High Rise Homes in Buloke

The secret is now out! And the residents have started to move into their high-rise apartments.

Some time ago, a “Buloke Times” photographer spotted an impressive array of colourful birdhouses at the Donald Buloke Shire Council office, each getting a fresh coat of weather protection. The photographer was politely asked to keep a lid on the scoop, as further consultation with land management stakeholders was under way.

Now, after active participation and consultations with residents and stakeholders, and with permit approval from agency stakeholders, this prime avian and insect real estate arts installation, dubbed "The Men’s Sheds Biodiversity Trail," is being erected.

Bouncing back from the October 2022 floods, this project has been a collaborative effort across Buloke, acknowledging our acceptance that things may never be exactly the same, but through community recovery, we can create something different—something that reflects our resilience and adapts to the new environment.

The boxes were crafted by dedicated Men’s Sheds teams in Birchip, Charlton, Donald, Sea Lake, and Wycheproof as part of skills-sharing arts recovery workshops.

The boxes are more than homes for birds and insects, they are a testament to the craftsmanship and creativity of our Men’s Sheds members, and the role Men’s Sheds play in enriching our local environment, fostering community connection, mental health and wellbeing.

There was scope to include additional boxes for Berriwillock and Culgoa as part of this project, recognising these areas as among the hardest hit by the floods.

Individual residents from Watchem, Nandaly, and Nullawil have since also expressed interest in participating in another round of workshops to contribute to the trail.

Locations:

• Charlton – Walking track near Dews Lane.
• Donald – Next to levee bank near McCulloch Street.
• Culgoa – Barry Park.
• Berriwillock – Tynan Park.
• Birchip – Tchum Lake Walking Track.
• Wycheproof – Centenary Park.
• Sea Lake – Best Street opposite Apex Park.

This inception project will now possibly see more vibrant and creative bird boxes placed across the region, thanks to Buloke’s Mens Sheds, the input from Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare, Parks Victoria, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), and local Traditional Custodians, to ensure alignment with environmental and cultural considerations.