Greenlink Oakeigh heads south? (about a hundred metres!)
Six years and sixty thousand indigenous plants after we started, the buildings that have
housed Greenlink Oakleigh are to be demolished.
To start again will require huge expenditure of money and labour,
Here we explore some options.
The proposed move
Best and simplest choice is to remain within the grounds of South Oakleigh Secondary College, pick up our tents,
and migrate toward Centre Road.
Following on-site discussions with Gary Anderson of The Glasshouse Company (incidentally, the company who erected
the nursery facilities at the college seven years ago) the following course was explored
Relocate the large poly igloo to a position parallel to thelarge storage shed (with the four roller doors) roughly in front of the two northernmost roller doors.
Relocate the shadehouse (centre) to a position also parallel to the large storage shed next to the poly izloo and approximately in line with the large shed
Lay a new slab of concrete at the southern end of the large shed and relocate three of the five potting mix ingredient storage bays to there
Supply a new pair of benches in the igloo and re-install the two existing heat beds
Shift the blue metal gravel floor from its present location to the new location (using a bobcat)
Most of the hardening off area would still be available and we may try to get it irrigated so we can use it properly
We would then operate out of one of the storage rooms in the large shed (probably the southernmost one) and use it as both our potting shed and Resource Centre
We would be looking to relocate the irrigation controller into the large shed where we would be operating from
So how much will this cost?
We have sought indicative costs from The Glasshouse Company on relocating the nursery structures, Kevin Harris on the rewiring required, and John Bailes on the replumbing required.We also asked that they provide a breakdown of what actually was involved in the costs, in terms of labour, parts, and expertise to assist us working out how to resource it.
The indicative costs are:
Relocating nursery structures - $15,000
Rewiring - ?500
Replumbing - ?2,000
A more detailed breakdown of these costings follows.
How is Greenlink Oakleigh going to be able to pay for this?
The big question!
Obviously the costs involved are well beyond the means of Greenlink so we have brainstormed a whole range of possibilities which, in combination, may raise enough money and /or support. The possibilities include:
Special Propagation - Jeff is taking on a large order of indigenous rassses, to be direct sown into'plugs', roughly half the size of a tube (see photo on page 1), and taking a cut of the sale price that will cover the time he puts into it. He will also need to outlay the capital for the purchase of the 'plugs' and also probably some pine bark for the potting mix, as our cash flow will not allow us to do so - he would also recoup these outlays after they have been sold. He has offered to pass all the profit onto Greenlink to assist with finding the move. (the rest of us of course are flat out making sure we fill all our other orders!)
Government Grants - Local MP,
Denise McGill, is seeking out various grant options on our behalf including the Natural Heritage Trust, the Community Support Fund,Viaoria (gambling money!), and junior Landcare (the college would need to be the applicant for this)
Philanthropic Trusts - We will be making funding applications to a number of philanthropic trusts that make grants to community groups for environmental projects.They include the Esprit Cares Trust, the Norman Wettenhall Foundation, the R.E. Ross Trust, the Mazda Foundation and the Mullum Trust
In kind donations -We will see if there are suitable people or companies that may wish to donate their time or expertise to different parts of the move. E.g.The Glasshouse Company, electricians, plumbers, bobcat operators, and the college.
Cash donations or sponsorships -We will put out the feelers to local councils, businesses etc. to see if any may be willing to contribute in the form of donations or sponsorships. Denise McGill is offering to approach the local utilities (United Energy and South EastWater) to see if they are prepared to provide'community support' in the form of providing the rewiring and replumbing
costs.
Raffle -The Monash Rotary Clubs are conducting a Community Raffle whereby participating community groups receive $ 1.50 from every $2.00 raffle ticket they sell. First Prize is a new car.
Other - We will also investigate other possibilities too, such as the GreenCorp environmental trainee program (special groups of young people doing environmental projects), fundraising by service clubs, the Planning and Environment Action Committee in Springvale.
Letters of Support - We will be seeking letters of support from a range of organisations to go with our applications, organisations such as Greening Australia Victoria, Office of Corrections (Karen Field?), local golf courses, the Golf Course Superintendents Association, Parks Victoria (Braeside Park), Melbourne Water (Malcolm Brown?), Indigenous Flora and Fauna Association, etc.
Deputation to State Government Ministers - Local Member for Oakleigh, Denise McGill, has arranged for us to make a deputation to a group of state ministers who are visiting Oakleigh on Monday, 15th February, 1999. The Ministers include: Rob Knowles (Minister for Health), Roger Hallam (Minister for Finance, & for Gaming), Louise Asher (Minister for Small Business,& for Tourism), Phil Honeywood (Minister fortertiary Eduication, & assisting the Premier on Multicultural AfFairs), and Marie Tehan (Minister for Conservation and Land Management). The deputations will be made between 3:45pm and 5:00pm at the Oakleigh Training Centre,Atherton Road (next to the new police station)
What can we offer in return?
Not a lot, but at the least we can offer:
Free plugs in the Greenlink Oakleigh newsletter (distribution of about I 00) and on the Greenlink Homepage (the whole world!) - possibly the greater the contribution the greater the duration or prominence of the free plugs.Acknowledgement in any press coverage
Sponsorship / support acknowledgement board to be displayed in the shadehouseIn the event we don't raise enough we would return any contributions
In the event we raised more than enough, we would stop accepting contributions!
How do we let them, and the world, know?
Obviously we need to let a lot of people know about our problem before they can even consider providing support. Some of the options include:
Article(s) in the Greenlink Oakleigh newsletter Inform the local press and seek coverage
Fill out and submit application focrms (grants and philanthropic trusts)
Seek assistance from local MP
Deputation, to State Ministers
Write letters
Article in lndigenotes
Information on the Homepage
What is our plan of attack?
