Activities
Working Bees
We hold regular working bees around the town and district, weeding and revegetation. Beginners are welcome, training and equipment is provided.
Weed-a-thons are weed busting extreme challenges! How many hours can we do over a period (eg. a long weekend) focusing on our worst weeds?
Workshop program
Interesting presentations from local experts have included injured wildlife rescue (BADGAR), wildlife monitoring with cameras (Wombat Forestcare), koalas (Koala Clancy), plant propagation (MLN Nursery) and how to take great photos of birds (local photographer).
Stay tuned for this year’s program.
Citizen science
Blackwood is located on the beautiful upper Lerderderg River, a Heritage River, and citizen science involves learning about the water bugs, frogs, fish and other animals that call the river home.
We also are recording sightings of the invasive weed, holly and assist the Moorabool Koala Count.
War on wasps
European wasps are a pest and as well as being annoying and dangerous to humans, they impact on the native insect population.
Our annual War on Wasps encourages locals to trap queen wasps before they establish a hive. We provide wasp dust free of charge, available at the Post Office.
Environmental arts
Our Landcare group values the power of art as a way to engage community in learning about and caring for our forest and all the living things that we share this habitat with.
Read more
The first Blackwood Art & Ecology Club workshop was held in local artist Kathy Holowko’s garden where worms were explored as important composers and healthy soil builders. Each participant made their own worm soft sculpture to take home.
Fungi town was Landcare’s theme for the 2024 Blackwood Easter Carnival parade where fungi inspired costumes were colourful additions.
Our local artists have been commissioned by our group to help support arts learning and other creative outcomes.
The Blackwood Art & Ecology Club was developed by local artist Kathy Holowko. The club gathers once a month and it’s all about getting together, sharing knowledge and being creative. The monthly program includes a series of visual art workshops for children, adults and families based around an ecological theme. The themes playfully explore facets of the local natural environment and cyclic systems in nature. The themes include: Global worming, Flying Seeds, Insect costumes, Fungi town, Wild City, Camo Creatures, Good Eggs, Forest books, Pollinator Cyanotypes and Tricky Traps.
The series will include visiting ecologist specialist Tanya Loos who will address local birds. Supported by 2025 FRRR Strengthening Rural Communities Grant.
Other outcomes include The Blackwood Easter Carnival Costume making supported by Moorabool Shire Council and the ‘Caring for our patch animated video about weeds by locals artists Kathy Holowko and Daniel Williams, supported by Melbourne Water.
You can read more on the dedicated website.
The ‘Caring for our patch’ animated video about weeds by locals artists Kathy Holowko and Daniel Williams, supported by Melbourne Water.
The first Blackwood Art & Ecology Club workshop was held in local artist Kathy Holowko’s garden where worms were explored as important composers and healthy soil builders. Each participant made their own worm soft sculpture to take home.
Picture by Daniel Williams from Mossy Rock Photography
Fungi town was Landcare’s theme for the 2024 Blackwood Easter Carnival parade where fungi inspired costumes were colourful additions.