Author Archives: fobif

Poverty Gully Burning [1]: what’s it for?

Posted on 6 February, 2013 by fobif

The Poverty Gully management burn [CAS 008] was a Zone 1 fuel reduction exercise covering 99.6 hectares on the Castlemaine town side of the Dingo Park road, north of Poverty Gully Track. It was conducted late last year. The Arthur’s … Continue reading →

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Poverty Gully Burning [2]: a review

Posted on 6 February, 2013 by fobif

Here are some impressions of the Poverty Gully burns. We’ve divided them into six sections, and would be interested in any further member comments. We’ve made no effort to assess the burns’ success in reducing fuel. The interdepartmental shemozzle problem … Continue reading →

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Have your say about creek flooding

Posted on 4 February, 2013 by fobif

A public meeting to get community ideas on the flood problem in our local creeks will be held on Monday February 18 at 6.30 pm at the Castlemaine Town Hall. The meeting is being held by the Catchment Management Authority, … Continue reading →

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Garden birds in Castlemaine

Posted on 2 February, 2013 by fobif

Damian Kelly has contributed this article on birds in his Castlemaine garden. To see previous posts by Damian on garden birds, click here and here. This summer has seen a much reduced number and range of birds in my garden … Continue reading →

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Rosella fledgings display their colours

Posted on 31 December, 2012 by fobif

Several Eastern Rosella fledgling recently fell out of a nest box in John and Marie’s yard at Golden Point. They landed in saltbush below where the adults fed them for a week before they finally flew off. A week or … Continue reading →

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Comeback

Posted on 15 December, 2012 by fobif

The cup moth caterpillars have come in their millions and munched away, but it seems that they’ve gone to pursue their careers as moths, and the bush is responding accordingly. Green shoots are appearing everywhere, and things aren’t looking anywhere … Continue reading →

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Catch this

Posted on 12 December, 2012 by fobif

North Central Waterwatch has released a handy Fish Field Guide for waterways in the area bounded roughly by Donald in the west, Creswick in the South, Heathcote in the east and Swan Hill in the north. Native fish are little … Continue reading →

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‘Due consideration’: does this mean, ‘Not interested’?

Posted on 1 December, 2012 by fobif

FOBIF has received a reply from the Minister for Bushfire Response, Peter Ryan. We asked him if he had considered Royal Commission Monitor Neil Comrie’s recommendation that the five per cent burning target be revised. It’s now clear from the … Continue reading →

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Burning season under way

Posted on 25 November, 2012 by fobif

With DSE starting burns around Castlemaine, it’s worth clarifying what the Department’s targets are. The following has been supplied to us by DSE for land within the Murray Goldfields district: Zone: 1. Asset protection 2. Bushfire management 3. Landscape management … Continue reading →

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We have the answer, but where’s the answer? [and what’s Hawkeye?]

Posted on 22 November, 2012 by fobif

FOBIF has had another go at finding out what if anything the Government intends to do about the Royal Commission Monitor’s suggestion that the five per cent target be revised. The letter we received from DSE Director of Fire, Lee … Continue reading →

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