GORCC – Great Ocean Road Coast Committee Blog

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 →

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 →

Stopping litter in its tracks

August 14, 2018October 18, 2018greatoceanroadcoast

Great Ocean Road Coast’s conservation team recently undertook works to address an old overgrown drain at Torquay’s back beach, emptying into the sea near Voss’ car park.

Conservation Worker Scott Hives set about designing a solution. Read more →

Coastal clean-up after wild weekend

June 20, 2018August 14, 2018greatoceanroadcoast

The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee’s foreshore rangers are busily assessing the impact of a wild weekend on the coast.

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.

Stair upgrade for Queens Park Reserve

October 31, 2017October 31, 2017greatoceanroadcoast

The second stage of the Queens Park Reserve stair upgrade in Lorne is nearly complete. Approximately 150 stone stairs have been installed heading up the hill from the Allenvale Track, which winds along St Georges River, and also includes drainage works to reduce erosion on the tracks. Works are being undertaken by local stonemason Matt Kuit, who has completed another $20,000 worth of stone stair and drainage works.

Karen and Paul join the team at Lorne

August 3, 2017October 20, 2017greatoceanroadcoast

Paul and Karen White have joined the team at the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee as the new Assistant Managers at the Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park.

Rubbish dumped at Torquay’s Taylor Park

July 25, 2017March 15, 2018greatoceanroadcoast

Great Ocean Road Coast Committee staff were left frustrated after a small truck load of rubbish and debris was illegally dumped on the Beach Road side of Taylor Park last night.

Discarded pieces of concrete, bricks and other building supplies were left in Taylor Park on top of mulch and dirt piles the Great Ocean Road Coast use to improve the vegetation at the popular park area. Read more →