Powerful Owl Seminar
The WCA is partnering with Manningham council to present a number of environmental seminars in Warrandyte, starting this October. NIGHT PREDATOR: Protecting Powerful Owls in the Wilds of Warrandyte
While we sleep, one of Australia’s most powerful predators – the Powerful Owl – takes flight above us. Across bushland. Over roads. Hunting through the night around our homes and gardens.
We are lucky to have Powerful Owls living so close. But these magnificent birds are vulnerable. Their future is closely tied to the future of places like Warrandyte. They need old-growth trees, connected bushland and healthy populations of the animals they hunt — the very things that make our local area such a remarkable environment and a very special place to live.
As our landscape changes and development puts increasing pressure on habitat, protecting these extraordinary predators means protecting the living web of Country we share with them.
Join Warrandyte Community Association members and friends at a free evening event – the first in a new community environment series presented in partnership with Manningham Council – to discover how we can all help support real conservation outcomes for Powerful Owls and urban biodiversity.
Featuring an engaging presentation by experienced ecologist and Powerful Owl specialist Dr Nick Carter, this event is for everyone – whether you’re a citizen scientist, bird watcher, night-sky lover or simply nature curious!
Using GPS tracking data collected from Powerful Owls across Victoria’s urban, rural and forest landscapes (including Warrandyte), Nick will share highlights from his fascinating research into how Powerful Owls are navigating an increasingly fragmented habitat, uncovering how they interact with human-modified landscapes and roads – and revealing an unexpected surprising new chemical threat impacting the species.
Come curious. Leave connected. Love Warrandyte.
Thursday 29 October 2026 | 7–8.30pm.
Warrandyte Community Church, 57 Yarra St, Warrandyte
Free | Bookings essential via Eventbrite: The Powerful Owl presented by Dr Nick Carter
Keep exploring our local wild side
Want to take the conversation outdoors? For an opportunity to explore our birdlife in the field, discover more about the species that share our local environment, join Dr Nick Carter for a guided bird walk.
Friday 30 October 2026 | 9:30am-12noon
Westerfolds Park (Porter Street Picnic Area), Templestowe
Free | Bookings essential via Eventbrite: Guided Bird Walk with Dr Nick Carter
Dr Nick Carter is an experienced ecologist and researcher who has spent years studying these elusive apex predators as part of Deakin University’s Powerful Owl Research Team. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Landscape and Urban Planning, Science of the Total Environment and Global Ecology and Conservation. He has presented his research at conservation forums around Australia and at the 2025 Raptor Research Foundation conference in Costa Rica.
Manningham Environment Seminars – Guardians of the Bush
By Warrandyte Community Assoc. & Manningham Council
Where: Warrandyte Community Church, Warrandyte, VIC
When: Thursday, November 26 • 7 PM – 9 PM
Overview
This special event is designed to help you safeguard our unique biodiversity and actively protect native wildlife that call Manningham home.
The Warrandyte Community Association and Manningham City Council proudly invite you to the upcoming Manningham Environment Seminar: Guardians of the Bush.
This special evening is designed for locals who want to safeguard our unique biodiversity and actively protect the native wildlife that calls Manningham’s precious Green Wedge home. If you care about our bushland and want to make a tangible difference in our ecosystem, this seminar is for you.
Learn more:
Protect the Green Wedge: Learn about the specific biodiversity challenges facing our unique local environment.
Get Practical Tools: Discover actionable ways to treat local wildlife, report sightings, and improve native habitats.
Connect with Community: Meet like-minded Warrandyte residents, volunteers, and environmental advocates.
Meet Your Guest Presenters
We are thrilled to host leading voices in Victorian wildlife conservation to share their expertise, insights, and practical steps you can take in your own backyard:
Lisa Palma – CEO & Executive Director, Wildlife Victoria. Lisa leads Victoria’s wildlife emergency response charity. With a deep commitment to animal welfare and conservation, she will discuss the broader challenges facing our native animals, how urban sprawl impacts the Green Wedge, and how communities can rally together to rescue and protect vulnerable species.
Katja Gutwein & Michelle Evans – Mange Management. Katja and Michelle are dedicated advocates at the forefront of combating sarcoptic mange, a devastating disease affecting our local wombat populations. They will provide vital education on how to spot the signs of mange, track local populations, and safely administer treatment to help save our iconic native marsupials.
RESERVE A SPOT
Australian Fire Danger Rating System
When: THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 7.30PM
Where: WCA Meeting Room 168 Yarra Street (next-door to the Library).
The CFA Research Team has formalised their findings for the Australian Fire Danger Rating System Research that was recently undertaken in Warrandyte.
Tammy Garrett, our CFA Manager Community Safety for Warrandyte, has kindly offered to brief the WCA on the local findings.
RSVP to info@warrandyte.org.au
The Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) represents the most significant update of the nation’s fire danger ratings since the 1960’s, marking a generational change in how fire danger is calculated and communicated.
