Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

Restoring the wonderful wetlands of northern Victoria – 16 November 2022

Posted on 10 November, 2022 by fobif

Newstead Landcare Group are hosting a special presentation by Damien Cook, local wetland expert and ecologist with Wetland Revival Trust.

Restoring the wonderful wetlands of northern Victoria
Wednesday 16 November 2022 from 7.30 – 8.30 pm
Newstead Community Centre, 9 Lyons St, Newstead VIC

All are welcome. Entry is by donation to Wetland Revival Trust to aid purchase of Wirra-Lo wetlands near Kerang, home to many threatened species including the Growling Grass Frog.

Read on for more details from Newstead Landcare Group.

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At last!

Posted on 10 November, 2022 by fobif

To many people, it’s seemed like a wait of a million years. Now it’s over: Leon Costermans’s long awaited geology book is now available.

‘A book about geology and landscapes that anyone can understand’

Directed at anyone interested in our environment, the book is geologically accurate and written in accessible language. Anyone who’s tried unsuccessfully to get a grip on geology will know that this is not easy to pull off.

Stories beneath our feet is 660 pages long and contains 1870 photos, digital images, maps and diagrams. The photos alone are worth the price of entry.

The book shows how to read the stories of the past as embedded in the rocks; it examines relationships between geology, landforms and vegetation; and includes suggestions for group and individual field activities.

For more info and how to order, check out the website of Muckleford Books here.

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2023 FOBIF 25 years show

Posted on 31 October, 2022 by fobif

As part of our lead up to the FOBIF 25 years show, Mike Evans has sent us these photos about an area of bush that has special significance to him.

‘Tortured’ trees in the Harcourt Bushland Reserve

I live in Peelers Road Barkers Creek and the Harcourt Bushland Reserve is an area that I walk in every day.

Chopped down, Dug up and Dumped on, is the saying that Barkers Creek Landcare Group president Daryl Colless uses to describe the recovering goldfield site that is now called the Harcourt Bushland Reserve.

Its piece of land that has been turned over probably more than once since the arrival of the first prospectors in the late 1800s. You can see the evidence of mining everywhere, from holes both square and round, bare ground, stripped of any nutritious soil, large excavations leaving scars on the landscape and evidence of the last area in the district to give up sluicing because of the silt flowing into and degrading Barkers Creek.

However, nature has remarkable powers of recovery and even though it’s a struggle this area of bush shows its resilience with many species of wildflowers, birds and fauna.

Trees that look tortured have survived to provide habitat for the birds insects and fauna here.

The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo passes through here regularly. Certain areas put on colourful displays of wildflowers and it is home to a number of wallabies and kangaroos. (Mike Evans)

: Yellow-faced Honeyeater

: Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

: Tall Sundew

: Pink Fingers

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FOBIF turns 25

Posted on 24 October, 2022 by fobif

To celebrate 25 years of Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forest we are planning an exhibition at the Newstead Arts Hub, 25 February to 13 March 2023. There will be a new photo show; geology exhibits; children’s art; and posters; pamphlets and photos about FOBIF’s history.

This time we won’t have a single theme for the photo show. Instead we would like people to send an image/s which shows something about the local natural environment that they find interesting or special in some way. Photos can includes landscapes and all local fauna and flora. Also we would like participants to write a short piece (100-300) words) explaining the choice.

Joy Clusker has sent a a fungi image with accompanying text as an example.

Earthstar Geastrum triplex

Mount Alexander is wonderful on an autumn morning, midweek you can have the place to yourself. The mist hangs around till lunchtime, casting a mysterious veil over everything. In the silence all you can hear is water dripping from the trees, and calls from the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. Then from out of the gloom is a shine from a perfect Earthstar, Geastrum triplex, still dusted with water droplets, contrasting with the dark forest floor. A fleeting occurrence witnessed by few, busy working on its purpose to consume the substrate and reproduce itself.

So if you have a favourite photo/s of the bush in our region send them along to FOBIF (info@fobif.org.au) with a description. There is plenty of time to take new photos: the closing date for the submission of photos is not till 1 February 2023. You can send a small file for display on the website but you will need to send a second large file for printing by 1 February.

We will place all photos in a designated page on the FOBIF site. A FOBIF sub-committee will then select approximately 15 photos to be printed and framed for the exhibition. The text will be printed and displayed next to the photo. Photos will be for sale with proceeds used to cover costs.

If your photo is selected, as well as being included in the exhibition, you will receive a free copy of your photo.

Ring Bronwyn Silver 044875111 for more information.

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Final 2022 FOBIF walk

Posted on 17 October, 2022 by fobif

A sizeable group attended the last FOBIF walk of the year in a remote part of Fryers Range State Forest. Starting at Sugarbag Track, Alex Panelli led the group for 5 km of off track walking. The understory had an abundance of wildflowers and highlights included finding Brown-clubbed Spider Orchids, Plumed Greenhoods and a small waterfall that had benefitted from recent rains.

Waterfall (Bronwyn Silver)

Plumed Greenhood Pterostylis plumosa (Bronwyn Silver) Brown-clubbed Spider Orchid Caladenia parva (Euan Moore)

We saw flowers of every colour of the rainbow, plus some!
RED – Downy Grevillea;
ORANGE – Dwarf Bush-pea;
YELLOW – Gold-dust and Hedge Wattles, Erect Guinea-flower, Yam Daisy (Myrnong), Primrose Goodenia, and Handsome Flat-pea;
GREEN – Plumed Greenhood and Greencomb Spider-orchids;
VIOLET – Wax-lip Orchid and Native Violet;
PURPLE – Rough Mint-bush;
MAGENTA – Pink Bells;
PALE PINK – Pink Beard-heath and Pink Fingers (orchid);
CREAM – Creamy Candles and Red Box:
WHITE – Early Nancies, Common Beard-Heath, Caladenia (orchid) and Fairy Wax-flower.
List compiled by Frances Cincotta

Thank to Alex for planning and leading the walk; Frances Cincotta and others for help with plant identification; and Euan Moore, Liz Martin and Bronwyn Silver for photos.