Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

One of the problems with Government policy papers is that they tend to be relentlessly positive, to want to be friends with everyone: ‘We will manage water to support a healthy environment, a prosperous economy and thriving communities, now and into the future.’

This isn’t going to be easy: the paper tells us that we can expect a long term increase in temperature, reduced rainfall and runoff and decreased groundwater recharge, and an increased frequency of drought. It also tells us Victoria’s population is likely to double to 10 million by 2051. How can more people be kept prosperous and thriving on less water?

Average rainfall change during the winter months of the year [April-October inclusive] 1986-2015

Apart from proposing increasing use of the desal plant, the paper tends to make optimistic—even grandiose— gestures in the direction of efficiency and cleverness: for example, we’re told that ‘‘Victoria’s water sector will help transform Victoria’s cities and towns into the most resilient and liveable in the world.’ A visitor to Melbourne’s vast and expanding sprawl will wonder when this transformation is going to start.

In the meantime, less grandiose solutions to the water problem aren’t approached with great urgency in this paper.

For example, the 2004 White Paper proposed a water recycling target of 20% by 2010. This current discussion paper reveals that currently 2% of ‘water for taken for consumptive purposes’ is recycled: and it makes only vague gestures at improving this figure.

Or take ornamental dams. With the explosion of urban fringe development around country towns, the number of these has exploded. The Nationals MP for Northern Victoria, Damian Drum, has estimated that “…In our part of the state as much as 124 billion litres of water a year don’t make it to our creeks and streams because of the explosion in small, mostly unlicensed dams.”

This has been a concern for many years. So what’s the discussion paper say? ‘This discussion paper proposes a review to consider the introduction of a reasonable use limit, in consultation with the community.’ [page 108] That is, let’s talk some more. Consultation is great, of course: but how long should it go on before you actually decide to do something?

We should say right off that this paper’s an advance on the 2013 strategy in that it confronts the question of climate change, something the Coalition government habitually covered up with the gormless phrase, ‘natural climate variability.’

There are some things in it which are disconcerting, however.

One is the role of the desal plant. It’s hard to see how use of this heavy emitter sits with the paper’s stated aim of achieving ‘carbon neutrality’ for the water sector.

Another is confirmation that the Murray Darling basin plan will deliver 2,750 gigalitres of water back into the system as environmental flows. This is maybe half of what scientists say is necessary to keep the system viable: but the paper confirms that more will only be available if it can be delivered ‘with neutral or positive socio-economic effects.’ This is peculiar logic: if the river system dies, or goes into steep decline, wouldn’t that have an extremely negative ‘socio economic effect’?

The discussion paper, packed as it is with charts and diagrams, isn’t an easy read—but it’s hard to find a more important subject to think about–so if you have the time, put in your oar.  FOBIF will be making a short submission to the discussion.

Click on image to view the whole leaflet.

Harcourt Valley Landcare group and FOBIF are proud to announce the release of the local weed guide. This guide is intended as an introduction to some new and established weeds in the Castlemaine region. It gives a brief description of eight weeds you might see in and around our bush and agricultural areas and helpful links to further reading and websites with more information. Hopefully the guide triggers the treatment of these get away species. 

If you haven’t seen it already, go down to the Castlemaine Market building and have a look at Deanna Neville’s exhibition, A camera and a creek: glimpses of the Muckleford Creek, accompanied by reflections on the creek’s past and present by local residents. A short introductory note by Muckleford Landcare’s Paul Hampton sums up the excellent photos: the pictures of ancient trees clinging to eroded banks are both ‘disturbing and awe-inspiring’. The exhibition runs till April 29.

FOBIF has made a submission to Vicroads on the Safe Roads project, which aims to reduce ‘run-off roads’ accidents, mainly by installing barriers and removing vegetation likely to be on the end of a crashing vehicle.

Our submission aims to preserve the safety benefits of the project while minimising damage to vegetation. The substance of our submission follows:

‘For historical reasons, highway corridors in this region are valuable reserves of large trees, of a size not common in state forests and other reserves. Further, even trees rated as ‘medium’ by statewide standards, are relatively large in this area, and worth considering as highly valuable.

‘We appreciate your engineers’ efforts to minimise vegetation removal for this project, but we believe that the emphasis of the project is too heavily on coping with run off road accidents, and not enough on avoiding them.

‘We agree that saving lives should be the main focus of this, as of any highway project. But in our opinion driver behaviour, and ways of modifying it, should be the main object of attention here: this is a winding stretch of road, and every effort should be made to persuade drivers to drive accordingly.

Continue reading →

Local ecologist Damien Cook came across an unusual road kill near the Chewton- Fryerstown road in late March: an Eastern Pygmy Possum.  According to a recent article on the Museum Victoria website,  it’s ‘listed as near threatened in Victoria; at risk from predation by foxes and cats, competition with feral honeybees and increasing fire frequency’. It’s particularly rare in the box ironbark region. The last record for here was 1993 in Elphinstone.  It’s not great that the find is of a dead possum: but we can take some positive news from the fact that the creature seems to be still hanging on in our area.

The pygmy possum can get most of its food from nectar and pollen, and relies on a diverse understorey to meet its needs.  Here, of course, is a problem: understorey and leaf litter, considered vital components of the ecosystem by environmentalists, are often seen simply as fuel by fire managers.

Eastern Pygmy Possum, photos by Renee Ellerton

FOBIF has received a response from the MAS Mayor, Christine Henderson, to our letter about the proposed off leash dog park in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. The mayor informs us that ‘Council has received and considered expert advice which confirms FOBIF’s concerns for the safety of the Eltham Copper butterfly colony. While no formal Council decision has been made, I believe that Councillors are of a mind to accept the advice and seek an alternative location for an off-lead dog park.’

The group resting at the end of the walk to the dam near the corner of the property.

The combined FOBIF/Connecting Country walk on 20 March was an enormous success. The weather was wonderful, Andrew Skeoch and Sarah Koschak’s Strangways property was the perfect location for a guided walk, and it turned out to be a great way to conclude the Feathered Five Festival. There were over 60 walkers who split into three groups led by Asha Bannon, Tanya Loos and Andrew Skeoch. Forty-one different species of birds were observed and five mammals: an Eastern Grey Kangaroo, a Swamp Wallaby, an Echidna, a Yellow-footed Antechinus and a Koala.

Photo taken by Geraldine Harris

For a full report on the walk have a look at the ConnectingCountry Facebook page which includes a series of terrific photos taken by Dean McLaren.

Thanks to Andrew and Sarah for sharing their property with us and helping to organise the day. Also thanks to the walks leaders and others who put time into organising the day.

Our next FOBIF walk will be on 17 April in the the Yapeen/Guildford plateau area. It will be guided by Max Kay with guests Julian Hollis and Maurie Dynon. More detail can be found on the FOBIF walks page. There is no need to book for this one.