A great turn out of over 60 people officially launched the River Garden, a community garden, trials, innovation and education precinct on the banks of the Bass River on Saturday 9th of December. A welcome and introduction by Education officer Peter Baird outlined the future vision for the space and how the community can get involved in this exciting new project. After a tour of the site, expert Horticulturalist Jarrod Ruch showed participants how to construct a no dig garden, on contour swale systems for efficient movement of water and how to espalier fruit trees in a very informative session.

​Participants also had the chance to put forward their ideas on what they would like to see happen and be involved in at the River Garden. We look forward to working with all of you to make these ideas a reality!
Watch this space and our facebook page for informative videos from the day to be released over the coming weeks.
To register your interest in being a part of the River Garden please call our office at Bass on (03) 5678 2335 or email [email protected]

The Phillip Island Landcare Group celebrated their 30 year anniversary in early December at an event staged at Bill Cleeland’s farm. Following the group’s Annual General Meeting the anniversary event kicked off with a farm walk lead by Mike Cleeland, which took in some of the many Landcare activities conducted on the property over the years.
The evening formalities included presentations from former presidents Anne Davie and Bill Cleeland who spoke of how important Landcare was to them.  Lisa Wangman and Mike Cleeland presented a thorough history of the Phillip Island Landcare Group and highlighted many of its amazing achievements.
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In early November at the BCLN AGM we thanked outgoing Chairman, Mike Cleeland for his years of service and welcomed our new Chairman Ric Oldham. 
Ric first established his Bass Coast farming roots in Archies Creek in 1978.   Ric is an active community member within the Bass Coast as a CFA volunteer, co-founder of the Bass Coast Cycle Challenge and co-organiser the Crush Ice drug and alcohol community information and support program.  He has been a member of the Bass Valley Landcare Group since its inception and held the role of president of the group for 3 years.  As joint owner and operator of an Angus beef farm at Archies Creek for the past twenty years Ric and his wife Mez (pictured below) look to sustainably optimise their agricultural enterprise whilst protecting and enhancing their natural environment.
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