Category Archives: News

Wild Plants of the Castlemaine District by Ern Perkins had just been made available online! The guide gives identification, locations, preferred habitats and history of hundreds of native and introduced plant species found in Castlemaine and surrounding areas. It can … Continue reading →

Parks Victoria has released the results of its engagement activity,   ‘Strengthening Parks Victoria’. FOBIF had a go at this process last year [see our posts here and here]. As is the way of these things, a lot of energy … Continue reading →

At the junction of the Old Coach Road and the Fryers Ridge Road there’s an old fenced area, about 200 metres square. The fence isn’t in bad shape, but has been knocked down in a couple of places by falling … Continue reading →

It’s always good to have an excuse to mention Silver Banksias. This time it’s the fact that they’re flowering on the Campbells Creek track right now. Readers will remember that the once abundant species was almost wiped out in this … Continue reading →

FOBIF’s guide to mosses of dry forests in south eastern Australia is being tabled at the International Bryological Congress in China this month as a model of public education efforts to bring scientific knowledge to the wider community. The presentation … Continue reading →

The site of the 1851 Monster Meeting near the junction of Golden Point Road and the Pyrenees Highway has been placed on the state heritage register. The Monster Meeting is recognised as the first time workers had stood united in … Continue reading →

This week the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio joined Aboriginal Elders from the Dja Dja Wurrung community to hold a ceremony celebrating the return of traditional burning to their lands. Cultural burns were conducted in two … Continue reading →

A healthy crowd of 35 people turned up to the FOBIF AGM on a bitter winter night last week to hear Brian Bainbridge talk on revegetation of Melbourne’s Merri Creek. Brian’s presentation was a model ecological narrative, focusing on efforts … Continue reading →

Fourteen heroic walkers braved bitter winds to do a 7 kilometre circuit in Faraday for FOBIF’s July walk on Sunday. The walk covered a section of the Coliban water race and adjacent lanes. Features included some magnificent Candlebarks and a … Continue reading →

…But we think it’s worth drawing attention to the upcoming Castlemaine Documentary film festival. The program can be found here. In particular, The salt of the earth, Wim Wenders’ film about Brazilian photographer Sebastiano Salgado, is worth anyone’s attention. It’s … Continue reading →