Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, Fraser A Gorman, and more have banded together to protect “a living natural history museum” just north of some of Melbourne’s most beloved live music venues, the Merri Creek grasslands.
The Merri Creek grasslands are not only a much-loved part of the northern suburbs community, but are also home to the incredible Blue Banded Bee, one of the most unique and threatened members of Australia’s lush ecosystem.
The Blue Banded Bee ‘buzz pollinates’ by banging its head in flowers 350 times per second but can only travel short distances, struggling to get between wildflower patches. Buzz pollination is crucial to the survival of wildflowers in the grasslands.
To help protect the Blue Banded Bee and the precious grasslands it calls home, The Friends of Merri Creek have launched a Pozible crowdfunding campaign and some of Australia’s favourite musicians want to give it a boost.
Jen Cloher has assembled The Blue Banded Bee Band, featuring Courtney Barnett, Fraser A Gorman, The Orbweavers, and Steph Hughes. This supergroup will perform a special one-off show at the Northcote Social Club to help promote the campaign.
“Having lived in the northern suburbs for the past 15 years, I’ve come to appreciate the Merri Creek as a green space to treasure,” said Cloher. “It’s a shared backyard for cyclists, dog owners, sports enthusiasts and all sorts of community groups.”
“I’d often see the Friends of Merri Creek out collecting rubbish or planting trees, and so I made the decision to join this year and become an active member. It’s been a great antidote for what can sometimes feel like a sad and difficult time for the planet.”
“It feels good to be doing something and learning about what’s just outside my front door.” The crowdfunding campaign will run until the end of the month and all funds will go to increasing wildflower populations to benefit the head-banging bee.
Campaign rewards include limited tickets to the Blue Banded Bee Band’s performance at the Northcote Social Club on Saturday, 3rd December, as well as artworks, exclusive campaign T-shirts, and your own wildflower patch planted along the Merri.
To find out more about the campaign or to contribute, head to Pozible now.
