Friends of Buninyong Botanic Gardens
Website: Friends of Buninyong Botanic Gardens
Enquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This group was set up to save Royal Park from threatened housing development. It has converted the former Buninyong Football Oval to an area for environmental education with a thriving community garden and extensive revegetation. Many willing hands planted 500 indigenous shrubs and trees in banks around Royal Park on 21st June 2009. You can see the results on the eastern and western sides of the old football ground and enjoy watching them grow into handsome garden areas.
The old Football clubhouse is now used as an environmental resource centre and can be hired out for suitable functions while the playing area is now shared with the Buninyong Redbacks Soccer Club.
The Friends of Royal Park-Buninyong Sustainability also organise annual Sustainable Living Festivals here in Buninyong, at Royal Park, cnr Hedrick and Warrenheip Sts Buninyong.
See Friends of Royal Park-Buninyong Sustainability for more info and updates on their activities.
Friends of the Union Jack Reserve
Enquires: Ken Nicholls ... 0437 942 064
Williamsons Creek Landcare Group
Landcare Tree Plantings
Community Tree Plantings are held regularly and several thousand trees have been planted by Landcare groups, often with assistance from pupils in local schools on School Tree Day.
At Garibaldi Bridge Reserve, tree planters of all ages got together on what turned out to be a lovely morning in the midst of some heavy rain over that weekend. Over 250 trees, shrubs and small smaller plants were carefully planted , quarded and watered in. The ground had been prepared beforehand and the species carefully selected by the Garibaldi Environment Group who have been turning this area of woody weeds and shifting waterway into a wonderful habitat and picnic area for nearly ten years.
Upper Williamson's Creek Landcare also planted selected trees at the very top of Mount Buninyong, making sure they are protected from grazing wallabies.
If you are interested in the work of these groups or you want advice on planting indigenous plants on your property while the ground is good and wet, contact Nick McKinley in the Buninyong Landcare Office near the Post Office on 5341 2364 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Planting native seedlings on the N-E slopes of Mount Buninyong, National Tree Planting Day
Animal Welfare Services
BADGAR (Ballarat and District-Greendale Animal Rescue) ... Emergency wildlife rescue operates 24/7 ... 1300 223 427 (emergencies only) ... Web: BADGAR
Leigh Valley Hawk and Owl Sanctuary ... Martin Scuffins ... Hardies Hill Rd, Garibaldi ... 5341 4623 or 0417 279 868 or 0427 414 623 ... E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. web: www.hawkandowl.com.au
Koala Rescue Australian Koala Foundation ... 5342 8141 ... Rolph Schlagloth ... PO Box 655 Ballarat www.savethekoala.com/ or www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/sh/native-wildlife
Possum Paws Wildlife Shelter ... Ballarat ... 0424 579 736 ... Facebook page: Possum Paws Wildlife Shelter
Wildlife Victoria Emergency Rescue ... 0417 380 687 or 03 8400 7300 ... web: wildlifevictoria.org.au ... email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sustainable Living
Smart Building and Living Expo
Held annually at Royal Park, this local event is part of Australia’s biggest Sustainable Living Festival. The Buninyong Smart Building and Living Expo showcases local sustainable building and lifestyle services and products for those planning to build or retrofit sustainable home solutions, and those interested in sustainable lifestyle and food choices. For more information visit: Smart Building and Living Expo or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Based in Ballarat, BREAZE - Ballarat Renewable Energy And Zero Emissions Inc., is a locally formed group of energetic, forward thinking people who believe that there are more sustainable ways of living on our patch of the planet.
See their website: BREAZE for more information about environmentally-friendly lifestyles and solar energy.
Boomerang Bags Buninyong
Weekly workshops held Tues 9-11am and 5-7pm in the Anglican Church Hall, Scott St, and bi-monthly at the rear of the Community House, Warrenheip St
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Facebook: Boomerang Bags Buninyong
Buninyong Community Collective
A food-based co-op selling locally-produced foodstuffs bought in bulk. Bring your own reusable containers. Open weekly on Thursdays, 9:30-11am and 5:30-6:30pm
Anglican Church Hall, 405 Scott St Buninyong.
Web: buninyongcommunitycollective.org.au
Facebook: Buninyong Community Collective
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wind Farm Enquiries
Like to know more about wind farms? Tracey Ward, Community Engagement Manager of Lal Lal WindFarms, is located on site at 24 Duggans Rd Lal Lal and is happy to answer questions or concerns, and explain everything about windfarms..
Call the community hotline 1800 187 183 or see the Lal Lal WindFarms website for more info.
Local environmental resources
Buninyong's plants
An excellent inventory of native trees, shrubs and plants within a 10 mile radius around Buninyong, including their Aboriginal uses, has been compiled by Neil McCracken. It is available for viewing or downloading as pdf: Buninyong Plants
Lost Waters - A History of a Troubled Catchment
An historical study of the West Moorabool River catchment by local author, Erica Nathan. This insightful book may be purchased online from Melbourne University Press where you can read Erica's introduction to the book online for free or you can purchase the book from the MUP catalogue: Lost Waters