A solid group challenged a gloomy morning to take on FOBIF’s April walk into Gough’s Range state forest yesterday. In fact, the dull skies were a fraud, and the morning was fresh but mostly sunny. The forest, after an inch or two of rain, was looking pretty good, and unusually featured flowing water in the gullies–and even a lake! OK, not a lake, but a reasonable patch of water in the old mining valley.
Something you don’t see every day: standing water in Gough’s Range SF.
Wildflowers are rare at this time, but this forest is notable for its large stands of Varnish Wattle, and some impressive spread of Buloke saplings on the Upper Track. Come the wattle flowering season, this forest will be seriously spectacular.
Views from the top of the range are always great, and yesterday was no exception both on the east and western sides.
Our thanks to Harley Parker and Lynette Amaterstein for taking us into this under appreciated corner of the region.
Next month’s walk is centred on the Mount Lofty Natural Features Reserve [On May 21, not May 28!]. Check the timetable for details.
Newstead Landcare Group is hosting a talk by Barry Golding at the Newstead Community Centre, starting at 7.30 pm next Tuesday April 18. All are welcome to attend.
The arrival of Europeans on the continent we now call Australia had profound effects on the indigenous peoples and the landscape they cared for. This dramatic impact was greatly accelerated by the gold rushes that swept through Central Victoria. Is the way the landscape once looked now lost to our knowledge, or can historical research help us re-imagine our land as it once was?
Professor Barry Golding of Federation University has spent much time in combing through historical documents to reconstruct a picture of the former natural splendour of the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples of Central Victoria. He will be sharing some of his findings at Newstead Landcare Group’s presentation on Tuesday April 18th.
“We are so excited to have Barry presenting to us on this complex and fascinating story” said Newstead Landcare Secretary Patrick Kavanagh. “Some of the imagery of great fields of Yam Daisies (Myrnong) and Kangaroo Grass with large Casuarinas and Silver Banksias is just breathtaking. And then there are the accounts of the great pools along the course of the Loddon with extraordinary schools of Murray Cod and other native fish” Mr Kavanagh said. “Prof. Golding was booked to present this work at Newstead Landcare’s AGM last October, but floods had cut many roads in the area so it’s great that he’s been able to reschedule the talk.”
Our Goughs Range FOBIF walk will take place next Sunday 16 April. You can contact the leader Harley Parker (0409 135 889) for more information.
The date for the following month’s walk is Sunday 21 May, not 28 May as previously written in our walk’s program. This Mount Lofty walk will be led by Bernard Slattery (0499 624 160).
White Everlasting Daisy (Chrysocephalum baxteri)
Slime Mould
Dunns Reef
Tall Greenhoods
Gnat Orchid
Blue Caladenia
Downy Grevillea (Grevillea alpina)
Coliban river upstream of the Gibbons bridge
Coliban river upstream of the Gibbons bridge.
Coliban river upstream of the Gibbons bridge.
Sailors Gully ruin
Loddon River near Vaughan
Cortinarius archeri
Mycena subgalericulata
Cortinarius rotundisporus
Cortinarius cystidiocatenatus,
Ramaria sp.
Pink Heath
Mount Alexander
Mount Alexander
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page