Sustainable Onkaparinga

Check out the new Bandicoot signs in Kangarilla! 🛑🐭
With a known population of bandicoots living along the adjoining creek and in the Kangarilla township, the signs are a useful reminder to slow down and be aware!

Bandicoots regularly cross the roads in this area to move between habitat on either side. This area is part of the connected habitat of the Bandicoot Superhighway project which is cared for by the Kangarilla Landcare Group and numerous private landholders.

Learn more about the Bandicoot Superhighway Project at
www.landscape.sa.gov.au/hf/our-priorities/nature/nature-projects/bandicootsuperhighway

HOST A CLIMATE CONVERSATION 🗣🌏🗣
SA is embarking on the biggest community conversation ever seen in Australia on climate change. This is your chance to directly influence government climate plans.

South Australians for Climate Action is asking you to host at least one conversation with people you know, in your home, workplace or wherever your community gathers – sporting clubs, playgroups, schools, places of worship or cafes.

The ideas and insights from your conversations will go directly to the SA Government to inform their plans, policies and actions.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED
1. Host a Community Climate Conversation between now and November 2023.
2. Upload the ideas and insights from your conversation into a simple online portal.

Find out more on the SACA website⬇
https://southaustraliansforclimateaction.org/community-climate-conversations

Love is in the air! 🌿🦜
We caught sight of a charming duo of Musk Lorikeets as they inspected a cozy tree hollow over at Woodswallow Park in Happy Valley. Interestingly, a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets had their eyes on the same snug spot. We wonder who will end up moving in?

Luckily, we've just put up a fresh nesting box close by, ensuring there's ample space for everyone. 🏠

These boxes are the first stage of the reserve's upgrade. The upcoming enhancements will include native revegetation efforts to improve habitat for wildlife, alongside new playground equipment. 🌳🤸‍♂️

This is a great example of biodiversity sensitive urban design, achieved through the collaboration of our dedicated teams: Parks and Natural Resources, Construction, and Community Assets. 🌏🤝

LOVE LETTERS TO THE LAND 🥰💌🌳
This year, Junior Landcare is turning 25 years! To help them celebrate, they’ve teamed up with Costa Georgiadis, for a special letter-writing campaign that’s calling on kids to share what they love most about the environment – and the steps they’re taking to protect it.

Whether you write your letters as a class, school or youth group; individual, early learning centre or family – they want to hear from YOU!

Entries close on 20 October 2023. Find out more on their website ⬇️

Love Letters to the Land ‘Love Letters to the Land’ with Costa This year, Junior Landcare is celebrating 25 years of opening children’s hearts and hands to landcare. To help us celebrate, we’ve teamed up with Junior Landcare ambassador, Costa Georgiadis, for a special letter writing campaign that’s calling on kids...

🔌 ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH
Electric toothbrushes are considered e-waste. E-waste is anything in your home / office with a cord or a plug, or related accessory that is broken or no longer needed.

⚠️ Please DON’T put these in your kerbside bins.

✅ Instead, recycle them properly as e-waste. You can drop electric toothbrushes and other e-waste off at the Unplug N Drop cages at local Bunnings Stores.

For more e-waste disposal information, visit our online A-Z Disposal Guide ▶ www.onkaparingacity.com/Services/Waste-and-recycling/Recycling-and-disposal-guide

👗👠 Your wardrobe can change lives! 👩‍💼✨
Imagine the impact of the right outfit on a woman's confidence as she steps into a job interview. 💼💪 Dress for Success offers the opportunity to donate new or gently-used professional clothing – the key to helping women re-enter the workforce with confidence, poise, and determination.

👚👖👠 You can be a part of this transformation. If you have clean, interview-appropriate clothing that could work wonders for someone's future, consider donating it to Dress for Success in Hindmarsh. Check out their website to learn more and find out how to drop off your contributions: ▶ https://adelaide.dressforsuccess.org/

🧼✨ To ensure that these women walk into their interviews radiating confidence, kindly ensure that the donated items are freshly dry-cleaned/laundered, ironed, no more than 5 years old, and suitable for professional settings.

