Author Archives: fobif

It costs a bit to be a beach basher

Posted on 13 November, 2017 by fobif

It seems there’s a niche market for whom there’s nothing quite so enticing as sitting in your $85,000 4WD on a remote beach somewhere, enjoying the sight of your own tyre marks and muttering ecstatically, ‘How pristine is that?’ It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in News | Comments Off on It costs a bit to be a beach basher

RACV and off road driving: an answer

Posted on 6 November, 2017 by fobif

FOBIF has received an answer from the RACV to its letter about an article in RoyalAuto magazine promoting the irresponsible—and idiotic— practice of driving on beaches (see below). We complained that the article should have been corrected online, as the … Continue reading →

Posted in News | Comments Off on RACV and off road driving: an answer

Dear RACV

Posted on 23 October, 2017 by fobif

FOBIF has written to the RACV asking for clarification on its view of 4WD practices, in particular the practice of driving along beaches and other off road places [see our post]. In connection with the article we complained about in … Continue reading →

Posted in News | Comments Off on Dear RACV

Have a say about waste

Posted on 23 October, 2017 by fobif

The State Government is currently running a number of online public consultations under its Engage Victoria process. You can sign up for this easily by going to https://engage.vic.gov.au/ Two current consultations are of interest to us: one is on the … Continue reading →

Posted in News | Comments Off on Have a say about waste

The last walk

Posted on 16 October, 2017 by fobif

FOBIF’s last walk for the year took in some isolated areas in the Red White and Blue and Dunn’s Reef sections of the Muckleford State Forest. Walk leader Geoff Neville having been struck down by the flu virus which seems … Continue reading →

Posted in News, Walks | 1 Comment

Let’s go and tear up some country, fellas

Posted on 2 October, 2017 by fobif

There’s something very striking about advertisements for SUV’s: almost every one contains an image of a car either tearing up some country, plunging through a waterway, or driving along a remote beach. TV advertisements of these cars will sometimes do … Continue reading →

Posted in News | 2 Comments

Fires and misfires 1: how does a planned burn happen?

Posted on 11 September, 2017 by fobif

DELWP fire officers had two info sessions in this region last month to brief residents about the upcoming fire season, and planned burning operations. To see where these burns are taking place on the Department of Environment’s interactive map, click … Continue reading →

Posted in Fire Management | Comments Off on Fires and misfires 1: how does a planned burn happen?

Fires and misfires 2: don’t be put off

Posted on 11 September, 2017 by fobif

In spite of these gloomy considerations, fire managers can point to some significant advances over past practices. Community consultation and information is certainly taken more seriously than it was 15 years ago. And the cautious reintroduction of indigenous burning to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fire Management | Comments Off on Fires and misfires 2: don’t be put off

Fire consultations start

Posted on 15 August, 2017 by fobif

Fire Management officers are holding ‘open house’ sessions in our region in the next couple of weeks. Want to ask questions about about fire operations plans, project firefighter recruitment, firewood, pest plants and animals, traditional burning and related matters? Rock … Continue reading →

Posted in News | 2 Comments

Gold kicks off

Posted on 12 August, 2017 by fobif

It’s not just on the stock markets that gold is doing well. The wattle season is now well and truly on. Although we have interesting variations around the shire, patches of wattles in bloom are pretty well everywhere. As usual, … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature Observations | Comments Off on Gold kicks off