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 - L to R: Caroline Buckley, Kalaru (Lumen Christi Catholic College); Tom Newton, Bega (Bega High); Jessica Thomas, Moruya (Moruya High); Allan van Breukelen, Bodalla (Narooma High); Ashley Mather, Lilli Pilli (Moruya High); Heather Gow-Carey, Dignams Creek (Narooma High) and Dean Turner, Project Director for The Crossing Land Education Trust.
'It's nothing like what I expected, it's so much more!' exclaimed Jessica Thomas from Moruya, at the end of her three day Sea to Snow training program with The Crossing Land Education Trust. On the Bermagui river at the northern end of the Wilderness Coast 'the dream actually started to become real for us and we learnt from each other for a common goal' said Jess. That common goal is for a willing group of young people to complete the journey from the Sea at Bermagui to the top of a wild Snowy Mountain in Kosciusko National Park.
After I watched them capsize their canoe and then complete a deep water recovery within two minutes, and they were all encouraging each other and smiling between the rain showers, I knew we had the right crew,' said Project Director Dean Turner 'and I was incredibly impressed by how they were able to tell each other what they thought straight-out without taking offence and really listening and responding. They are an impressive group because they communicate so well and they have a strong chance of going the distance and making this inaugural journey one to remember.'
'To move a mountain you have to move the first stone, and we had fun moving it,' said Tom Newton from Bega, while Ashley Mather from Lilli Pilli also commented that 'we are a really diverse group, but it's so freaky how well we work together'.
Allan van Breukelen from Bodalla noticed how '...everything we learnt we put into action, but it became clear that the journey is equally a mental and physical challenge. The Crossing is a good model of sustainability in action and we will be trying to achieve that ourselves'. 'It's exciting being part of the first Crossing Sea to Snow Crew, our leaders are learning with us because we are paving the way,' stated Caroline Buckley from Kalaru.
'It was Liz's presentation (President of The Crossing) that inspired me to achieve the goal of completing the Sea to Snow Journey,' said Heather Gow-Carey from Dignams Creek. 'She walked 700km in three months across the Australian Alps to help fundraise to build The Crossing. Her talk and slides made our 200km possible.'
Dean Turner, Project Director echoed Jess's words saying that 'I'm very hopeful that the community will leap in to help these young people raise the scholarships needed to support another Sea to Snow crew in 2009. The Lions Club of Bermagui and Cobargo have invited our young people to their changeover dinner in July after the first part of their journey from Sea to Escarpment. Lions and Rotary were early supporters of The Crossing and we feel very honoured to have such great young people to now address them on our behalf after 10 years of effort to achieve this vision of a Sea to Snow Journey for young people in Australia.'
The first six day section of the Sea to Snow Journey will start from Moorhead Beach at the Bermagui breakwall on 3 July via a presentation to the Bermagui Public School Grade 5/6 classes – 'we will walk in with our full packs on to show the kids what we are taking before we canoe up the river,' said Caroline Buckley. 'Mathew Nott from Clean Energy is going to be there too to wish us well and Doug Reckord from Bournda EEC'. Bournda EEC has been instrumental in developing recognition for the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the South East by running Bronze and Silver Levels of the Award for many years. Bournda EEC is also providing assistance with sattellite phone communication for the Crossing's Sea to Snow Journey.
'I hope to inspire many more kids to take on a journey like this,' said Jess, 'Let's make sure we tell them about next year in our press release as well.'
Vital evidence that koalas are breeding in the Bermagui Nature Reserve has been found by International Student Volunteers participating in conservation programs at The Crossing Land Education Trust. The students assisted in a field survey on Friday 11 August 2006 with Crossing staff members Gill McGillivray and Sas Allardice and Chris Allen from National Parks. The 15 member group surveyed an area close to a recent koala sighting and found six separate scat sites and a recently clawed tree.
The first site was found within 15 minutes of searching by Dan Klinka, ISV group supervisor from Canada with the second find by Flora Liu not long after. 'It was awesome to find evidence so quickly' said Dan, 'especially considering how rare koalas are in this region'. Ashley Whelpley agreed: 'It was exciting to know we were close to a koala'.
The most significant sites were found by local koala enthusiast Rob Summers. Rob is known for his keen eyes and has been surveying for several years. He noticed scratch marks on a tree trunk, looked below the browse foliage and found two different sizes and several different ages of koala scat.
Chris Allen said 'These six sites are really significant. Some scats appear fresh enough to obtain DNA samples while the different sizes of the scat strongly suggest there is a breeding female and a young juvenile living in this forest. This now makes several koala sightings in the area over the last ten years and this additional scat evidence shows that the Bermagui Nature Reserve is a very important koala refuge on the South Coast.'
The students who participated in the field survey were thrilled to realize the importance of their find. Colleen Wichsher was hopeful that this new find would encourage people walking in the area with dogs to keep them on leashes. After the successful survey the students planted 120 koala feed trees at a nearby property. Alex Williams said 'Hopefully these trees will make a difference down the road - being able to plant habitats for Koalas was very rewarding'.
