everyone should be proud of this incredible effort. We’ve managed to come together, digitally, during one of the most drastic and challenging years of our lives.”

One of the main driving forces behind the spring timing of the project was so participants could observe the flowering plants. Along with Grampians National Park, the Surf Coast is one of the best places in Victoria to see wildflowers. A total of 240 plant species were seen including 31 orchid species.

To see the observations found throughout the Surf Coast and Southern Hemisphere check out iNaturalist’s website: www.inaturalist.org/projects/great-southern-bioblitz-umbrella

Great Southern BioBlitz 2020

September 21, 2020greatoceanroadcoast

September is Biodiversity Month and we’re encouraging everyone to get out and record the biodiversity of their backyards and local area. Over the weekend of the 25th – 28th September, the Great Southern BioBlitz will be held – a friendly competition to see which places can observe and record the most biodiversity. This year the event is international, with South America and Africa also taking part to make wildlife observations.

The purpose of the event is to highlight both the immense biodiversity spread across the southern hemisphere in the flourishing springtime, and to engage the public in science and nature learning.

GORCC Environmental Education Program Coordinator Pete Crowcroft has been working to organise the event with some other keen naturalists from around Australia.

“We wanted to create a biodiversity survey, or BioBlitz, for people in the southern hemisphere during spring, when the natural world is on full throttle,” Pete said.

“Flowers are blooming, insects are emerging, birds are singing, and reptiles are coming out of their winter hibernation. It makes sense for Australia and for the rest of the southern hemisphere to observe life at this time of year.”

Pete said the response from other countries has taken the team by surprise.

“We were really pleased when so many different countries in South America wanted to take part, we were really only expecting Australia to participate.”

“We have run September BioBlitz’s in the past, just for the local Surf Coast region. Last year we had a great result spotting nearly 400 species for the month. This year, competing against not only other areas in Geelong and Australia, but the southern hemisphere! I’m hoping people will get out in force to make observations of our many thousands of different species in this amazing biodiversity hotspot.”

“Usually we would be running activities to celebrate the month and having people get together to explore, but unfortunately we can’t do that this year. It is important that everyone complies with COVID safe regulations when participating in this BioBlitz, and also observes any sensitive species with care and respect, and a leave no trace approach,” Pete said.

To participate you will need to download the iNaturalist app onto your device, or upload pictures directly from your PC onto the website. If you take a picture of any plant or animal and upload it during the weekend, it will automatically be counted for the community, hopefully pushing the Surf Coast up the international leaderboard!

For more information and to get involved visit the Great Southern BioBlitz website: https://greatsouthernbiobl.wixsite.com/website or www.inaturalist.org which hosts a number of how-to videos in the help section.

The project website can be found here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/great-southern-bioblitz-2020-surf-coast

Coast Guardians twitch for Aussie Backyard Bird Count

November 7, 2019greatoceanroadcoast

Last month, the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee’s Coast Guardians from Geelong Lutheran College took part in the “Aussie Backyard Bird Count”, an annual citizen science project now in its sixth year run by BirdLife Australia.

Students learned to identify a few common species before the tally and used bird ID books, binoculars and the app field guide to identify as many birds as they could in a 20-minute period. With iPads in hand, ears and eyes ready to get twitching, students worked in groups to log their bird sightings into the app.

Year 9 students from Geelong Lutheran College logging their bird sightings into the Aussie Backyard Bird Count app.

The Coast Guardians submitted a total of 11 checklists, identifying 25 different species between the Gap and the wetlands in Torquay. Geelong Lutheran College has helped to make this location a great area of biodiversity with the revegetation of the Whites Gap car park area over a seven-year period participating in the Coast Guardians program.

The most common sighted bird at this location was the Welcome Swallow as there were a lot of insects buzzing around for them to snack on. The Red Wattlebird and New Holland Honeyeater were also in abundance. One special bird we were pleased to see was the Yellow-rumped Thornbill feeding on the ground beneath the bushes.

