Category: Articles

Queen’s Birthday Awards

jill readFire and Environment Program Officer Jill Read was recently awarded an Australian Fire Service Medal as part of the Queen’s Birthday honours. Jill is based at Parks Victoria’s Halls Gap office. Jill Read has been recognised for reforming fire management in the Wimmera, providing benefits for the protection of life and property without compromising the protection of natural and cultural values in parks and forests.

Jill has been with Parks Victoria for 25 years and in that time has developed a new approach to planned burning using her extensive knowledge and experience in fire management and ecological systems. Her success has resulted from her knowledge, passion excellent collaborative skills and ability to harness specialist input.

Jill is the first female in public land and fire management in Victoria to be recognised with this honour. The Australian Fire Service Medal recognises distinguished service by members of Australian fire services and is … Read the rest

Grampians Peak Trail

This is a proposal that has been bubbling along for several years now, but with all the fire and flood recovery stuff happening we have told you very little about it. The Draft Master Plan came out in May and we have responded with our comments as a committee. Some of us have also responded as individuals, as have many others in the community who are passionate about protecting our park, and the Advisory Group is also putting in a response. We hope these will be taken seriously and incorporated in the next draft, where there will again be a chance to comment.  Of course there are also submissions from others with different agendas.

Before I get to our FOGG response, here is an outline of this ambitious proposal. Apologies if it is too long, but I feel it is important for all members to understand what is being proposed. … Read the rest

Grampians Peak Trail – The FOGG Response

Friends Of the Grampians Gariwerd (FOGGs) support in principle the proposal for the Grampians Peaks Trail as set out in the Draft Master Plan and as presented recently at public meetings at Halls Gap, Wartook and Dunkeld.

However we do have concerns around the ‘On-walk hiker lodges’. In the document (page 40) it suggests that 3 lodges would be built along the trail initially, but that this could vary with “market forces”. Does this mean that there could later be pressure to build more lodges so this group of users can potentially do the whole walk using this type of accommodation? In some sections of the document one gets the impression that large sections of the trail will be able to be walked using this style of accommodation. With mega fires becoming a regular occurrence in Victoria and the Grampians having experienced 3 large scale fires in the past 8 … Read the rest

Grampians Peak Trail – Project Update May 2014

The trail will be constructed over a number of years in a staged process. The track and hiker campsites form the basis of the core infrastructure necessary. To create the Trail will require the development of approximately 80km of new trail and the upgrade of 64km of existing trails.

Stage One: Halls Gap to Borough Huts

(3 days/2 nights)

Delivery of Stage One is well underway and includes a three day/two night loop walk from Halls Gap to Borough Huts covering a total of 19 kilometres for the return trip. This stage is being delivered by Parks Victoria through $1.3M in funding provided on behalf of the Victorian Government by Regional Development Victoria.

 Stage One achievements to date:

  • An 8.7km track realignment from Mt Rosea to the Belfield Fire Line is complete;
  • Development of a design manual which sets a consistent style for tracks, bridges, signs and hiker camping areas
… Read the rest

Advisory Group Report

We have a new Advisory Group. Advertisements asking for expressions of  interest went out in April, and the new members were appointed in early June for a three year term. The first meeting of the new group was held last week. There are five returning members, (Rex Beveridge, Kevin Bolwell, Margo Sietsma, Donald Carter, Gil Hopkins), and ten new members ( Bill Weatherly, Cecilia Myers,  Faith Hardiman,  Ray Zippel,  Deb Millard,  Dick Gill, Tracey Skinner,  Barry Clugston,  Lisa McIntyre, Malcolm Matheson). I remain convenor but will probably hand over to one of the new members well before the three years are up.