The Crossing Land Education Centre is a not for profit education centre offering a range of sustainable living programs for young people. The Crossing has signed a Voluntary Conservation Agreement with National Parks and assists in practical hands-on conservation tasks for the community such as Landcare. This surveying was another example of voluntary service and it was great to have Chris Allen along from National Parks to help provide some guidance. Next visitors to The Crossing include students from Bega, Eden and Bombala High Schools. For more information contact 64933400 or view the website thecrossing.thebegavalley.org.au
PHOTO: Alexander Williams, Ashley Whelpley, Dan Klinka, Flora Liu, Colleen Wichsher, Rob Summers, Annette Turner, Sas Alladice, Gillian McGillivray, Kailey Poole, Marissa Parker, Nick Fell, Ted Zava, Serina Michaud, Stephanie Allan, Chris Allen
On Thursday 26 May 2005 a group of 11 International Student Volunteers (ISV) from the United States discovered fresh koala scats in the Bermagui Nature Reserve near Nutley's Creek Rd behind Bermagui.
With less than a few hours of briefing and survey training, Chris Allen with Dean Turner of The Crossing Land Education Centre led students into the bush to scientifically survey map transects of 500m length for koala evidence (scat, claw marks etc).
˜We discovered koala scat on the last tree of the last transect, it was a white stringy bark close to other stringybarks and some woollybuts. It was amazing to find koala scat in the bush. I'm so glad I got to experience this with my ISV group' said Jen Noone of New York.
ISV is a group of students primarily from the United States. They volunteer their time and services learning and contributing as they travel by doing conservation work throughout Australia and other countries. Their main purpose is to conserve the environment and learn to appreciate sustainable living.
'I'm really excited that the students initiative and efforts have resulted in such a significant finding' said ISV Project Leader Kristine Kasparian.
The last koala evidence for the area surveyed was found in 2003 and it was not known if koalas were still surviving in that part of the area. The discovery is important because the State Forest very close to this site on the outskirts of Bermagui is set to be logged this year. This area on the north side of Nutley's Creek Rd, drains into the Bermagui River Estuary.
This patch of State Forest is critical to future koala survival as it allows a connecting corridor into and out of the Nature Reserve to Wallaga National Park to the north. With most good trees being taken for logging and chipping, this corridor will be in jeapardy. The corridor is narrow because the remainder of the valley to the west is cleared pasture today.
'A key part of the discovery was that the scat was quite fresh and almost certainly from a juvenile. This means there is a breeding female also in or near the reserve' said Jenni Gray of Virginia.
Current logging operations are also set to degrade the koala habitat between two parts of the Biamanga NP and also devastate the south western links to National Park for the koalas in the Reserve as well as disturbing the Cuttagee catchment. 'It seems that this population is being cut off and broken up and the likelihood of koalas surviving is not good if the woodchipping goes ahead. The population will continue to shrink and they will be at high risk of extinction' said Melissa Clark from Vermont. 'As students from abroad we are attracted to Australia for its wildlife and natural beauty. Logging and chipping will not only endanger koalas but will also endanger a sustainable tourism industry for your beautiful town and region', said Holly Reinders from Nebraska.
'I was really surprised to learn that most of the koalas we see in zoos are descended from an artificially established island population down in Victoria. So they have gone through a severe genetic bottleneck (these koalas are Chlamydia-free which is the main reason they are able to breed so prolifically), Apparently almost all of Victoria's koalas are descendents of these inbred island refugee koalas, said camp director Dean Turner of The Crossing Land Education Centre. 'I had no idea that the koala's in behind Bermagui are genetically different and important to survival of koalas in Southern NSW,' said Darcy Jones from Missouri.
'The whole group was even more surprised to learn that our endangered species legislation in Australia does not allow for the listing of critical endangered populations like the Bermagui koalas but only for a whole species.' said Dean. Bermagui is a town that is increasingly reliant on tourism and the region is becoming sought after for its natural values. It seems absurd that the outcome of this legislation may be to watch endangered populations disappear before our eyes until there is only one endangered population left beside some other lucky (?) town. It seems designed to ensure extinction rather than save a healthy, robust species.'
The Department of the Environment (National Parks) has stated that it has not endorsed logging operations in the critical habitat corridors of coastal forest surrounding Bermagui Nature Reserve. These particular State Forest areas are vital links to nearby coastal National Parks.
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On The Wilderness Coast of NSW there are few koalas left. So recent finds near Bermagui are provide a faint hope of koala recovery.
Stacey Grey, International Student Volunteer with The Crossing Land Education Trust has found recent evidence of koalas on Aboriginal land adjacent to The Crossing, which is located on the Bermagui River approximately 6k inland from Bermagui.
On Friday 23 May International Student Volunteers team leader, Lilli Nicolson said 'We were just being introduced to the survey site when Stacey walked up to me and said I think I've found koala poo! It was pretty exciting and after that we found it under lots of trees in the plot.'
Stacey was working with other international volunteers, local Aboriginal people and the Threatened Species Officer for the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Chris Allen.
