Derek Goodwin – “I worked most of my life in Ford service divisions and I’ve always lived in Lismore. The last couple of years before I retired I was contracted to a school for maintenance and cleaning and now I do Landcare. It began at Hollingsworth Creek. We were putting in a child care centre. The creek was completely overgrown and came right to the back of the centre. I thought I should clear it back so the kids wouldn’t get snakes coming into their area. I cleared it back, had a look and thought, it’s not that far to keep going to the creek and so I’ve just kept going. That was 2008. I had no interest in gardening until 2008 because I was in a different game altogether and that little thing of clearing and improving Hollingsworth Creek and neighbouring properties got me into it.
The project started here at The Duck Pond in April 2013. It was only small to begin with, just myself and my sister-in-law. We came in and poisoned the Coral trees. It took a long time and then gradually the Landcare group started growing. One of the main people to help was Alan Doohan, he and I did the bulk of the clearing along the main centre. We’ve managed to get a couple of small grants which have been great but we’ve never been lucky enough to get a bigger grant which allows us to get machines. It’s all hand done at the moment. We’ve had support from the NRMA with a small grant and Kevin Glencross from SCU has arranged 2 small grants which have really helped us but other than that it’s on our back. It’s 27 acres and totally overgrown but slowly we are getting through. We have had some help! Jeremy from Tom Thumb Earthmoving has donated some time, 4 hrs straight without pay. Craig Allen Earthmoving has helped as well and Steve Kubis from Tree Services. We have paid them but they have all donated time too. We are so appreciative of their help.
I work 5 out of 7 days doing this, not all day, up and down, but I’m trying to get back to Hollingsworth Creek too as it’s going backwards. Here in Lismore we have 12 to 15 people in our Landcare group but if we have a working bee or fundraiser it’s difficult to get those people to turn up on the same day due to various reasons so if we have more it would be great. It’s only $20 a year to be a member of Landcare and that covers your insurance and our group is incorporated which protects members even further.
See that little Willy wagtail, he’s around all day while I’m working. We had some professional people come in from Birdwatch Australia. I cut a track in for them over to the pond. The amount of species here at the Duck Pond is incredible. They were so impressed that they sent the details to Bird Life NSW. It’s now a must-see for birdwatchers. The wetland here is also recognised as very important by Wetland Australia. It’s unique in positioning as you never find this in the middle of a town. We have an incredible amount of birds here and lot’s of ducks.
The funny thing is with a lot of the bird life is people say even though it’s not native to the area you’re removing habitat but one thing I’ve noticed as I clear through, more and more birds are here. We do have to be careful of the little fellows like wrens, finches and willy wag-tails. You find them in Asparagus Fern and weed vines so we never come in and clear everything because we would have destroyed habitat. We are doing it slow and steady, planting before clearing and mindful of all species.
There’s already been 1,000 trees put in and there will be another thousand tomorrow. All the holes are dug already so just come along and plant, put a marker in which we will supply. Being tube stock they aren’t big so we need to identify them when maintaing the area. With some luck and enough people we should get another thousand trees in tomorrow. Tomorrow being National Tree Planting Day starts at 11am. There will be free food supplied by the Lions Club, Coffee Addictions, activities for the children and the Scouts are here as they are planting 100 trees for their 100 year anniversary. Please come, plant a tree and enjoy a beautiful day.”
Lismore National TREE DAY