Urbanisation and the ecology of powerful owls ninox strenua in outer Melbourne, Victoria

Historically, the Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) has been seen as a southeastern Australian species restricted to, or most numerous in, dense gullies of tall open forests in hilly or mountainous areas of the coast and Great Divide. However, recent research has revealed that Powerful Owls may breed numerously and successfully in a wider range of habitats than previously believed, including the forests and woodlands within the metropolitan areas of some major cities.Here we report on the breeding of a number of pairs of Powerful Owls in the Yarra Valley, Victoria. Study sites ranged from relatively undisturbed, wet sclerophyll forest 80 km from central Melbourne, through dry sclerophyll, eucalypt-dominated open forest with some disturbance, to a highly disturbed urban parkland only 18 km from central Melbourne. We found that Powerful Owls breed successfully in some urban areas, but are limited in the amount of human disturbance they can tolerate near their nesting hollow. In the most heavily utilized section of the urban parkland, all breeding attempts were unsuccessful and in one year the young were apparently eaten by one of the parents. This followed construction of a timber boardwalk under the nest tree during the breeding season. The Powerful Owls subsequently moved to a more secluded nesting hollow and raised two young. Recommendations for management of Powerful Owls in urban areas are discussed in the context
of these results.

Inspired by the past, driven by the passion: music in state-supported education in New South Wales and Victoria 1848-1920

This investigation considers the development of class music teaching in New South Wales and Victoria during the first seventy-two years of state-supported primary education. The first chapter describes the English background including music teaching methods (resulting from the mid-nineteenth century English choral singing movement) and the subsequent development of music teaching in English elementary schools. The promotion of school music is then considered on a broadly chronological basis in the two states and several themes are identified in relation to school music policy and practice. These include the status of music (core curriculum or extra-curricular subject), who should teach music (generalist or specialist teachers), what teaching methods and music notation should be used (staff or Tonic Sol-fa), musical training for generalist teachers, and curriculum content in relation to the aims and objectives of school music. Comparisons are made between developments in both states and between both states and English school music. The final chapter demonstrates the relevance of many of the historical themes identified for music education today. The thesis concludes by identifying a recurring problem from the past. namely the lack of co-ordination between various aspects of school music policy, as the most serious problem to be overcome in the future.

The dying town syndrome : a survey of urban development in the Western District of Victoria,1890-1930

The experience of urban settlement in the Western District of Victoria suggests that the pattern of growth and decline in small towns is tied to the pattern of land use. This, in turn, is determined by the economic and technological factors which influence farm management and practices. At times, these factors have encouraged urban development and small towns have flourished. For the most part, however, these forces have not been conducive to sustaining long-term growth and prosperity and small towns, have been trapped in a cycle of growth and decline.

The role and contribution of private land in Victoria to biodiversity conservation and the protected area system

The distribution and attributes of properties involved in three major programs for biodiversity protection on private land in Victoria, Australia, was investigated to determine their role in relation to the reserve system. Overlaying of dowsets in a geographic information system, with particular emphasis on property distribution in relation to bioregional and population centres, was undertaken. Land for Wildlife agreements had greater numbers of properties and total area protected in all bioregions throughout the State, yet average protected area sizes were lower than those of conservation covenants and Trust for Nature reserves. A combination of large bioregional area and human population size tended to attract more private conservation properties and, to a lesser extent, the total area they protected. The potential contribution that such properties made to biodiversity conservation varied between bioregions. Inclusion of properties within a national reserve framework is proposed to improve the coordination and effectiveness of conservation measures.

Legislation to protect whistle-blowers in Victoria

Protection afforded to whistleblowers under Victoria's Whistleblower Protection Act - benefits and costs of providing protection - types of disclosures that are protected and people who can claim protection under the Act - determining if a matter involves a public interest disclosure - investigation of disclosures by the Ombudsman, and other public bodies - action upon completion of an investigation - protection afforded to the Ombudsman.