👗👠 Here's a list of accepted clothing items:
- Interview-appropriate suits
- Professional blouses
- Separates like blouses, slacks, skirts, dresses, blazers, and jackets
- Work-appropriate shoes
- Accessories like jewellery and scarves
- Handbags (briefcases, portfolios, or work-appropriate handbags)

Let's support each other in achieving success, one outfit at a time! 💃🌟

We brighten the lives of women across the world Dress for Success is an international not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

🌱 Nature Conservation Win! 🌊🛠️

Check out these incredible snapshots of our Natural Areas Conservation and Civil Maintenance teams awesome work! They've been hard at work near McNamara Road, Coromandel Valley, clearing a blockage in the Sturt River. 🚧💪

🛑 Imagine the impact of the whopping 2 tonnes of logs causing this blockage 🌊. Undesirable erosion was posing a significant threat due to diverted water damaging the riverbanks.
Thanks to their efforts, they successfully cleared this obstruction while minimising damage to native vegetation or nearby structures! 🌳

We're grateful that this particular blockage was in an accessible area, allowing us to efficiently tackle the issue and make a positive impact. Not all blockages are as accessible or easy to deal with.

ENERGY ADVICE - NOW AVAILABLE IN 8 LANGUAGES
⚡ The Australian Energy Regulator has developed information in a range of languages to help energy customers across the community - they are Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (Traditional & Simplified), English, Nepali, Tagalog (Philippines), and Vietnamese.

You'll find tips on:
✅ how to save money on energy bills
✅ your rights as an energy customer
✅ what happens when an energy company goes out of business

Visit this website to find out more:
https://www.aer.gov.au/consumers/my-energy-service/translated-information-to-help-energy-consumers

Have you seen these small birds on the beach? Have you seen the fences and signs, protecting their nests and chicks?

Come and learn about threatened Hooded Plovers & Red-capped Plovers and their lives on the beach. Learn how we can help them raise their families, then come for a short beach walk to observe the birds.

BirdLife Australia is running an information workshop at Maslin Beach (South Australia) on Saturday September 9th.

The Our Plover Coast project is coordinated by Landscapes Hills and Fleurieu and Green Adelaide, with support from BirdLife Australia, local councils and volunteers.

♻💰 10c DRINK BOTTLES & CANS 💚
🤑 Save 'em up and turn them into cash. It's a fantastic little side gig, and it's perfect for getting kids involved and boosting their allowances!

Did you know that our recent kerbside bin audit revealed something shocking? 😲 Our community (City of Onkaparinga) is literally throwing away over $1 million of 10c containers each year:
💰 around $521,000 collected and recycled through kerbside recycling bins

BUT

🗑️💸 More than $570,000 worth of 10c refundable containers end up in waste bins, eventually finding their way to landfill 😱

You don't even have to worry about making the trip to the recycling center yourself to cash them in. There are awesome bin collection services now that provide homes and businesses with their very own bin for those 10¢ refundable bottles, cans, and containers. 🛍️ You've got options: either pocket that refund or spread the love by donating it to a participating charity or club. 🤝.

If not for you - then please place these items in the RECYCLING BIN.

Way back in 1977, SA kicked off our container deposit scheme, and even after 40+ years, we're still leading the pack in reducing beverage container litter across the country! 🥤 With an impressive return rate of 76.4%, we're making a real difference.

Let's keep up the awesome work! 🌎💪 We’re sure we can get more recycled (or in the recycling bin!)

FAMILIES LEARN TOP FOOD GROWING TIPS 🥦🍓😋
A bunch of excited families joined experts Patch of Plenty at our Wardli Youth Centre in Christie Downs recently for a hands-on workshop where they discovered some top tips on how to start growing their own food.

The session covered planning their patch, growing in containers, finding cheap or free materials, raising their own seedlings and keeping their plants healthy.

