My feelings when I read this news release was 'Yobbos'  How I dislike that sort of , don't ive  hoot about any one else, or wild life for that matter,  person. 


Parks Victoria rangers are extremely disappointed in vandalism that has been occurring at the Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve.

 

In the lead up to the opening of this year’s Victorian duck season, Parks Victoria staff on the Bellarine experienced a dramatic increase in the number of locks, chains and gates being cut open by people seeking to gain illegal vehicle access to the reserve.

 

Parks Victoria Ranger, Stuart Willsher, said historically staff have needed to replace the odd lock or chain, but the amount of vandalism this year is unprecedented and is causing concern.

 

“Unrestricted vehicle access across the wetland is not permitted, as it clearly affects the conservation values of the reserve,” Mr Willsher said.

 

“Also, people who are accessing the reserve in this way are potentially putting their own safety at risk.

 

“Over this past weekend, rangers on patrol observed several recently cut chains and gates around Reedy Lake. In one instance, the chain had been cut and the gate hinges removed.

 

“The significant cost of replacing these locks and chains is not sustainable,” Mr Willsher said.

 

With the 2010 duck hunting season in Victoria opening on 20 March and continuing until 30 May, the entire Lake Connewarre complex was opened for hunting with Reedy Lake and Hospital Swamps the most popular sites for hunting.

 

“There are plenty of ways that people can access the reserve on foot, legally and safely. Parks Victoria has worked closely with the Geelong Field and Game Association to achieve this,” Mr Willsher said.

 

“For on water access a purpose built punt launching carpark was constructed off Fitzgeralds Road in a joint partnership with the Geelong Field and Game Association. This carpark and access track to it were opened one week prior to the beginning of duck season and remain open 24 hours a day throughout the entire season.

 

“New pedestrian access gates have been installed at several key points to assist visitors to access the wetland,” he said.

 

People caught illegally accessing the reserve can be issued with an on the spot fine.

 

Lake Connewarre is a large shallow (av. depth 100cm) estuarine lagoon in the lower reaches of the Barwon River. To the north of Lake Connewarre is Lake Reedy, a gazetted RAMSAR wetlands and dedicated Field and Game Reserve. The area is home to a significant volume of protected native flora and fauna.

For further information on this area refer to the information on the development of Barwon River Parklands.

Heritage
Aboriginal Traditional Owners Parks Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Victoria - including its parks and reserves. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters.
Further information is available from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria AAV and Native Title Services Victoria 


Fauna
The Lake is commercially fished for short-finned eel. Fish are predominantly yellow-eye mullet, short-finned eel, black bream and some Australian salmon. Brown trout, carp, redfin, flounder, sea mullet, tupong, trevally estuary perch, luderick, short-headed lamprey, whiting and tailor are also present at times, depending on salinities in the lake. 


Looking After the Park

• Don't feed or handle wildlife.
• Beware of snakes in warm weather.
• Respect other park users.

Precautions
This park has been assessed to have a high level of bushfire risk and will be closed for public safety on days of Code Red (Catastrophic) Fire Danger Rating. 

 
How to Get There
Located about 90km south west of Melbourne, Lake Connewarre can be accessed by taking the Barwon Heads Road out of Geelong then turning at Lake Road and then Belcher's Road.  

Nearby Parks

• Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary
• Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park
• Barwon River Reserves
• Ocean Grove Nature reserve
• Edwards Point State Faunal Reserve
• Mud Island Marine Reserve
• Swan Bay Marine Reserve
• Reedy Lake State Game Reserve (RAMSAR wetland)
• Murtnaghurt  Lagoon State Game Reserve (RAMSAR wetland)
• Salt Lagoon
• Lake Lonsdale Nature Conservation reserve
• Breamlea & Karaaf Flora Reserves

Publications
Brochures1.  World Wetlands Day 2010

Park Notes / Maps1.  Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve
2.  Port Phillip and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site

Corporate & Other Publications1.  Lake Connewarre SGR - Environment Information Sheet

The Easter weekend proved to be one of Buchan Caves Reserve’s busiest on record.

