Articles – Page 78 – Friends of Grampians Gariwerd

WALKING IN THE COUNTRY PARKS OF HONG KONG.

Dot Hoffmann

Earlier in the year we lived in Hong Kong for five months. The University of Science and Technology, where Errol taught, is located a half hour train ride on the eastern sea coast of Kowloon’s Sai Kung Peninsular. About six thousand students and another thousand teaching staff lived on campus. The campus occupies the terraced sea-face of a mountain of 600 meters (a little higher than Boronia peak) with the slope to the sea being at 35- 45 degrees. By the time you reach the top of the University and the road connecting the settlements along the coastline of this peninsular there is still more than two thirds of the mountain to walk up. The trails were flanked by familiar-looking trees. Many were acacias and eucalyptus relatives of our Grampians trees. The most common looked like blackwood and the acacias flowered right through the spring time. Just like … Read the rest

ADVISORY GROUP December Report

Margo Sietsma

The AG met in November for its final meeting. Advertisements calling for expressions of interest will be out some time in the new year. I expect the new AG will again have a blend of experience and new blood. I would like to continue my involvement for another term, but that will depend on PV. I also hope that not too much time will elapse before the new group is in place.

At the meeting Graham updated the Group on fire recovery works. A team of ten casual staff have been appointed to carry out restoration works up until June next year. The focus initially is on Jimmy Creek Campground and the southern section of the Wonderland Range, followed by the Major Mitchell Plateau. Silverband Road is also planned to be reopened by Easter 2008. Rod Spinks briefed the group on Capital Works planned for the next two … Read the rest

FROM OUR NEW CANADIAN RANGER

All the people we have met so far in the Grampians area have given us a warm welcome into your beautiful community. Like Jeff, Teresa and Nigel who were here the last two summers, we (Sean, Ruth & Aiden) are participating in the Parks Canada – Parks Victoria exchange program’s next round and will be here for two six month periods from November to April. I’ll be continuing Jeff’s work on kangaroo and wallaby monitoring in support of the work looking into grazing impacts in the Grampians, and helping out where ever I can. The idea of the program is to share experience and ideas from national parks on one side of the globe with national parks on the other.

The park we come from is called Riding Mountain located in the southwest corner of the province of Manitoba. The park is at the eastern edge of the Canadian prairies, … Read the rest

FROM THE PARKES DESK DECEMBER 2007

Campground Planning

Last year, as part of its election announcements, the State Government committed an additional $1.5 million to be spent on improvement to campground and associated walking tracks in the Grampians over two years during 2007-2009. Planning of the works has commenced and is focussing on Jimmy Creek, Smiths Mill, Plantation, Boreang, Buandik and Stapylton Campgrounds. A design firm is working closely with Park staff to review the layout and facilities and develop designs for these much loved destinations.
At Smiths Mill a walking Track link to Mackenzie Falls along the creek is also being planned.
Much of the implementation for this program will be carried out next financial year in 2008-2009.

Fire Season News

We have experienced an early start to the fire season with large fires in the Little Desert and two lightning strikes in the Grampians. Both Grampians fires were in difficult locations and kept small … Read the rest

WHAT’S A GOOD FIRE?

Visit to the burns of 2006 and the proposed zone 3 burns 2008 with DSE Horsham fire staff and local PV staff November 13 .

Dot Hoffmann

This question emerged during the November outing. FOGG’S invitation to Parks Vic of DE&S to inform us about their plans for fuel reduction burns for the 2007/08 spring autumn, saw about twelve people walking through recently burned areas. .
One area we saw was a wildfire burnt last summer, another a scheduled fuel reduction just four weeks prior to our visit. There are a number of things I heard about fuel reduction fires that were vague notions and still are. But I heard many things that did give me a better understanding what complexities are involved. I offer you here a short summary. I assume that I am not the only person who has been wondering why there is so much criticism and … Read the rest

PiIMELEA PAGAPHILA SEARCH November 8.

The search went very well. Sylvia and six volunteers. At all the previous recorded sightings on the Sheephills track we found masses of seedlings, but only one or two plants that had resprouted from the parent plant. We estimated that each mature plant must have left behind in excess of a hundred viable seeds, which had been dispersed about 10-15m on either side of the parent plant – probably spread by ants. Some seed had germinated the first spring and some the second spring after the fire. A good strategy if you don’t know if there’s going to be sufficient rain for adequate growth in the first year. Many of the seedlings had already flowered and one or two had reached around 30cms in height. Altogether very reassuring, now we just have to see how many survive the pressures of competition from other species and from browsing.
We were fortunate … Read the rest

FROM THE EDITOR Dec 2007

Early Summer (BALLAMBAR – season of butterflies) is here and it is just beautiful. Mind you, in Halls Gap it would be more accurate to call it the season of cicadas as once again we have a huge chorus every warm day. To me it is the sound of summer, but to many the pitch is actually painful. In fact some tourists have gone straight home, unable to live with it. But it is confined to the moist valleys. This year we seem to have at least three species, green, black and yellow-brown. All beautiful, especially those lacy wings.
November was beautifully wet, but it is drying out fast. The spring and early summer flowers have been dramatic. What the next couple of months will bring we do not know. A large part of the park is very dry and each thunderstorm brings fear of lightning strikes.

In addition to … Read the rest

Activities from Dec 2007 to April 2008

Thursday December 20, 2007 TSG To Be Confirmed –
ASTROTRICHA sp.1 subsp. 2 (Mt Zero).

Saturday 12th January 2008. Annual count of Ptilotus erebescens at Cooinda Burrong. 9.30 am start. Activity will take place regardless of whether or not it is a Total Fire Ban .

Friday 1 February. World wetlands day.

Saturday 9th February . 9.30 am start. Meeting with Graham Parkes to discuss ideas for FOGG for the year and learn about what is on his agenda . Activity will take place regardless of whether or not it is a Total Fire Ban .

Wednesday 20th February 10 am to 3pm. Photo Point Monitoring Workshop at Moyston.

Thursday 6th March TSG Southern Pipewort Survey (Eriocaulon australasicum)

Saturday April 19th TSG Grampians Pincushion-Lily Survey (Borya mirabilis) … Read the rest

THAT PLANT: THE QUESTION – PROTECT IT OR NOT?

This is the perplexing question that Land Owners/Managers are faced with when they come across a new plant species within their area of control. There are several recommended steps to take to help make the decision.

1. Clearly mark the plant or plant colony and possibly temporarily protect it.

_WHY?_ Because several times one has been caught out, taken a photograph, not clearly marked its location or offered it temporary protection only to go back the next day and find it has disappeared – eaten off overnight.

2. Take a photograph of the flower head and leaf plus seeds (if possible), then temporarily protect the area. Contact your nearest DS&E which has an officer from the Flora & Fauna Guarantee attached to that office, so as to achieve a positive identification. The F&FG Officer will possibly make an appointment to visit the site or instruct you to take samples and … Read the rest

PRESIDENT’S REPORT Summer 2007

Since taking on this task, I have worked on establishing better communications with Parks Vic, DSE Fire Management Team and DSE Flora & Fauna Section.

After several meetings with various members of these groups it has become obvious that quite a few people have been keeping their finds of rare or interesting plants a secret from others and especially PV – Environment Team, DSE – Flora & Fauna and DSE – Fire Management & Planning.

When finding an unknown plant or animal, record its location. Get it officially identified, ensure that all staff of the relevant sections of PV & DSE are advised of its presence before involving other groups.

Do not rely on the inter department communication systems, because occasionally vital details are omitted. I must quote that in an email invitation recently received some vital information was not included – the Date, Time and Location, while all other … Read the rest