Author Archives: fobif

The future of our rural land

Posted on 7 October, 2013 by fobif

As we reported in March, the Mount Alexander Shire has been in the process of producing a Rural Land Study. The draft study is now out for consultation, and is well worth a look. You can find it on the … Continue reading →

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Culprit

Posted on 7 October, 2013 by fobif

The photo below shows cup moths congregating on a Goldfields Track post at the Castlemaine town edge, presumably taking a break from munching through nearby eucalypts. As we predicted in April, the infestation is back. Bushland at the north end … Continue reading →

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Risky business: suggesting a lot, saying very little

Posted on 7 October, 2013 by fobif

Participants in the July Bendigo fire briefing were told of a new approach to fire management, called the Bushfire risk landscapes approach. As we reported at the time, big claims were made for the new approach to fuel reduction, and … Continue reading →

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When is a ‘reform’ not a reform?

Posted on 7 October, 2013 by fobif

According to the Trust for Nature, 4000 ha of native vegetation is being cleared from private land each year. In spite of this, there has been a push among supporters of the State Government to ease laws controlling this clearing, … Continue reading →

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Fire operations: what we want is clarity

Posted on 7 October, 2013 by fobif

The planned burning season is on us. As we have regularly reported, FOBIF is not opposed to sensible, targeted fuel management. Our submission to the current Fire Operations Plan is set out below. Essentially, it asks that DEPI follow the … Continue reading →

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Website Problems

Posted on 25 September, 2013 by fobif

Due to factors beyond our control, all the posts after 13 August 2013 have been removed from the FOBIF website. We intend to reinstate them using stored copies. However this could take a couple of weeks because our main contributor, … Continue reading →

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FOBIF walk in the Fryers Ranges

Posted on 18 September, 2013 by fobif

The second last FOBIF walk for the year took place in the Fryers Ranges west of Taradale on Sunday 15 September.    A 20 minute portion of this walk was conducted as a “sound walk” during which (without speaking) we listened … Continue reading →

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AGM

Posted on 19 August, 2013 by fobif

FOBIF’s AGM saw the current committee reelected unopposed on August 12: the committee for the next twelve months is: President:  Marie Jones; Vice President:Neville Cooper; Secretary:Bernard Slattery;Treasurer:Bronwyn Silver; Committee: Frank Panter, Alex Panelli The AGM heard an instructive talk on the Post Office Hill … Continue reading →

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Burning: have your say!

Posted on 13 August, 2013 by fobif

 The DEPI planned burning program is now on the internet for public consideration. As we have previously reported, the program contains new proposed burn areas, mainly centred around settlement, and targeted as Asset Protection Zones. The program can be seen … Continue reading →

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Water: it makes a difference

Posted on 11 August, 2013 by fobif

The forty plus millimetres of rain which has fallen in our district over the last week or so has made a huge and probably temporary difference to our minor streams. Creeks which flow for only a few weeks of any … Continue reading →

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