Give me shelter

By Casey Neill
RAINY days will no longer be a bother for Glenfern Valley Bushlands visitors, and unsightly weeds will soon be no more.
Friends of Glenfern Valley Bushland have unveiled a new information shelter in the Glenfern Road reserve and welcomed a $20,000 Federal Government Community Action Grant to bolster its campaign to rid the 40-hectare reserve of woody weeds.
Group president Andrew Fullagar said sweet pittosporum, boneseed, Spanish heath and blackberries had almost taken over the reserve during years of neglect.
The group will use the funds over the next 12 months to target sweet pittosporum and for revegetation programs.
Mr Fullagar said the information shelter had taken some time to bring together, but was outstanding in design and functionality.
The shelter will be used to communicate upcoming friends group activities and inform visitors of the history of the reserve and its flora and fauna.
Mr Fullagar said the volunteers were indebted to Yarra Ranges Council, Melbourne Water and Streeton Ward councillor Noel Cliff for their financial support for the project.