Author Archives: fobif

So: what might World Heritage status mean?

Posted on 6 February, 2025 by fobif

Readers will have noticed prominent coverage in the national press of Federal support for the proposal to get UNESCO world heritage nomination for the Victorian goldfields. FOBIF has taken a keen interest in the ongoing work on this proposal. You … Continue reading →

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Vale Richard Piesse (1942-2024)

Posted on 2 January, 2025 by fobif

Richard Piesse died peacefully on Saturday, December 28, after a short stay in palliative care at Peter Mac. Richard was a contributor to our community in multiple ways—he was a volunteer for the Chewton Domain Society and the Tourist Information … Continue reading →

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Is more fire an answer to the fire problem?

Posted on 18 November, 2024 by fobif

The 2024-5 bushfire season has started in Victoria, so it might be a good idea to draw attention to one important dimension of management practices. Readers will no doubt be familiar with this kind of notice, attached to trees to … Continue reading →

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Vale Naomi Raftery

Posted on 13 September, 2024 by fobif

It is with regret and sadness that we report the death from cancer of Naomi Raftery, FOBIF committee member for several years, and secretary from 2014-2018. In that period Naomi was an important part of all of our work, including … Continue reading →

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Fire: paying attention to the detail

Posted on 25 August, 2024 by fobif

Over 100 people packed into the Senior Citizens Hall last Tuesday to hear fire behaviour scientist Phil Zylstra question the science and logic behind current planned burning systems. The talk focused on current programs centred on the reduction of leaf … Continue reading →

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A gate? No worries. Cinnamon what? Who cares?

Posted on 3 August, 2024 by fobif

In January we reported on the closure of Loop Track in the south of the Diggings Park–a measure designed to limit the spread of Cinnamon Fungus. Track closures are a tricky matter, because there’s a constituency which believes it has … Continue reading →

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Signs: where should they be, what should they say?

Posted on 3 August, 2024 by fobif

Readers may remember our reporting of a project to put new visitor info boards along the Goldfields Track. That was two years ago, and we’ve heard nothing till recently about the state of the project. Now we believe that the … Continue reading →

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Storm landscapes

Posted on 3 August, 2024 by fobif

Visitors to our bushlands can come across them surprisingly often: patches, usually quite limited in area, in which it seems that a monster has threshed around, snapping substantial trees and spreading havoc. Storm damage: sometimes it can be terrifying, and … Continue reading →

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Journey through fire

Posted on 22 July, 2024 by fobif

A good group rocked up in threatening weather for FOBIF’s July walk in the Fryers NCR at Drummond. Grey it was, and even misty, but great for walking. It might have been cold, but of course no one noticed, and … Continue reading →

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FOBIF July 21 walk: Drummond North/Fryers Nature Conservation Reserve

Posted on 14 July, 2024 by fobif

Starting on the Old Drummond Road, we’ll take a route centred on Nener Track. This short, pretty track is the site of abundant populations of two rare plants—Round-leaf Flat Pea and Fryerstown Grevillea. The route will give walkers a chance … Continue reading →

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