If you're looking to start growing your own food, jump on to Green Adelaide's gardening hub via this link
https://www.greenadelaide.sa.gov.au/food-gardening

🌸🦆 Duckling Alert! 🌸
Spring is here and guess who's making a splash? You might be lucky to spot some super cute ducklings in wetlands or watercourse reserves, or even daring crossing roads. Until the ducklings learn to fly, their parents will walk them where they need to go.

Our team spotted a quacking family on the Southern Expressway this week. Fingers crossed they reached their destination without a hitch! 🛣️🙏

Remember, it's not just traffic they need to watch out for. Please give them some space and keep your pets contained when near natural habitats because a dog or cat can easily kill a duckling, even by accident. 🐕🚫🐈

Let's talk snacks – PLEASE hold off on the bread and human treats for these little water explorers because it can make them sick. Their awesome parents will make sure that their ducklings learn to forage for natural and healthy duck food.
🥖❌🥗

Spread the word, share the love, and let's give these ducklings the best start to life! 🌟🦆

🌿 Exciting News for Adelaide Shoppers! 🌿

You can now bring your own reusable containers for deli shopping at all Coles stores in Adelaide! ♻️ It’s another option to help reduce waste and shop sustainably.

🛒 Remember, your containers should be clean plastic ones – no glass or ceramic.

This initiative follows a successful trial that began in late 2022 at 8 stores. And guess what? Coles has now rolled out the BYO container trial to 44 stores in South Australia and two in Victoria! 🌏

While it's currently in the trial phase, we hope the results will pave the way for future expansion into more and other stores.

We've also suggested that Coles update these details on the BYO containers website, so everyone can easily join in on the eco-friendly shopping fun. 🛍️ Can’t wait to see if they do!
Let's keep making a difference, one container at a time! 🌱🌍 https://www.byocontainers.org/

Have you ever been swooped by a magpie? 🤔
While it can be unsettling, the maggies are just trying to protect their family during breeding season – which is from now until about October.

Luckily there are a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself, including:
🐤 walking around their nest area
🐤 wearing sunnies and a hat
🐤 walking in a group
🐤 putting up a sign to warn others.

And these tips from Green Adelaide can help you with other swooping birds, too. ⬇

It’s swooping season – what you need to know about Adelaide’s swooping birds Swooping season has kicked off right around Australia. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself.

DISCOVER HOW TO BE A PLOVER LOVER 🥰
Green Adelaide are hosting an information session where you can learn about precious Hooded Plovers and Red-capped Plovers and their lives on the beach. A presentation will give an overview on how you can help them, then join a short beach walk to observe the birds.

Saturday 9 September, 10am-12:30pm
Maslin Beach Hall, 5 Parkway Drive, Maslin Beach

RSVP is essential as numbers are limited.
Book now - email [email protected]

OSPREY TOWER INSTALLED IN ONKAPARINGA RIVER🦅🚁
Is it a bird (kinda), is it a plane, no - it's an osprey tower being flown into position!

Ospreys are beautiful and very rare raptors that primarily feed on fish and are found around coastal SA Australia and occasionally inland water. Sadly, there are thought to be less than fifty breeding pairs in SA, a figure which has declined markedly in recent decades.

These platforms bring the total of Artificial Nest Platforms in SA to thirteen. The platforms are proving to be a game changer in providing safe nesting spaces for endangered Osprey and will help to achieve the goal of stabilising and growing South Australia's Osprey population. The project is a partnership between the Friends of Osprey SA and Green Adelaide

These wonderful pics are courtesy of Julie Thompson from the Friends of Osprey Sth Aus, head to their page for more information about these stunning birds.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/5319715324786896/

If your energy bill is skyrocketing, be sure to take the time to check out other retailers to see if you can get a better deal! 😥🧐

Energy retailers count on us not bothering to see what else is out there and simply sticking with them year after year - but by doing a bit of homework you can save money really easily!

What are you waiting for? Take 10 minutes out of your day and see what's on offer.
👉 Grab a coffee
👉 Visit www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/
👉 Compare retailers
👉 Make the switch!

