“The Old Huntly Pound is a bush block that operated from 1867 as a municipal pound reserve for the keeping of stray livestock.  As such, it has never been developed and now stands as a very significant piece of remnant bushland within Huntly’s town centre.  The Northern Bendigo Landcare Group along with the Bendigo Field Naturalists Club place high value on the site and see it as a wonderful community resource.  Over the last few years the Landcare Group has collaborated with both the Huntly Primary School and the Huntly Kindergarten to offer excursions to the site where students have learnt about the flora that once graced the whole of Huntly where houses now stand.  The site has slowly recovered from its days as a Pound and now boasts a variety of understorey species (Golden Wattle, Gold Dust Wattle, Whirrakee Wattle, Cassinia, Saltbush, etc) under the canopy of established Yellow Gums.  The Landcare Group have worked with students on revegetation, installation of nest boxes, weed control (Gazania) and bird identification.  The Huntly Kindergarten uses the site for outings as part of their Bush Kinder program giving children regular opportunities for nature play and the many and varied benefits that provides.  Pictured here are students from the Huntly Pre Kinder group participating in a National Tree Day activity thanks to the generous donation of these trees (100)  from Bendigo Funerals” Nicole Howie, Secretary, Northern Bendigo Landcare Group. What a wonderful community project for the residents of Huntly. Thank you Nicole for sending in the narrative about Huntly Pound. Simon Mulqueen from Bendigo Funerals has been a long time supporter of our native heritage. Over the past 3 years, Simon has generously donated the funds for 100’s trees (and tree guards) to various community groups in both Bendigo (and Ballarat) to help revegetate their local nature reserves. This time round, Nicole Howie and her landcare group were the recipients. Simon plants one tree for every service he conducts. He does this as a community kindness and does not charge the families. Thank you Simon for your generosity and vision. Slainte – Colleen