Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

A strong group tackled FOBIF’s June ‘long walk’ yesterday. Led by Jeremy Holland, the group ambled along the eastern lower slope of the Mount before climbing steeply past Black Wallaby rocks and on over to Lang’s lookout. The promised steep ascents and descents were duly delivered. Participants’ phones registered distances from 11.5 to 15.5 kilometres, an interesting comment on the reliability of phone apps: but we’re standing by our estimate of ‘about 12 kms’. Magnificent views were to be had to the east and north, fungi were distractingly abundant, and we were privileged to see corners of the Mount rarely visited.

Part of the walking group at Aqueduct Creek, at the foot of the Mount. The tree at the right has to be one of the biggest Red Gums in the region.

Our thanks to Jeremy for a wonderfully challenging walk, full of surprises!

Next month’s walk will be led by Barb Guerin and Lionel Jenkin over the hills to the back of the Golden Point reservoir. Owing the uncertainty surrounding virus regulations, make sure you check the website before the date.

Photo by Cathrine Harboe-Ree

Another strong group undertook a 6 kilometre walk which began on the Old Coach Road and then followed a loop from Rilen Track in the Fryers Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve.  The emphasis was on observation and identification with Frances Cincotta providing an expert commentary on the enormous diversity of plants. The highlight of the walk was Frances producing a small saw with which she proceeded to remove an introduced Ovens Wattle.

Thanks to Liz Martin for the above photos and Frances, Mike and Bronwyn for planning the walk. 

Due to government regulations about the number of people allowed to gather outside we need people to register for the FOBIf walks next Sunday (June 20).

If you would like to go on the Mount Alexander walk contact Jeremy on 0409933046. If you would like to go on the Fryers Ridge walk contact Bronwyn on 0448751111 or silverbronwyn6@gmail.com Details of the walks can be found here.

Check this website before the walk in case the situation changes. 

The shorter of the two walks on offer on 20 June will be a 5km loop in Fryers Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve a few kilometers west of Taradale, led by Frances Cincotta and Bronwyn Silver. We will be focusing on the diverse flora: Common Correa will be in full flower and we will see heaths, at least 5 native pea species and 12 wattle species. We will have copies of “Native Peas” and “Wattles of Mount Alexander Region” available for perusal on the walk and to purchase. Bring a hand lens if you want to learn how to tell the difference between some of the trickier pea and wattle species. The walk is all on wide, well-formed tracks with some up and down but nothing steep. Bring morning tea and lunch. We will get back to Castlemaine approx 1.30pm.

More information: Frances Cincotta 0491 108 766 or Bronwyn Silver 0448 751 111.

The photos above were taken last Wednesday in the Reserve where the walk will take place.

Click here to find out about the long Mount Alexander walk on 20 June.

We may need to introduce a registration system for these walks if there are government regulations still in place which restrict the number of people allowed to gather outside. Check this website next week for information.

A strong group of walkers followed Joy Clusker and Dianne Davies on a route through the Pilcher’s Bridge Nature Conservation Reserve yesterday. This was FOBIF’s first excursion ‘north of the border’ into the City of Greater Bendigo, and guess what? The country was pleasantly familiar and interestingly different! This irregular block of land was radically cleared by the 1930s, and recovery is intriguing, highlights including some impressive pink flowering Ironbarks and promising fungi and moss sightings.

Our thanks to Joy and Di for their stimulating route planning—plenty of participants are already planning a return in the wildflower high season, and a repeat trip next year is on the cards.

Noel Young provided us with this bird list from the walk. Most birds were seen or heard in the first part of the walk, especially near some flowering eucalypts.

Magpie
Musk Lorikeets
Red Wattlebirds (lots)
Grey Shrike-thrush
White-throated Treecreeper
White-winged Choughs
Grey Fantail
White-naped Honeyeater
White-plumed Honeyeater
Fuscous Honeyeater
Crimson Rosella
Scarlet Robin
Striated Pardalote
Yellow (?) Thornbills

Next month we’re offering a choice: a shortish walk in the Fryers Ridge NCR, or a longish one on Mount Alexander. There will be a detailed post on these walks in the next few weeks.