Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests

Vicroads has circulated a letter to those interested in its proposed Pyrenees Highway works. Readers will remember that a number of trees were slated for removal in this project. FOBIF has accepted that some trees need removal, but not as many as proposed. We have argued that a better safety result could be achieved if–among other measures– the speed limit was reduced between Newstead and Green Gully.

Vicroads response to this is clear from its letter:

‘A reduction of the speed zone would
 not lead to a decrease in the amount
 of barrier treatments used in this instance. The impact of an errant vehicle with 
a roadside hazard (tree, power pole) at 
80 kmh can still lead to a serious injury
 or fatality.

‘The Installation of safety barriers provides the safest option.’

The implication of the letter is clear: that Vicroads will essentially proceed with its original proposal. It seems, from the above paragraph, that the purpose of the project is not so much to reduce the number of ‘run off road’ accidents as to soften the effect of the ones that do happen. A more effective approach would aim at both—and if it resulted in less environmental damage, all the better.

Vicroads seems to have set aside the reasoning behind TAC ‘wipe off five’ campaigns: ‘Eight Wipe off 5 campaigns have been released with all emphasising even a small reduction in speed can make the difference between life and death.’ This widely accepted argument is particularly strong on a winding, narrow stretch of Highway like the one between Green Gully and Newstead.

Vicroads has supported some offset planting, and other ‘palliative’ measures. Nevertheless, we believe its position here is consistent with its activities on the Western Highway, and the Calder at Ravenswood: a narrow understanding of efficiency and safety sweeps aside other values.

Several photos for our 2017 exhibition, Mountains and Waterways, have been added to our new Flickr album during the last week. Noel Muller, Ranger Team Leader Goldfields, Parks Victoria, has sent a quirky tree photo from Mount Tarrengower and several FOBIF members have been visiting our flooded swamps. It’s a good time to get out and take water related photos after our recent rains. If you would like directions on how to get to swamps and other sites let us know at info@fobif.org.au

Mount Tarrengower, 15 October 2016

Walkers Swamp, 14 November 2016

Bells Swamp, 9 November 2016

Snakes are out and about, though they’ve become active a little later this year because of cooler conditions.

Obviously people should be careful in areas where snakes are likely to be present–and not only for their own safety.

The picture below is a dismal reminder of the annual massacre on our highways. As we’ve reported before, the kill rate on the roads is both frightful, and very often avoidable: and reptiles are special victims.

Another reason for slowing down…

Pyrenees Highway, McKenzie Hill, November 9:  a sight so common as to be almost unnoticeable.

And on a more positive note: below is a photo of a turtle [any suggestions on the species? We think it might be a Common Long Neck–Chelodina longicollis] found by a driver in the middle of a dirt road in Walmer, and safely removed to the side of the road:

The answer to this question might seem obvious—they’re a resource for timber, right?

But for many years forestry officials have also claimed that these forests are valuable, and greatly valued, for their biodiversity and their recreational uses.

The idea has charm, but it’s fair to say that in much of our forest estate both biodiversity and recreation have consistently suffered in the pursuit of the resource. And there’s even a bit of confusion in the community as to what terms like ‘state forest’, ‘state park’ and so on actually mean.

Now the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council is going to conduct two reviews into State Forests outside our immediate region, but of great interest for the relevance they might have for our own state forests.

The first is focused on conservation values in the forest estate east of the Hume Highway, and the second concentrates on three forest areas in the Central West: Wellsford SF [north of Bendigo], Wombat SF to the south, and Mount Cole and the Pyrenees to the west of us.

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As we reported two weeks ago, Parks Victoria is currently planning a review of the Castlemaine Diggings NHP Heritage Action Plan. The Plan is now 14 years old, and could maybe do with an update.

Part of this review is a public survey, details of which can be found in our Post.

FOBIF will have a say in this process, but already we’re finding it a little peculiar.

Norwood Hill, Castlemaine Diggings NHP. This is heritage too: it shows in a dramatic way ‘the transience of mining…the severe environmental impact that can result from inadequate environmental constraint, and illustrates some of the resilience of Australia’s native vegetation.’

For a start, there’s nothing in the survey which refers in any way to the Heritage Action Plan: it’s a set of questions asking people what they think of the park.

Maybe this isn’t so surprising, because this admirable plan is probably one of the most unread documents in Australia. It’s not available online, and it’s practically impossible to find a hard copy.

To find out how it should be revised, it might have been a good idea to make it better known, so that interested members of the public could see  if it’s still relevant (as we think it is).

The current Heritage Action Plan is quite a dynamic document. On the forest setting of the park, for example, it reads

‘The current forest setting…highlights the transience of mining, demonstrates the severe environmental impact that can result from inadequate environmental constraint, and illustrates some of the resilience of Australia’s native vegetation.’ This kind of observation is consistent with this, from the National Trust: ‘A sanitised heritage presenting a safe interpretation of history and culture holds little appeal and will not generate interest amongst tourists.’

These observations are important because if you take them seriously then your approach to the presentation of the Park will be markedly different from what it now is. Currently, the park, and the region, tend to be symbols of the glory of gold. The picture is more complicated and interesting than that, and FOBIF hopes to make this clear in its submission.

If you have the time, there’s an opportunity to let Parks know your view on the Park’s heritage values. Parks is running a program of walks through three sections of the Diggings Park as part of its consultation process on the Heritage Action Plan. See our following Post.

As part of the review of Heritage Action Plan, Jade Harris from Parks Victoria has invited interested people to three walks in the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park on Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th November 2016:

Parks Victoria are currently reviewing the Heritage Action Plan for the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park and as a part of this review we are undertaking a number walk overs to find out about issues that may concern and to explore ideas for themes, stories or aspects of the Park which could be shared with others.

As part of this consultation process we are organising three half-day walks at specific locations within the park, with the aim of engaging invited stakeholders in sharing their concerns and values of these areas to help inform their future management (see below itinerary for outline of the half day walks). These might touch upon indigenous, natural, social or community values, as well as the significant gold-mining heritage, which together will help us present a holistic approach to the management and presentation of the Park’s landscape.

The walks will be led by Chris Johnston and John Dyke of Context Pty Ltd., who are helping Parks Victoria review and update the Heritage Action Plan.

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It’s been five years since our rivers, swamps and dams have reached their present water levels. Although rainfall hasn’t led to floods like 2011, records have been broken. Rainfall for 14 September this year was a record high of 53.0 mm and the total for the month was also a record high of 161.9 mm (average 60.9 mm). As well, the average minimum September temperature was a record high of 8.4°C (average 5.0°C).

Submerged Red Gums, Moolort Plains, 24 October 2016

It wasn’t just wet in September; so far this year we have had a total of 692.3 mm of rain (average for the same period, 512.1 mm). This represents 35 per cent more than average rainfall. These average statistics are taken over a 48 year period recorded at the Castlemaine prison.

Loddon River flowing fast in Newstead, 24 October 2016

All this rain has meant we have been able to enjoy spectacular wildflower displays. Last week Janet Barker took these two photos of masses of Wax-lip Orchids in Kalimna Park and masses of Shiny Everlastings in Chewton.