Category Archives: News

A strong group rocked up for FOBIF’s September walk in the Fryers Ranges yesterday. The weather was ideal, and the Ridge put on a typically spectacular display of wattles, peas, heath and numerous other species—thirty plus species in flower, by … Continue reading →

Are we being melodramatic? Maybe. Check this out: That’s a patch of Hardenbergia, on the side of the maintenance track on the Coliban main channel, south of the Fryers-Taradale road. There’s quite a lot of Hardenbergia on that stretch: in … Continue reading →

The Annual General Meeting of the Friends will be held on Monday October 9 at the Ray Bradfield Rooms, Castlemaine, at 7.30 pm. Committee elections will take place at the meeting. All members are eligible for election to the committee, … Continue reading →

Environmentalists around the state are mourning the sudden death of Phil Ingamells, who died suddenly at home last month. Phil spent a decade in Castlemaine in the nineties, and was active in the local campaign for a Box-Ironbark national park. … Continue reading →

This book which has just been published contains nine A4 sized maps, showing 16 road rides. There are detailed route descriptions, elevation profiles and local photographs. The rides are on surfaced roads, suitable for road bikes, gravel bikes, hybrids or … Continue reading →

Yes, they are–unfortunately. It’s a curious fact that most weeds have spread widely because they’ve been planted for their ornamental appeal. It’s only when they get out of control that they start to lose some of their appeal. The picture … Continue reading →

Canada? Greece? Canary Islands? Hawaii? Recent and current fires in the northern hemisphere are a sign of the times, and not a very encouraging one… And we’ve been advised to expect a warm dry summer…We’re not trying to fear monger, … Continue reading →

Newstead Landcare is excited to invite you to a special presentation all about spiders! Our guest speaker is Lynne Kelly – researcher, educator, Castlemaine local, and author of ‘Spiders: Learning to love them’.  Anyone who has been lucky enough to … Continue reading →

This new orchid brochure contains 48 of the most common orchids found in the Bendigo Region, but most are also found in Castlemaine and surrounds. Included are flowering times and spots to find them. There are notes on orchid conservation. … Continue reading →

‘The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action wants your feedback on the draft of Victoria’s Bushfire Management Strategy, which will set the vision for bushfire management in Victoria for the next 10 years.’ You can find the strategy here. And … Continue reading →