The initial plan is as follows:
South Oaldeigh Secondary College have been approached and have verbally agreed to provide a written assurance of tenure (this would not cover any decisions made by the state government), and also to continue to provide use of land, facilities, power, water, telephone for no charge.They have also agreed to be a joint applicant for a junior Landcare grant application.We have yet to find out if they are prepared to make a financial contribution (this would be a college council decision).
Make deputation to State Ministers (possible deputation participants are: Doug, Roy,Thelma, Jeff, Mick, SOSC representatives (Monday 15th February)
Seek coverage in both local papersMajor article in next Greenlink Oakleigh newsletter (and ensure this issue gets to local government councillors in both Monash and Kingston)
What if all this doesn't work?
There are a couple of alternative options that we
could explore further.They are:
A possible move to Karkarook Park on Warrigal Road. Parks Victoria are interested in having us there, as well as forming a Friends Group, but would still need to find the funds to provide suitable facilities
A possible move to the Monash Council depot on Ferntree Gully Road (apparently there are some nursery facilities there)
A possible move to a Deakin University Science education site that is being considered at the Rusden campus (Blackburn Road)
Relocating the nursery structures
(Costings from The Glasshouse Company)
LabourTo set out the area for new ground tubes.
Dismantle and reconstruct shadehouse and polyhouse
Take out line of concrete (with bobcat)
Reconstruct soil bins.
Move soil and blue metal for floor (with bobcat).Total Labour $7860.00
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Shadehouse MaterialsNew Zip ties
Conctete
Hole Driller
New Groundtubes (33off)
New Cover (optional)Total Shadehouse $2513.50
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Polythene Greenhouse MaterialsNew Groundtubes (22off)
New Cover
New Handyscreen
New Battons
New Joiners and FixingsTotal Polyhouse $881.50
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Propagation Tray
Supply new bench and install existing propagation bed and media to bench.
Total -(approximate) $900.00
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Soil Bins
Supply 8 new posts to house sleepers.
Hot dip galvanise posts.
Slab - 36m2 layed and broom finish.
Total Soil Bins $2880.00
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Items not included in the above quotation.Slashing or killing of grass in new construction area
Any plumbing or irrigation work
Any moving of plants
Replumbing the irrigation system (Costings from John Bailes, Majestic Plumbing)
Rewiring the irrigation and heat beds (Costings from Kevin Harris, KDH Electrics)
Nursery Report
Louise continues to be busy and reports the following for the January month:Lawn areas mown again
All sprinkler heads checked and cleaned
Weed spraying all about the place
No new firm orders but interest from Envirotechniques (Karkarook Park) and Indigwedo (Woodlands Industrial Complex)
Plenty of seed has been sown - hence expecting lots of pricking out soon
Need to do cuttings of Correa, Hibbertia,Cassinia
Some evidence of an attempted breakin - may need a new lock on seed cabinet
A few new faces have been seen on Sundays and Thursdays!
Still need to collect seed
Membership
If you wish to become a Greenlink Oakleigh member for 1998/99 please send your pro-rata payment to the end of the financial year, along with all your contact details, to JoHn Edwards at 31 FrankAvenue, South Clayton, 3169. Fee's have remained unchanged again, and are as follows:
Individual $15 ($7 pro-rata)
Household $20 ($10 pro-rata)
Consession $5 ($2 pro-rata)
(student, unemployed, pensioner, etc)
Your membership is an important and valued way of supporting Greenlink Oakleigh and its aims.
Working Bees
Greenlink Oakleigh holds working bees every Sunday (except on long weekends) between I 1:00am and 2:00pm at the nursery.
Louise Dorr is also at the nursery on a regular basis on Thursday mornings between 9:00am and 12:00 noon.
All volunteers are most welcome at either time so come on down!
The nursery is located at the southern end of the grounds of the Senior Campus of South Oakleigh Secondary College, Bakers Road, South Oakleigh (enter via the carpark nearest Centre Road).
Poster report
They're here. In the Kesource Centre. Featuring Fred Woodman's
magnificent, luminous watercolors. Jeff has carried off a hundred to
be laminated.They will be distributed free of charge to
schools in our area.The remainder are available from the
Resource Centre during Nursery hours for only a few
miserable dollars (we haven't decided exactly how much we
can wring from the grown-ups).
Poster report 2
The Minister for Conservation and Land Management (Marie Tehan) has written to us advising
that we were successful with our funding application for the second poster in
our planned series.We now have a system so this one should be a breeze!
(The last one was like CycloneTheima)
Student wisdom
We have come across a selection of student responses to test
paper questions and essays that challenge our fundamental
scientific understanding of the world! We will publish examples in
each newsletter if space allows.
The scientific credo for this month is:
"Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas"
Keeping the Riff-Raff out?
When Gloria and Sharon turned up on Sunday they were confronted by a locked gate across the carpark entrance we use to access the nursery.
It was Doug's turn to open up, so they had to wait a little while for him to arrive and see what his response would be.
As it happened, Greenlink had been furnished with two keys, and Doug had one of them!
The gates are designed to keep unwanted vehicles out of the college grounds and are now being locked, after everyone who needed a key had been given one.
For anyone who has the job of opening up, it is important to padlock the gate in the open position while we are there so that the padlock can't go walkabout!
Greenlink is expecting a new member in June, courtesy of Doug and Pip!
There's still plenty to be done at the nursery
We, and especially Louise, need lots of help with seed sorting, seed sowing, pricking out and taking cuttings to ensure we fulfill the orders we have on our books - if you can help at all, on a Sunday or a Thursday, your smiling face will be most welcome
In the Picture
The big move - sorry about quality, Dougs hand writting isn't good at the best of time, a scan of a photo copy is almost impossible.