Three working bees last spring saw volunteers pulling boneseed, chain-sawing Cootamundra wattles, sweet pittosporum and cottoneaster. This not only reduces plant numbers, but reduces seed for the coming season.

The Ararat Prison Landmate crew assisted by spraying broom and bridal creeper throughout the spring.

In addition, project partner Northgate Mines has carried out weed control on its leased area of Big Hill and Northern Grampians Shire has done weed control along the road entrance to Big Hill from Main Street.

In all, more than 100 hectares have received this initial weed control.

The plan is, however to continue for the next four years, following up on the work already started so longer term weed control is achieved and annual management is minimised.

Stawell Urban Landcare Group plans monthly working bees over the cooler months of 2012 to continue the work at Big Hill and elsewhere around Stawell.

The working bee will be held on the third Sunday of the month between 1pm and 3pm.

Please call 0407 561135 for more details or attend a SULCG meeting held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm at Project Platypus office on the Western Highway.

The project also included the School Ironbarks walks program, where grade three students walk the local Ironbark forest with experienced guides.

They learn of the impact environmental weeds and other activities like firewood collection and rubbish dumping can have on the unique values of local reserves.

The project received funding through the Victorian Landcare grant program which provided most of the herbicide used for spraying the ubiquitous broom and money for school buses.