FRIENDS OF HERRING ISLAND INC.
ANNUAL REPORTS

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2022/23

The island is looking better than ever in my opinion. This is due to the efforts of long term members as well as a large influx of new members. The garden around the gallery is looking particularly well cared for in contrast to previous years when it often seemed to be on the verge of being lost under the weeds.

The summer arts festival was successful as usual.

There was a meeting of stakeholders in the middle of the year which included Parks Victoria, artists, river boat operators, Stonnington and Yarra councils, Kanteen cafe and the friends group. There seems to be a renewed commitment to maintain and enhance the island and it was gratifying to see that the efforts of the Friends of Herring Iisland were noticed and appreciated.

Looking forward to the next year with more planting weeding and mulching

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2021/22

It was good to get back the the island after periods of enforced absence due to Covid.

The native vegetation continues to spread and provide habitat for native fauna. Most noticeable are the small birds which are increasingly being seen or heard in the dense bushes where they take refuge from large bullying birds.

Also spotted was a swamp wallaby which seems to have visited for several weeks.

A group from Affirm Press, supported by the 15 trees organisation planted several hundred trees, shrubs and forbs which are doing well.

Weeding went on continuously in a Sisyphus-like fashion but slow progress is being made.

Over summer there were exhibitions in the gallery which went well as usual.

We were sad to hear of the death of Jean Allison, a longtime member and good friend. My first memory of Jean was when she came to a planting day more than twenty years ago and we planted paperbarks along the eastern edge of the island. The paperbarks now form a dense thicket providing valuable habitat for small birds.

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2020/21

We have not been able to get to the island as often as we wanted to this year, however between lockdowns we were able to get some work done.

It was quite a wet spring which brought on the weeds, so we had a big job trying to clear the worst of them and making some space for the native plants

The gallery was able to open during summer and had good crowds.

Employees of Vicrail had planting day on the island where they planted sheokes, correas and various small plants.

Plenty of mulching and re-mulching with cardboard and wood chips was done during the year.

Hopefully next year things will open up and we can get out to the island more often

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2019/20

The Friends program this year was curtailed due to covid-19 restrictions and we were unable to have normal work days in April. May, August, September, October and November. We started back with a special work day on November 22nd. The island was very weedy with many weeds having already dropped their seeds. We appreciate the work done by Parks Vic rangers during our restrictions. And we would like to thank Metro Projects for their grant of $1500 towards our work.

The island continues to become more native and less weedy, although it sometimes seems like three steps forward and two back.

Mulched areas were extended and some re-mulched.

Many complimentary remarks were made, especially by people involved in the summer arts festival who have seen the work we do on the island.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who provide willing work and good company.

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2018/19

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2016/17

The island is looking better than ever this year.

Ground level is being steadily mulched with cardboard covered in wood chips and then planted with indigenous ground covers like dichondra, creeping boobialla and rounded noon flower.

Much hard work lugging mulch up hill but worth it for the satisfying results.

Weeds are always threatening to reinvade but we are slowly increasing the native species.

It's always pleasing to see native bird life live grass parrots or kookaburras enjoying the restored bush land.

The quality of food at lunch time has remained at a high standard of deliciousness thanks to Gail.

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2015/6

The island is looking lush at the moment due to the wet winter

The hard work of mulching with cardboard and woodchips has paid off and those areas mulched are looking good.

Weeds in the mulched areas remain suppressed and the native plants, mostly grown from cuttings by Stanley are taking over the space.

Outside the mulched area the weeds are more in evidence and looking huge after the rains

Another good year of hard work and friendly talk over delicious BBQ lunches

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2014/5

Another busy and successful year in 2015.

A very effective method of mulching with cardboard and wood chips was initiated by Stanley after having success with the method at Burke road billabong. This has transformed the ground level flora from weeds to native plants around the Andy Goldsworthy sculptures.

Much gratitude is owed to the people who did the hard work of shifting mulch. Other important work has been in ongoing weeding, slashing, propagation of new plants, planting and watering. Our new ranger, Jess, has come in with fresh ideas and enthusiasm and we look forward to working with her in the coming year.

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENTS REPORT 2013/4

Much good work was done during 2014.

