Category: Newsletters

Deer Strategy

The Draft Victorian Deer Management Strategy (the draft strategy) has been developed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources

The development of a deer management strategy is a key action under the Victorian Government’s Sustainable Hunting Action Plan 2016 – 2020 and recognised under the Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037 Implementation Framework.

The objectives of the draft strategy are to maintain hunting opportunities while managing the impacts of deer on environmental, social, cultural, economic and agricultural assets.

Effective deer management requires a partnership approach between all levels of Government, Traditional Owners, conservation and community groups, Landcare, water authorities, Catchment Management Authorities, hunting organisations, hunters, the deer farming industry, commercial deer harvest industry and the community.

The draft strategy proposes a new way of thinking to guide how deer are managed in our landscape.

Opportunity was … Read the rest

Feral Cat Questionnaire

University of Adelaide Feral Cat Management Project

Our team is looking to recruit residents who live in, manage or own property on Kangaroo Island or in the Grampians region to participate in an online questionnaire about feral cats and feral cat management.

The aim of this project will be to determine how the public feels about feral cat management, and also to inform about the different techniques that may be used in your region, or on your land. This information can then later be used to inform management authorities about what techniques are deemed acceptable by the public.

If you live in, manage or own property on Kangaroo Island or in the Grampians region, and would like further information on this study, or if you would like to participate in the questionnaire please go to http://adelaide.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7Utb Qk7mP60DaYJ and enter the code T8RM63L when prompted. If you have any questions, please … Read the rest

A New Environmental Plan

DELWP released Victorians Volunteering for Nature: Environmental Volunteering Plan on 24 October.

Many Victorians give their time freely to a wide variety of environmental causes and organisations, including Landcare, Friends, and Coastcare groups. We recognise and value their contributions and collective efforts and want to help volunteers do more for nature when, where, and how it suits them.

The Environmental Volunteering Plan (EVP) provides a welcome focus on the valuable work that Friends groups and other environmental volunteers do. The EVP proposes, among other things: to investigate a longer-term environmental volunteering government grants program and to create a small ‘set-up’ grants fund to offset administration and incorporation costs for new groups.  This Environmental Volunteering Plan will expand and reinvigorate environmental volunteering for all Victorians to get involved.

DELWP say they are setting a new direction based on sustaining, expanding, valuing and understanding volunteering in Victoria. Each area has practical and … Read the rest

Grampians Peak Trail Interpretation Meeting

I represented FOGGS (and the HG Grampians Flora Botanic Garden) at a meeting on October 8. There were five from the consultants’ team and five of us: neighbours, artists and a (local) geologist. (There had been a separate meeting with tourism people).

The consultants have been asked to prepare an Interpretation and Signature Experiences Activation Plan for the Grampians Peaks Trail, with the aim of positioning the Grampians Peaks Trail as a world-class iconic walking experience, showcasing the beauty and majesty of the Grampians National Park’s natural and cultural landscapes.  The consultants’ responsibility is to finalise a plan by early December. Others will then be employed to actually do it.

We were told that the Interpretation and Visitor Experience component will:

  • Leverage, consolidate and ‘re-package’ existing work including earlier interpretation plans;
  • Be reflective of contemporary, world-class interpretation and embrace best practice storytelling and a mix of powerful visual media such
… Read the rest

Birdwatching and farewell to Bill and Hennie Neve – Saturday August 18th

It so happened that it was one of the rare days this winter that it really rained, so birdwatching ended up a very minor part of the day. Not that anyone would complain about rain this year. Some of us took the opportunity to explore the nearby Trust for Nature reserve to observe the very slow recovery of the red gum forest which was burnt heavily in 2014. Bill reports that the bird life in the area has also not recovered to the pre-fire levels.

But we all enjoyed our last opportunity to enjoy their amazing and beautiful home and chat with them both and each other. We will miss them, and wish them well as they move closer to family in WA. One of the things we discussed was the most valuable work the Nature Glenelg Trust is doing to restore the wetlands (see last newsletter). We decided we … Read the rest

Mt Dryden Excursion – 23rd September 2018

Mt Dryden was the target of this excursion, with three objectives in mind: enjoy the view, look at the rocks, and look at the vegetation.

