Stony Rises

Stony Rises Woodland is a highly fragmented and threatened vegetation community located on the Victorian Volcanic Plains. These rocky woodlands and ephemeral wetlands have been shaped by the lava flows from the various eruption points around the district. 

The vegetation is characterised by Manna Gum Eucalyptus viminalis. Other dominant species include Blackwood Acacia melanoxylon, Dogwood Cassinia longifolia, Tree Violet Melicytus dentatus and Sweet Bursaria Bursaria spinosa.  Groundcover species are Variable Groundsel Senecio pinnatifolius, Bidgee Widgee Acaena novae-zelandiae, Bracken Fern Pteridium esculentum Tussock Grasses, Poa species and Native geraniums Geranium species. Threats to this vegetation type include grazing, rock removal and weed invasion.

The two year project is funded by the Corangamite CMA, and is part of the Federal Government Caring for Our Country funding priorities to help protect and enhance this amazing landscape of the Victorian Volcanic Plain.

Woodlands project officers Anna Carrucan and Ammie Jackson will be working to engage landholders to protect and conserve vegetation, with incentives available to undertake actions such as fencing, weed control and pest animal reduction.

The project will also feature community-focused events to raise awareness and appreciation of the Stony Rises woodlands, including information days, mapping activities, bat surveys, and frog walks.  The protection of native vegetation in the Stony Rises will ensure that native species such as the koala, grey goshawk and the endangered growling grass frog have adequate habitat for the future.

Objectives

• to engage landholders to protect and conserve vegetation, with incentives available to undertake actions such as fencing, weed control and pest animal reduction.

• to raise awareness and appreciation of the Stony Rises woodlands, including information days, mapping activities, bat surveys, and frog walks.

Stony Knolls - Ten Million Years in the Making

The little-known Stony Knolls east of Lake Corangamite were the feature of a newly-launched landholder guide and poster at Alvie. As a feature of the launch, Stephen Carey from the University of Ballarat spoke about the geological history of the volcanic area, and the megafauna that once roamed the rises, including the giant diprotodon (a 2m tall wombat-like creature). 

The group visited Red Rock to put Stephen’s words into pictures on the landscape, and the day couldn’t have been more perfect, with the sun shining and even a flame robin spied in a nearby tree. More than 30 people attended the day, which received promotion on local WIN television and print-media.
Greening Australia and project partner Corangamite CMA have been working in the Stony Rises Woodlands area, and now in the Stony Knolls as part of the Woodlands Recovery Project.

The project has generated a landscape-focused approach to conservation and enhancement of the remnant vegetation, with competitive funding for on-ground works, plus community awareness events and the production of the landscape guides.