Wattle Walk 2022 Happening This Weekend

IMAGE: This year’s Wattle Walk will feature a special guest speaker, Professor Mark Adams who will share his ground-breaking research into the Acacia.

Former Landcare Co-ordinator for Weddin and Young District Landcare Groups, Mikla Lewis has once again opened her Grenfell property for the annual Wattle Walk.

The walk is scheduled for Saturday, August 20 from 10 am to 3 pm.

Everyone will meet at the Community Hub in Grenfell, at the Visitor Information Centre on Main Street and listen to the talks and enjoy morning tea in warm comfort.

After the talks, the group will set off for the Wattle Walk field trip followed by lunch and wattle giveaway and sales at Rosemont, Holy Camp Road.

“I’ve been helping Weddin Landcare Co-ordinator, Melanie Cooper organise this year’s Wattle Walk,” Ms Lewis said.

“We’ve been running Wattle Walk since 2012.”

“We haven’t been able to run them for the past three years.”

“In 2020, we made a video that can be found on the Landcare website.”

Ms Lewis said the walks came about to promote wattles and their value. “They’re really important to biodiversity,” she said.

“They’re 60 million years old, and our First Nation’s people certainly utilised many parts of wattles.”

The Golden Wattle is Australia’s floral emblem, found on our Coat of Arms and Honours System, and, of course, they are seen in Australia’s colours of green and gold.

During the Wattle Walk, Ms Lewis said they will discuss the different types of wattles.

“We’ll go for a walk through our wattle plantings,” Ms Lewis said.

“We’ll identify different species and point out some of their qualities.”

“This year we have a wonderful guest speaker, Professor Mark Adams. I saw him for the first time at a Robin Williams show last September.”

“He was talking about the research he’s done with wattles and how they capture carbon.”

“They’re also water efficient. They capture nitrogen because they’re legumes.”

Swinburne University of Technology’s Professor Mark Adams will speak on his ground-breaking research into the Acacias’ ability to increase their carbon capture efficiencies and contribute to rainfull which has major implications for climate modelling.

Enjoy some wattleseed-inspired culinary delights, with morning tea and lunch provided.

Each participant will also go home with a complimentary wattle, and there will be extra stock for those who would like more than one.

Bookings are essential for catering purposes, so please contact Melanie Cooper on 0417 363 475, and remember to bring your own chair and water bottle.

Don’t be surprised if you see wrens, thornbills, grey fantails - whenever you plant wattles, you get birds.