Mt Dryden is a greenstone outcrop, being volcanic material from the Cambrian era, the oldest rocks in Victoria. It is a particular igneous type with high magnesium, low silica content, with derived minerals including actinolyte which was prized as axe material by aboriginals.

Landholder Graeme Maher met us, and along with Geoff McPhee (previous owner) escorted us to near the summit where the views were quite spectacular. Those with a rock interest collected various specimens, and a good ramble round the peak was enjoyed. We then repaired to the shearing shed for lunch and examined specimens of greenstone axes (and other rocks) found over the years in parts of the Wimmera. Graeme told us about some of the local history including Chinese gardens watered by … Read the rest

Wildflower Drive – Sunday October 21

Dave Munro, who is a member of both groups, wrote this report for the Field Nats.

Present:  Members of the Friends of the Grampians/Gariwerd, plus 18 members of the Hamilton Field Nats.. We were also joined by several people who had responded to advertising by FOGG’s

After we heard that FOGGs had had a very successful trip to this area last year we thought that we should have an excursion combining both groups.  Last year they compiled an impressive plant list of over 70 species, largely due to the botanical knowledge of Neil Marriott.

The Hamilton party left on a cool, overcast morning and met with others outside the Dunkeld School. The drive along the Grampians Road was most pleasant with all the peaks of the southern Serra Range hidden in  blankets of cloud. The approach to Mt. Abrupt was particularly striking.

Along the road we passed patches of Leptospermum, … Read the rest

Annual Biodiversity Seminar at Nhill

There was a good representation of local FOGG members once again at this most interesting day. We learnt so much.

A very quick summary:

  • The first speaker was Professor Libby Robin from Canberra who gave us a very interesting talk on how the Little Desert National Park came into being 50 years ago. Clive Crouch who was integral to the campaign followed her. One thing that struck me was how the campaign was headed by locals, not Melbourne activists.
  • Next came Peter Monkhorst from the Arthur Rylah Institute (he also was originally a local Nhill resident). Peter talked on mammal and bird treasures of the southern Lowan Mallee.
  • Next came Ben Holmes, from the Conservation Volunteers property adjoining the Little Desert Park, who talked about the ambitious rewilding programme on their predator proof properties. ( Some of us will remember Ben from his time as a ranger in our Park,
… Read the rest

From The Editor

Welcome to the newsletter, whether you are receiving it in the post or by email. Remember that you can also access previous newsletters via our website . https://friendsofgrampiansgariwerd.org.au

First of all I need to let you know that our Ranger in Chief Dave Roberts has resigned from Parks Victoria to work for DELWP in the Otways area. We all want to thank him for his leadership and vision over the last very challenging eight years. At this stage there is no news of who will replace him – or when. His farewell letter can be found here.

Next, an apology and an explanation: We have disappointed some of our members by not sticking firmly to a regular monthly time for activities, which has made it hard for some of you to get to things they would have liked to join in with. We’ve also had a request for some … Read the rest

2018 August Prez Sez

Winter is truly hitting us, but there doesn’t seem to be much wet, just a double dose of cold. It’s obvious through the park that things are dry, but it still looks verdant and green compared to inland NSW and Qld. So, dry as it is here, we haven’t got the worst of it. Our fungi location at Jimmy’s creek was a little disappointing, but the season just hasn’t been wet enough, and lots of frosts have taken their toll on the fruiting bodies of fungi. We were pleased to have young Dave and Lyn Munroe to share their knowledge. As protégé’s of Ian McCann it is always a pleasure to have their knowledge in the group on our Fungi Frolic. But even with experts present we still saw lots of bums!

I recently indulged in the pleasure of a big road trip through inland NSW and Qld. Beautiful country. … Read the rest

Friends of Grampians Gariwerd