I adore the Buchan area and Reg and I and our we have had some wonderful family holidays there. I remember going there with my mum and sister when  I was young. Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to see the Buchan regeon.

Parks Victoria’s Ranger in Charge at Buchan, Dale Calnin said: “It was a great day for the caves, the town of Buchan and the region. In my 30 years here, it’s the busiest that I’ve ever experienced. The weather was absolutely ideal and visitors made the most of it.”  

 

Mr Calnin said that many visitors had made their way to the caves from the popular Gippsland Lakes.

 

On Easter Saturday, around 1,850 people took a guided tour through the caves.

 

“There was just a mass of people throughout the park,” Mr Calnin said.  “It’s great see so many people enjoying the caves. The campsite on the reserve was also at capacity, with around 300 people staying for the weekend.” 

 

Terry Robinson, Chief Executive of Destination Gippsland, the peak body for the Gippsland Tourism Sector, said: “Buchan Caves is certainly important for the region and we were delighted to see people out in force getting in touch with nature. The increased easter visitation illustrates the appeal of Gippsland’s national parks and we will continue to work closely with our partners to develop and market these fantastic nature-based tourism assets.”

 

Around 30 staff were on hand at the Caves over weekend.

 

“We had about 20 staff taking guided tours and six in ticketing,” Mr Calnin said.  “The cleaners were certainly kept busy too. Most of the staff had never dealt with crowds of this magnitude before. It really was a great team effort and showed what experienced and capable people we have.”



With so many people on the reserve at once, Mr Calnin was pleased there were no problems with the crowds.

 

“I thank visitors and staff for making it a great weekend,” said Mr Calnin.  “Everything went perfectly. As one group was leaving the cave, another was going in. Queues were long at times but the team did a terrific job dealing with visitors.”

 

Last year, facilities at Buchan Caves received a major upgrade. “All of the aging 240 volt lights in the caves were replaced with state of the art, low heat, low-energy lighting which enhances the natural beauty of the caves,” Mr Calnin said.  “It’s great to see these improvements to the area with the large number of visitors we’re getting to the caves.”

I remember so many wonderful family holidays camped along the Murray River. Horseshoe lagoon at Cobram had been our family favorite spot. We would take our bikes and ride into Cobram for basic supplies. I took the art supplies and painted while the children and Reg swam in the river and relaxed in the shade of trees. Beautiful memories.

My children still treasure these riverside family holiday memories.
 

Parks Victoria is preparing to welcome thousands of campers and visitors to the parks and reserves along the Murray River for another busy Easter season.

 

Ranger in Charge at Echuca, Kane Weeks, said the Murray River had long been loved by those living and working along its banks and those who visit to relax and play.

 

“The River is the ideal backdrop for camping and water-based recreation.  The popular camping spots do fill quickly with people either staying weeks to enjoy its natural beauty or locals just setting up for a BBQ with friends and family,” he said.

 

This Easter, Parks Victoria is reminding visitors that a red alert for blue-green algae remains in place for the Hume Reservoir, Lake Mulwala and the Mulwala Canal off-take, Murray River from Yarrawonga to Torrumbarry (downstream of Echuca/Moama) and from Mt Dispersion (near Euston) to Mildura.

Swimmers, campers and anglers visiting the Murray River should avoid water with a green tinge and musty or organic taste and odour.

Visitors are advised while a red alert is in force this water is not suitable for drinking or recreational uses including swimming or water skiing, and stock and pets should be kept away. Fish caught in water affected by the bloom should be cleaned thoroughly in uncontaminated water.

Parks Victoria is also preparing for the creation of new and expanded national parks along the river to protect the River Red Gum Forests.

 

Mr Weeks said visitors to the Murray next Easter would begin to see improvements as the new parks are established.  In the most popular areas, waste disposal facilities will be improved to enhance the camping experience and protect the environment.

 

Campers and day visitors will be allowed to light campfires throughout the year except on total fire ban days, subject to any future legislation or government policy about fire.

