Landcare visitors from the city helped to remove old car bodies from Mt Toolebewong recently.By Shannon Twomey
THIRTY four-wheel car drivers took more than a casual cruise this month, all in the name of conservation.
Drawn from the Pajero 4WD Club (Mobile Landcare), Idlers Four Wheel Drive and Land Rover Owners Club, these experts took part in the Mt Toolebewong Landcare Boggy Creek project on 6 July.
The project is set to provide assistance for environmental projects in rural communities.
President of Mt Toolebewong Landcare Peter Broman said: “The objective of the project is to restore the flow and biodiversity of this historic creek.”
One group of mobile land carers used their four-wheel-drive expertise and rescue equipment to remove the wrecks of dumped cars from an area off Don Road near Malleson’s Lookout, Healesville.
Workers loaded the wrecks onto a trailer for recycling while another group removed a large patch of ivy, honeysuckle and agapanthus from Boggy Creek near Deering Avenue in Healesville.
“Out of the six vehicles they removed, there were a few classics, indicating the time the vehicles had been there,” Mr Broman said.
Mr Broman, who described the day’s events as a success, urged that environment care be extended beyond rural areas.
“In our climate-change environment we are trying to get the Landcare message to the city and encourage land care for everybody,” Mr Broman said.
During the working bee, club members showed their appreciation for the bush by helping to maintain historic huts, sites and tracks as well as removing rubbish.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges and Healesville Environmental Watch Incorporated (HEWI) provided rescue equipment for the project.
