practical action and outcomes – Wararack Initiatives

The Buzz project

Working with landholders to provide habitat stepping stones for the threatened Brush-tailed Phascogale, and support volunteers to monitor 450 established nest boxes across Mount Alexander Shire

Habitat for phascogales

Working with landholders to provide habitat stepping stones for the threatened Brush-tailed Phascogale, and support volunteers to monitor 450 established nest boxes across Mount Alexander Shire

Protecting and restoring habitat for the Castlemaine populations of the threatened Eltham Copper Butterfly by working with landholders to reduce threats to the butterflies – and improve the quality, quantity and connectivity of available butterfly habitat.

Future-proof our forests

Researching ways to climate proof our forests by developing and monitoring two ‘climate future plots’. The plots includes local species as well as plants native to hotter and drier areas that are anticipated to match our future climate.

Regenerate before it’s too late

Engaging the community about the importance of large old trees and how to protect them. A project using citizen science to collect key data on old trees while providing the community and landholders with support to protect them through workshops and on-ground actions.

Elphinstone Cool Places

Regenerating the habitat value of a derelict semi-industrial landscape and creating an outdoor space where the community can gather on hot days. The project explores and documents regenerative methods of invasive species removal and solicits the community engagement.

Castlemaine Repair Cafe

Connecting our shire community, sharing skills and reducing waste by keeping items out of landfill for longer. A regular event where people from Castlemaine (and surrounds) volunteer to repair items brought in by the community – including electrical, furniture, textiles, bicycle maintenance and more.

Wilderhoods

Creating networks of urban habitat and connecting people with nature and neighbours. Through knowledge sharing and a regenerative design process, the project supports residents to develop an ecologically informed and achievable vision for their shared habitat with extra-human life.

Zero Net Retrofits

Showing how low-income rental properties can be retrofitted to zero net emissions – while making houses warmer in winter, cooler in summer and cheaper to run all year round. This is a pilot program that retrofits ten homes in Forest Creek.

YIMBY Compost

Turning waste into rich compost while increasing community knowledge, connections and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A project where volunteer composters collect and process their neighbours’ organic food waste – reducing waste transportation miles and avoiding rotting organics in landfill