Hullo there Rewilders,

It's been a busy few weeks!

Thanks to everyone, old friends and new, who have joined us for working bees, walks, meetings, launches, lunches and other events. We really value your participation and support.

It was an exciting day for us and our project partners on 24 November, with the announcement by Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP that funding of $250,000 for our proposed South Yarra-Windsor and Kooyong-Heyington Walks revegetation  projects has been approved by Federal environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.

The action will now move to state and local level for agreements, consultations - and digging the dirt right here in Stonnington. Watch this space in 2024!

Also in late November, another win for Stonnington residents and the local environment:the new

was unanimously approved by Council!

The draft Policy and Handbook are now available for download via Connect Stonnington - nature strips

Initial feedback is due by 18 December.

The Policy plus new on line approvals process will then come back to Council for endorsement, before going live in early 2024; subject to review after 12 months.

Thanks to Councillors for their support - and to Council staff for their hard work!

By the way, Council received 219 requests relating to nature strips in FY 2022-23 - and issued 12 permits.  The new process should open up opportunities for all residents keen to improve biodiversity and increase habitat for our indigenous plants and wildlife.

Please do check it out, respond to the survey - and let's get those applications coming in!

And now for the weather ...

Watering over Summer

Planting has finished for the year but we will need to keep an eye on how plants are doing at our work sites in extended dry weather.

We're setting up an informal watering roster on Sunday mornings as needed, starting at Prahran on 7 January then alternating between Prahran and Tooronga/BEAMI through to 11 February. Of course if you're passing by with a bucket in the meantime, feel free!

In other news

• Walks routes:

We had a great day out on December 3, revisiting our proposed South Yarra-Windsor Indigenous Heritage Walk route with members of Higgins CAN, followed by a picnic. Thanks to Mary Mahoney for setting it up, to Rewilders members Julie, Grace and Jason for helping on the day and to everyone who came along!

• Chapel St:

With our friends at ACF Malvern and Higgins CAN, we participated in community consultations on Council's Chapel Street Transformation project. We have also been invited by Cr Matthew Koce, Chair of the project panel, to offer further feedback.

This is a significant opportunity to encourage adoption of a future forward design framework for Chapel St from the Yarra/Birrarung to Dandenong Rd, with an emphasis on Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BUSD), a more sustainable approach to emissions, waste and traffic management - and more trees!

Individual responses to proposals as part of the current Test and co-design phase may also be made until 18 December via Connect Stonnington - chapel-st

• Pocket Parks:

Following informal neighbourhood consultations, we responded to a call for feedback on the design of proposed pocket parks in South Yarra/Prahran and asked to be included in further consultation. All the park sites are along the Sandringham railway corridor, within our proposed Green Line zone. Nothing back as yet: we will follow up with Council's Parks team in the New Year.

• Housing estates:

In line with recently announced Victorian government policy, plans are afoot for major redevelopment on housing estates in Prahran and South Yarra. Green spaces on these estates make a significant contribution to local biodiversity, community amenity and residents' wellbeing. Homes Victoria has called for feedback on plans for the Essex Street and Horace Petty estates, due by 20 December via Engage Victoria-south-yarra-housing

Friends' events:

ABC Friends (Southern Bayside) have produced a 2024 calendar featuring wildlife photographs taken by Neville Bartlett. ABC Friends 2024 calendar

NEW!  Save the Date

We will be partnering with U3A Stonnington to present a series of lectures on indigenous plants and biodiversity, 10am on Thursdays: 16, 23 and 30 May 2024. We hope to include at least one outdoor session. The series will be open to both Rewilding and U3A members. More details soon!

Have a great break, see you in 2024.

Growing wilder!

Alison Richards (President) for the Rewilding Stonnington Inc. Committee 2023-24:
Nadine Samaha (Deputy President), Mary Mahoney (Treasurer), Julie Laidler, Marion Miller, Graham Ross, Kirby Roper, Grace Warner, Jason Whyte.