In the summer months the soil was dry and the weeds were tiny so it was more of a leisurely, social occasion.

During the spring it was the opposite and we worked extra days to get the weeds under control and do some planting. Stanley was there with his slasher every month and cut the weedy areas from getting rampant while others were hand weeding among native grasses and ground covers, and Lucas kept his plantations of gum trees in a healthy state.

Stanley also provided plants mostly of rounded noon flower and creeping boobialla, and Gail brought some sugar cane mulch to spread around the gallery.

Kookaburras and bell birds are always in attendance and very grateful for the native habitat we provide.

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2012/3

We have had a wet year and we have had plenty of growth, both of weeds and native plants.

We hand-weeded mainly in two areas near the gallery and near the John Davis sculpture.

The area near John Davis came up particularly well in spring with flowering pigface and spear grass.

The other broader areas of weedy grasses were kept down by Stanley's slasher.

Large areas of saltbush are spreading across the island which smother the weeds in less accessible areas.

We had some help from Deloittes when their employees came to the island in November to do some work weeding and planting.

We held an exhibition again in December for the benefit of the Green Belt Movement, and the Summer festival happened again from January to April.

The island keeps looking better and bushier.

Damian Curtain

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2011/12

Our work in revegetation on the Island has continued much the same as the last few years. Mainly attacking weeds and making room for indigenous plants to spread.

Large patches of saltbush and pigface are getting larger and smothering weeds. we are helping along the more delicate plants in a few smaller areas.

We have had assistance from staff at the Intercontinental Hotel and Deloittes who each came to the island and worked for a day. We held another fund raising art show in the gallery for the Green Belt Movement in December 2011.

Congratulations to Stanley Barker who won a well deserved award from Port Phillip and Westernport Landcare for restoration of Urban Bushland on Herring Island and Burke Road Billabong. Stanley has been an indispensable member of our group who has been relied upon to do essential work as treasurer, website creator, weed slasher, plant propagator, etc, etc, etc.

Damian Curtain
15 November 2012.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2010/11

Another year of good rain has left the island looking lush and green. There is a great deal of self-seeding of both native plants and weeds so we only did minimal planting at our monthly work days, concentrating instead on pulling out weeds. We kept to a few areas near the gallery and Como landing, keeping these areas looking good rather than spreading ourselves too thinly.

Stanley propagated cuttings of plants taken from the island which were mostly used to fill in the gaps after weeding. Stanley also brought along his slasher to cut back the worst of the weedy grasses while the rest of us kept to hand weeding.

We held a fund-raising exhibition for the Green Belt Movement again in December, and the gallery also was the venue for the summer arts festival from January till April.

The island continues to look better and better.

Damian Curtain. President

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2009/10

The rain has come at last, the island is looking lush, the only drawback being that much of the lushness is weeds.

We had workdays as usual on the first Sunday of each month, but not much planting as the Parks Victoria grant which has financed the purchase of indigenous plants in the past was not available this year. This did not worry us though because the indigenous plants from previous plantings are seeding themselves and our task now is to remove weeds and make space for them.

We did some planting, using plants which Stanley propagated from cuttings and some which he sourced from V.I.N.C.

We held two exhibitions in the gallery raising money for the Green Belt Movement and Wildlife Rescue.

Looking forward to another year attacking the lush weeds

Damian Curtain. President

PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2008/9

The island is looking more lush than it has in a very long time after some good September rains. Unfortunately much of the lushness is weeds, but the native species are also holding their own.

We had the usual four planting days over the cooler months, and the plants seem to be doing well.

As an experiment, we dug a small swale to collect rain water in one spot and planted it with moisture loving plants. This has worked well so far but the test will be in how they survive the summer.

We again held an art exhibition in the gallery to raise funds for the Green Belt movement however it was not as well attended as last year, probably because it was held close to Christmas being the only available time.

We also held an exhibition of wildlife art by students from local primary schools. Unfortunately the weekend of the exhibition was the only two days of solid rain in a year of drought, so attendance was minimal, however it was worthwhile if only as a way of getting children involved.

Ten Bat tubes (based on the Gould League design as habitat for small insectivorous bats) were placed on 5 river red gums on the north shore of the island.

