Pics of the work in progress of Stage 2

The new area is fenced

Darren & David were contracted to fence the area and did a great job. These pics shows the fencing and the extent of the first clearing done.

2009 A new area tackled!

2009 soon rolled around and the program of maintenance continued. Our dedicated team meet every fortnight and work hard mowing and woody weed control. We had raised a good amount of money at our fundraiser the previous year and a decision was made that we would use this money to carry on work into Stage 3 of Cockpit in the Cascade Reserve and not wait for another Federal environment grant to come up again. This would finish off the whole remant forest area at Cockpit.

This area was steep as was the rest of Cockpit and it was necessary to use machinery and hand clearing. It was a mammoth job which took months to complete. The pics show the work starting

2008 draws to a close

As 2008 drew towards the end and it got drier as summer approached there was less maintenance to do as even the weeds found it hard growing in the dry. Warren & Wally spent quite a bit of time bucketing water from the creek onto the trees planted last.  Luckily almost all of the trees survived the dry.

Landcares Auction night fundraiser

Around Sept 08 we decided we would run a fundraising Auction Night. We had some fabulous jewellery pieces donated by Warren & Cynthia Langman of Diamonds Exclusive; Adam & Jenny Jauczius had donated a lovely painting and there was some other wonderful donated items as well. We had a dinner at Governors Lodge Restaurant which was quite well attended and a lovely meal had by all. Afterwards the auctioner David Buffett began the auction.
A bit of fun came when the Landcare cake brought in as an extra dessert was auctioned and reached $160.00!  A equally funny moment was the auctioning of the auctioneers bow tie which he had been convinced to give up! All in all a great night which tided us over for funding for the next few months thereafter.

Woody Weed Roadside Cleanup 2008

Well April didnt take long to roll around and with it came the role of contacting all of the teams about participating again in this years Woody Weed Roadside Cleanup. 23 teams took up the challenge and again Norfolk Island benefitted by having its' roadsides cleaned up for Bounty.
Again the restaurants, bakeries, butchers & clubs gave for a prize. This time we decided it would be a good idea to finish with a community event and this was organised at the RSL Club for the final Saturday of May. Band members performed there for us for free and the smorgasbord of donated and community brought food was staggering. The team who won the draw was given all of the donated grog. Unfortunately not as many people attended as we hoped but those that did had a great feed and great music to dance to.

We need another grant to tackle Stage 2 2008

When the new round of Envirofund grants became available; our president Warren Langman decided to go for another grant to fund it to rehabiliate Stage 2 of Cockpit in the Cascade Reserve. This was heavily overgrown centre section with a area sloping down to the creek with behind a high escarpment.

Landcare was successful in receiving another grant and the work was carried out. Some of the work was carried out by machinery with an excavator being used to clear some of the heaviest bush and to cut us a track at the rear of the creek under the escarpment.There was lots of hand work carried out by our crew too clearing before finally we could plant native trees & shrubs throughout the area.

Once we had it at a point to be presentable and looking good we arranged an opening. We had the then acting Administrator & his wife Owen & Biancca Walsh attend, also our then Chief Minister Andre Nobbs & his wife Kim and family. They and our Landcare team, their family and other members of the public had the speeches, planted a few more trees and enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea.

Here's some photos of the opening of Stage 2.