Loop walk from Crusoe Reservoir

Posted on 21 October, 2024 by fobif

One highlight of Sunday’s walk was our lunchtime view south from Big Hill. Along the highway to Bendigo, we often see Big Hill from the highway, but rarely get up close. From on Big Hill could see back past Castlemaine to all the hills beyond, from Mt Ida near Heathcote in the east, all the way round to Tarrangower in the west. We then climbed to the top of Big Hill where there is a cairn. Interestingly, the top of Big Hill is marked on all the maps downhill from the knoll.

Euan Moore led 14 of us on an interesting loop from Crusoe Reservoir to No 7 Reservoir then to High Level Reservoir and then back to Crusoe via Big Hill. This infrastructure is part of the Coliban Water Scheme and additional information about this and many of the discarded relics, was supplied by Stephen Charman (The Coliban Main Channel; a walking guide).

Grevillea dryophilla (Goldfields Grevillea), a rare type of holly grevillea, was growing in a number of locations between the reservoirs and we were lucky to see one in flower.

Aside from this, given the dry spring season, there was not a great diversity of flowers but plenty of sticky (Xerochrysum viscosum)and grey (Ozothamnus obcordatus) everlastings. The grey everlastings have yellow flowers which turn grey as they age.

We detoured back past the home of an owlet nightjar, who sadly was not home at the time of our visit, but many other birds were heard and seen. Finally, back along Crusoe Reservoir where many were enjoying the beautiful sunny day on the water.

Report by Lisa Hall. Photos also by Lisa except the group photo by Jenny Rolland.

Bird list by Euan Moore

2024/10/20 10:05 – 2024/10/20 15:19
Elapsed Time: 5:13:33
Distance Travelled: 11.1km

Checklist Used: VICTORIA – Species: 39, Sightings: 39
Australasian Darter, Australian Magpie, Australian Raven, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Black-fronted Dotterel, Black Kite, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Common Bronzewing, Crested Pigeon, Crimson Rosella, Eurasian Coot, European Starling, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Golden Whistler, Gray Butcherbird, Gray Currawong, Gray Fantail, Gray Shrikethrush, Little Raven, Magpie-lark, Noisy Miner, Olive-backed Oriole, Pacific Black Duck, Red-rumped Parrot, Red Wattlebird, Rufous Whistler, Scarlet Robin, Silvereye, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Superb Fairywren, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Weebill, Welcome Swallow, White-throated Treecreeper
White-winged Chough

Also:
– Eastern grey kangaroo
– Australian Painted lady butterfly
– Caper White butterfly
– Common Grass-blue butterfly
– Heath Ochre butterfly
– Painted Cup-moth caterpillar

This was our last FOBIF walk for the year. The  2025 walks program will be available in January. 

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Planned burns and threatened species

Posted on 14 October, 2024 by Karl Just

Readers may be interested in this article from The Guardian, which documents how a planned burn proposed for an area of Box Ironbark Forest at Whroo (near Rushworth) has been cancelled following a community-led ecological survey. The planned burn was scheduled to take place in autumn 2025, however the survey, which was commissioned by Kinglake Friends of the Forest, found that the burn area contained the only known site for the endangered Bald-tip Beard-orchid (Calochilus richiae). There are less than 10 plants remaining of this species, and the survey ecologist considered the burn to have a high likelihood of causing its extinction: link to article

FOBIF have been advocating for more sensible fuel reduction burning in our region for many years and are very concerned by the impacts caused to our precious flora and fauna. Over the years we have seen resources for biodiversity monitoring and survey dwindle, and the lack of due diligence, surveys and database checks prior to planned burns is a major issue. In 2019, Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) planned to burn a large area of Kalimna Park to the east of Castlemaine, however it took another community-led survey to show that several areas within the planned burn area supported the endangered Eltham Copper Butterfly.

We will continue to advocate for FFMV to do their own background work to ensure that sensitive species are excluded from planned burns. If the community can do it, then so can they.

There is currently a planned burn scheduled for the Maldon Historic Reserve for 2025, and we note that one of the regions most endangered plant species, Lanky Buttons (Leptorhynchos elongatus) has previously been recorded within the proposed burn area. We will be writing to FFMV to determine if any surveys have been undertaken to ensure this species is not impacted.

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Final 2024 FOBIF walk, 20 October

Posted on 13 October, 2024 by fobif

Euan Moore will be leading next Sunday’s walk in the Crusoe Reservoir/Big Hill area. The walk will longer than usual (12km) and there will be some climbing. You  can see more detail on our walks page. 

