Acknowledgement of Country
Friends of the Box Ironbark Forests would like to acknowledge the Elders of the Dja Dja Wurrung community and their forebears as the Traditional Owners of Country in the Mount Alexander Region. We recognise that the Dja Dja Wurrung people have been custodians of this land for many centuries and have performed age old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal on their land. We acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this region.
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Recent posts
- Endanged butterflies and toadlets in Kalimna Park 22 September, 2025
- Have Your Say In Protecting Rural Land 15 September, 2025
- A walk in Kalimna Park and surrounds: 21 September 15 September, 2025
- Wildflower Season, for better or worse 5 September, 2025
- FOBIF AGM Monday 8th September 1 September, 2025
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Twenty Bushwalks in the Mount Alexander Region
Mosses of Dry Forest book
Eucalypts of the region book
Wattles of the region book
Native Peas of the region book
Responding to Country
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Endanged butterflies and toadlets in Kalimna Park
The September FOBIF walk was led by local ecologist Karl Just. Karl has completed many surveys in the Central Victorian area and has passion for the local Kalimna park and surrounds. A big group of walkers enjoyed an exploration of the Kalimna area on a blustery and showery morning.
The first stop was the fascinating story of the synergy between ants, sweet bursaria plants and the endangered Eltham copper butterfly, Paralucia pyrodiscus lucida. There are quite a few sweet bursaria plants in the park and these are vital for the survival of the butterfly and the ants.
Down a gully was a small pond that is home to an endangered frog, the Bibron’s toadlet, Pseudophryne bibronii. This small ephemeral wetland has been cleared of gorse and replanted with indigenous wetland species and eucalypts to shade the gorse out.
We walked through an open paddock area which was to be the site of a proposed intensive subdivision. A group of residents were active in saving this area and indeed some on our walk have since purchased this land to save it from being developed. A hearty round of applause thanked them.
Up the hill out of the gully we came to a sheltered area with large yellow box where we had a break and chat. A stop in a proposed burn site meant a lively discussion of burning in our local forests and how these burns are not helpful and indeed, can be very damaging to our local bush.
We had a wander down a track to the site of a rare daisy but it wasn’t out yet. Finishing the walk through a lovely patch of peas and wattles, we also found greenhoods, wax flower, leopard orchids, pink fingers, sundews and early nancys and even some fruiting moss. It was a terrific walk with a local expert. Thanks Karl Just.
You can find Karl’s work at https://www.youtube.com/@JustEcology-bc3on .
Liz Martin
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Have Your Say In Protecting Rural Land
Mt Alexander Shire Council is inviting residents to ‘have your say on rural land use’ by completing a survey. For more information about this and the link to the survey, go to the Council’s website: https://shape.mountalexander.vic.gov.au/rural-land-use-strategy/rlus-community-survey
The website states, “The Rural Land Use Strategy will identify potential areas for rural activities, rural conservation and rural living as well as provide guidelines for development on these lands.” The latter point regarding “development” is a complex one. The survey canvasses what you value about rural land and what you think are the main priorities. It asks what types of things you would like to see in rural areas, ranging from small farms, hospitality and living. There is a section on rating of impacts, such as environmental, housing pressure and impacts on agriculture. These areas reveal the competing interests in rural land uses – environmental, economic, hospitality, tourism, social and cultural. We love our rural area for values such as a healthy ecosystem and want to make sure that “development” does not degrade this.
Alarming results in the Victorian State of the Environment 2023 Report https://www.ces.vic.gov.au/soe2023 from the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability is motivation enough for us to have a say in land use wherever possible. From this report, the overall summary of status assessments; biodiversity, out of 42 assessments, one is good, six are fair and the remaining are poor or unknown; for forests, 26 assessments, three are good, nine fair with the remaining fourteen poor or unknown. “more than 14 million hectares (60%) of Victorian land has been cleared, mainly for agriculture and settlements.” ces.vic.gov.au/soe2023/key-topics/land
Another issue is farmland and the dilemma of how to maintain sustainable, local food economies. This competes with the pressure to build more homes. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/periurban-planning-failure-a-ticking-time-bomb-20150213-13dw6r.html
The Shire conducted a community consultation as part of a Rural Land Study in 2014. This provides some historical context and interesting information and maps on the various zones that are identified as Farming, Rural Living, Low Density Residential, Rural Conservation, Public Conservation and Resources, water body. https://share.google/PS84gRV8Ii0UDP8jl
To find out if your property is in a rural zoned area, go to https://mapshare.vic.gov.au/vicplan/ then type in your address and read the planning property report.
Mount Alexander Shire have provided this forum for us to let them know what the community thinks and we urge you to take this opportunity to support our environment.
