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Held on Friday, 27th March, 1998 at 2 pm, Liverpool Council, Hoxton Park Road.

Present: Don Syme, Jill McNeill, Neil Rogers, Rob Michie, Eddy Ferry, Terry Apps, Lesley Corkill.

Apologies:. George Pantazis, Glenn Watson, Trevor Reubens, Brenden, Mike Hurcum

2. Minutes -As the previous 2 meetings were workshops there were no minutes.

3. NHT Funding - Applications closed on March 6. Copies of projects in the Georges River Catchment area will be forwarded to the GRCMC. A sub-committee of the GRCMC will meet and go over the applications and ranks them. They are passed on to a Regional Assessment Panel to be put together as part of the Southern Sydney regional bid. Next, they are compared with all NSW projects by the State Assessment Panel and then forwarded to Canberra. The State Assessment Panel will choose some projects for funding through relevant state programs such as river or TCM Enhancement.

Small Project Grants - These are currently available for the Georges River Catchment Management Committee for small environmental projects. Projects ranging from $1 to $5,000 are eligible. The purchase of Streamwatch Kits will not be funded. Projects must involve environmental works/planning or environmental education in the Georges River Catchment. Applications close Friday 8th May, 1998. For an application form and guidelines ring Jill McNeill on 9895-7776.

4. Streamwatch - There was a Streamwatch presentation at the last meeting by Georgie Frolich. Money is needed to purchase a Streamwatch Kit. Fairfield Indigenous Flora Park Committee are considering helping with funding towards a Kit.

5. Georges River Catchment Management Committee Meeting - The GRCMC met last night and discussed the issues surrounding Voyager Point, including the small piecemeal development in the area, which can have considerable cumulative impact. The Committee is looking to prepare a tourist map of the river - possible sites include Chipping Norton Lakes, Fairfield City Farm, Georges River National Park, DeFreitas wetlands, Cabramatta Creek Flying-fox Colony etc. Everyone was urged to consider possible sites for inclusion or non-inclusion on the map.

6. Programs in the Catchment - Work for the Dole - Participants are working near Moonlight Road, Orphan School Creek (behind the Showground) near the Indigenous Flora Park. On Thursdays the group learn to identify plants and weed species and on Fridays remove weeds under supervision.

Wonderful World of Bats The Cabramatta Creek Flying-fox Colony Committee recently had a segment filmed with "Totally Wild" due to be aired shortly. On March 21, during a very hot Saturday afternoon, the group held the "Wonderful World of Bats" at the Sunnybrook Motel near the Colony. There was an excellent turnout and over 200 people signed to be on their mailing list.

Long Creek Restoration Project- an information night will be held prior to commencement of any plans and works. Multi-lingual leaflets handed out in the community. (7th April, 7.30 pm -, Lansvale Primary School Library).

Fairfield Council have received a $5,000 grant for a multi-cultural wetlands day for the Wetlands Action group. This will be held on World Environment day June 5 (Friday). The day will be held at Cabramatta Wetlands and feature displays in a marquee and dancers, performers and tree planting.

Fairfield City Council Open Day at the Showground - Put on in previous years by the Environment Strategy group, another Environment Fair will be held on a Sunday during August. Opportunities will be available for groups to put on displays.

Fairfield Council have received a $56,000 grant from the Environment Trust for Cabramatta Creek Wetland. A wetland forum will be held with the intention of forming a Wetland Action Committee, drafting a strategy for the wetland with community involvement. The strategy can look at issues such as control of weeds, feral animals and pollution. A Wetland Action Plan, similar to that done by Geoff Sainty will be done.

7. Noxious Weeds in Fairfield Council area - Eddy Ferry, FCC Noxious Weeds Officer - Eddy Ferry outlined Councils strategy for weeds and main target species. A map showing Kids and Creeks sites, as well as Council bush regeneration sites was shown. It would be useful to have working for the dole, noxious weeds removal areas and other works similarly plotted.

Eddy explained the "Kids and Creeks" program that has been running for 3 years in Fairfield City Council. It is quite different from the "Kids. Companies and Creeks" run by OZ GREEN. In the Kids and Creeks competition, about 6 or 7 local schools adopt part of a creek, clean it up, remove weeds, plant endemic species and mulch the sites, often adjacent to the previous years site, building on earlier works.

The next meeting should be held to finish off the planning exercise from November to produce appropriate actions for the group. Jill McNeill will liaise with John Siedel from Landcare.

Attendance has dropped off this meeting. Jill and Neil to liaise regarding distribution of minutes and agendas, and GRCMC will write to Liverpool Council regarding their attendance.

The next meeting will be held on Friday 1st May at Liverpool Council, commencing 2pm.

The meeting closed at 3.40 pm.

Further information/inquiries can be directed to Neil Rogers on 9823-1044 or Jill McNeill (GRCMC Co-ordinator) on 9895-7776.

  

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