Category Archives: News

FOBIF 2018 breakup

Posted on 26 November, 2018 by fobif

On Monday 10 December Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests is having a BBQ at Bronwyn Silver’s place in Walmer. It starts at 6 pm and the address is 1036 Muckleford-Walmer Road, Walmer. BYO * food to share, including something for … Continue reading →

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Weird attacks on National Parks

Posted on 25 November, 2018 by fobif

Public responses to the VEAC recommendations for the Central West Investigation Area are due next week [December 10]. A simple letter is enough, indicating your interest in the area in question, and your reasons for your view. The recommendations do … Continue reading →

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Whoever would have thought it? Reduction in speed brings reduction in animal deaths!

Posted on 25 November, 2018 by fobif

As a sidelight to FOBIF’s ongoing interest in vegetation clearance on the Pyrenees Highway, we draw readers’ attention to a nice item in the Midland Express [November 20]. Animal shelter managers in Elphinstone lobbied Vicroads to reduce the speed limit … Continue reading →

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Dam! We never knew that…

Posted on 25 November, 2018 by fobif

A Deakin University Phd student has claimed that farm dams are a major contributor to greenhouse gases, according to the Weekly Times [ 21/11 ]. ‘This is due to the microbes in dams, which release carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous … Continue reading →

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Pyrenees Highway: speeding, not speeding?

Posted on 19 November, 2018 by fobif

Vicroads’ proposed tree removal works on the Pyrenees Highway between Green Gully and Newstead have been put on hold pending advice from the Federal Department of the Environment [DEH] on the impact these removals might have on the health of … Continue reading →

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Nature Photography at Newstead Railway Arts Hub

Posted on 19 November, 2018 by fobif

Patrick Kavanagh, Geoff Park and Bronwyn Silver are holding a photographic exhibition at the Newstead Railway Arts Hub starting on Saturday December 2018. The expression “taking photographs” is a curious and revealing usage. In English, we don’t “make” photographs, we … Continue reading →

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Talking Fire: Reviving Indigenous Burning Practices

Posted on 12 November, 2018 by fobif

How we manage fire is an important conversation for rural and bush communities. What can we learn from how Aboriginal people used fire? Are those techniques applicable today in local landscapes that have changed a lot over the last 200 … Continue reading →

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Who lives in the Wombat Forest?

Posted on 8 November, 2018 by fobif

Gayle Osborne from Wombat Forestcare is giving a short presentation on the amazing wildlife and threatened species of the Wombat Forest at 6pm on 20 November in the Ray Bradfield Room, Castlemaine. Wombat Forestcare has spent years learning about, promoting … Continue reading →

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Deer oh deer

Posted on 29 October, 2018 by fobif

FOBIF has made a submission to the state government’s Draft Deer Management Strategy [see last week’s post]. Deer have not made a major impact in our region yet, but sightings are becoming more frequent, with recent reports from the Fryers … Continue reading →

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BirdLife Castlemaine AGM and Geoff Park presentation

Posted on 22 October, 2018 by fobif

The inaugural Annual General Meeting of the BirdLife Castlemaine District Branch will be held on 27 October. This historic occasion includes a presentation by local bird expert and photographer, Geoff Park, and a short guided bird walk. BirdLife Castlemaine AGM and … Continue reading →

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