Chris, who is coordinating a unique survey of a threatened koala population in coastal forests between Bermagui and Tathra said, 'Stacey’s find was very significant. The level of evidence that we found at this and an adjacent site means that this Aboriginal-owned land is a very important area for koalas in the region.’
“I am particularly grateful for the contribution that Aboriginal people are making to this work, having now located evidence of koalas at several of the plots we have surveyed”
The find presents further evidence that The Crossing and adjacent lands provide the key forested corridor for threatened species between two major national park areas on the wilderness coast.
The Crossing hosts International Student Volunteers each winter with regional youth being the focus for spring and autumn. These older students come from universities throughout the northern hemisphere to spend some of their summer learning about Australia and helping with community conservation projects. They are able to take on many skilled tasks at The Crossing. The international crews also contribute to local landcare projects and to the local economy at a traditionally quieter period.
From a distance, The Crossing is a land education centre giving young people an opportunity to learn about sustainable living. This is exciting in itself, however the recent International student volunteer program has shown this is a place with more power and importance than a simple mission statement could ever embody. It has been a pleasure and a privilage to see young people from the United States and Canada spend time at The Crossing. The students' hard work on a number of Crossing projects has helped immensely, while their eagerness to listen, learn and participate ensured that their volunteer experience was rich and rewarding on a personal level as well. Wesley Pender, a volunteer from Illinois iltlustrates this unique mix of education and fun when he says of his experience, “We came, we worked and oh how we played.”
For the students, the program was a time for new things. It was a time for helping in the kitchen, using a chisel, swimming in the ocean, building up their Australian vocabulary, showering under the stars, going to bed at 7.30pm, washing dishes by hand, making bread from first principles, recycling, eating porridge and pumpkin, watching a kangaroo and her joey, being behind in American idol, learning yoga, setting hair traps for pottoroo surveys or just lighting an open fire. They are all simple things. But they are things that lead to other things, promote a new way of thinking, acting and perhaps living. The students took it all on with grace and good humour – most of the time. Although spiders were definitely where they drew the line – especially in the shower!!
Given that most of the students had no idea that a 'dunny' was in fact a 'rest room' - they should be very proud of the newest structure at The Cossing – a dunny built in the old pioneer hut style.
Mudbrick day produced more than just muddy jeans, faces and world war III – the students helped build a new shed for the generator.
While these projects leave lasting marks around The Crossing and serve important purposes, the local people of Bermagui have also left lasting impressions that will travel with the volunteers for years to come. Where else in the world could you sit on a verandah, watch wild kangaroos arrive for an evening graze, while listening to intriguing stories of American and Australian relations in Antarctica, New Guinea and Bhutan? Harry Black provided the students with an experience that you couldn't emulate or orchestrate if you tried.
Seeing a neighbour's house made almost entirely out of recycled and reused materials promoted much thought and talk among the group. Neil's knowledge of the use and reuse of materials caused alarm bells to ring in all of our minds as he made us think about things we always do but never question.
We are very thankful to have many people who are generous enough to spend their time and share their knowledge. It is also appreciated by the volunteers. As one student Barb Willobee from Detroit says, “The places you've taken us, people you have introduced us to, the things you've shown us and taught us have been more than i ever expected. I thank you for the experiences, memories, laughter and knowledge.”
As the program drew to a close, words like can't, don't and never seemed to be replaced by 'maybes', 'what ifs' and 'i'll try that'. There were changes in approaches to activities, problems and challenges. There was more patience, reflection, open mindedness and forward thinking. These are the things that, unlike a mudbrick structure, are almost invisible. They are little things, the simple things. As the students prepared to go back to Sydney, underneath their tired bodies lay more questions than answers. Questions that may only be whispers now, but questions all the same, that could soon become conversations on the other side of the world.
For more information contact 64933400 or view the website thecrossing.thebegavalley.org.au PHOTO: Marshall, Matt, Scott, Aaron, Barb, Val, Linsey, Julie, Carrie, Wes, Tina, Jeana
In the middle of the rain we were welcomed with open arms by the Central Tilba Food Cooperative as young Crossing volunteers helped out for a day measuring, packaging and distrubuting bulk wholefoods to over 70 families in the region. 'It was great to learn more about sustainable living in a practical and hands-on way', said team leader Dan Klinka . Coordinator Riki Tandy thanked the group 'We would have struggled without you, the flu has knocked-out half our helpers'.
Young people at the Crossing have also been following up recent koala sightings with help from National Parks officer Chris Allen and planting hundreds of koala trees on river flats at The Crossing as this habitat is key to koala survival in the region. After all, if you eat something as hard to digest as gum leaves then you'de be looking for a rich gumleaf and chances are that they would only be found if your tree grew on rich soil. A good reason to put a few back on rich soils.
Three groups of student volunteers are learning at The Crossing over July/August with more work being completed on interpretive trails and keyhole gardens previously begun by Bombala High school students.
International Student Volunteers (currently in residence at The Crossing) awarded The Crossing Land Education Centre number one conservation project in Australia for 2005.
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