Some of what FoEV has achieved since July 2023:

This list of achievements and events was tabled at the Annual General Meeting held on 26 October 2024.  If anyone would like a version you can print off, please let us know at eaglemontvoice@outlook.com.

General

The free newsletters went from weekly to monthly, with updates for important things in between.  Distribution grew from 173 in July to 196 in June.

Regular working bees held on first Saturday morning of the month.

Ryder Cheshire working bees monthly, last Wednesday morning of the month.

First Australia Post grant allowed us to establish:

· a Mothers and babies group which met every 2 weeks for several months and introduced 5 or 6 mums (and grandmothers) and their babies to each other

· a Sit and Sew craft group, which has become the Meet Up and Make It group and continues to meet monthly with 8 or 9 people most months.

Odenwald bridge/Station toilet – Stephen Lake and Pippa Griffith represented FoEV at a meeting with Minister Carbines, Councillors and a council officer at the end of April.  As we have heard nothing a follow-up email was sent recently.

Community space campaign – The Banyule Community Infrastructure Plan 2023-2033 has as Short Term (1-3 years) action “Engage the Eaglemont community to assess needs and options for multi-purpose meeting spaces”.

July 2023

Tree planting days (Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School (IGGS): substation to Ashby underpass; general day ~ 50 people, including bluestone bed)

Proposal to use the station building for community facility refused

August

Trailer funds received, order placed

Cotoneasters removed around the station (Sherwood Rd)

Gang gangs and King parrots seen

New liaison person (Simba Matshe) at Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria

September

New raised wildflower bed next to outbound waiting room

‘Makers group’ for garden art started

John nominated for Banyule Citizen of the Year

October

DKSH corporate day – they provided morning tea at the Dish, 250 plants planted

IGGS Fairy Garden houses received

Pencils installed station Entrance garden

Banksia Rd / Studley Rd grant applications refused

November

John passed away (Nov 11). Cuttings from the FoEV gardens on his coffin (Nov 27)

Collected trailer

Limited presence at the Eaglemont Sunday Market with condolences sheet

December

Installed pencil sculptures near Fairy Garden as memorial to John; and John’s sculptures next to raised garden bed.

Stall at 10 December Sunday Market

January 2024

New Committee met

Fairy Houses made by IGGS Year 4s installed on covered stand in Fairy Garden

February – Cr McKern visited

March

Visit from Kate Thwaites to inspect trailer and tour of our work (194 free newsletters)

Started working on the John Walkley memorial bench

April – IGGS Yr 4 visited.  Stephen Lake and Liz Dawson gave them an early version of the wildflower walks, and they discussed more contributions for the Fairy Garden.  They also inspected the early work on the memorial bench

May

Received a second Aust Post grant, for wildflower walks

Group of 10 attended Volunteer dinner – received $200 for benefit of volunteers (spent on working bee refreshments)

June

Fundraiser at Jane Crone’s

Memorial seat and roof installed in Fairy Garden

In the Village

Aniseed moved / Deb sold the Dish / Amon and Hayley moved on / Cat Jump opened

Two lots of filming

Bicycle hoops (outbound) still unused

Steam train (August)

Eaglemont Cellars closed at New Year

Nature play installed The Righi Reserve

Since July 2024

Now 204 free newsletters

Tree planting day – worked on bluestone bed

Working bees (5) every Saturday afternoon in August

Heritage Day Wildflower walk in August

Signs replaced and more installed

Another DKSH Corporate day, weeding and over 100 plants added in Alandale Road.

Plans for the coming year

Install IGGS story boxes trail

More Wildflower walks, more plants with labels

Continue lobbying for toilets, Odenwald Bridge, community meeting facility

Continue maintaining planted areas.