Blogs

By Cannibal Creek Landcare Group

Cannibal Creek Landcare Group, situated in West Gippsland Victoria, has concentrated on two important environmental issues over the last few years – the control of feral animal numbers and the control of environmental weeds. Principally focusing on foxes but also feral deer, rabbits, and Indian Myna birds, the group has worked on ousting blackberry, broom, willows, radiata pines and especially sweet pittosporums along the creek and streams.

The Cannibal Creek Catchment Biodiversity Project was instigated in 2016 following discussions between representatives of local community groups and Cardinia Shire. The key objective of the project has been to protect and improve the environmental and biodiversity values on public and private lands within the Cannibal Creek catchment. This has been achieved by securing funding to support landowners and managers to control pest plants and animals, and to protect or increase areas of remnant vegetation by revegetation or exclusion fencing. The project provides engagement and capacity building opportunities for a diverse range of groups within the community with activities associated with the project objectives including weed control or revegetation, or biodiversity monitoring activities. The project has conducted a very successful pest animal control program over three years engaging volunteer controllers to target key pest animal species including feral deer, Red Fox, European Rabbit.

The project area originally focused on the riparian zone and allotments adjoining the Cannibal Creek, and public reserves such as Mt Cannibal Flora and Fauna Reserve and Bunyip Sanctuary. Since 2016 the project area has expanded to support activities over an area extending from Tynong North Road east to the Bunyip River and from Princes Freeway north to Tonimbuk-Gembrook Rd to include the catchments of Dingo and Diamond Creeks. The project has been able to support or complement environmental works with agency stakeholders including Cardinia Shire, Melbourne Water and Parks Victoria. Recent collaboration with Parks Victoria, has supported weed control activities and is providing potential for future project activities within Bunyip State Park and other sites to be incorporated into the project.

Following the 2019 Bunyip bushfire the project supported landholders with re-establishing or installing exclusion fencing and revegetation, trialed deer exclusion fencing to protect significant vegetation, supported stakeholder groups with flora and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage surveys and conducted post-fire biodiversity monitoring.

As a key tributary to the Bunyip River, the aims and activities of the Cannibal Creek Catchment Biodiversity Project improves the environmental values of both the Cannibal Creek catchment and contributes to the ecosystem health of the Bunyip River catchment within and downstream of the project area, and Western Port.

Cannibal Creek and Bunyip Landcare groups, Western Port Catchment Landcare Network, Friends of Mt Cannibal, Cannibal Creek Reserve Committee, Mt Cannibal Preservation Committee, Cardinia Shire, Cardinia Environmental Coalition, Catchment Management Authority, Melbourne Water and Gumbuya Park are all members of this project. Cannibal Creek Landcare was able to receive funding from “Caring for Our Country” and Port Phillip and Western Port Catchment Management Authority via the Cannibal Creek Catchment Biodiversity Project to supplement the cost of the ammunition.

For more information on the group’s activities or to get involved, email cannibalcreeklandcare@gmail.com.