Fire danger ratings describe the potential level of danger should a bushfire start. They provide people with information so that they can take action to protect themselves and others from the potentially dangerous impacts of bushfires.
Recreational Path Update
The Association recently had a very productive meeting with senior Manningham Council officers on the proposal to run a continuation of the recreational bike and pedestrian path from Pound Road down to Taroona Avenue. We are pleased that Council has conducted a more detailed review of this project and we are hopeful that a better alternative to the route originally proposed will eventuate.
Warrandyte Riverside Market Winner of Business Awards
Award – Community Contribution
Warrandyte Riverside Market was awarded for supporting local businesses, community organisations and volunteers while creating opportunities for connection, participation and community investment across Manningham.
Finalists: Bramleigh Estate, Jackson Court Traders Association
More information to come in next newsletter.
AGM Elections
At the AGM held last week office bearers for the next twelve months were elected. Terry Tovey stepped down as President and Jan Davies has taken up that role as well as remaining as Secretary.
The Office holders now are:
Jan Davies, President and Secretary.
Terry Tovey, Vice President
Ian Moore, Treasurer
Committee Members are:
Doug Seymour, Dick Davies, Jane Pammer, Peter Hanson, Anyez Lindop, Rachel Smith and Kim Cope
WCA Presidents Report 2026
We have had a successful year and one which provides a firm foundation for our growth and development.
Our active membership is growing, a result, I feel of growing awareness of the WCA and its work. Activities planned will hopefully continue this trend. Following a brief strategic review we have embarked on a program to increase our visibility in the community.
Our most visible success during the year has been the launch and sale of the book Bev Hanson: Very Warrandyte. The book has been wildly successful and we have sold and distributed over 300 copies, involving two reprints. And the publication of the book through the telling of Bev’s story has increased awareness of the value of the Warrandyte landscape and the importance of campaigns to protect it.
As always there have been significant planning matters to be dealt with revolving around protection of the environment, limiting overdevelopment and protection of neighbourhood character. Regretfully we are not always successful in this area, and the reduction in Council powers makes this task more difficult. In an attempt to improve our chances of future success the Committee has embarked on a study of planning law to see whether we might be able to have some schedules attached to the planning scheme to strengthen the environmental and neighbourhood character provisions. Special thanks are due here to Doug Seymour and Ian Moore who have devoted so much of their time to these matters. I might add that from the scores of planning applications we might only become involved in one or two a year. However, as Warrandyte’s population changes there is an ever-present need to engage in community education about the how and why of environmental and neighbourhood protection.
We continue to work collaboratively with Manningham Council.
For example, we are engaged in a current dialogue over the Council’s plan to build a shared recreational path down the main road from Pound Road down to Taroona Ave. We believe this is a misguided project which will disfigure the entry to the town and be dangerous for both pedestrians and cyclists. We have managed to convince Council to review the project and consider alternative approaches. Fingers crossed we can get them to abandon the scheme they were proposing. I’d like to acknowledge the work of Maurice Burley, one of our retired road engineers, for his expertise and doggedness over this issue.
We have also embarked on a joint seminar program with Council on environmental issues. The first, on the powerful owl, takes place on Thursday 29 October, with another to follow in November on caring for Wombats. Four or five further seminars are planned for the first half of next year. Working with Council in this way is very good for our relationship and again increases the visibility of the Association in the community. Jan Davies has been instrumental in bringing about this program.
We have also worked closely with the environment officers of Council to ensure that significant and precious remnant roadside native vegetation and rare flora is properly managed and preserved. This is very important in the face of increasing urbanisation and clearing. Thank you to Jane Pammer for leading us on this.
On the matter of seminars, on November 12 we will be hosting a briefing from the CFA on “ Understanding the Fire Rating System “ which is based on their research findings in this area.
We continue to work with other community volunteer organisations. We played a formative role in the creation of the Warrandyte Volunteers Alliance which seeks to build co-operation between volunteer organisations and promote volunteerism in the community.
Our work as one of the sponsoring organisations of the Warrandyte market continues, under the continuing leadership of Dick Davies.
Thanks Dick and to all the volunteers who turn up each market to help manage the traffic at the end of the day.
We are very grateful for the financial support given us by the market committee.
We continue our displays at the Festival, so often supported by the artistic talent of Jock MacNeish who never says no to a request for help.
Finally, our meeting space in the Community Centre continues to be a resource used extensively by the community. Bookings average around 200 per year. This facility has been a much-needed community resource.
This is my final year as President, 7-6 years after what was meant to be an interim arrangement.
In signing off I would like to record my heartfelt thanks to the stalwarts of the Association during this time who have provided the support without which I would not have been able to do the job.
So, a special thank you from me, and on behalf of our members and the community, to:
Ian Moore
Jan Davies
Doug Seymour and
Dick Davies
It has been a special privilege working with you.
Terry Tovey