🌿 Big Change Alert!
Starting 1 September 2023, we're leaping forward in our mission to ditch more of those problematic single-use plastics! 🛑🌏

Say goodbye to:
🚫 single-use plastic bowls & plates
🚫 plastic stemmed cotton buds
🚫 Plastic pizza savers.
Let's step up and embrace reusable or compostable options. 🌎💚

Get the scoop on these game-changing bans at ▶️ www.replacethewaste.sa.gov.au/phased-out-2023

Single-use plastic products prohibited from September 1, 2023 These single-use plastic products will be prohibited from September 1, 2023. Single-use plastic bowls and plates, plastic stemmed cotton buds and plastic pizza savers. Information about alternative products.

🌸 Spring is on its way! 🌱🌼 Time to get your garden blooming and thriving with this handy checklist:

🗹 Clear the scene: Bid farewell to winter remnants! Remove dead plants and pesky w**ds from the areas where you'll be planting annual flowers and delicious veggies. Tidy up clumping grasses for a fresh look. Compost the debris or use your green organics bin.

🗹 Perennial Party: Give your perennials some love. Divide them before the spring growth frenzy begins. It’s a thrifty way to add more plants to your garden! Dividing clumps helps them flourish with new growth.

🗹 Mulch Magic: Lay down a fresh layer of mulch around your perennials. Mulch keeps moisture locked in and those pesky w**ds at bay. Plus, as it breaks down, it feeds your plants with valuable nutrients.

🗹 Trim and Tidy: Shape up your trees and shrubs. If winter pruning slipped your mind, don't worry. It's time to give your fruit trees a trim before the buds burst into action. And remember, other summer-flowering trees and shrubs could use a little grooming too.

🗹 Love Your Landscape: Show some TLC to your hardscape and garden furniture. Whether it's stonework, paving, decking, or garden chairs, give 'em a good cleaning, sanding, or a nourishing oil treatment.

🗹 Seed Stories: Roll out the welcome mat for spring veggies. As the temperature rises, it's time to plant those seeds! Shield them from any lingering frost by using mulch and a cold frame.

🌸🌿

🌹♻️ ROSE PRUNINGS are fine to go in the organics bin!

Don't waste those thorny rose prunings - they have a composting destiny! 🌿✨ Even if they have a touch of black spot, aphids, mildew, etc. they're totally perfect for composting at a commercial composting facility!

Simply lift that lid and let your green organics bin work its magic. 🌿🌎

🦋🌱 Spotted: Rare Long-tailed Pea-blue butterfly in Adelaide! 🌼🌿

This beautiful butterfly is not a common sight, but we found one happily fluttering around some of its food plants; the Austral Trefoil we've planted along Sturt River at Coromandel Valley.

We're on a mission to boost their population! 🌿 By planting their favourite food plants, like the Running Postman (Kennedia prostrata) with 160 being planted, and the Austral Trefoil (Lotus australis) with 350 new plants this winter, we hope to create a welcoming habitat for these butterflies and their caterpillars. 🌱

Did you know that Long-tailed Pea-blues love to munch on buds, flowers, and seeds of pea-flowering plants? 🌸🌱 They're also known to sneak a taste of your veggies, like peas and beans! So, if you adore having butterflies around, share some of your garden treats with them.

You can find a fact sheet in this butterfly, including what the caterpillars look like, on the Butterfly Conservation SA website
▶ https://butterflyconservationsa.net.au/butterfly/long-tailed-pea-blue/
For a direct link to PDF ▶https://butterflyconservationsa.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/LongTailedPeaBlue.pdf

🛡️ Exciting news: ABC and Good For The Hood have teamed up to bring you the ultimate War on Waste Action Toolkit – and it's FREE! 🎉🌱

Whether you're a passionate waste warrior or part of a community group, this toolkit is your go-to guide for making a real difference. 🌟 Discover easy steps to take, ideas to spread the word, and ways to inspire your neighbours and coworkers to join the movement.

Find out more from Jo & Corina at Good for the Hood ▶ www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsRgHC30Jt0

Download your copy here ▶ www.goodforthehood.com.au/war-on-waste-toolkit

War on Waste Action Toolkit: Getting started Meet Jo & Corina, two regular nobodies with a mission to help you do good for your ‘hood. Download the War on Waste Toolkit ➜ http://abc.net.au/waronwaste an...