The island after many years of planting is now dominated by native plants which are seeding themselves. It has probably come to the time when we concentrate less on planting and more on clearing the weeds.

Damian Curtain.

Another year of drought, although we had some rain in August and the island is looking better than this time last year.

We had four planting days over the colder months, concentrating mainly on grasses and forbs but also planting dry-tolerant trees and shrubs around the levy banks.

The grassland areas came up looking particularly good in spring. For this we should in large part thank Darren Bird, the Parks Victoria ranger who put in such hard work and enthusiasm to prevent weeds from taking over.

Plant labels were made by laminating the website pictures and descriptions. These were then placed on stakes and placed beside the plants to educate the public about the island's plants.

In October 2007 the friends group organised two exhibitions in the gallery,

Hopefully this will be the start of a long tradition of similar art shows in the gallery which will raise money for environmental causes.

Damian Curtain

Friends of Herring Island Inc.
President's report 2004/5.

PRESIDENTS REPORT 2004

2003/4 was another busy year on Herring Island. We were pleased that the drought seemed to ease towards the end of the year, easing some of our anxiety over whether our planting would survive. We had four planting days during the year, on the first Sundays of May, June, July and August.

Plants were bought with a grant from Parks Victoria, and were supplied by VINC (Victorian Indigenous Nurseries Co-operative) and SKINC (St. Kilda Indigenous Nurseries Co-operative).
The plantings are intended to recreate local bushland environments. This year we planted 2 areas of riparian scrub, on the north and south banks of the island, dry saltbush scrub on the levy banks, and grassland in the centre of the island.

We were assisted by Conservation Volunteers on four work days, helping with planting as well as preparing sites prior to planting and weeding established sites.

Several types of wildlife made an appearance on the island, including birds, a frog, and a wallaby. The wallaby stayed for about three weeks during March. These new species were added to the list on our website with illustrations supplied by the children of Richmond Primary School.

Strathcona Girls School paid a visit to the island and helped us with some weeding, and senior citizens from Stonnington Community Care came and had a guided tour. Intellectually disabled adults from the Milparinka Centre in Richmond have started to come on the third Tuesday of each month to enjoy the island and assist with weeding.

Thanks go to all who participated in our activities. The value of the work can be seen as you walk around the island (or look at the before and after section of the website).

Damian Curtain
President
September 2004.

This year has seen another successful year on the island with an initial grant of $4000 from Parks Victoria for the purchase of plants. Approximately 4000 plants and grasses were purchased and planted over 4 planting days. New areas planted were along the pathway to the gallery, near the path from Como landing, and on the northern landing area below John Gollings sculpture. Areas expanded were in the 'Andy Goldsworthy' area, in front of the gallery and last years plantings on the southern levee banks were again extended. Stipas (native grasses) were transplanted from a John Davis' sculpture to two areas; below 'Audience', and infill along the eastern bank near Como oval.

Participants on the planting days included members of the Conservation Volunteers, Richmond Primary School, MU Environmental Group, as well as members of the public.

Maintenance days have been held on the first Sunday of most months, and various groups have been involved. Large amounts of mulch have been spread. Weeding was done in a number of new areas to bamboo, and tree lucerne, in preparation for future plantings. The usual small weeds in the established areas were removed.

The web site has been maintained and enhanced. Richmond Primary School provided the drawings for a couple of new bird sightings during the year. There are wattlebirds nesting near the gallery, and some less welcome European wasps have been seen.

The website has been added to the State Library's 'sites of national or historical significance'. Photos of the native plants on the island have been added.

The summer art exhibitions were well attended, continuing their role of exhibiting art related to the island and the environment, and attracting visitors to the island.

Ray Bloore, our 'Liaison Ranger' with Parks Victoria, transferred to Brimbank Park during the year. We have greatly appreciated his support and friendship over the years that he has been our ranger.

Again, it is a pleasure to report that we have achieved most of the objectives in our aims, the island is looking better all the time, and visitor numbers are continually increasing.

Damian Curtain.
President.

Stanley Barker
Secretary / Treasurer.
28 October 2002

ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2000 / 2001.

