Dear Biodiversiteers,

Stobie or Not to Stobie? That is this month’s question…

And the answer is – extended paradiddle with cymbal splash – Stobie! You may have heard, or to be fair, you may not have heard, that that the Noble Stobie is become a centenarianist. Correct, it’s 100 years since Cyril Stobie did the deed and took out the patent on the pole. Lucky Cyril, if only he’d kept the patent – now there are 650,000 of them. Here at BMV we love Stobie Poles and we’re celebrating.

To explain if I may. BMV has a life’s work ahead of it and we can’t do everything ourselves, notwithstanding Jock’s multi-lingual abilities and enormously powerful hips. So, we’re exploring ways where others can lend a bit of a hand. One such initiative is a trial partnership between our Council, Onkaparinga, and SA Power Networks to deal with some of the roadside olives besetting the local landscape below power lines. All agree that there are likely benefits in working together on the killing and clearing of these pests and, coupled with Council’s own work, Branson Road is an early example of how this future approach might play out. You will recall that a couple of years ago it was a big muss of massive olive weeds choking the life out of everything. Today, through the efforts of SAPN and Council, the view goes on for ever, all the way to the top of the next hill. A great job by all concerned. Long may it last. Thank you for listening…

Now, to ice the cake, cement the friendship, bring it all back home and make it really real, we’re going to plant out some of the cleared roadside. Just to celebrate what’s been achieved and to demonstrate to the rest of the world what can be done.

This happening will be happening on Sunday 4 August on the south side of Branson Road, just east of Pethick Rd – per map attached. The starting siren will sound at 9.00 o’clock. News just through suggests that there are about 1,200 plants to go in. The site will be prepped before you arrive, but you are always welcome to bring your own hand tool to ensure best practice as the plants go in. My favourite is the small mattock – you can’t beat them. You gotta have a deep hole. Plus there will be the usual tree guard production line, with only a slight difference.

Junior members of the gang are welcome back. We will be working on a roadside so dads and mums will keep a close eye – but Council will be on the job with traffic control, so order will prevail.

HQ for the day will be at the entrance to L50K. Parking will be along Pethick Rd, either side of the swamp crossing. We’re hoping for cold, wet, rainy, windy weather so we can prove how tough we are, but we’ll probably end up with a beautiful morning of sunshine, dragonflies and birds singing in the trees. Maybe even a fly-by from some Yellow Tailed Cockies. Please dress accordingly, including feathers if you’ve sprouted any.

At 11.00 o’clock we’ll adjourn to L50K for libations, reparations and speechifying, all of very high order. When you’ve had your fill you will be welcome to walk out across L50K which, if you’ve not had the pleasure, is become a marvellous site to behold.

Just say yes by hitting the button to order a snag…

Meanwhile, back in the office, we’re brimming with ideas. This all what I’ve set out here up above is only the half of it, but enough already for now so we’ll get to the rest of it in good time. It’s all good.

See you down by a Stobie Pole.

Cheers,

Geoff H