School Ambassadors

Schools participating

Tyabb Railway Station and Moorooduc Primary

Our learning adventures

Bush and Fire, Seeds and propagation, Frog Census, Macro-invertebrates, Flora re-vegetation & Weed control, Clean up Australia Day , Cultural heritage, Turtle nest monitoring, Bird monitoring introduction and National tree Day Plantng

Cultural Heritage Morning

Learning and sharing

The culture heritage morning with Bunurong people of the South-Eastern Kulin Nation is such a fantastic part of the ambassador project, listening and learning from the people that know this land and have walked it for thousands of years gives the ambassadors such a insight and something to think about and connect with while exploring and discovering in the Reserve throughout year.

Bird Monitoring Introduction

The Devilbend Natural Features Reserve has the largest inland water body on the Mornington Peninsula, providing a valuable habitat for waterbirds and shorebirds. Over 162 species have been recorded – a third of them are closely associated with water.

The 300ha reserve gives sanctuary for up to 150 Blue-billed Ducks and other rare and vulnerable species, including a pair of breeding White-bellied Sea Eagles. Around 100 bush birds, including Crested Shrike-tits, Pardolotes, Honeyeaters, Fantails and Thornbills inhabit the woodlands. On fence posts and lower branches, Willie Wagtails & Flame Robins may be encountered, while the Dusky Wood-swallows can be seen perched or flying around old dead trees. The abundance of bird variety is amazing!

Discovering the little things

Monitoring macro-invertebrates is important because there are many different types that can withstand various levels of water pollution.

Macro-invertebrates are small animals that can be seen with the naked eye and don’t have a backbone and are a good indicator for understanding waterway health.

A large variety live in our waterways – Backswimmers, Damselflies, Diving Beetles and Flatworms.

One of the best known is the Dragonfly, or mud-eyes as known to keen freshwater fishermen.

​Very Tolerant To Pollution

Examples: Snails, flatworms, leeches, mosquito larvae. Typically found in ​highly disturbed streams, inner city or industrial areas.

Tolerant To Pollution

Examples:​ Freshwater shrimp, amphipod, dragonfly. Typically found in disturbed streams or suburban streams.

​Sensitive To Pollution

Examples: Caddisfly, mayfly, diving beetle. Typically found in streams with little disturbance, well vegetated streams in farmland or low density housing.

​​Very ​Sensitive To Pollution

Examples: ​Stonefly nymphs, damsel fly larvae. Typically found in streams with good water quality and habitat or in forested areas.

We're hopping straight in and helping the frogs

 

Melbourne Water Frog Census has worked with the Devilbend Ambassador program across a number of years to monitor the health of frog populations at the reservoir and surrounding land. To monitor frogs, the Ambassadors have used the Melbourne Water Frog Census app, which allows the recording and submission of frog calls for expert analysis. Frogs are water-dependent and sensitive to habitat disturbance, drought, pollution and climate change, so the health of frog populations can tell us much about the health of the wider environment. Data being collected by the Ambassadors will help develop a valuable picture of what species occur at the Reservoir and how they are doing. In addition to monitoring, the Ambassadors have become advocates for frogs in their local communities, helping establish school frog ponds and leading frog workshops at the Kids Teaching Kids conference.

James Frazer - Waterwatch & Education - Melbourne Water

Eastern Banjo Frog

Easter Common Froglet

Southern Toadlet

Southern Brown Tree Frog

above photo's left to right: Hansi wegner, Peter Robertson, Jodi Rowley, David Paul