Author Archives: fobif

Hear Don Watson reflect on ‘The Bush’

Posted on 20 September, 2012 by fobif

Don Watson will be the guest speaker at this years Muckeford Landcare Annual General Meeting. ‘Xartec’ from the Lancare Group writes that Don Watson is one of Australia’s wittiest, original thinkers and raconteurs, and is currently completing a book on … Continue reading →

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Heavy response to Fire Operations Plan

Posted on 19 September, 2012 by fobif

A DSE forum on the draft North West Region Fire Operations Plan has been postponed from mid September to early October to allow DSE to process the exceptionally heavy response to the plan: more than 200 submissions have been received, … Continue reading →

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A walk in the Park

Posted on 18 September, 2012 by fobif

Thirteen hardy walkers braved dire weather forecasts of rain and cold to do a circuit at the very south end of the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park on Sunday. The weather turned out, in fact, to be mild. The walk … Continue reading →

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Kalimna Park burning: a response

Posted on 11 September, 2012 by fobif

The following is the response submitted to the DSE draft Fire Operations Plan by the Friends of Kalimna Park. The Department proposes to burn two sections of the Park: one, bounded by the tourist road, the town boundary and Hunter’s … Continue reading →

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Fire Operations Plan: a detailed response

Posted on 31 August, 2012 by fobif

FOBIF’s detailed response to the draft Fire Operations Plan for our district is published below. We will know the effect of this and other responses to the draft plan when we attend a meeting with DSE in Bendigo in mid … Continue reading →

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Bird discovery tour

Posted on 24 August, 2012 by fobif

Thirty-seven people came along to Geoff Park’s recent FOBIF walk in the Muckleford Forest. The focus was on birds and despite the large group it was possible to see and hear a fair range. These included Striated Thornbills, Weebills, Grey … Continue reading →

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Zone 3: what’s going to happen there?

Posted on 22 August, 2012 by fobif

As we reported on our website last month, DSE has released the draft Fire Operations Plan for consultation. Although FOBIF has many concerns about the plan, and urges members to consult it and make a submission based on their local … Continue reading →

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The view from St Arnaud

Posted on 16 August, 2012 by fobif

The St Arnaud Field Naturalists Club has made a detailed submission to DSE regarding the draft fire operations plan for the St Arnaud area. Below we reprint part of the covering letter attached to the submission. Although of course conditions … Continue reading →

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Little Monster?

Posted on 16 August, 2012 by fobif

The beautiful creature pictured below is an early instar caterpillar, from the genus Doratifera, probably Doratifera oxleyi. These moths are commonly called cup moths. It was found in suspended by a thread in an area of severely damaged bushland in … Continue reading →

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Looking after a Yellow Box

Posted on 13 August, 2012 by fobif

As part of National Tree Day on the morning of 29 July, 15 volunteers planted 240 indigenous plants under the ancient Yellow Box tree at Chewton. Low plants, ground covers and shrubs were planted under the tree and larger shrubs … Continue reading →

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