Social Walking Group in Beaconsfield Upper, Victoria | Community

Social Walking Group

Locality: Beaconsfield Upper, Victoria

Phone: +61 425 722 305

Address: 10 Salisbury Rd 3808 Beaconsfield Upper, VIC, Australia

Website: www.ubcc.org.au/social-walking-group

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24.01.2022 Our second week back and the weather looked a bit dodgy, but in the end we managed to not get wet and welcomed back some more old friends. This is always a pleasant walk, flat and wide paths, perfect for rainy or sunny days. A new dog agility zone in the off leash area since we were here last and some nice places to sit around the wetlands. One unusual addition was the spotting of a couple of snakes sunning themselves near the path, literally a few minutes after a couple of u...s were saying it was a good spot for snakes, oops To balance out the snakes, we were excited to see a couple of pairs of black swans and some big cygnets. Distance: 3.93km Time: 1hr 7min https://www.ubcc.org.au/post/toomuc-creek-walk

24.01.2022 Get the most out of your local walks https://www.treehugger.com//10-ways-get-most-out-walking-w

23.01.2022 Being active in nature is even better, just what we all need at the moment. Research from our lab and others shows that about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three times weekly can boost mood, reduce psychological distress and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety relative to those who are sedentary. When compared to antidepressant drugs, this dose of exercise is equally effective at treating stress-induced mental illness without the potential side effects of medication, such as nausea, fatigue or loss of appetite. https://theconversation.com/the-chronic-stress-of-coronavir

23.01.2022 I’m no expert, but after a bit of internet searching and reviewing the Facebook posts of a local snake catcher, I think the snakes we saw on our walk today were Superb Snakes aka copperheads. One was curled up having a snooze in the sun, the other was stretched out and moving away as we walked past (the only way out other than wading through the wetlands ). It gave us a good look, but was happy to move away into the grass to avoid us, as most snakes are. Found in relatively ...cool and cold climates in south-eastern Australia, southern Victoria, Tasmania and the islands of Bass Strait. The lowlands copperhead is the only venomous snake found above the snow line, active in weather usually considered too cold for snakes. They are particularly common around wetlands but also occur in woodlands, grasslands and heath country. A water lover, copperheads snakes are at home around dams, soaks, canals, drainage ditches and along the verges of roads. They feed mostly on frogs and lizards but, occasionally small mammals and birds. Copperheads are shy and prefer to avoid humans, though they live in populated and agricultural areas. If cornered, they will hiss loudly, flatten their body and flick or thrash about, usually without biting. With further provocation they may lash out, though they are slow to strike and can be inaccurate. Copperhead venom is neurotoxic (damaging nerves), ruptures the blood cells and damages the cells and muscles but rarely causes fatalities. The head of the lowland copperhead is small and not obviously distinct from the body. They normally grow to a length of around a metre but on some Bass Strait islands lengths of 1.7 metres have been recorded. The body colour is quite variable, ranging from black through brown to a dull brick red. The sides are usually paler than the back. The most distinctive feature is the white barring over a dark background on the lips. I pinched the diagram below from the Snake Catcher Victoria page which is well worth following to learn more about snake behaviour. https://m.facebook.com/profile.php Be kind to snakes and remember, most people that get bitten were trying to move or kill a snake and they are protected in all states and territories of Australia.

17.01.2022 Last week we walked at Akoonah Park in Berwick. It's always a great walk, a favourite for our dog Murphy as it has an off-leash section. This time our walk took longer than usual as we had to stop and chat to sooooo many dogs and their owners, everything from a labrador puppy to a huge but adorable Mastiff Great Dane cross. https://www.ubcc.org.au/post/akoonah-park-berwick-walk

15.01.2022 The older I get, the more I seem to enjoy time in nature

14.01.2022 We will be starting back with walks next Thursday 21st May, more details to follow

11.01.2022 I was in the area with half an hour to spare, so I stopped at Baluk Willem Nature Reserve to see if I could see any orchids. I met up with a very nice lady photographing a tiny orchid that I'd seen on another Facebook page that I could never have found by myself, it is smaller than a gum nut and hides under leaf litter. I also spotted a green hooded orchid, not sure of the species, next to a patch of tiny insect-eating plants. If you visit, make sure you stick to the paths, you never know what tiny treasure you might be stepping on.

