A nearly Happy Christmas to you all! What a busy Spring it’s been, not just because of all the “festivities”, meetings, workshops, fairs, walking & running events … that erupt as the weather emerges from winter, but also because of the glorious display of wildflowers in the Grampians-Gariwerd. The orchids especially have been/are magnificent. We were slightly overwhelmed (!) by the masses we saw on our field excursion with Hamilton Field Nats … but very, very happy. A time to relish and remember. The much-wanted rain has made the bush happy too, and there’s even been some sunshine, enough to make the sun orchids bloom.
Baby birds and animals are an added pleasure, except when they’re rabbits.
Some of us take part in the GGBS (Grampians-Gariwerd Bird Survey), which has been especially valuable in burnt areas where the bird population it is taking time to recover. The surveys are always … Read the rest
Category: President Report
2025 AGM Presidents Report
President’s Report
Greetings to you all.
At the beginning of the year, the devastating bushfires in the Grampians-Gariwerd took precedence over all FOGG excursions; instead, we were able to help in individual ways where this was possible. So far this year we have had five indoor presentations by guest speakers, one Clean-up Australia activity at The Pines campground, and one Sallow Wattle attack near Halls Gap. Our guest speakers, as usual, have been keen, interesting, and informative, broadening our understanding and knowledge of our beloved Park.
We are, however, now looking forward to some outdoor field trips: an Orchid Adventure Day with Hamilton Field Nats; Aggie Stephenson from the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority will talk to us prior to leading a grassland walk near Dunkeld or Willaura the following day; and in December we are walking up to Gulgurn Manya art site, to be followed by Christmas lunch at … Read the rest
Presidents Report May 2025
Greetings everyone. This is our 1st newsletter this year, due to difficulty finding an Editor since Margo left. Thanks to Catherine Carlyle for stepping in for this issue. There has also been difficulty in getting rain these last couple of seasons; wetlands and waterholes have dried up, which on top of the fires in the Grampians has been very tough on wildlife and vegetation.
FOGG has held activities in February, March and April. In February Sarah Cole gave us an update on: Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby, and other, post-fire feeding programmes, pest control, shelter pods, the small mammal trapping project, and pest plants. In March we joined in the annual clean-up day, at The Pines (no nappies! but a lot of small items, and blown-about tree cages). April saw us removing Sallow Wattle regrowth near Halls Gap. For reports on these events, please see below.
There has been, and … Read the rest
Special General Meeting – 2nd March 2025 @ 1pm, Meeting Room, Centenary Hall, Halls Gap
Welcome: Vice President Geoff Stratford took the chair and expressed thanks to Catherine Carlyle, Wendy Bedggood and Alison Bainbridge for their work leading up to calling this meeting.
Alison Bainbridge was minute secretary for this meeting.
Attendance: Geoff Stratford, Rod Thompson, Judith Thompson, John Minchin-King, Alan Bedggood, Wendy Bedggood, Neil Macumber and Alison Bainbridge
Apologies: Catherine Carlyle, Clive Carlyle, Elia Pirtle, James Maino, Andrew Cunningham, Sue Cunningham, Darren McClelland, John King, Jocelyn King, David Steane, Leigh Douglas, ben Gunn, Cindy Thompson
Motion: Apologies be accepted
Moved: Alan Bedggood Seconded: Judith Thompson Carried
All apologies registered their proxy in favour of all motions as foreshadowed in the Notice of this Special General Meeting.
Reason why a special meeting was called: Chair invited Wendy Bedggood to provide a brief outline of the why and how we have reached the position where Friends of Grampians Gariwerd (FOGG) could take the action to … Read the rest
2023 AGM Presidents Report
Presidents Report
This term of president doesn’t quite make the full twelve months with the earlier timeslot for our AGM but we have had a full book of achievements and enjoyable activities nonetheless. We also have an interesting schedule of activities identified for the rest of 2023, a good start for the next term.
