FOBIF June 15th walks: the long and the short

FOBIF is offering a choice this month. Here are the details:

Long Walk: Mount Alexander

We will start walking from Old Koala Park and do an anti-clockwise circuit of about 12.3 km. A bit over half of this is off track in typical Mt Alexander type terrain. Note that this walk will leave the Community House at 9am.

Apart from undulations there are two significant climbs. The first is 160m up a spur from Whisky Gully to a lovely flat plateau which we then follow gently downhill all the way to meet Aqueduct Creek. There is also a side trip to an interesting rock cave and some large old trees along here.

The second is 270m of sustained climbing up another spur to the towers. It is quite steep and taxing, especially near the top where we will be rewarded with another interesting rock cave to visit.

To complete the circuit we follow the Goldfields Track via Dog Rocks back to the cars.

At a comfortable pace, the circuit should take about 5 hours plus breaks.

Because of the climbs it is a good solid day out requiring a little bit of fitness. In the unlikely event of weather conditions being very bad, there are some possibilities to shorten the circuit.

Enquiries: Jeremy Holland 0409 933 046

Short walk: Heroic Moss!

This more leisurely option starts at the Community House at the usual time of 9.30 am.

Here’s a chance to get a look at some of the micro miracles of the bush, mosses, which seem capable of surviving impossibly hard conditions. Welcome rain has added interest to this 2 km walk. It will focus on getting a look at a good sample of the mosses of the region, with maybe a few lichens thrown in. We’ll explore a ruined waterway near White Gum track, checking out the impressive number of mosses which have hung in through the long dry, colonising the most unlikely of places, bullet riddled cars! Great rock walls! World Heritage Erosion!

We’ll supply hand lenses and copies of FOBIF’s moss guide, but if you have your own, bring them along.

Enquiries: Cassia Read 0432357191 or Bernard Slattery 0499 624 160