Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

Fryers Ranges Walk

Posted on 20 October, 2025 by fobif

The final FOBIF walk was a delightful stroll up and down the ridges through the beautiful forest of Fryers Ranges. We saw lots of wildflowers and thanks Frances for identifying and explaining key indicators and conditions of different plants. These included:

A lot of the shrubs and grasses have been heavily browsed by animals. In an effort to deter browsers, some plants had made themselves very prickly (Hedge Wattle) or awful to taste (Bitter-peas) and even these were browsed!
The Downy Grevilleas were looking a bit sparse, but still valiantly pushing out their red and yellow flowers to attract pollinators.
Common Billy Buttons and Wax-lip orchids were flowering on short stems as a result of the extended dry weather.
The native peas were putting on a good show: Purple Coral-pea, Bushy Parrot-pea, Large-leaf Bush-pea and Hill Flat-pea.
Broad-leaf Peppermint trees bore spherical bundles of cream flowers and distinctive new, red foliage.
White flowers were abundant in places: Fairy Wax-flower, Common Beard-heath, Early Nancies, Bushy Needlewood, and Common Heath (that we all agreed should be called Impressive Heath to match the botanical name Epacris impressa).
Gold-dust Wattle and Hedge Wattle added their bright yellow ball flowers to the scene.
Near Dearden Creek we saw Rock Ferns, Bracken and Maidenhair Ferns.
Basal leaves of orchids and swathes of the soft foliage of Blue Pincushions could tempt walkers back in a few weeks time to see different flowers.

Noel heard a lot more birds than we did.

Thank you Christine for leading us through your backyard and also paying homage to a magnificent Candlebark tree by leading us in song to the tune of Frère Jacques:
Mother tree
We love you
Long may you grow here
Strong and true
(all lines sung twice).

Bird list: Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-throated Treecreeper, Rufous Whistler, Long-billed Corella, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Crimson Rosella, Grey Fantail, Grey Shrike-thrush, Striated Pardalote, Spotted Pardalote, Kookaburra, Little Raven, White-winged Chough, Grey Currawong, Shining Bronze-cuckoo.

Plant’s noted in flower: Grevillea alpina Downy Grevillea, Glossodia major Wax-lip Orchid, Tetratheca ciliata Pink Bells, Craspedia variabilis Billy Buttons, Caladenia fuscata Musky Caladenia, Platylobium montanum Hill Flat-pea, Philotheca verrucosa Fairy Wax-flower, Microseris walteri Yam Daisy, Thysanotus patersonii Twining Fringe-lily, Drosera auriculata Tall Sundew, Leucopogon virgatus Common Beard-heath, Wurmbea dioica Early Nancy, Veronica plebeia Trailing Speedwell, Lomandra longifolia Spiny-headed Mat-rush, Luzula meridionalis Field Rush, Pelargonium rodneyanum Magenta Stork’s-bill, Chiloglottis valida Common Bird-orchid (buds), Bulbine bulbosa Bulbine Lily (buds), Stackhousia monogyna Creamy Candles, Hakea decurrens Bushy Needlewood, Pultenaea daphnoides Large-leafed Bush-pea, Dillwynia sp. Parrot-pea, Epacris impressa Common Heath, Leucopogon fletcherii Twin-flower Beard-heath, Hibbertia fascicularis Bundled Guinea-flower, Caladenia carnea Pink Fingers and Eucalyptus dives Broad-leaf Peppermint.

Thanks to Liz Martin, Frances Cincotta and Noel Young for their contributions.

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Heroes

Posted on 19 October, 2025 by fobif

Anyone wandering the desolate tracks separating Kalimna Park from the Moonlight Flat pine plantations to the north east this week will see a remarkable sight: beautiful patches of Rough Mint Bush flourishing on apparently sterile rocky surfaces–sometimes right in the middle of the track! The Mint Bush is one of those which may be the frustration of the gardener: spectacular in the most unpromising of environments, it’s not so easy to grow in the civilised conditions of a garden. It’s particularly impressive right now, given that the bush is looking pretty stressed by the dry.

Prostanthera denticulata, Kalimna Park, October 2025: it’s a strikingly rich sight in our stressed bushlands.

You don’t have to go over to the pines to see the Mint Bush, however: if you check out walks 1 and 2 in FOBIF’s walks guide: the Kalimna Circuit Walk, and Kalimna North End, you’ll find Rough Mint Bush in flower there—and in company with lots of Chocolate Lily, Grey Everlasting, and sundry other flowering plants.

Rough Mint Bush can be found scattered around our region. It can be locally abundant—if you see one, you’ll probably see a crowd.

And while I’m on it, there’s another local plant which is described in the late Ern Perkins’s online plant guide, https://www.castlemaineflora.org.au/, as ‘scattered and sparse’ in our region: Rosemary Grevillea. It’s common enough as a garden specimen, but when you see it in the bush, the experience can make your day. The photos below were taken along the Campaspe river.

—Bernard Slattery

Grevillea rosmarinfolia, Campaspe river valley, October: it’s a common garden specimen, but to see it in the bush is special. Photo; Duncan Sharpe

Rosemary grevillea, Campaspe river valley, October. Photo: Duncan Sharpe.

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Do you know a great walk in the local region?

Posted on 13 October, 2025 by fobif

So much is revealed about our local places when we venture out on foot. That is the main purpose of the monthly FOBIF walks. The 2026 calendar of walks is now being organised. Do you know a great walk in the local region? Great can be many things – wonder, curiosity, beauty, fun and enjoyable. Would you be interested in leading or co-lead a walk? Get in touch with Gen Blades, our friendly walks coordinator 0431 371 065.

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Fryers Ranges walk this Sunday 19th October

Posted on 13 October, 2025 by fobif

This month’s walk will be in the eastern slopes of the Fryers Ranges. We will begin from a spot inside the forest on the Taradale-Fryerstown Road. From there, we will follow bush tracks and traverse private land to the Dearden Creek where we’ll explore a scenic section of the creek, before picking up the Dearden Creek track to the main ridge road. From there we’ll make our way north along the ridge on the road and side tracks before dropping back down to our parking place. We can expect to see all the usual October wildflower beauties. Bring drinks and food for morning tea and lunch stops along the way. Distance is approximately 7 km.

To join in the walk, either meet at the Community House in Templeton Street at 9.20am in time for a 9.30am departure or, meet at Taradale Main Street opposite the Metro fuel station at 9.45am. Carpooling is encouraged due to limited parking at the starting point. Enquiries: Christine Henderson 0417 529 392 or Gen Blades 0431 371 065

Common Cassinia, Fryers Forest, January 1 2015

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Endanged butterflies and toadlets in Kalimna Park

Posted on 22 September, 2025 by fobif

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

Posted on 15 September, 2025 by fobif

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

Posted on 15 September, 2025 by fobif

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

Posted on 5 September, 2025 by fobif

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

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FOBIF AGM Monday 8th September

Posted on 1 September, 2025 by fobif

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.