People should bring lunch and the normal walking gear.  

We will be leaving in convoy as usual at 9.30am from the Castlemaine Community House. However Bendigo people might prefer to meet at Crusoe Reservoir at 10am. The meeting point at Crusoe Reservoir will be the main carpark off Crusoe Road.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/K4xBSTgM8JSUBSta6  Plenty of parking there and a toilet.

Hopefully the weather will be kind and there will be a few flowers out.

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Introducing the amazing new tool – PLANT SELECTOR

Posted on 5 October, 2024 by fobif

Calling all gardeners in the Mount Alexander Shire! PLANT SELECTOR is your essential tool for choosing indigenous plants that will not only thrive in your garden but also support local wildlife. With expert local plant knowledge at your fingertips, you’ll be able to confidently select from 100 native species adapted to the unique conditions of our region.  

Many of us make hasty choices in nurseries, resulting in wasted money and very dispiriting results. Use PLANT SELECTOR to identify the right plant for you, your garden and for the environmental conditions of your site. Simply filter the list of 100 plants to find the plant you need, based on criteria that include plant height, tolerance to drought and waterlogging, horticultural uses and the wildlife that you want to attract and support through habitat creation. By growing local plants in local gardens, you can help create win-win landscapes that support both the wellbeing of people and biodiversity in our shire.

This tool was created by Dr Cassia Read at the Castlemaine Institute. Over many years, Cassia recorded ecological and horticultural information about local species suitable for gardens. This information has now been made accessible to all gardeners in the Shire, as a searchable online tool. Development of this tool was made possible through support from the Mount Alexander Shire Council’s Community Grants Program. Local plant experts Frances Cincotta (Newstead Natives) and Ian Higgins (Friends of Campbells Creek) rigorously reviewed the tool and provided local insights about growing these plants. Frances also shared her records of local flowering times. Cassia continues to maintain and update the website.   

All plants included on this website are found growing naturally across Djandak (Dja Dja Wurrung Country). We acknowledge the work of Dja Dja Wurrung in caring for Djandak over millennia and we hope that Plant Selector will support the essential work of healing this upside-down Country.

To use the tool visit: https://ci.org.au/plantselector

A flyer for PLANT SELECTOR can be found here

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A walk in the Fryers Ranges

Posted on 20 September, 2024 by fobif

The weather and the wildflowers put on a fantastic show for September’s wildflower walk in the Fryers Ranges on Sunday September 15th. After a cold start to Spring, the bright sun, hilly track and stunning array of flowering trees, shrubs and herbs were a welcome reminder of the change of season and the warm weather to come.  

Pink Beard-heath (Leucopogon ericoides) and Rough Wattle (Acacia aspera) sharing a patch. Photo Chrissi Charles

Starting on the corner of Fryers-Taradale Road and Fryers Ranges Road, Christine Henderson led the group of around 20 keen walkers on a 7km loop. The group started in a patch with a Red Box (Eucalyptus polyanthemos) and Red Stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha) overstory, but eyes quickly started pealing to the ground to take in the array of flowering shrubs and herbs giving off a show of purple, pink, red, yellow and white flowers.

Twin-flower Beard-heath (Styphelia fletcheri) was in its full white flowered glory sharing space with it’s cousin Pink Flowered Beard-heath (Leucopogon ericoides). The bush was full with a variety of yellow flowering Wattles, yellow and red Dillwynia flowers, red Downy Grevilleas (Grevillea alpina) stunning Pink Bells (Tetratheca ciliata), and a scattering of teeny herbs including Early Nancy (Wurmbea dioica), native Billy Buttons (Craspedia variabilis) and one solitary Dusky Fingers orchid (Caladenia fuscata).

The group moved at its own pace with the keen newbies picking the brains of the experienced locals and everyone enjoying the sunshine and changing landscape.

Exploring such a beautiful part of Djaara country was a reminder of the beauty that can be found in a landscape still recovering from its not so distant history of logging and the impacts of the gold rush.

Chrissi Charles contributed the above article

Birds noted by Noel Young
Grey Currawong
Grey Shrike-thrush
Yellow faced Honeyeater
Spotted Pardalote
White-throated Treecreeper
Grey Fantail
Rufous Whistler
Crimson Rosella
Scarlet Robin
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
White-winged Chough
Mistletoe Bird

Euan Moore will lead the last FOBIF walk for the year on 20 October to Crusoe Reservoir/Big Hill. Check out the walks page for more information. 

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