Category: Newsletters

Clean up Australia Day (Sunday May 19)

Two FOGG members started out from Halls Gap collecting rubbish through the Botanical gardens and up one side of the creek to Venus Baths and back down the other side of the creek to the gap.  They then cleaned the car park at Silverband Falls and the track up to the falls where they also chipped out some spear thistles. Two bags of rubbish were collected plus a small bag of crushed Aluminium cans separated for recycling.

Ten people assembled at the MacKenzie Falls carpark and cleaned up the area there, plus the walking tracks to the falls and the lookout. About two full bags of rubbish were collected mainly from the carpark area. We then moved to the Smiths Mill camping area and did a general cleanup there and also along the road to the campsite.

And a Pomonal group found very little rubbish at the Tunnel Rd carpark … Read the rest

Visit to Summerday Valley (Saturday June 15)

Fifteen people turned up in reasonable sunshine to visit the Hollow Mountain area. Earl, of the rock-climbing company “hanging out” based in Halls Gap, conducted us on a guided tour of Summerday Valley, highlighting the track hardening work and fencing carried out to maintain and improve the tracks in the area. We learnt that the Grampians was regarded as one of the world’s premier climbing locations, attracting visitors from all over the world, and that numbers doing this had been growing very rapidly until the recent climbing bans. Summerday Valley is special in that it caters for beginner and school groups, with good access to climbs and good toilet and parking facilities.
We heard how the current climbing bans were placing additional strain on other areas where climbing was still allowed, such as Mt Arapiles and closer to Halls Gap.

A discussion evolved round the necessity of bolts for safety … Read the rest

Brambuk Centre Talk: Trail Cameras & wildlife footage (Saturday 10th August)

Clive gave us a very interesting talk on his experiences using wildlife cameras on their property near Mt Dryden. What to look for when purchasing a camera, how and where to set one up, traps to avoid etc. Plus enchanting pictures of the native and non-native animals, some of which they have not seen in the flesh but only on the camera. I hope to have more on this in our next issue.

Margo… Read the rest

Visit by Professor Timms – 15/16th of August

Two years ago, a new species of clam shrimp was described by Prof Timms endemic to the northern Grampians rockpools or gnammas as they are more correctly known. He returned on 15/16th  of August as part of a  larger study into the ecology of gnammas in SE Australia, studying macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, and phytoplankton (this latter being undertaken by Dr Luciana Barbosa, a lecturer from the University of Paraiba in Brazil, who accompanied the Prof on this trip). Unfortunately his studies have been somewhat abbreviated due to delays by Parks Victoria in issuing a research permit, a matter on which FOGGs intervened on his behalf.

Eight gnammas on Flat Rock near Mt Zero were identified and surveyed and will be visited several times as the season progresses. In addition, four gnammas at Mt Arapiles were surveyed.  Even at this early stage the results are most interesting. The endemic clam shrimp … Read the rest

From The Editor

Welcome to our summer newsletter.  Please note that our first activity for the year is on Sunday March 3, We are having our annual cleanup activity followed by a BBQ lunch. See the poster.

We have a mix of familiar and new faces on our committee which is very healthy. A big welcome particularly to our new President Catherine Pye, and thanks to Rodney for his work over the last couple of years.

Some years back our dedicated volunteer webmaster set up a system that allowed us to have email addresses for President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor etc @friendsofgrampiansgariwerd. We are finally starting to adopt them and as Rodney wrote last year “The legitimacy it lends us as an organisation when communicating with government departments, filing grant applications, and press releases etc is useful. It also is helpful for continuity when people change roles.”

After a quiet few weeks over the … Read the rest

2019 April Prez Sez

Hello Friends!

What a great start to the year with the wonderful talk by Neil about our great birds and animals and where to find them locally.  Thank you Neil.

Our next event is Sunday March 3rd, ‘Clean up Australia Day’ meeting at 8.30am in the Halls Gap Park opposite Visitor Centre.  I look forward to seeing you there.  For those who can’t make this please arrange your own community clean up – hopefully the Shires will have their tips open for free that day.

Well we’ve had our first committee meeting and have planned out a year of exciting activities.  These can be found in the Calendar.

In July, we invite Friends to our property at Fyans Creek for a plant out to coincide with Planet Ark National Tree Day.  Clive and I bought our place about 5 years ago and have slowly been renovating the farm house … Read the rest

Committee Meeting – February 2

Our main item of business was deciding which of the many suggested activities for the year we would choose, and which month was the most suitable. We had decided at our November general meeting that it was a good idea to join with other groups interested in our unique environment, and this has happened on several dates this year.

Schedule of events is in the Calendar.

Another decision was to proceed with reprinting the book by the late Ian McCann “The Grampians in Flower”.  Margo is exploring some options, but would love any help that members can contribute.

Other items included

  1. Discussion of what topics we would like to discuss when the committee has a meeting with Parks staff on 20 Feb (just too late for this newsletter. Report next time.)
  2. Discussion of what activities of other groups should be emailed to FOGGs members (decided that three committee members
… Read the rest

Activity Reports

AGM and picnic in the Halls Gap Botanic Garden November 30, 2018

It was a perfect evening for our AGM, which is reported elsewhere. Some of us cooked on the barbecue, to the appreciation of the local kookaburras, at least one of whom managed to grab a sausage from the unwary. Then we walked around the garden to look at the collection of Gariwerd plants, and appreciate the work of the volunteers who have been providing names for many of the plants, and for the work done to make the garden attractive to children.

Bird Walk and Talk Saturday 2 February, 2019

Such a hot day! Would there be any birds to be seen in the dry surrounds of Brambuk? Our secretary had done a good job of advertising the event on ABC radio, and Alison had it in Halls Gap’s monthly newsletter. So around 30 of us assembled at … Read the rest

From The Park Desks April 2019

ASSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Recovery (2014 Fire and Flood)

A number of road, walking track and park asset redevelopment projects were completed late last year and focus now shifts to completing the following projects:

  • Nagamadjidj walking track, carpark and art site interpretation signage redevelopment
  • Stapylton loop walking track repairs
  • Zumsteins Cottages Pise repair works
  • Zumsteins heritage site interpretation signage
  • Coppermine 4X4 bush camp and Group Hikers Camp redevelopment
  • Longpoint west Hikers camp redevelopment
  • New Dead Bullock Creek (Barriguwa) campground development. Replacement of Troopers creek.

There have been alignment changes to Briggs Bluff and the Mt Difficult walking tracks. Check for alignment updates at Brambuk prior to venturing out.

Roads

Unsealed roads have been upgraded throughout the park as part of flood recovery works. However, dry summer conditions have resulted in many dusty and corrugated sections. Note unsealed roads cannot be graded until there is an increase in soil moisture.

ENVIRONMENT AND … Read the rest

Friends of Grampians Gariwerd