Are rising food costs affecting you? 🍊🫑🍞

PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE is an important survey for all residents over 18. Whether these issues personally affect you or not, we’re asking all adults to complete the survey, please.

Your feedback will help us consider Council’s role in this issue.

Filling out the survey is easy. Just visit 👉 https://yoursay.onkaparinga.sa.gov.au/putting_food_on_the_table

This survey is a joint initiative of the City of Onkaparinga and City of Marion in collaboration with The University of Adelaide.

Thank you.

Putting Food on the Table Putting food on the table. An important survey for ALL Onkaparinga residents. Open until 27 August 2023.

NOMINATE NOW FOR AUGUST 💚🌳
Don't miss out tree huggers! Nominations are closing soon for the first Tree of the Month.

Successful nominators will receive a gift voucher from State Flora to buy native plants for their garden. Best of all, each winning tree will be measured by council’s arborist so a tree tag can be created to demonstrate all the eco-benefits the tree provides and a story published on the website and social media.

Jump online to find out more and nominate ⬇
https://www.onkaparingacity.com/Services/Environment-and-sustainability/Trees/Tree-of-the-month

Tree of the Month Each month we'll showcase an iconic or beloved tree in Onkaparinga - chosen by you!

BLISTER PACKS
Did you catch the latest episode of War on Waste? It highlighted a staggering fact: we use around 300 million blister packs for medicines every year! ♻️

Please help spread the word that you can now conveniently drop off your empty medicine blister packs at any Blooms the Chemist or National Pharmacies stores!
Please note that they don’t take Webster packs.l

If accessibility is a concern for you, Pharmacycle has a mail-in option - for approximately $30, you can get their Recycle at Home Satchel, which holds about 150 to 200 blister packs. Once filled, simply pop it in the mail and Pharmacycle will take care of the rest! 📦♻️

They are then recycled as part of the Pharmacycle program which is funded by participating pharmacies, industry and government.

Help us shape the Coastal Adaptation Plan! Come along to a drop-in session to:
- learn about the Coastal Adaptation Study that underpins the plan
- explore the options we are considering for managing changes in our coast
- let us know what’s important to you as we develop the Coastal Adaptation Plan
- register to become a coastal ‘citizen scientist’.

🌊 Aldinga Library - Thursday 17 August, between 11am-12:30pm
Christies Beach SLSC - Wednesday 23 August between 6.30pm - 8pm
Moana SLSC - Tuesday 5 September between 6.30pm - 8pm

Can't make it in person? Don't worry, join the online webinar on Thursday 17 August from 2-3pm.

Head to the Your Say page below to find out more:
https://yoursay.onkaparinga.sa.gov.au/coastal-adaptation-study

A WINTERY DIVE INTO WATER BUGS 🥶🦐😍
Forty-one residents braved the cold wind to join our hosted Green Adelaide Education team on a family pond dipping adventure at Brodie Road Wetlands in Morphett Vale in the school holidays.

There were shrieks of delight as participants as young as three cast their nets to see what was hiding just below the water’s surface. They found water boatmen, freshwater shrimp, back swimmers, damselfly and mayfly nymphs, water mites, and caddisfly and non-biting midge larva.

The team runs events each school holidays - you'll find them advertised on the Sustainable Onkaparinga page usually about a month out.

Winter is a great time to get rugged up and head outdoors. Jump onto our website and explore our Nature Play map for ideas of local places to visit and a heap of downloadable fun activities and ID sheets.

www.onkaparingacity.com

Want a garden that the local wildlife love? Here's 5 top tips:
🐦 Use plants native to your suburb (these will also need the least TLC because they're adapted for your area)
🐦 Plant species that are a range of heights
🐦 Select a mix of local native plants that give you flowers all year long 🌼
🐦 Manage your pets responsibly. No point in attracting birds to your garden for your cat to eat them 😬
🐦 Minimise chemical use.

