Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests is having a BBQ at Bronwyn Silver’s place in
Walmer on Monday 14th December. It starts at 6 pm and the address is 1036
Muckleford-Walmer Road, Walmer.
BYO
* food to share, including something for the BBQ if you like
* plates, glasses, cutlery
* drinks
* a chair
All FOBIF members and supporters are welcome.
Enquiries Bronwyn: 0448 751 111.
For the sixth year our friends at the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club is the host for our region’s participation in this annual mega 4-day Citizen Scientist project. Right across the Southern Hemisphere people will be out joining the scientists who desperately need our help to build the scientific databases so necessary for better understanding and management of our local and global environments.
Join the GSB 2026 from midnight 27th November to midnight 30th November. Take your phone or camera into the bush, the park or your garden and record images or sounds of all the wild animals, birds, insects, plants and fungi you can find. You might even find a tiny resin bee, Megachile aurifrons, just like the beautiful little fellow above in the banner. He was photographed by native bee specialist extraordinaire Lynda Wilson in her garden, on a Westringea flower.
Adding your observations to the databases is easy. Simply download the iNaturalist app to your phone or laptop and upload your photos or sound recordings. They will be automatically allocated by their location to Great Southern Bioblitz 2026 – Castlemaine Region.
You might also like to attend one of the GSB special events below to learn from the experts about our amazing local species and/or how to use iNaturalist and add your observations to the global iNaturalist database.
Special Events:
Saturday November 14 th 2026 1.30pm Meet northern end of the car park north of the Railway Goods Shed, Kennedy St. Castlemaine. Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club Monthly Excursion, visitors welcome.
“Bioblitz preparation, use of iNaturalist in the field at Walmer Forest Reserve”
Saturday November 28 th 2026 8.30am to late morning. Morning tea provided.
Red, White and Blue Recreation Area, Muckleford State Forest
“What’s that Bird/Bug/Flower? Learn how to use iNaturalist to explore the natural world”
Building on the success and fame of last year’s Red, White and Blue event, your guides for 2026 will be:
Patrick Kavanagh, creator of stunning bird and macro insect photography;
Andrew Skeoch, nature sound recordist from Listening Earth, who invites us to listen deeply and learn from nature; and
Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives, whose breadth and depth of knowledge about local flora is rich and outstanding.
The citizen science movement involves millions of people around the world noticing, recording, and documenting their observations. Every observation counts as we continue to add to the biodiversity databases, discovering and learning more about the non-human species with whom we share the planet and its future.
Flourishing fungi
At the recent Annual General Meeting held at the Ray Bradfield rooms on Monday 19th
October, the President’s report provided examples of the range of activities that FOBIF have been engaged in over the year in the areas of advocacy, education and activism.
This year, two committee members have had to step down due to personal reasons. We thank Christine Henderson and Sarah Day for their contributions. The election of office bearers and the committee for 2027 was confirmed and appear below with a brief biography. All bring a great mix of experience and skills to FOBIF.
President: Gen Blades
In the fifteen years Gen has lived in Castlemaine, she has developed a deep appreciation for the Box-Ironbark forests and its ecosystems primarily through walking. Gen has had a long career in teaching outdoor and environmental education in schools & universities and brings a passion for education to FOBIF.
Vice President: Frances Cincotta
Frances has been running an indigenous nursery (Newstead Natives) for 26 years and
supplies many of the Landcare groups, MAS Council, Connecting Country, farmers and
gardeners with local provenance plants for habitat restoration.
Secretary: Lisa Hall
Lisa lives in and loves the forest. After working in landscape architecture and outdoor
education she now has time to volunteer in her favourite organisations.
Treasurer: Carolyn Crowther
Carolyn is a passionate forest lover and resident of Spring Gully, Fryerstown, who brings her extensive experience from publishing and finance to FOBIF.
Committee members:
Chrissi Charles (ongoing)
Chrissi is a well-qualified vegetation ecologist with a Degree in Plant Science & a Masters of Ecosystem Management and Conservation.
Karl Just (ongoing)
Karl is local ecologist legend, with a background in botany and zoology. He is dedicated to
environmental advocacy and nature restoration and has a great podcast Just Ecology .
Sean McConnell (new)
Sean grew up in the Riverina, surrounded by the bush and developing a love for the natural world. He took this passion to study and work, completing degrees in landscape architecture and ecosystem management. Sean worked for several years as a biodiversity assessor at DELWP/DEECA and now works for DJAARA in mining-related environmental matters.
Catherine Jerome (new)
The unique Box-Ironbark forests of Central Victoria have been Catherine’s home for most of her adult life. Along with personal reading, events and group memberships she has also
learned from friends working in their different environmental fields to understand and
protect our local ecosystems. As a local teacher she promoted the environment curriculum
across her schools. As part of FOBIF she is keen to advocate for and contribute to the groups purpose and goals.
Allan Evans (new)
Allan grew up in Taradale, next to Fryers Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve. That’s where he fell in love with the local forests! Now he is a qualified climbing arborist A E Tree Care working in the local area. Allan is also a keen walker, living in Castlemaine.
Friends of the Box-ironbark Forests are having their annual end of year gathering on Monday 14th December. Join us for a BBQ at Bronwyn Silver’s place in Walmer. It starts at 6 pm and the address is 1036 Muckleford-Walmer Road, Walmer. More details to follow.
All FOBIF members and supporters are welcome.
Enquiries Bronwyn: 0448 751 111.
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