11.01.2022 Given the weather forecast the night before, we luckily had a beautiful morning for our walk, even if the wind was a bit chilly. Lovely clear skies allowed for views well into the distance from the lookout viewing platform. The ponds were a lot fuller than the last time we were here and the water birds were making the most of it. 3km with bonus points for the walk to the top https://www.ubcc.org.au/post/pakenham-old-quarry-walk

09.01.2022 It’s yet another beautiful day outside but we are limited to where we can go. Yet we live in the most amazing area, full of nature and wildlife in our own backyards. One of my favourite parts of our walks is seeing the beautiful birds, especially when we spot one we haven’t seen before. I’ve found a new app for figuring out what they are - Aussie Bird Count. It’s used for the annual backyard bird count in October, but it has a comprehensive field guide to help identify 400 species of birds. The one I’ve been using up to now is Vic Field Guide to Victorian Fauna which has a nice simple bird identification system for common Victorian birds and other animals. So maybe spend a some time quietly bird watching in your garden and see how many you can spot.

07.01.2022 Cardinia Aqueduct Pakenham - The second week back, and we had a beautiful morning and nearly all the regulars in the group in attendance, bliss We weren’t the only ones with the idea, so the car park was quite full 1/2 hour before our start time, but with a bit of double parking in front of friends cars we managed to squeeze all the cars in. This is one of our longest walks but we all relished the challenge and enjoyed catching up with what everyone’s been up to for the la...st couple of months, which always makes the time and distance pass quickly. For more information on this walk https://www.ubcc.org.au//cardinia-aqueduct-trail-pakenham- Distance: 5.31km Time: 1hr 27min

06.01.2022 If you haven’t walked with us before, but would like to join us now, please send me a message. Should we have more than 10 people for a walk, we will split into smaller groups (which usually happens anyway ) until such time as we can all walk together.

03.01.2022 No more walking group for a while :( We are still allowed to walk locally for exercise so hopefully, you'll all keep getting out for some fresh air and vitamin D to help keep your immune system in tip-top health. Feel free to post pictures of your walks and share any nice spots you find, I'd love to see them. Check out and share out new walks page for some inspiration, and I'll try to finish adding the rest over the next few weeks https://www.ubcc.org.au/1-hour-walks/

02.01.2022 I've started a new page on the Community Centre website which will eventually show all our walks, complete with lots of detail and a route map for each one. They are also categorised, so if you are looking for somewhere to go, or want to do one of our walks by yourself, you will hopefully have everything you need to have a lovely 1 hour walk. https://www.ubcc.org.au/1-hour-walks

02.01.2022 Beginner & Advanced classes for iPad and iPhone. Something for everyone, whether you are a complete beginner, a regular user or you'd just like to make more use of your device. 10 weeks for only $25, that's just $2.50 for each 1.5hr session. Any questions, please feel free to send me a message.

02.01.2022 Make the most of lockdown by learning something new. Fun relaxed sessions on Wednesday mornings 10am - 11.30am starting this week. Just $15 for all 5 weeks and all via Zoom from the comfort of your own home, the ultimate in social distancing!

01.01.2022 Time in nature is good for all of us

01.01.2022 Our first walk since lockdown, yay! Due to the short notice, it was a small but very happy group that explored Frog Hollow Reserve and wetlands. A short but enjoyable walk to get us back in the swing of things, a beautiful spring day and black swans and baby Eurasian Coots swimming about, you can’t ask for more than that. Distance: 2.8km Time: 50 min... For more information visit our 1 hour walks website https://www.ubcc.org.au//frog-hollow-reserve-endeavour-hil