For more gardening tips, head to:
www.greenadelaide.sa.gov.au/discover/gardening.

📷 Martin Stokes

GET READY FOR PLASTIC FREE JULY! ♻️✅
Whether you’re a beginner looking for a few single-use plastics to avoid, or someone well on their way to a plastic-free life, we'll be sharing ideas during July to inspire you at home, work, school, and within the community.

Here are some top tips to get you started ▶️www.plasticfreejuly.org/get-involved/what-you-can-do/category/getting-started/

When art and nature connect - 🎨🌱 Sturt River Linear Trail
Recently, we headed out to plant local native species among the "Touchstone" sandstone sculptures by artist Gail Hocking. Planting was undertaken by our Natural Areas Conservation team and Public Art Project Officer 💚

The plants selected will add to the natural beauty of the artwork. They will also provide important habitat for small birds such as wrens and robins 🐦 as well as many species of native butterflies 🦋. These all rely on them for nectar and as caterpillar host plants. We planted kangaroo grass, wallaby grass, lavender grevillea, gold dust wattle, running postman & Mallee bush-peas.

The rest of the watercourse restoration work is also coming along really well.

(the artist)

HAVE YOUR SAY
We're working towards reducing both emissions and our vulnerability to the impacts of climate change in Onkaparinga. Your feedback is invited about our draft Climate Change Response Plan.

Find out more and complete the short survey on our website ▶ https://yoursay.onkaparinga.sa.gov.au/climate-change-response-plan

We are keen to know:
▪️ how easy you find the draft plan to understand
▪️ if you think it will achieve a desirable future for the Onkaparinga region
▪️ how you would rate the draft plan
▪️ anything else you think should be included
▪️ any other climate change related information you are interested in knowing more about.

➖➖➖➖➖

Come along to one of our information drop-in sessions:
👉 Woodcroft Library, 175 Bains Rd Morphett Vale
Wednesday 29 June, 10am–11.30am

👉 Coromandel Community Centre, 442B Main Rd Coromandel Valley
Wednesday 29 June, 2pm–3.30pm

👉 Aldinga Library, 11 Central Way Aldinga Beach
Thursday 30 June, 4.30pm–6pm

➖➖➖➖➖
Find out more in ▶️
https://www.onkaparinganow.com/News-listing/Have-your-say-on-Onkaparingas-Climate-Change-Response-Plan

Consultation is open until 5pm on Thursday 14 July 2022.

Have your say on Onkaparinga’s Climate Change Response Plan The draft plan sets out how council will mitigate and adopt to a changing climate over the next five years.

SOFT TOYS
a.k.a. plush toys, plushies, stuffed animals, stuffies, or cuddly toys – NEVER put these in the kerbside recycling bin.

OPTIONS
If the toy is not good enough to donate, you can:
1️⃣ Recycle it via Big W’s Toys for Joy program - drop off plush, plastic or metal toys in the Toys for Joy chest at your local Big W store (now at ALL Big W stores)
Restrictions apply.
2️⃣ Put it in the WASTE bin.

For more information about recycling toys visit ▶ https://www.bigw.com.au/toys-for-joy

🌊🐤🌱 What do Hooded Plover volunteers get up to in winter when our favourite beach nesting birds are taking a break from breeding? They help us improve dune habitats and observe their feeding habits along our shores. 🙏

This dune revegetation is part of an ‘Our Plover Coast’ project to restore native habitats for beach nesting birds and improve biodiversity.

This includes controlling the introduced species of Sea wheat grass, Sea spurge, Marram grass and Pyp grass. They’re now being replaced by thousands of native Rolling Spinifex grass grown in our nursery. Due to their root system and growth habits, this local native species does a much better job at protecting the dunes from the impacts of storms and they’re better habitat for beach-nesting birds because they form a gentler slope that their tiny, flightless chicks can access.

✅💲 This program is supported with funding from Green Adelaide

ℹ For more informatiion visit ▶
https://www.facebook.com/hooded.plover.birdlife/about/?ref=page_internal
https://www.facebook.com/GreenAdelaide