The Yellow-rumped Thornbill is the largest and probably the best-known
thornbill, with a striking yellow rump. Photo: BirdLife Australia.

We discussed where the data went to and its value in assisting scientists to spot indicator birds for change, which were most common, and which are declining in numbers. The students were amazed at how many birds they could spot, once they had practice in getting their eye in. This was a great lesson in patience and well-being in nature. The students found it relaxing and were keen to do more surveys.

As of publication, the count for Australia was over 106,000 lists submitted and over 3.6 million birds sighted across 680 species. What a brilliant opportunity for Coast Guardians to participate in a community activity and contribute to science and understanding of nature! Thanks to the app, anybody can contribute as a citizen scientists at www.aussiebirdcount.org.au/submit-a-count/.

Learn more about the Coast Guardians program and how your local school can become involved in this immersive environmental education program for year 9 students at www.gorcc.com.au/education/.

About us
The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee is a State Government body responsible for protecting, enhancing, and developing coastal Crown land from Point Impossible to Cumberland River. All funds raised through the organisation’s commercial endeavours are reinvested back into the coast. Visit us at www.gorcc.com.au.

September Biodiversity Month blitzes past last year

October 8, 2019greatoceanroadcoast

Each September, the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) celebrates the arrival of spring and the explosion of life that comes with it. We are the caretakers of a ‘biodiversity hot spot’, which means there is an unusual diversity of life concentrated within our land management area.

Biodiversity Month runs for the 30 days of September and citizen scientists are encouraged to upload their observations of biodiversity to the online database, iNaturalist.

To facilitate this process, GORCC runs a number of education activities during the month in different habitats and areas of the GORCC management zone, and this year we partnered with Parks Victoria to run sessions in some areas of the Great Otway National Park.

The first community session was held on 1 September, with the day landing on both Father’s Day and Wattle Day. To start the day, Possum Pete led a group in exploring the Anglesea coastal track to see how many species of Wattle (Acacia sp.) and other plants and animals they could find.

A tiny Brown Thornbill (*Acanthiza pusilla*) pokes its head out from a blooming Silver Wattle (*Acacia dealbata*) during our celebration of Wattle Day.

Blooming wattle along the Anglesea coastal track.

Later that day, the group explored the Point Roadknight rock pools with 25 keen young biologists and their parents, and they found a great selection of crabs, snails and anemones.

On 7 September GORCC ran a public Rock Pool Ramble at Rocky Point in Torquay. Despite the wintry conditions, 20 members of the public came out to explore wildlife living in the rock pools with us.

On Friday 13 September, GORCC partnered with Parks Victoria and the Friends of Eastern Otways to run a special biodiversity activity. Dubbed ‘Spooky Biodiversity’ because of the date, the group of 30 searched for the nocturnal creatures that might be considered scary at Moggs Creek picnic ground.

Kids surround Possum Pete at the activity trailer to see creepy crawlies up close on the digital microscope at Moggs Creek picnic ground.

There were quite a few insects about including some moths and the group heard the calls of Yellow Bellied Gliders and Boobook Owls when they went for a walk. Local biologist Craig Graham, under the permission and supervision of Parks Victoria, set up nets to capture this Little Forest Bat (Vespadelus vultunus). One of the smallest mammals in Australia, Little Forest Bats can weigh less than 4g.

A Little Forest Bat (*Vespadelus vultunus*) caught and handled by biologist Craig Graham at the ‘Friday 13th Spooky Biodiversity’ community event.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed their observations to this year’s September Biodiversity Month. What a great snapshot this project provides of the rich diversity of life in this region.

This year, we observed 100 species more than last year, with over 350 species identified. A big congratulations to Neil Tucker for recording the most observations and the greatest number of species throughout the BioBlitz in September, logging an amazing 221 observations and 198 different species. Neil is an active volunteer with coastal conservation groups ANGAIR and Torquay Coast Action and is renowned as an expert on local biodiversity, especially plants and fungi.