Our Christmas 2022 gathering was partially scuppered by road closures, which were not communicated, but those who met up farewelled 2022 appropriately. We therefore chose to welcome 2023 with a lovely gathering at Zumsteins in February. Together, over lunch, we set out a potential schedule of activities for 2023 followed by a very pleasant walk to Fish Falls. Along the way those of us who installed the half way seating a few years ago were able to show it off to other members. A tribute to the tenacity of Bill Gardner to see this project completed.… Read the rest
PREZ SEZ July 2023
PREZ SEZ July 2023
Welcome to this edition of the FOGG Newsletter and a well done to the editors for their work to publish items relevant to Grampians Gariwerd along with summaries of our activities. As you will read further into this
newsletter, we had some hiccups getting our contribution to Clean up Australia Day underway. However, all went well in the end and many thanks to the small team who cleaned up Reeds Lookout and surrounds.
We have pretty much established a calendar of activities for 2023 although as we have seen there can also be some flexibility as the year progresses. Your committee is always open to suggestions for topics to be covered or perhaps working bees if our age group allows. Just contact a committee member if you have an idea. In particular you may have a suggestion for a location/activity for a Christmas function. Normally the … Read the rest
Presidents Report: Friends of the Grampians Gariwerd (FOGG) 2024
Presidents Report: Friends of the Grampians Gariwerd (FOGG) 2024
Activities of our small group continues to be driven by our membership who provide the leadership and technical expertise which ensures an activity most months, supplemented with guest speakers on some occasions.
Without restating all of our activities we have held six walks led by members, conducted a clean up Australia Day activity and hosted four talks by guests. Personally, I see each activity as a highlight but we were especially grateful for our guest speakers;
Nouska Reiter: Orchids and threatened species
Charlie Richardson: PV update
Damien Skurrie: Cultural Burning
Greg Kerr: Red Gums
Our thanks go out to all for their contribution. I hope we can maintain the communication with PV, perhaps through an annual update similar to the one Charlie delivered. Along with those members of his staff who also attended, our understanding of the work and constraints PV … Read the rest
2022 November Prez Sez
PREZ SEZ
As summer approaches rapidly, and the rain keeps falling and creeks are flooding …. well, this is different to the usual summer intro. I’m loving this wetness, the sound of rain on the roof, normally dry creeks running bankers and flooding; but then I’m not faced with flooded buildings, just beautiful wetlands, ponds and puddles. Frogs, insects (pity about the mozzies), bird life – fledglings appearing everywhere, swans floating with their cygnets over the paddocks … happy Reed Warblers.
Gumboots. Bruce McInnes started the gumboot fashion with his Wetland Wander in September, when some gumboots were discovered, wetly, to be NOT waterproof after spending years stacked away in cupboards.
Now it’s time for me to step down from position of president, having completed my two-year term.
Looking back on this time, I’m left with some very warm memories of activities, work and shared values with a great group … Read the rest
2022 August Prez Sez
PREZ SEZ Aug 2022
Chilly Greetings to all, in this ‘Deep Mid-Winter’ edition. But already it’s (still Deep) Late-Winter, and spring is
on the horizon: Acacias starting to flower, orchid leaves pushing up through the cold ground, cuckoos calling, birds exhibiting nesting behaviour, i.e., chasing each other energetically! … and we’ve been told it’s going to be warmer ‘soon’. Unfortunately, creeks aren’t flowing en masse yet, even though it’s nice and wet. But wait: Mt William Creek started to flow two days ago. Thank you to Darcy Truman, our Community Engagement Officer while Hannah was away. You’ve been great to work with Darcy, and very helpful & patient with all the issues that arose. All the best for your next step, and we do hope to see you around! AND, welcome back Hannah! Your 6 months in a different area sounded most enjoyable and worthwhile, glad it worked out so … Read the rest
2021 September Prez Sez
We are very sad to learn of the death of Lyn Munro in early July. Judith will be writing about Lyn, in this or the next newsletter. She will be greatly missed, as a loved friend and fellow champion of the bush, plus for all her knowledge and input to FOGG and the Hamilton Field Nats; our deepest sympathy goes to Dave and their family.
As the short dark cold days of Winter start to give way to the (slightly) longer, (at times) sunnier, and equally cold days of late-winter, Spring is showing its presence all through the bush: Acacias and Eucalypts flowering, orchid leaves pushing up through the ground, brilliant red correa bells, fantastic fungi, and birds chasing each other and pairing up ready for nesting. It’s one of the most exciting times to be out in the bush, full of promise, especially after the plentiful rains we’ve been … Read the rest