FOBIF members are cordially invited to the 2014 AGM, which will be held at the Castlemaine Continuing Education Centre in Templeton Street, at 7.30 pm on Monday August 11.
Elections will be held for positions on the FOBIF committee: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and ordinary members. Financial members wishing to nominate should forward their signed nomination, countersigned by a mover and a seconder, both financial FOBIF members, before the above date.
Over 100 people packed into the Phee Broadway Theatre foyer last Saturday for the launch of FOBIF’s latest publication, Mosses of dry forests of south eastern Australia. The book was launched by Frances Cincotta, after co author Cassia Read had given a colourful account of the book’s genesis and progress into production.
Frances Cincotta launching Mosses of dry forests…: ‘Mosses are no longer in the too hard basket: they’re in the heavy basket with all the other flora guides where they belong.’
In speaking to the launch of the guide, Frances gave an informative account of the context in which this little book is appearing. We reproduce her talk here:
‘I am delighted to be asked to launch this beautiful little book. I guess I was chosen because of being an enthusiastic promoter of our local indigenous plants since moving to central Victoria in 1990. So I’ve had the privilege of being one of the first to see the finished product of all the labours Cassia has just described. The book is such a pleasure to read, is user-friendly, and helps to fill a gap in our knowledge of local ecosystems. The first thing you notice is the quality and beauty of the photographs.
Evidence presented to the Tarran Valley panel by bushfire expert Stephen Carn on behalf of the CFA shines some light on the limits of fuel reduction. Discussing the fire risk in the area surrounding the proposed development, Mr Carn says this [among other things] about the bush in the Maldon Historic Reserve:
‘There is evidence of a fuel reduction burn north of the [Tarran Valley] subject land and north of Pipeline Track and west of Tatt Town Track. Records indicate that burn occurred in 2010 and from examination would have had the object of reducing the amount of bark fuels on stringybark trees.
‘Examination of the area indicates that the benefits of that burn have been lost through time and has also resulted in an increase of near surface and understorey fuels.’
Fuel reduction zone near Pipeline Track, June 2014. The land was burned in 2010, but the effect of the fuel reduction is now lost. The CFA’s fire expert speculated about the purpose of the fuel reduction burn: it seems he didn’t have access to DSE burn plans, or to their post burn assessment.
The second of these paragraphs is quite confusing: it could mean that the fuel reduction exercise actually caused the increase in fuel, or it could mean that time has brought about this result.
On Saturday May 30 the Friends of Kalimna Park were given a Certificate of Appreciation by Parks Victoria for 30 years of dedicated work for the Park. Friends of Kalimna Park began in 1971 as the Kalimna Park Preservation Committee. Since then the group has monitored the Park and assisted with its maintenance and protection, including weeding and revegetation and numerous advocacy, monitoring and educational activities.
![Friends of Kalimna members Polly Woods, Robyn Lewis, Bernard Slattery and Geoff Hannon, flanked by Park Ranger Noel Muller [left]and Regional manager Craig Stubbings [right]](https://www.fobif.org.au/admin/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/5319034-768x1024.jpg)
Friends of Kalimna members Polly Woods, Robyn Lewis, Bernard Slattery and Geoff Hannon, flanked by Park Ranger Noel Muller [left]and Regional manager Craig Stubbings [right]
Bendigo environmentalists are campaigning to have the status of the Wellsford forest upgraded to give it a chance to recover from long term over exploitation. The Wellsford Forest Conservation Alliance has widespread community support: their recent Big Trees Walk attracted 109 participants!
For a look at their terrific Facebook page, illustrated by some eloquent photos, go to https://www.facebook.com/wellsfordconservation
To keep abreast of how things are in the wetter forests to the south of our area you can’t do better than check on the activities of Wombat Forestcare at http://www.wombatforestcare.org.au/
The website gives access to the group’s fantastically informative and entertaining newsletter, the latest edition of which is devoted to fungi of the Wombat.
FOBIF’s submission on the proposed Tarran Valley development near Maldon can be found here. It is a more detailed statement of the case summarised in our April 29 posts on this matter.
Further submissions by the developer to the panel concentrate the proposed housing, and move it further from surrounding bushland: this altered proposal seems to have weakened reservations about the fire risk by the CFA and DEPI. The latter, however, in its latest submission, repeats what it said, confusingly, before:
‘It is DEPI’s experience however that at some time in the future residents of the subdivision would expect DEPI to undertake greater levels of fire management within the adjoining [Maldon Historic] reserve if inconsistent defendable space is imposed within the subject land.’
It’s not clear what the Department means by ‘inconsistent defendable space.’
The panel will bring down its decision within a month.
Starting and finishing at the Oak Forest, Doug Ralph led the group of about 20 around the western flanks of Mt Alexander, taking in 2 or 3 disused granite quarries. Doug related some interesting stories from the history of these quarries, and Prof. Julian Hollis gave us a brief synopsis of his current geological research into a mineralogical relationship between the granite of Mt Alexander and volcanic rocks which have been drawn from deep in the crust and ejected at Mt Franklin.
Along the way we came across Echidna diggings and eventually caught one of the perpetrators in the act. Many birds were about, including Australian Raven, Magpie, Crimson Rosella, Currawongs, Galahs, Red Wattlebird, Superb Blue Wrens, Grey Shrike-thrush, White-eared Honeyeater and Thornbills.
It was a balmy autumn day, and though a relatively tough walk (some of it was off track) it was enjoyed by all who participated.
In the Oak Forest there were many examples of Fly Agaric fungi, (Amanita muscaria) like this one complete with footstool.
At the lunch stop, a large slab of granite was completely covered with Moss and Lichen. Such bio-crusts considerably accelerate the weathering and breakdown of rocks
Noel Young contributed this account of the walk and the photos.
The FOBIF publication, Mosses of Dry Forests in South Eastern Australia, will be launched by Frances Cincotta on 31 May. The launch invitation can be downloaded here. Everyone is welcome to attend.
An order form which includes a sample page from the book can be downloaded here.
FOBIF has produced an attractive and informative poster about Fungi of the Mount Alexander Region. The A2 poster will be available for sale ($5) at the launch of the FOBIF moss guide on 31 May.
You can also purchase it from
Beth Mellick (Norman Wettenhall Foundation), The Hub, Office 5,
233b Barker St, Castlemaine (Enter glass door on Templeton St)
or the
325 Barker St, Castlemaine
The FOBIF publication, Mosses of Dry Forests in South Eastern Australia, will also be available at these two locations.
White Everlasting Daisy (Chrysocephalum baxteri)
Slime Mould
Dunns Reef
Tall Greenhoods
Gnat Orchid
Blue Caladenia
Downy Grevillea (Grevillea alpina)
Coliban river upstream of the Gibbons bridge
Coliban river upstream of the Gibbons bridge.
Coliban river upstream of the Gibbons bridge.
Sailors Gully ruin
Loddon River near Vaughan
Cortinarius archeri
Mycena subgalericulata
Cortinarius rotundisporus
Cortinarius cystidiocatenatus,
Ramaria sp.
Pink Heath
Mount Alexander
Mount Alexander
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page