Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

It was an important place to the Jaara people; grazed by sheep for nearly 100 years; listed as having been entirely denuded of useful trees by 1876; burned out by bushfire in 1901, and then washed out by a heavy thunderstorm which stripped the bare slopes of soil and dumped it into the Bendigo water channel: now it’s a State Park much loved by walkers, picnickers and cyclists who regularly grind their way over Joseph Young Drive.

FOBIF walkers passing a giant stringybark on Mount Alexander, August 2013: by 1876 the Mount had been ‘denuded’ of useful trees. The chequered history of the Mount will be the subject of George Milford’s talk at the FOBIF AGM.

Through all this it remains the biggest landmark in our district, and its history is the subject of a talk to be given by George Milford at the FOBIF AGM at 7.30 on Monday August 11 at the Castlemaine Continuing Education Building. Put it in your diary.

What’s a historic place?

The Victorian Environment Assessment Council is conducting an ‘Historic Places Investigation’, submissions for which are due to VEAC by September 12.

FOBIF is making a submission to this process, arguing that a historic place is not simply something old you can look at and have thoughts about the past. It’s a place in which you can see change happening, as the practices of the past are changed to suit new community needs.

Sebastopol Creek, in the Castlemaine Diggings NHP: ruined waterways on the slow path to recovery are a dramatic historic reality.

Specifically, we are arguing that the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park should be valued not simply for its evidence of gold workings, but more especially for the way it shows the spectacular environmental damage wrought in the past, and the way this damage is gradually being repaired over time.

FOBIF’s submission runs as follows:

“We wish to make a submission to this enquiry, focusing on the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park as a Historic Landscape.

“The Diggings Park was given National Heritage status in 2005. The declaration statement  goes into great detail about evidence of mining practices in this landscape. This is fully justified. What is less understandable is that the statement completely overlooked what is perhaps the most striking single feature of this landscape: that is, the ruined waterways. The environmental devastation wrought by gold fever is mentioned blandly in one sentence: ‘The degree of alteration of, and intervention in, the natural landscape makes a strong impression on visitors.’

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Twenty two walkers enjoyed a fine winter’s day for the July FOBIF walk into Muckleford Gorge on Sunday the 20th. The walk was led by Deirdre and Bernard Slattery, and the group heard an informative talk from farmer Ian Garsed before descending into the spectacular valley. Ian and his family manage the Gorge largely for conservation, and he gave an engaging account of the difficulties and rewards of having responsiblity for such an important part of the landscape.

Walkers look across the gorge to the edge of the lava flow, before making the descent. Mount Franklin is in the distance.

Although the Muckleford Creek is not flowing at this point, there are enough substantial pools to preserve the picturesqueness of the situation; and the dry sections allowed the group to criss cross the creek for easier walking–though it has to be said that some of the crossings were easier than others. Once again our thanks go to Ian for his unfailing generosity to our walking groups. Thanks also to Barb Guerin for her lucid explanations of the geological formations along the Creek. The August walk will be in the Fryers Ranges. Check the program for details.

FOBIF walkers checking out the cliffs at the bottom of the Muckleford Gorge.

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It’s a special place to the Jaara people, has been exploited for its timber and heavily grazed; and now its role is primarily for conservation and recreation. It’s the biggest place in our region: Mount Alexander.

Mount Alexander faces winter, July 17 2014: the Mount has many moods, and an interesting history, which will be the subject of George Milford’s talk at the FOBIF AGM on July 11. Photo: John Ellis

At the FOBIF AGM on August 11 George Milford will talk about the history of  Mount Alexander–more details later.

Members are reminded that nominations to the FOBIF committee are open now. Nominations should be signed by the nominee and two other FOBIF members.

For more pictures of Mount Alexander during that winter blast on the 17th, have a look at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chewtonnet/288889464550308

Several weeks ago we wrote a post about the Wellsford Forest Conservation Alliance efforts to upgrade the Wellsford Forest to national park status. The group is concerned that at present the forest, with nine 500-year-old ironbark trees, is vulnerable to logging and firewood collection.

The group have created a petition on Community Run (part of GetUp) called Protect the Wellsford Forest. They aim to present the petition to parliament in September.

Click here for the petition. The page also has links to several articles about the Wellsford Forest.