Lions Youth Haven - Westwood Farm A.C.T.

The Lions Youth Haven at Westwood Farm (private property) is a haven for youth at risk in our community.

Objectives of the Youth Haven:

  • allow young people in situations of crisis to find a refuge and support;
  • provide support for disengaged young people where they can gain confidence and self respect;
  • provide these young people with training in basic skills which equip them better to fill their places in society as self-sufficient and productive individuals; and give these young people a place in the outdoors to learn about and develop their own dignity in an outdoor environment.

Westwood Farm consists of 200 hectares of open native woodlands and introduced pasture plants, with native grasses and groundcovers along creeklines. Neighbouring reserves include the Bullen Range Nature Reserve and McQuoids Hill Nature Reserve. The dominant woodland trees are Blakely's Red Gums and Yellow Box, which are a component of the endangered Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Woodland ecological community. Older trees and dead standing trees have hollows which provide habitat for a number hollow-nesting birds, reptiles, frogs and invertebrates. Fallen timber is left to provide habitat for invertebrate species dependent on decaying wood for their survival. Nine small woodland birds have been recorded nesting in the foliage of young Blakely's Red Gum trees on the Farm: Diamond Firetail, Red-browed Finch, White-throated Gerygone, Western Gerygone, Mistletoebird, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, Willie Wagtail and Grey Fantail. There are a number of horse agistment paddocks and a few larger stock grazing paddocks.

Significant sightings on the Farm include:

Announcements

Discussion

HelenCross wrote:
2 hrs ago
Nasty!

Gambusia holbrooki
MattBeitzel wrote:
2 hrs ago
These fish are super aggressive and nip and tatter the fins of small native fish, like gudgeons, and tadpoles. They are one of the most invasive species on the planet thanks to people thinking they control mosquitos and moving them all over the place. Their ability to have 50-100 live young every 4-6 weeks and the young being ready to breed in 8 weeks means they can rapidly dominate a waterway in warmer weather.

Gambusia holbrooki
HelenCross wrote:
Yesterday
That's good to know @Walker
I hope birds and the Rakali I have seen previously in this little creek return to eat them. I don't think there'll be any Perch or Cod released up here.

Gambusia holbrooki
Walker wrote:
Yesterday
Our native fish , Goldern Perch & Murray Cod feed on these species , the key to this is having a strong fingerling release to keep invasive species in check.

Gambusia holbrooki
Walker wrote:
Yesterday
A great shot of Gambusia Holbrooki !

Gambusia holbrooki
1,906,591 sightings of 21,350 species from 13,159 contributors
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We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.