Change and stasis in schoolmusic education in Victoria: the past informing the future

This article reviews the current state of music education in Victoria in terms of both past and present issues. It is argued that many of these issues are the result of change and stasis that have occurred over the past 150 years of school music in Victoria. The principal issues that confront the present generation of music educators and policy makers are the role and place of music in school education and the provision of music teachers for government schools. Both of these issues are discussed in terms of the historical development of music in Victorian schools and it is demonstrated that many of the problems associated with these issues are either cyclical in nature, or have been endemic and simply never adequately addressed. It is suggested that one of the principal challenges to be faced in the government school sector at present is to retain the integrity of music as a discrete subject area in face of the current trend towards a generically-based arts curriculum. There is often a tendency in education to adopt an overly critical and even pessimistic approach to what are perceived as long-standing and seemingly insolvable problems. However, a counter-balancing factor is the rich heritage of Victorian music education which provides the basis for a more optimistic outlook. An important aspect of this heritage is the example of many outstanding music educators in Victoria and elsewhere. It is argued that a knowledge of such past achievements as well as a fuller appreciation of the historical development of music education policies and practices should provide a more informed and rational basis from which to decide the future course of music education in Victoria.

Performance of constructed evaporation ponds for disposal of smelter waster water: a case study at Portland Aluminum, Victoria, Australia

The construction of evaporative ponds and wetlands for the disposal of waste water high in ionic concentrations is a waste disposal strategy currently considered by many industries. However, the design, construction and management of these ponds and wetlands are not straightforward as complex chemical interactions result in both spatial and temporal changes in water quality. The effects of evaporation and drainage on the water quality in two constructed ponds, an adjacent man-made wetland and local groundwater at Portland Aluminium were investigated. The minimum volume of water entering the ponds during the study period was 0.96±0.16 ML per month. The predicted theoretical evaporative capacity of the two ponds was calculated to be 0.30±0.07 ML per month. More water enters the ponds than it is theoretically possible to evaporate under the ambient weather conditions at Portland, yet the ponds do not overflow, suggesting percolation through the pond lining. No spatial differences in solute concentrations (fluoride, sulphate, bicarbonate, carbonate, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium ions) were found within the waters of either pond, although temporal differences were apparent. The results support the conclusion that the ponds are not impermeable, and that much of the waste water entering the ponds is being lost through seepage. The impacts on local groundwater chemistry of this seepage are addressed. Significant correlations exist between solute presence within and between the ponds, wetland and groundwater. Fluoride and sulphate concentrations were significantly higher in pond waters throughout the duration of the experiment. Pond sediments revealed a high degree of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the concentration of all monitored ions resulting from the chemical heterogeneity of the material making up the pond linings. Adsorption isotherms for fluoride indicate that the adsorption capacity of the pond linings remains high for this ion. Implications for the management of waste water by this strategy are discussed.

Effects of fragmented habitat and fire on the distribution and ecology of the swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus) in the Eastern Otways, Victoria

This study investigated the distribution, habitat and population dynamics of the swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus) in the eastern Otway Ranges. The species has a restricted, disjunct distribution and has been recorded at 25 sites between 1969 and 1999. All sites were located within 7 km of the coast, occurred at altitudes up to 80 m above sea level and within 10 m of a gully. Analysis of landscape site variables identified sun index as being significant in determination of the probability of occurrence of A. minimus. The presence of A. minimus is negatively associated with sun index, occuring at sites that have a southerly aspect and gentle slope. A. minimus was located in a range of structural vegetation including Open Forest, Low Woodland, Shrubland and Hummock Grassland and a number of floristic groups, some characterised by high frequencies of sclerophyll shrubs, others by high frequencies of Pteridium esculentum, hummock grasses and herbaceous species. A. minimus occurs in fragmented, small populations with maximum population densities of 1.1–18 ha^–1. Populations at inland sites became extinct after the 1983 wildfire which burnt 41 000 ha. These sites have not been recolonised since, while on the coast the species did not re-establish until 1993–97. One population that is restricted to a narrow coastal strip of habitat is characterised by high levels of transient animals. The species is subject to extinction in the region due to habitat fragmentation, coastal developments and fire. Management actions to secure the present populations and ensure long-term survival of the species in the area are required and include implementation of appropriate fire regimes, prevention of habitat fragmentation, revegetation of habitat, and establishment of corridor habitat.

Reworked Devonian (Givetian-Frasnian) spores from a Permian glacially-derived sequence at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria

Emphanisporites rotatus McGregor emend. McGregor 1973 is a distinctive Devonian spore with a known primary source age range in Australia spanning the upper Givetian to early Frasnian (Middle to Late Devonian). This is the first record of the species from Victoria. It occurs as a reworked element in an Early Permian assemblage belonging to the Granularisporites confluens Zone derived from glacigene diamictite in the Bacchus Marsh area. As the predominant direction of Permian ice movement recorded in the Bacchus Marsh district was south-west to north-east, it is possible that the reworked spores were transported from Antarctica.