Category Archives: Nature Observations

Mysteries, activities

Posted on 3 August, 2015 by fobif

A full house turned up at the Ray Bradfield rooms for the FOBIF AGM last Monday to hear Sarah Lloyd talk about slime moulds , mysterious life forms which are neither slime nor moulds. Sarah interspersed her entertaining talk with beautiful photos … Continue reading →

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Is this the saddest sign in our region?

Posted on 5 July, 2015 by fobif

Well, we think it could be a credible nomination, anyway: an eloquent testament to past abuse of the land, painfully slow recovery, and perhaps the under resourcing of our land management bodies.  

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Seen any good flowering Ironbarks lately?

Posted on 8 June, 2015 by fobif

Ironbarks are flowering attractively along the Pyrenees Highway between Castlemaine and Chewton, but they aren’t what we’re looking for. These beautiful trees are Eucalyptus sideroxylon, Ironbarks native to country from northern Victoria through to Queensland. We believe they were planted … Continue reading →

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Look again: there’s something there

Posted on 10 May, 2015 by fobif

Those interested in getting a better look at relatively obscure elements of our bushlands should get along to the Nature Abstracted exhibition at the Falkner Gallery in Templeton Street Castlemaine. The exhibition of photographs by Bronwyn Silver concentrates on lichens, … Continue reading →

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A giant crash

Posted on 23 March, 2015 by fobif

Wild winds brought down numerous trees in the region on the last Saturday in February, including a giant poplar which fell onto the Midland Highway bridge, writing off a car and injuring its driver. The same storm caused massive limb … Continue reading →

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Golden Orb Weavers are about

Posted on 16 February, 2015 by fobif

The Golden Orb Weaver Nephila edulis is reasonable common in our local bush. At this time of year the females are mature and able to construct large wheel-shaped orb webs. In certain lights these strong webs look golden, thus the name. Their egg sacs … Continue reading →

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Happy new year

Posted on 2 January, 2015 by fobif

It’s been a dry 2014—only 473.9 mls of rainfall in Castlemaine, against a long term average of over 560 mls: and the bush is hunkering down for a long dry summer. There are still flashes of colour around the place, … Continue reading →

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‘Where the slime mould creeps’

Posted on 17 November, 2014 by fobif

It sounds like the scenario of a horror movie, but Sarah Lloyd’s, explanation of the world of myxomycetes–Where the slime mould creeps— is anything but. Slime moulds produce spores, like fungi, but they also share characteristics with animals: at one … Continue reading →

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‘What a way to make a living’

Posted on 6 November, 2014 by fobif

The insect pictured below is Harpobittacus australis, a species of scorpion fly. The creature isn’t just having some quiet down time appreciating the beauty of the Yam Daisy. It’s hard at work. The Project Noah website says of it: ‘Their … Continue reading →

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Snakes alive–and dead

Posted on 26 October, 2014 by fobif

The photo below shows an Eastern Brown snake [Pseudonaja textilis—‘brown’ is a pretty broad description: the snake can be any shade of brown from almost orange to nearly black] crossing the Irishtown Track in the Fryerstown forest last week. The … Continue reading →

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