Friends of Grampians Gariwerd

Spring Newsletter - From the Editor

Margo Sietsma

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FOGG Newsletter Spring 2010.pdf Newsletter Spring 2010.pdf
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The season of Larneuk – nesting birds is just finishing. Its description starts with Bleak mists, freezing winds and rain. Well this year it hasn’t been particularly cold but it has felt like it! And masses of wonderful rain, better than last year even. If it hasn’t been raining the clouds have sat solidly in the valleys. So far in August rain has fallen on Mt William on 26 days, as against the long term average of 14.The good news too is that this time the water has been soaking in so well. One not so good result has been that the strong winds have brought down so many trees, stressed from the drought and now in waterlogged soft soil.

As at 25 August, Bellfield Reservoir is at 42% full, compared with 24% this time last year,and 17% the year before. Overall in the Grampians Wimmera Mallee water storages we are now at 18.5% compared to 18.7 last year and 5.7 the year before. Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water have a useful chart.

Once again, Petyan (Spring) presents as an extremely busy time. Well over half of our yearly activities are squashed into a few months. Do try to be involved in at least some of them. The Threatened Species activities are our major way of volunteering in the Park. The contribution of enthusiasts to the body of knowledge about plants and animals is invaluable. Plus it is so enjoyable to get out and learn. One of our winter activities was a talk on the rare Grampians Bitter-Pea. After the talk a couple of us realised that one of the flower arrangements in the HG Hall painted by Henrietta D’Alton in 1886 featured this plant. Her amateur enthusiasm has resulted in a valuable record.

We’ll be selling cards featuring her work at the Wildflower show at the end of September. This is not actually a FOGG activity, but it would not survive without FOGG involvement. The HG community is very grateful for your support.

In addition to the flowers (picked under licence plus from nurseries and private property, all “unimproved” local varieties) there will be displays on Stan’s beloved plants with separate male and female flowers, Threatened Species Group, Brushtailed Rock Wallaby project, Wimmera Catchment Management Authority and Project Platypus Landcare group. There will be a retrospective of Ken Woodcock’s illustrations. Plus craft activities for children (and adults). This year again the flowers will be arranged in communities, and databases and reference books will be available for general use. There will also be daily bus tours to see the flowers in the wild. On the same weekend you can also admire Australian native plants for the garden at Pomonal’s show.

We really would love some more volunteers in all areas, setting up on Tuesday and Wednesday, flower guides inside and out, on the door, helping with children’s activities, helping with the shop. Contact Mandy on 5356 4646 or email “wadge at exemail.com.au” For more info see www.grampianswildflowershow.org.au.

But as well as coming to our activities, you can contribute to the well being of our Park by looking up the proposed Fire Operations Plan on the web and making your comments on it. Go to the DSE website then click on Fire Operations Burns and then View Proposed Burns.

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