By Tanya Steele
Local environment group Healesville Environmental Watch Inc or HEWI had a “Super Sunday” on May 28 with their 21st anniversary planting at Coronation Park and screening of the environmental film “The Giants” at The Memo all in one day.
Penny Richards, a HEWI committee member said despite the weather it was wonderful to get out and do some planting.
28 volunteers and three council bushland management team members got over 700 plants into the ground from species like Hop Goodenia to Bidgee-widgee.
Coronation Park and the Brungergalk (Watts River) waterway have been the site for an ongoing revegetation project by HEWI for many years, and it has transformed over time from being used as a caravan park to a beautiful open space loved by the community.
“I think it’s been a wonderful transformation of a space that was very rundown and weedy into a community asset, it is now this wonderful park with walking tracks and lovely vegetation,” Ms Richards said.
HEWI has collaborated with members of the community, other community groups, the Council and Melbourne Water over time to protect the river and platypus habitat by revegetating the banks of the area and park surroundings.
Ms Richards said that spending time planting at the event was a reward in itself.
“It’s definitely the social interaction and that feel-good feeling of putting plants in the ground,” she said.
“It’s also that you’re contributing to revegetation, carbon recapturing and taking climate change action.”
The group used a system of marquees to provide shelter from the rain while they worked and enjoyed a cuppa and morning tea after.
The second event for the day for HEWI was a showing of the film “The Giants” at The Memo in recognition of World Environment Day.
80 people attended and enjoyed afternoon tea and a chat afterwards.
HEWI, local Landcare groups and Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum had displays and handouts at the screening Ms Richards said they had a few new members sign up on the day.
“It’s a beautiful film, it’s well worth seeing,” she said.
The Giants is a film about the life story of Bob Brown and the story of the forest and Ms Richards said the film is a real call to people to protect the environment.
“It was pretty amazing, it was juxtaposed with the story of the forest, how forests operate, and the whole ecosystem function of forests and it has a really powerful ending,” she said.
The film will also show at the Warburton Arts Centre on 3 June at 1pm.
HEWI are continuing their strong work with a special session at the Healesville Library about the platypus and being a citizen scientist for World Environment Day on Monday 5 June from 2pm to 3pm.
Ms Richards said anyone in the community who is keen on the environment is welcome to join HEWI.
“We are always looking for new members,” she said.
