Bushwalking News Victoria December 2011
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Bushwalking News Victoria December 2011 View of Cumberland River from Castle Rock Photo: Peter Morgan, Geelong Bushwalking Club Contributions Inside this issue... Email or post news, views, club Walking and Talking with your Interactive Map for State Forests .......6 profiles, articles, photographs, President ............................................2 1000 Steps & Lyrebird Track, sketches and letters on any Online Trip Intentions Form................2 subject of interest to bushwalkers Ferntree Gully NP .............................. 6 (subject to editorial approval) to: Sun and Moon....................................3 Wilsons Promontory: Flood recovery effort ...................7 [email protected] Bushwalking Environment: or Track clearing/conservation Taking the pulse of the Prom ......7 24 Moorhouse Street projects ........................................3 Tracks closed over summer.........8 Camberwell Victoria 3124 Track work—Middle Creek to Federation Walk—a Report................8 Cave Hill.......................................4 Bushwalking Tips: Deadline for the February edition: Working bee—St Pauls Track......4 Monday, 16 January 2012 Airlines & stoves .......................... 9 Murrindindi Scenic Reserve .........4 When to use a PLB......................9 The statements and opinions BEC report ...................................4 Emergency service numbers .....10 expressed in articles are those of the Walking Tracks Project ..............11 ICE.............................................10 author and do not necessarily Natural Environment: Mosquitos...................................12 represent the views or position of Proposed exemptions for Bushwalking Victoria Profiles: Bushwalking Victoria. Victorian loggers ..........................5 Steve Robertson – Tracks and Editor: Joslin Guest Disease threat looms for Conservation Project Officer .....12 Victorian trees ............................10 Dave Rimmer, Manager BEC ....12 Who’s Who at BWV.......................... 13 Issue No. 221 Bushwalking News Victoria December 2011 WALKING AND TALKING WITH YOUR PRESIDENT Update on Future Walker Project: websites for clubs As a result of the excellent deal negotiated with ECWeb Development, we will be able to extend participation in the In my column in the May issue of Bushwalking News project to more clubs. We expect that it will be of particular Victoria I provided initial details about this project, funded interest to clubs that are not currently using a WCMS to by a state government grant, to provide a professionally manage their website. Clubs will be contacted directly designed a website to member clubs without a website or about this by the end of November. with a basic or out-dated website. Bushwalking Australia In early September, Bushwalking Victoria accepted a quote from ECWeb Development to undertake the Over the weekend of 19-20 November, I will be attending development and installation of the websites. The websites the annual face-to-face meeting of Bushwalking Australia are being developed using Joomla! a free open source Inc, the national body representing the interests of Web Content Management System (WCMS). bushwalkers. Bushwalking Australia is a federation of the state-based peak-body organisations, ie. Bushwalking Generally, open source software is free and widely Queensland, Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs NSW, available. A WCMS is a software system designed to Walking SA, Bushwalking Tasmania and Federation of simplify the publication of web content by allowing people Western Australian Bushwalkers and Bushwalking Victoria. without technical knowledge to create, submit and manage We hold a quarterly teleconference, and each year a content. Another advantage is that no special software different state organises and hosts the face-to-face needs to be installed on the computer of the person/s meeting: a day and half of workshop sessions and maintaining the website because all that is required is a presentations and the AGM. computer with an internet connection and a web browser (eg. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari). The 2011 meeting is being hosted by Tasmania at a venue near Port Arthur. Topics to be covered including the future Three design templates, each with a number of colour, font of bushwalking organisations, possible changes to and background options, have been developed and will personal accident insurance cover, support for research shortly be offered to the clubs that have expressed interest into promoting youth participation in outdoor activities. in the project so they can choose their preferred design. Victoria will be represented by me and David Reid, who is Each website will have both public and members-only also currently the president of Bushwalking Australia. sections. The developer will install each new website, after which the club will be responsible for developing and For more information on Bushwalking Australia, go to publishing its own content and for managing its website. www.bushwalkingaustralia.org.au Detailed instructions for managing the website and Christmas and New Year greetings maintaining the content has also been developed and will be provided to each club. As this is the last issue of Bushwalking News Victoria for 2011, I would like to extend to all bushwalkers my very In July we contacted the 40 clubs that were identified as best wishes for a merry Christmas and a safe and happy meeting the criteria for inclusion in the project and, to date, New Year filled with great walking experiences. 23 have responded positively. Chris Towers TRIP INTENTIONS FORM – NOW ONLINE Letting someone know before you go is an essential You can also print out your completed Trip Intentions Form risk management element for all bushwalkers, whether (just before you submit it), to distribute hard copies to walking with a club, with family, with friends or alone. relevant people and also so that you can leave copy in your vehicle. www.tripintentions.org provides a facility for you to enter the details of any trip (walk, outback adventure, ski trip etc) You can send your Trip Intentions Form via email without and the email addresses of two people you nominate to creating an account on the tripintentions website. act as your contacts. However, if you create an account you will be able to access any forms you have submitted previously. When you complete the online form, the details you have The service is provided free of charge in the interests of entered are automatically emailed to these two contacts improved safety for outdoors and wilderness trips and and copy is also sent to you. adventures. 2 Bushwalking News Victoria December 2011 BUSHWALKING ENVIRONMENT Track clearing/conservation projects Sunday 11 December TEN volunteers required to complete the annual sweep of the track from the top (the easy way). This track was adopted by Bushwalking Victoria for annual Condons Walking Track, maintenance. Yarra Ranges National Park Contact Steve Robertson (Bushwalking Victoria Conservation and Tracks Project Officer) on 0438 267 129 or via email at [email protected] to register or to request further information. Thursday 26 January - Sunday 29 We will camp at Native Dog Flat for the weekend to clear sections of the AAWT January 2012 between Limestone Creek Track and Cowombat Track, to Mt Stradbroke Track to Cobberas No1. A similar successful activity was held in January 2011. Track clearing on the AAWT Contact David Miller on 0417 565919 or email at [email protected] to register or to request further information. Friday 27 January - Sunday 29 This ever popular annual weekend for 30 volunteers to search and destroy January 2012 sallow willow. Alpine Restoration in the Alpine We will be providing accommodation for two nights fully paid in a ski lodge at National Park Falls Creek, as well as the usual ‘good tucker bbq’ on the Saturday night as a small way of saying thank you for your participation. Contact Steve Robertson (Bushwalking Victoria Conservation and Tracks Project Officer) on 0438 267 129 or via email at [email protected] to register or to request further information. Friday 24 February - Monday 27 This track clearing event will be held on the Baw Baw Plateau clearing a few February 2012 kilometres of track between Whitelaw Hut Ruins and Phillack Saddle. This is a continuation of a progressive clearing activity over a number of years where Australian Alps Walking Track Bushwalking Victoria has assisted the Friends of Baw Baw and the Strzelecki Clearing Bushwalking Club, with Parks Victoria as Land Managers. For more information, refer to the November Bushwalking News Victoria. Sunday 22 April 2012 The walking tracks in this area are used regularly by many walking clubs, and now it is time to give back and improve those tracks we walk on. In addition, we Bunyip State Park and Kurth Kiln hope to, on this day, create a new walking track link between Bunyip State Park Regional Park and Kurth Kiln. There will be many varied tasks from the easy secateur stroller to the more arduous. A day for everyone - it will be fun!! We also hope to have other passive recreational user groups involved on the day but I need your support. Contact Steve Robertson (Bushwalking Victoria Conservation and Tracks Project Officer) on 0438 267 129 or via email at [email protected] to register or to request further information. SUNRISE & SUNSETMELBOURNE GPO 2011 Fri 3 Dec 0552 2026 EDST Fri 17 Dec 0553 2038 EDST Fri 31 Dec 0600 2045 EDST 2012 Fri 13 Jan 0612