This year has seen another successful year on the island with an initial grant of $1500 from Parks Victoria for the purchase of plants. Approximately 1500 plants and grasses were purchased and planted over 6 planting days. We were also able to purchase excess plants which the Orchid Society had had for their flower show at a good price. New areas planted were along the pathway to the gallery, near the Como landing, on the northern bank near John Gollings new sculpture, and a bush food area planted near the gallery. Areas expanded were along the eastern river bank, and in front of the gallery and last years plantings on the southern levee banks were extended. A trial transplanting of tinsel lily was made (successfully) from an established area to a new area. The weather since has been good for the establishment of the plantings.

Participants on the planting days included members of the Conservation Volunteers, the Sophie Mundi School, Gilmour Girls School, Richmond Primary School, MU Environmental Group, as well as members of the public.

Maintenance days have been held on the first Sunday of most months, and various groups have been involved. Large amounts of mulch have been spread. Weeding was done in a number of new areas to remove blackberry, pampas grass, and tree lucerne, in preparation for future plantings. The usual small weeds in the established areas were removed.

The web site has been maintained and enhanced. Richmond Primary School provided the drawings for a couple of new bird sightings during the year. Photos of the native plants on the island have been added (now about 120 in all). During the year we received some historical posters of the island being created, the levee banks being built, and the 1934 flood from the Department of Natural Resources & Environment. These have been added to the web-site. We have received e-mails from a number of sources to request the use of our web-site photos in books or presentations.

Melbourne High School students have produced drawings of Island plants which will be placed on the new signboard when weatherproofing of the board is finished. A new picture frame has been ordered for the Friends room in the gallery with historical photos.

The new artwork erected during the year was the "Falling Fence" by John Gollings, and plantings have been done both above and below the sculpture. This planting involved stabilising the slope with chicken wire and mulch before planting. Hard work! The summer art exhibitions were well attended. The island featured in both 'the Age', Channel 9 'Postcards', and on the ABC 'Snapshots'.

Again, it is a pleasure to report that we have achieved most of the objectives in our aims, the island is looking better all the time, and visitor numbers are continually increasing.


Damian Curtain.
President.

Stanley Barker
Secretary / Treasurer.
23 November 2001

This year has seen another successful year on the island with an initial grant of $2000 from Parks Victoria for the purchase of plants. Approximately 2000 plants were purchased and planted over 7 planting days. New areas planted were in front of the gallery, and on the northern and southern river banks, while grasses were planted in a clearing in the treed area behind Ian Shears native grassland. The President of the Friends group also grew some instant lawn from native grass seedlings, and this was laid around the Cairn.

Participants on the planting days included members of the Chelsea Heights, Greythorn, Kew and North Caulfield Scout groups, Melbourne University "working conservationists", the Sophie Mundi school, Gilmour Girls School and Richmond Primary School, Friends of Burnley Gardens, and Friends of Westgate Park, as well as members of the public. The president gave a guided tour to a group of senior citizens during Senior Citizens Week. Our arrangement to share resources with Friends of Westgate Park continues to the benefit of both groups.

Maintenance days have been held on the first Sunday of most months, and various groups have been involved. While weeding does not appear to have a lasting effect, many of the plants would not have survived the competition without the weeding efforts.

Parks Victoria also provided a grant of $150 towards the erection of an information sign that is in the process of being constructed. This is to be placed near the gallery and will give information about the island. The display in the "Friends" room in the gallery has been updated with more photos and pictures from Melbourne's early history.

The web site has been maintained and enhanced. It now has a page about the 30 (approximately) native birds recently seen on the island, with the illustrations of the birds by students at Richmond Primary School. We are now meeting visitors on the island who have discovered the island on the "web", and have received e-mail from overseas artists interested in the island.

The new artwork erected during the year was the "Ramp" by Robert Jacks, and plans are well under way for the 1999 Festival with a new sculpture by Robert Bridgewater. The river of "A river, 2 rocks and a presence" by John Davis has been renewed in more durable material. This year has also seen the launch of the Herring Island book by Maudie Palmer and John Gollings. An order form is on our website.

Again, it is a pleasure to report that we have achieved most of the objectives in our aims, and the island is looking better all the time.