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A walk in Kalimna Park and surrounds: 21 September
Join local ecologist & FOBIF committee member, Karl Just for this 3-4 kms walk where he will talk about the ecology of a few of the rare animals found in Kalimna as we walk through their habitat, including the Eltham Copper Butterfly, Bibron’s Toadlet, Brush-tailed Phascogale and Golden Sun-moth. We will descend into Happy Valley, and then wander through the Yellow Box woodlands of Moonlight Creek, a haven for many woodland bird species, before heading back up to the ridge where there are views of Tarrengower, Leanganook and Lalgambook. On the way back we will see if we can spot one of the regions rarest plant species, the beautiful Lanky Buttons daisy, and of course there will be masses of wildflowers to see throughout the walk!
Either meet at Castlemaine Community House in Templeton Street at 9.30am or Kalimna Park at 9.45am, which is just south of the intersection of Doveton Street and Kalimna Road. Google link: maps.app.goo.gl/hMqjRPR8hDceW1cg7
In order to minimise car parking on Kalimna Road, please consider car pooling from the Community House or, you may live within walking distance!
Queries: Karl Just 0434 815 374; Lisa Hall 0488 102 191; No dogs please.

Acacia genistifolia, Kalimna Park, April 12: this wattle flowers for most of the year. Do we take it for granted?
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Wildflower Season, for better or worse
It’s been a sad winter and spring so far for lovers of wildflowers in our local forest. The drought that gave us a dry winter last year continued into summer, then autumn and the winter just gone. It’s been a very harsh time, as gardeners and local bushwalkers know.
The map below shows how serious the lack of rain has been across a swathe of southwestern Victoria and across southern South Australia. The dark areas show to what extent there’s been less rain than average during the last eighteen months, to July. Just to our west the amount of rainfall compared to normal has been the lowest on record. We’re in the severe deficiency range, which is almost as serious.
The situation in the forest is dire. The usual glorious spread of our local hillsides and valleys during late July/early August has been completely absent. Rough wattle (Acacia aspera) and Woolly wattle (Acacia lanigera) can be found as dead skeletons, not just in the blackened areas close to the water channel, burnt by Forest Fire Management, but also in the untouched areas. These short-lived species will have viable seeds in the ground and no doubt we’ll see a return to late winter gold among the trees in years to come, when wet times return. But in forty years this is the first time I’ve seen a total absence of Woolly wattle, bar a few struggling specimens. The photo shows Woolly wattle in spring 2021.
The Rough wattle, so-named because of the rough feel of its leaves, is faring slightly better but has only just begun to flower, at least a month later than usual. Over the hill towards Castlemaine the larger Golden wattle with glossy large leaves is flowering well, as are the various garden escapees: Cootamundra, Ovens and other large showy wattles. It’s our delicate locals that are doing it toughest. Another factor compounding the tough times for forest plants is a mixture of hungry wallabies and the newest feral arrivals in the district, fallow deer. I suspect they could be stripping the leaves of the Woolly wattle, as well as the beautiful winter-flowering Correa. I’ve searched in vain for this winter treat, finding only one specimen out of the burn area (which had been a local stronghold). It had only one leaf and a single flower. The photo shows how it looks in better conditions.
One observation I’ve made is that every plant species will do its utmost to flower and set seed. In good conditions there will be a glorious abundance of flowering shrubs and herbaceous plants lighting up the forest floor. In dry conditions flowers will be few and far between, and each plant that flowers will do so for as short a time as possible. So it’s worth exploring the forest during Spring, whatever the weather. If you’re interested in what might be found, the Taradale Community website has a section showing the common flower species and when they appear. Go to www.taradale.vic.au/wildflowers/
If you want to know where to go walking in our local Fryers Ridge forest, the website gives directions for a number of walks from different starting points. See taradale.vic.au/explore However, the link to the map is out of date. You can buy a hard copy for $1 at the Castlemaine Visitors Centre in Mostyn St.
If you’d like to see some wildflowers but walking isn’t your thing, you can drive to the top of the main ridge of the Fryers Ridge Forest on the Taradale-Fryerstown Road. It’s a gravel road which may have a few potholes if there’s been good rain, but it’s suitable for 2WD vehicles of any size. At the top of the road where you meet the Main Ridge Road there’s a cutting. It’s worthwhile parking and getting out to look for flowers in this area. If you’re feeling adventurous you can turn left after the cutting onto the Main Ridge Road and follow it as far as Dearden Creek Track, where you turn left and descend, eventually reaching Old Drummond Road. Another left turn will take you back to the Taradale CBD. There are bends and narrow parts – watch out for oncoming vehicles who aren’t expecting traffic!
A trip along the Ridge Road in October can be a great wildflower treat, with massed bushes of flowering peas, grevilleas and other delights.
Christine Henderson
Posted in Nature Observations, News, Walks
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FOBIF AGM Monday 8th September
All welcome at our AGM, 6pm, Monday 8th September, Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine. At 6.30 Tanya Loos will speak on living with wildlife. Then a light supper and the opportunity to buy; Tanya’s book ‘Living with wildlife’; FOBIF’s excellent field guides; raffle tickets for a gorgeous lithograph of either the anticlinal fold, hakea or banksia by local artist Bev Lewis.
