FIDO has been conducting week-long working bees to tackle the urban weeds of Fraser Island for more than a decade. With support of other organisations aiming to improve the natural integrity, FIDO is determined to bring the urban weeds in the townships of Eurong and Happy Valley under control. Volunteering has progressively grown with each new event offered. Many volunteers are returning (some more than four or more times). As a result more recently our logistics have been unable to accommodate all applicants.
While the houses can accommodate up to 9 we can only provide transport from Brisbane to Fraser Island for up to 6 volunteers in FIDO’s 4WD. We can only take more if additional 4WD transport is volunteered or volunteers travel independently to the destinations.
Details of FIDO’s past working bees based at Eurong can be found at www.fido.org.au. These are both enjoyable and very satisfying projects mixing work, recreation and exploring Fraser Island. These projects are funded with grants from the Burnett Mary Regional Group for natural resource management. FIDO asks volunteers to contract to undertake a minimum of 20 hours voluntary work.
FIDO provides the transport, catering and accommodation in comfortable shared houses as well as tours of World Heritage Fraser Island. Volunteers are asked to contribute 20 hours of on-the-ground work in return. Volunteers also need to provide their own towels and bed linen. FIDO also seeks voluntary contributions to meeting some costs not covered by the grant. (tours, travel and some catering). This voluntary payment but for budgetary reasons preference is given to contributors. As a guideline we suggest $200 ($100 for concessions). This allows a more generous budget to provide a little extra and helps maintain FIDO’s 4WD.
Bush Regeneration and Monitoring — Eurong
16th to 23rd July and/or 22nd to 29th October
(Saturday to Saturday)
This program will be led by veteran bush regenerator Maree Prior. It will be based at “Talinga”, the former Sinclair family home in Eurong Village and will focus on weeding, bush regeneration and building the capacity of the Eurong nursery as well as continuing FIDO’s on-going environmental monitoring programs. This program also includes the development of a Nature Walk within the village area. John Sinclair will be pleased to show volunteers as much of Fraser Island as is possible in the time and he knows the island better than anyone else.
Weeding in Happy Valley
4th – 10th September and/or 6th – 12th November
(Sunday to Saturday)
Peter Shooter will be leading two trips to help tackle the heavy weed infestation in and around Happy Valley. A group of 8 will share one of the comfortable holiday houses in Happy Valley. The group will focus on containing a particularly aggressive weed with poisonous seeds, Abrus prectorius Var Africanus that is heavily impacting on the vegetation but isn’t found anywhere else on Fraser Island. Peter’s groups continue their long-term battle to eradicate Abrus and prevent seeds being set for another crop of this virulent weed. Fitness is needed to carry heavy chemical backpack sprays across steep terrain.