Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

To keep abreast of how things are in the wetter forests to the south of our area you can’t do better than check on the activities of Wombat Forestcare at http://www.wombatforestcare.org.au/

The website gives access to the group’s fantastically informative and entertaining newsletter, the latest edition of which is devoted to fungi of the Wombat.

FOBIF’s submission on the proposed Tarran Valley development near Maldon can be found here. It is a more detailed statement of the case summarised in our April 29 posts on this matter.

Further submissions by the developer to the panel concentrate the proposed housing, and move it further from surrounding bushland: this altered proposal seems to have weakened reservations about the fire risk by the CFA and DEPI. The latter, however, in its latest submission, repeats what it said, confusingly, before:

‘It is DEPI’s experience however that at some time in the future residents of the subdivision would expect DEPI to undertake greater levels of fire management within the adjoining [Maldon Historic] reserve if inconsistent defendable space is imposed within the subject land.’

It’s not clear what the Department means by ‘inconsistent defendable space.’

The panel will bring down its decision within a month.

Starting and finishing at the Oak Forest, Doug Ralph led the group of about 20 around the western flanks of Mt Alexander, taking in 2 or 3 disused granite quarries. Doug related some interesting stories from the history of these quarries, and Prof. Julian Hollis gave us a brief synopsis of his current geological research into a mineralogical relationship between the granite of Mt Alexander and volcanic rocks which have been drawn from deep in the crust and ejected at Mt Franklin.

Along the way we came across Echidna diggings and eventually caught one of the perpetrators in the act.  Many birds were about, including Australian Raven, Magpie, Crimson Rosella, Currawongs, Galahs, Red Wattlebird, Superb Blue Wrens, Grey Shrike-thrush, White-eared Honeyeater and Thornbills.

It was a balmy autumn day, and though a relatively tough walk (some of it was off track) it was enjoyed by all who participated.

In the Oak Forest there were many examples of Fly Agaric fungi, (Amanita muscaria) like this one complete with footstool.

At the lunch stop, a large slab of granite was completely covered with Moss and Lichen. Such bio-crusts considerably accelerate the weathering and breakdown of rocks

Noel Young contributed this account of the walk and the photos.

The FOBIF publication, Mosses of Dry Forests in South Eastern Australia, will be launched by Frances Cincotta on 31 May. The launch invitation can be downloaded here. Everyone is welcome to attend.

An order form which includes a sample page from the book can be downloaded here.

FOBIF has produced an attractive and informative poster about Fungi of the Mount Alexander Region. The A2 poster will be available for sale ($5) at the launch of the FOBIF moss guide on 31 May.

You can also purchase it from

Beth Mellick (Norman Wettenhall Foundation), The Hub, Office 5,
233b Barker St, Castlemaine (Enter glass door on Templeton St)

or the

325 Barker St, Castlemaine

The FOBIF publication, Mosses of Dry Forests in South Eastern Australia, will also be available at these two locations.