Much of that first meeting was taken up with introducing ourselves, defining the role of the AG, our terms of reference, how it relates to the Traditional Owner Reference Group currently being formed, and  to the Fires Roundtable. Dave gave us a snapshot of the park and how … Read the rest

Grampians National Park Update – Northern Grampians Fire Recovery June 2014

Considerable progress is being made towards the reopening of fire affected areas of the Grampians National Park. The Mt Zero Rd (North)  re-opened  for the June long weekend, providing visitor access along the north eastern boundary of the park.

The rehabilitation of dozer-lines created during the suppression (fire-fight) phase is now complete, along with the treatment of trees that presented a clear and immediate risk to park users and staff along park roads.  Trail crews are completing tree risk and soil stabilisation works along walking tracks affected by the fire. Major trail works are commencing in the Hollow Mountain and Stapylton Amphitheatre to improve climbing access.

The September school holidays is the next major milestone for a number of projects including;

  • The re-opening of MacKenzies Falls car park with access to the base of the falls (no kiosk facilities)
  • The re-opening of the Stapylton Amphitheatre climbing area from Mt Zero
… Read the rest

Grampians Walking Tracks Support Group

This group, which sits under the Community Association of Halls Gap, share our enthusiasm for the Grampians. I asked the president David Witham (who is also a FOGG member) to tell us a bit about what they do and what some of their plans are.

For a number of years the Group has been accumulating money from its donation boxes situated at strategic points around the National Park and organising working bees with various bushwalking clubs to help maintain the tracks.   Perhaps surprisingly we have had difficulty in spending much of that money on projects within the Park.

Parks management have now developed a proposal to which we are happy to contribute.    Summer Day Valley, accessed from the walking track to Hollow Mountain, has been the most popular single area for rockclimbing in the Grampians for the last 25 years or so.    In particular it has been used intensively by … Read the rest

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

 

PROVISIONAL CALENDAR

Please bear in mind that changes may need to be made, and some dates couldn’t be settled before going to print. Changes will be emailed to those who have provided us with a current address and also put up on the website. But please also ring the listed contact person to find when it is on and to let them know you are coming.

MAY Tuesday 27th at 12 noon: We are having a joint tree planting at Zumsteins with the Stawell Secondary College. Katherine Dyson has arranged for our ‘Healthy Parks Healthy Peoples’ grant money to be shifted to works at Zumsteins, since the McKenzie Falls area was so badly burnt. Contact or further information from Wendy Bedggood phone 53825830 or 0429932065 or Katherine Dyson 53614063 or 0428553040

JUNE 6 – 9 Long Weekend Fauna survey. This replaces the activities which were planned for the Australia … Read the rest

Grampians Wildflower Show Returns 2014

GRAMPIANS WILDFLOWER SHOW WILL RETURN TO HALLS GAP THIS YEAR – WITH RADICAL CHANGES.

This year’s show will be a weekend only event and will focus on getting people out to look at the flowers, rather than bringing the flowers to the people. To emphasise this change we will be operating out of a marquee in the Botanic Garden rather than in the hall. We will still have some named specimens at participating venues along a “wildflower trail” of paintings, photographs, workshops through the town. We still will need help from FOGGIES. OCTOBER (Same weekend as Pomonal’s native garden show).… Read the rest

A WILDLIFE ART MUSEUM FOR HALLS GAP?

Have you heard about the ambitious scheme to build a world class museum and botanic garden in Halls Gap to celebrate wildlife art? “WAMA is a visionary concept. It is a project of national importance that will recognise the works of outstanding Australian wildlife and natural history artists. Their artistic work will be displayed in an iconic purpose built gallery set in native botanical gardens and wetlands in the foothills of the spectacular Grampian ranges in Victoria.”

They have a large site on the Halls Gap Pomonal Rd, an energetic committee of artists, conservationists and business people seeking more funding and support. Work has already started on planning the garden, with Master’s students from the University of Melbourne working on concept plans for the site under the supervision of their professors. More information is available from http://www.wama.net.au/ or email .

 

FOGGS have not been asked for support, but … Read the rest

Friends of Grampians Gariwerd