Damian Curtain.
President.

Stanley Barker
Secretary / Treasurer.

30 September 1999

We have had a very successful year with another 3500 plants planted, and with the plantings from previous years maturing, the island is looking more established and the grevillia rosemarinifolia looked especially pretty during its flowering season. The island is now attracting more native birds and has a number of possums in residence. I would like to thank the Myer Foundation for their generous gift of $2000 and Parks Victoria for their donation of $750 for the purchase of plants. Thanks also to Stanley Barker and Michael Ng for their consistent efforts on conservation days.

We had 3 public planting days during the winter months and despite inclement weather which affected attendances, all 3500 plants were planted. Weeding days were held on most other months which have kept the earlier plantings reasonably weed free. This year we planted moreflowering plants and shrubs than last year so as to establish shrubby areas as habitat for native birds. We planted a number of native raspberry plants particularly around the "Stone House" sculpture and some river red gums along the river bank on the eastern side of the island. We planted a number of aboriginal food plants to give the island an historical focus and have a brochure under production explaining their uses.

On planting & weeding days we have had assistance from members of the general public, Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Friends of Westgate Park, Friends of the Botanical Gardens, while "Parks Victoria" again provided transport for plants, equipment and people. Herring Island was chosen as the venue for the "Thanks to the Friends Day" when the island hosted members of a number of other "Friends" groups. We have established contact with the Friends of Westgate Park and have established resource sharing.

Friends of Herring Island and Environment Victoria hosted a large party of school children at a planting day on "World Environment Day" when plantings were undertaken in the low area at the western end of the island. South Yarra Rotary Club again had a "Herring Island Adventure Day" which generated much publicity.

Another sculpture was erected on the island for the Melbourne Festival by Robert Jacks entitled "The Ramp". There was an official launch and a pontoon bridge was placed across the river on the opening day. The gallery has hosted a number of exhibitions which has given the island a greater profile. The Friends now have a permanent display in the gallery which has been well received. Thanks to the Zonta Club of Glen Waverley for their donation towards the cost of the historical material and to Maudie Palmer for her donation towards the display.

The Friends internet web-site was updated with details of the latest sculpture on the island and still contains the island's history, work and aims of the Friends, how to get there and facilities on the island. It has pictures of the island, the logo, and all the sculptures on the island. The website also has membership application forms and an e-mail address to contact the Secretary/Treasurer. The web-site address is -
"www.home.vicnet.net.au/~herring".

We believe that we have again accomplished many of the items in our charter.





Damian Curtain, President

We have had a very successful year and this is reflected in the appearance of the island. We believe that we have accomplished many of the items in our charter.

Conservation Work

We have purchased bird boxes and placed 10 boxes in trees on the island. The boxes are intended to house parrots, kookaburras, pardalotes and we have a bat box still to be placed. A recent check found both ringtail and brushtail possums in residence, and bees have taken up residence in another.

Other work on Herring Island

Herring Island is currently the site of the Melbourne Festival's "Environmental Sculpture Park". There was an official launch and a pontoon bridge was placed across the river on the opening day. The chairman represented the Friends and had considerable input into the Sculpture Park concept and implementation.

As part of the Sculpture Park works, the derelict Scout Hall has been renovated and this has allowed the portable toilets to be removed. The Scout Hall is currently being used as an art gallery. The Friends have a display in the gallery of the island's history in the early European period. This was undertaken with input from the Wurrundjerri people.

Educational activities

The chairman of Friends of Herring Island has given a talk to Prahran Garden Club and given elderly citizens tours of the island during senior citizens' week.

South Yarra Rotary Club had a 'Herring Island Adventure Day' at which members of the Friends provided guided tours. Much publicity was generated and some of the money raised is to be used for improvements on the island. They plan to have another Herring Island day on 17th November this year with tours and plantings.

The Friends now have an internet web-site with details of the island's history, work and aims of the Friends, how to get there and facilities on the island. It has pictures of the island, the logo, and the "Herring Island Cairn" by sculptor, Andy Goldsworthy. The website also has membership application forms and an e-mail address to contact the Secretary/Treasurer.

Damian Curtain, President

Stanley Barker, Sec/Treas.