FOGG now a Charity!!

Subject: Your charity is now registered with the ACNC CRM:001260817797

Congratulations

We are pleased to confirm that the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) has registered Friends of Grampians-Gariwerd Inc (ABN: 69541815642) as a charity.

The date from which your charity is registered is 8/08/2014.… Read the rest

Grampians Walking Track Support Group April May Events

Good afternoon
This year we have a variety of volunteer maintenance works planned for our much loved walking tracks. The program will commence with vegetation and drainage works at Heatherlie Quarry on 5 April.
On 8 and 9 April we are replacing a short section of raised walkway at Heatherlie Quarry, using prefabricated panels funded by our donations.
We are planning works for 3 & 4 May and  6 & 7 September with the tracks to be determined following a full assessment of fire impacts..
We are also looking at a maintenance day at the Piccaninny in October.
As details are finalised, the projects will be available on ParkConnect –
Please don’t hesitate to contact our Convenor, David, or me should you require further information.
All the best
Graham
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Tail of the Squirrel Gliders night survey report

On Monday evening, Friends of Grampians Gariwerd members and Project Platypus Elia and Lee ventured along the roadside vegetation to survey the area for Squirrel Gliders. We gathered at Mt Drummond Road, equipped with thermal imaging scopes and red light torches, tools crucial for spotting nocturnal wildlife. As the sun disappeared and darkness enveloped the landscape, the bushland seemed to come alive around us.

Our night began with some remarkable sightings. Almost immediately, a Brush-tailed Possum appeared in our sights, its distinctive, bushy tail illuminated in the soft red glow. Not long after, we caught sight of a Ring-tailed Possum navigating its way through the canopy with remarkable grace. These initial encounters reminded us of the importance of roadside vegetation with its mix of trees and understorey of wattles and set an exciting tone for the survey.

The real stars of the evening, however, were the Sugar Gliders. Not long … Read the rest

Tandara Track Work 17th March

Park Update

Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park 12.03.2025

From Monday 17th March 2025, Wildtracks are commencing works on the Fyans Creek (Barri Yalug) Track between the end of Tandara Rd and the Terraces Fireline). Wildtracks will take approximately 2 weeks with this section of the track temporarily closed or detoured around on the Terraces Fireline in accordance with the progress of works. Boronia Peak remains accessible from the northern end of the Fyans Creek (Barri Yalug) Track.

William (Bill) Playne

Ranger – Visitor and Community

Grampians (Gariwerd)|Western Region… Read the rest

The Tail of the Squirrel Glider Invitation

Project Platypus invites Friends of the Grampians – Gariwerd to join the quest for Squirrel Gliders in an exciting, collaborative effort that brings together nature enthusiasts and dedicated ecologists.

Since October 2024, the dedicated Project Platypus field crew have undergone extensive training in identifying and monitoring Squirrel Gliders. Guided by ecologist Chris Pocknee from the Biolinks Alliance, their mission has taken them to the roadsides around Dadswell Bridge, surveying a 17km stretch armed with thermal imaging night scopes, binoculars, and cameras to spot and identify various possum and glider species.

Their vigilant efforts have already led to the discovery of a new location inhabited by Squirrel Gliders, providing crucial data to understand their population and inform protection strategies. These findings underscore the rarity of Squirrel Gliders in the area, highlighting the urgent need for concerted conservation efforts to ensure the survival of this special marsupial.

Now, the project is opening … Read the rest

2025 Grampians (Gariwerd) aerial pest animal control operation

Official Notice

Starting 12th – 14th March 2025

Parks Victoria is conducting a conservation program to improve the health of the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park native animals and plants following the devastating recent fires.

The recent Yarram Gap and Wallaby Rocks fires affected over 70% of the Grampians National Park impacting native plants, animals, aquatic species and invertebrates.

Urgent action is being taken to reduce predators (foxes and feral cats) and introduced herbivores (deer and feral goats), threatening the survival and recovery of vulnerable native plants and animals.

An aerial control operation will be conducted Wed 12th – Fri 14th March 2025 to support the recovery of native animals and plants after the Wallaby Rocks and Yarram Gap fires.

Foxes and feral cats prey on Grampians native animals such as the Brush tailed Rock Wallaby, Long nosed Potoroo, Southern Brown Bandicoot, Smoky mouse, Heath mouse, 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

Clean up Australia Day 2025 Meeting report

Sunday 2nd March Pines Plantation campground.

The day went well. The weather did us proud, nice morning. A dozen members participated and although the camp ground looked pretty clean at first glance we collected up a good eight bags of rubbish and some extraneous items over a bit more than one and half hours, which we thought was good hunting, so we didn’t do the quarry. Park Ranger Nick called by just after I arrived to set up and thankfully he offered to call past in the afternoon and collect the rubbish if we left it behind the toilets. Thanks Nick and thankyou to all our volunteers.

Another successful team effort. Photos to come!… Read the rest

Grampians Fires

16th December 2024 Lightning strikes started fires at Yarram Gap and spread north towards Halls Gap.  Soon the whole Mt William range, Mt Rosea and Sundial area was on fire.  This fire extended south towards Walker Swamp and west into the Wannon River valley and east towards Pomonal and Moyston.

Halls Gap and surrounding towns were evacuated several times.  Christmas was a very unsettling time for many.

Over 76000 hectares of National Park and farmland was burnt, the fire had a perimeter of 427km.  Including farmland around Pomonal and Moyston.  Pomonal had burnt recently in February 2024 and once again the town had to be evacuated.  Several homes were lost and many fences and out buildings.

On the 6th January this fire was contained, but blacking out operations continued and the fire was monitored to ensure that it did not break out again.

Halls Gap reopened on 8th January and … Read the rest

Meeting report on Parks Talk by Sarah Cole in February 2025 about the Fires

Parks Victoria Meeting 

Date: February 7th Location: Brambuk, Halls Gap The National Park and Cultural Centre

  1. Brush Tailed Rock Wallabies
  • Population: 60 animals across two sites in Victoria
  • Reintroduction: Since 2008
  • Recent post fire Feeding Operations:
    • 5 aerial operations using helicopters
    • Drone attempts were unsuccessful
  1. Deer and Pest Control
  • Animals Controlled:
    • 10 foxes
    • 30 red deer
    • 3 out of 4 Sambar
  1. Feeding Programs for Other Animals
  • Heath Mouse
  • River Blackfish:
    • Depend on hollow logs in rivers for spawning and hiding
    • Relocation Efforts – farm dams
  • Agile Antechinus
  • Long nosed Potoroo
  • Southern Brown Bandicoot
  1. Shelter Pods:
    • Purchased by DEECA
    • Monitored by Deakin University
    • 160 installed across two sites (80 pods per site)
    • Clusters: 16 pods × 5 locations
    • Monitoring: 2 cameras per cluster
  1. Small Mammal Trapping Program:
    • Conducted by Dr John White (Deakin University)

Funding: Possible funding for a team dedicated to fire recovery

Pest Plants

  1. Sallow Wattle:

Issues :

  • Regenerates
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