To check out all of the observations found throughout the Surf Coast this September BioBlitz, see iNaturalist’s website: www.inaturalist.org/projects/surfcoast-september-bioblitz-2019.

The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee
The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee is a State Government body responsible for protecting, enhancing, and developing coastal Crown land from Point Impossible to Cumberland River. All funds raised through the organisation’s commercial endeavours are reinvested back into the coast. Visit us at www.gorcc.com.au.

Out and about with Possum Pete

July 25, 2019July 25, 2019greatoceanroadcoast

Exploring the coast with Possum Pete

This time of the year is characterised by dynamic weather with the definite progression from warmer to colder months. We have experienced the crisp, blue sky and still autumn conditions, and then there’s the driving rain and blizzard-like gales as powerful Antarctic storms herald that winter has arrived on the Surf Coast. We had it all this term, and students had to be at their bravest to be out there in some of the more challenging conditions we’re likely to have all year.

There were many highlights this term, including the conservation activities with year 7s from Grovedale College, and ecosystem walks with Surf Coast Secondary. By far the largest and most impactful project was a partnership with Mackillop College, the Friends of Eastern Otways, Parks Victoria and the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee. We have been able to remove a ferocious invasion of coastal tea-tree from significant heathland at Moggs Creek in sessions that represent hundreds of hours of volunteer work! Read more →

Coast Guardians – future protectors of the coast

April 8, 2019May 6, 2019greatoceanroadcoast

The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee’s (GORCC) management area is rich with various habitats and environments, each providing separate and valuable educational opportunities for students.

Since 2011, GORCC has been running education activities based on natural resource management practices and hands-on conservation activities, engaging with students from all over Victoria.

The program – designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to work with, understand, respect, protect and enhance our coastal surroundings – aims to inspire students to be the environmental stewards of the future and become advocates for the coastal environment. Read more →

Share our Shores from Coast to Coast

September 24, 2018July 25, 2019greatoceanroadcoast

The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee and Barwon Coast Committee of Management have joined forces with a simple message for visitors of the coast this summer.

From Ocean Grove on the Bellarine Peninsula to Cumberland River on the Surf Coast, we are asking beachgoers to ‘Share our Shores’.

The Share our Shores campaign focuses on all aspects of equitable use by all types of beach users. Read more →

Environmental protection from the next generation of coastal innovators

September 13, 2018October 18, 2018greatoceanroadcoast

On Wednesday 5 September, around 160 students from five local schools gathered in Torquay to learn, work-shop ideas and celebrate coastal conservation at the annual Coast Guardians Forum hosted by the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee.

The year 9 students from Northern Bay College, Surf Coast Secondary College, Geelong Lutheran College, Lorne Aireys Inlet P-12 College, and Sacred Heart College had a day of guest presenters, exciting activities and prizes as part of the Great Ocean Road Coast’s award-winning Environmental Education Program. Read more →

Victorian Coastal Award Winners

June 6, 2018greatoceanroadcoast

The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee is honoured to win a Victorian Coastal Award for our education program with the Honourable Lily D’Ambrosio MP. A huge congratulations to Peter Crowcroft, Hilary Bouma, Katie Hart and all of the Great Ocean Road Coast staff involved. Special thanks to all the of students, caravan park campers, volunteers, businesses, teachers, parents and all the other coastal education supporters.
Read more →

Lorne caring along the Bert Alsop Track

May 28, 2018May 29, 2018greatoceanroadcoast

The Bert Alsop Track is a scenic walking track along the Lorne foreshore, linking North Lorne to the town’s centre and offering views across Louttit Bay and is a popular route for cyclists, walkers, and joggers.

Over the past 6 months the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee’s conservation team has been busy with the woody weed removal that started with the Green Army program in 2016, and the end of 2017 saw all of the woody weeds from the start of the track to the ‘Fat Ladies’ car park removed. This was done with the generous help of a Ford corporate group, LorneCare volunteers, and Great Ocean Road Coast’s conservation and foreshore teams.