You can read the 2024 minutes , 2025 Agenda.
Have you thought about joining the committee? You can with the nomination form here.
If you can’t attend and want someone to vote on your behalf, use this proxy form.
More about our guest speaker-
Tanya Loos loves sharing nature knowledge about how to live more harmoniously with the animals that live where we live – and how our homes and backyards can be safe havens in a time of climate breakdown. Whether you have a bird attacking a window, a possum in the roof, phascogales harassing your chickens, or a visiting venomous snake in the backyard Tanya believes there are simple steps we can take that are wildlife friendly and make sure your place is a haven!
Tanya lives in central Victoria and is passionate about wildlife and nature! In her presentations, Tanya loves drawing from ecological science to educate and inspire people to care about wildlife and wildlife habitat. She has worked as a Woodland Bird Project Coordinator for Connecting Country and Biodiversity Projects Officer for Macedon Ranges City Council – and at present she is Avian Influenza Response Coordinator at BirdLife Australia.
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Raffle at the AGM
Bring some cash to win one of Bev Lewis’ beautiful stone lithographs.
$5 per ticket, 3 for $10
First prize gets first choice, 2nd prize second choice, 3rd prize the remaining print.
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Vale Pam Douglas
Pam Douglas died last month. She was a regular walker on FOBIF’s monthly walks since 2016, though ill health limited her participation this year.
Pam came to live in Castlemaine around then, and it became common to see her walking from her house in Grumont Street to the town, train station or library.
Pam told FOBIF walk leaders that she enjoyed and looked forward to the walks. She died alone, but we hope that the pleasure she took in the walks made a difference to her difficult life. Pam left no family connections; her affairs are in the hands of the Public Trustees, who will organise a funeral at a time and place to be announced.
Pam often commented on the FOBIF website about walks:
‘It was another fantastic walk, and the usual crowd e.g. Bernard, Bronwyn, etc. (and even myself, Pam), love our walks. Looking forward to the walking again with FOBIF next year.’ 2024
‘A very nice relaxing walk. Bernard’s sense of humour was greatly appreciated. The weather was hot and I love the goldfields forests.’ 2018
‘Beautiful walk & beautiful people.’ 2017
‘The best thing about Bells Swamp was going into the swamp. I loved walking around there in the swamp. I was surprised that Damien was only wearing sandals as the rest of us had gumboots. It was all a very good experience.’ 2016
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Fire in the landscape, much to learn…
Mount Korong Eco-Watch have been conducting a series of conversations among private landholders and others over a 10-month period about ecological practices of fire and their roles and uses in our landscapes. Conversations will be part of a community forum on September 13th in Inglewood. The aim is to explore the potential for establishing a sustainable process for sharing fire experiences and learning together for the benefit of ecosystems and communities.
Leaders of discussion at the forum will include Paul Foreman (Bluedevil Consulting/Biolinks Alliance), Terri Williams (landholder and teacher Bendigo TAFE), Oli Moraes (Galk-galk Dhelkunya Program Manager, Djaara), Peter Morison (conservationist), Karen Tymms (Trust for Nature), Dale Tonkinson (biodiversity officer CFA).
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This stone lithograph could be yours!

Bev Lewis; Anticlinal Fold
Bev Lewis, artist has donated some beautiful stone lithographs which we will raffle at our AGM, Monday 8th September, 6pm at the Castlemaine Senior Citizen’s, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine. All welcome.
Web: www.bevlewisart.com
Instagram: @bevlewis_art
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Do you have you have a bird attacking a window, a possum in the roof, phascogales harassing your chickens, or a visiting venomous snake in the backyard?
Event: talk by Tanya Loos: LIVING WITH WILDLIFE
Date & time: Monday 8th September, 6pm
Venue: Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine.
Tanya Loos loves sharing nature knowledge about how to live more harmoniously with the animals that live where we live – and how our homes and backyards can be safe havens in a time of climate breakdown. Tanya believes there are simple steps we can take that are wildlife friendly and make sure your place is a haven.
Tanya lives in central Victoria and is passionate about wildlife and nature! In her presentations, Tanya loves drawing from ecological science to educate and inspire people to care about wildlife and wildlife habitat. She has worked as a Woodland Bird Project Coordinator for Connecting Country and Biodiversity Projects Officer for Macedon Ranges City Council – and at present she is Avian Influenza Response Coordinator at BirdLife Australia.
Tanya will be sharing her passion through an entertaining presentation at the Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests AGM at 6pm on Monday 8th September at the Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine. This will be followed by a light supper and the opportunity to buy Tanya’s book ‘Living with wildlife’, FOBIFs excellent field guides and a raffle ticket for gorgeous lithographs of the anticlinal fold, hakea or banksia by local artist Bev Lewis.
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