By Callum Ludwig
The Friends groups of the Upper Yarra have received a pair of grants set to be put back into their efforts at the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area.
Both the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater (FOHH) and Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum (FOLP) are recipients of the 2024 round of People of Post grants from Australia Post, with nominees put forward by Australia Post employees themselves.
FOLP President Steve Meacher said the grant will enable them to make some significant improvements through ‘Project Possum’.
“It’s part of an ongoing project to regenerate vegetation at Yellingbo, we’re replanting areas that have been damaged in the past to expand the habitat for the Leadbeater’s Possum and of course the Helmeted Honeyeater as well,” he said.
“It involves having groups of volunteers come to put plants in which were ordered from the FOHH nursery and we’re hoping for this occasion, and this is where the grant comes in, to involve a local school in the planting activity.”
As well as planting, Project Possum aims to help FOLP to visit for informative sessions or provide forest tours for local schools, as well as work towards establishing a new habitat for the Leadbeater’s Possum at Haining Farm in Launching Place.
Mr Meacher said the grant will increase the number of plants that they can put in the ground and provide a lunch for the students.
“This school approached FOLP last year because they were interested in planting suitable habitat around their school, and we pointed out that in fact the location of the school is not appropriate for Leadbeater’s Possums but we attended the school and gave a presentation on the possum,” he said.
“On that occasion, I asked them if they might be interested in doing planting at Yellingbo and they were really enthusiastic about it so hopefully that will all now come together in the next few months.”
FOHH will also be planting at the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area, with their grant going towards holding a Community Planting Day.
FOHH President Virginia Wallace said it was actually an Australia Post staff member within the group who put them forward.
“We’re unbelievably grateful for that person’s thoughtfulness and generosity, which has resulted in us getting the grant for a Community Planting Day, and I think it says a lot about Australia Post, they’re obviously very committed to the environment and our local species,” she said.
“Some people from Australia Post are even coming on board for the planting day which is great.”
FOHH will plant another 500 indigenous plants in the Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area with the support of the grant.
Ms Wallace said all the 500 plants will make a difference.
“We’ve got a few target areas, but we’ll be guided by our Environmental Coordinator and also, what Parks Victoria and DEECA (the Department of of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) think, because we like to do infill so it connects up various pieces of habitat,” she said.
