Maroondah’s Christmas Trailer Raffle

Eastland roster is now open—and every helping hand will make a difference. Choose a time that suits you and join in: Eastland Rotary Christmas Trailer Raffle 2026. Click here now to SIGN UP: https://signup.com/go/aPnUmbt

Please use the link to access further information in the document: Briefing for Rotarians Volunteering at Eastland

https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000005453/en-au/files/homepage/briefing-for-volunteering/Briefing-for-Volunteering.jpg

Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs)—commonly found in commercial and retail rat and mouse baits like Ratsak—pose a severe threat to native Australian owls and other wildlife.

How the Poisoning Happens

• Secondary Poisoning: When rodents consume SGARs, the poison stops their blood from clotting. Instead of dying immediately, the poisoned mice and rats become sluggish, disoriented, and easy to catch
• Bioaccumulation in Predators: Owls (such as Barn Owls, Masked Owls, and Powerful Owls) and other nocturnal predators like Tawny Frogmouths eat these poisoned rodents. The toxins build up in the owls' fatty tissues and livers over time, causing slow, agonizing internal haemorrhaging, neurological issues, or death by starvation or vehicle strikes.
• Widespread Impact: Studies across Australia show that a massive percentage of tested dead predatory and nocturnal birds (up to 92% to 100% in regional studies, including 83% of Powerful Owls and all tested Masked Owls) test positive for lethal or toxic levels of SGARs like brodifacoum.

Safer Alternatives and Prevention

• Switch to Owl-Friendly Control: Avoid over-the-counter SGARs. Instead, use physical snap traps (placed safely out of reach of wildlife) or live-capture traps; avoid sticky traps entirely.
• Manage Property to Deter Rodents: Seal gaps in buildings, store grain and pet food in heavy-duty sealed containers, secure compost bins, and clear away fallen fruit or dense garden waste that attracts rodents.
• Encourage Natural Predators: Support local owl populations by preserving native trees and installing nesting boxes. A single owl can consume up to 1,000 rodents a year.

Policy and Retail Actions: Campaigns by groups like BirdLife Australia have pushed the national regulator (APVMA) toward stricter retail bans on SGARs, urging hardware stores and supermarkets to pull toxic second-generation rat baits from shelves.

On Wednesday 18 November we will pack 300 Christmas Hampers for Eastern Emergency Relief Network.

There will be other roles for those members who may not be able to do hampers. This includes packing toilet bags for clients and assisting with set up of toys etc.

There will be something for everyone!

We will have dinner at Casa D'Italia Pizzeria at 602 Canterbury Rd, Vermont (near the corner of Canterbury and Boronia Roads) from 6pm and go straight to EERN from there.

🎁

Monthly Newsletter

November 2nd 2026

WBG News | Events | Excellence In Business 

Awards | Whats Ahead

Edition 39 November 2026

District 9815 Conference 2027

As previously, the information about the conference is available at https://rotary9815.org.au/page/district-conference-2027 and accommodation is available at the resort where everything happens at https://www.rydges.com/rates/#/hunter-valley/ and you can use the booking code 2703ROTARY_001 to access the discounted conference rates.

The theme is 'Showtime', which gives us plenty of scope to express some creativity.

Rotaract Club of Whitehorse

We meet on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month 

7:30pm start at Melbourne Baseball Club, Surrey Drive, Box Hill.

Rotaract is a worldwide organisation of young people aged 18+ working together to change our world through community service, international understanding, professional development, friendship & fun.

https://www.facebook.com/WhitehorseRotaract