Category Archives: Nature Observations

Celebrating Australia

Posted on 25 January, 2014 by fobif

We don’t want to enter the debates that sometimes swirl around Australia Day. But here’s something Australian we can definitely celebrate: a small group of Silver Banksias flourishing near Forest Creek in Happy Valley. Readers of our October 2013 Post … Continue reading →

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Jaw breaker

Posted on 7 November, 2013 by fobif

Walkers in the local bush from Fryers Ridge to Porcupine Ridge and up to Castlemaine have recently been noticing a beautiful small moth hovering around spring flowers. Its very challenging name is Pollanisus viridipulverulenta–apparently we can blame the name on … Continue reading →

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Bully

Posted on 5 November, 2013 by fobif

Spring: great for wildflowers—and for weeds. We have a wide selection in our region, and villain of the month this November is Briza maxima. Quaking grass. Blowfly grass. Bee grass. And many other names. It’s a native of the Mediterranean … Continue reading →

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What was it like, way back then?

Posted on 14 October, 2013 by fobif

The idea of ‘land restoration’ suggests that the land can be restored to a better condition than the one it’s now in. The question is, what qualities might that ‘better condition’ have? For a partial answer to that question for … Continue reading →

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The Coliban gets a drink

Posted on 7 May, 2013 by fobif

Following expressions of concern by local residents at Taradale [and by FOBIF–see our April 18 post] about the state of the Coliban river, Coliban Water started a small release of four megalitres a day into the river last week. Four … Continue reading →

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Butterflies feeding on sap

Posted on 6 April, 2013 by fobif

Tony Morton has sent us these observations of butterflies in Kalimna Park. The photos were taken on the west side of Kalimna, in the Castlemaine Copper patch, just above the bench, in mid-April 2012. He plans to look to see if … Continue reading →

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Moth empire to strike back?

Posted on 3 April, 2013 by fobif

As we reported in January, the cup moth devastation of our bushlands seems to be over. But the respite for the affected trees [which have only partly recovered] may be temporary. Tony Morton has sent us these observations from Glenluce: … Continue reading →

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Don’t try this yourself!

Posted on 21 March, 2013 by fobif

Bird netting which lies loosely on the ground can be a menace to small animals like echidnas…and also to snakes, as the picture below shows. Doug Ralph was asked by a local to help out when a brown snake about … Continue reading →

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Where’s the heritage?

Posted on 27 February, 2013 by fobif

The photo below shows old sluicing pipes in the Fryers Forest. As they decay, they provide shelter for the growth of seedlings which will eventually hasten their destruction. Is this decay the gradual fading of our heritage? Maybe–if we identify … 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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