 

“In the new national parks camping, fishing, water sports, horse riding, four wheel driving, trail bike riding and the use of campfires will continue where they are currently permitted. Campers will still be able to choose where they camp in the new national parks,” he said.

 

For information on planning your camping or Murray River experience visit www.parkweb.vic.gov.au or call the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963.

Heading out, shortly, for a day in the Grampians.  The Grampians Gardens tourist park beside the National park, is a great place to stay,  Reg and Indigo have already had a long walk around the parameter of this park, while I've lazed in bed and enjoyed my coffee, blogging and a view through my window.

Here are some links that may interest the adventurous visitor to the Grampians.
Guided Activities
1. Abseiling (C1)
2. Bicycle Touring (K1)
3. Birdwatching (A1)
4. Bushwalking (A2)
5. Canoeing / Kayaking (B3)
6. Car / Limousine Tours (J5)
7. Coach/Bus Tours (J1)
8. Coastal Walking (A4)
9. Fishing / Angling (G1)
10. Four Wheel Drive Tours (J2)
11. Mountain Bike Riding (K2)
12. Rafting (B4)
13. Rock Climbing (C3)
14. Ski Touring (L1 )
15. Spotlight Tours / Nightwalks (A3)
16. Surfing/Surf Education (B8)
 

A dray was a low-sided, heavy four-wheeled wagon.

Drays in Australia were most often pulled b a single horse or a pair of horses.

Wagons and drays are different from carts, which have two wheels.

I have memories of Clydesdales and drays at Gulf Station at Yarra Glen J.

Also memories, of several, Buninyong Gold King festivals and the Carlton and United Brewery, Team, of Clydesdales and dray.

 

Seymour (including Mangalore)
Attractive rural centre on the Goulburn River.
Seymour is a substantial small town of some 6900 people which is situated by the Goulburn River at an elevation of 141 metres. It is located on the Goulburn Valley Highway, 97 km north of Melbourne via the Hume Freeway. The town functions principally as a service centre to the army base at Puckapunyal and to the agricultural hinterland.

Prior to European settlement the area was occupied by the Natrakboolok people who continued to camp and hold corroborees on the townsite into the 1860s.

The first white men in the area were explorers Hume and Hovell in 1824. More critically, Thomas Mitchell's party passed by to the north of the townsite in 1836. Overlanders followed in his wake, arriving in 1837 with their cattle. By 1839 much of the land in what would become Seymour shire was taken up.

The overland mail route from Melbourne to Sydney was established in 1838. It followed Mitchell's route and so crossed the river at a point to the north (see entry on Nagambie). However, in 1839 it was found that 16 km could be saved by fording the river at a site to the south which became known as the 'New Crossing Place' (the future townsite of Seymour). Thus hotelier John Clark moved his business from the 'Old Crossing Place' at Mitchellstown and set up a punt service and a crude inn at the new ford. A blacksmith set up shop later that same year.

The government regarded the new location as a more promising townsite than Mitchellstown and so carried out a survey in 1841. A police paddock was established that year and in 1843 Thomas Mitchell named the hamlet after British parliamentarian Lord Seymour, of the house of Somerset which spawned Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII. Town allotments went on sale in 1844.

As traffic on the Sydney Road increased a second hotel emerged. It was located on the western bank of the river but this side of the village never really developed. It initially housed the first post office and was besieged by bushrangers in the late 1840s (they again harried the town in the 1860s). Faced with competition, John Clarke built a two-storey stone hotel in 1848, known as the Royal and it now forms the rear (and larger) portion of today's Royal Hotel.

Seymour's first schoolhouse was built in 1846. By the following year there was a flour mill, along with stores and tradesmen's shops. When the goldrush era began in 1851 traffic on the Sydney Road greatly increased to the town's benefit and the population began to increase. Small farms emerged around the settlement, adding to the prosperity of Seymour which had a population of 138 in 1854.

A national school and the first church (Methodist) were built in 1860. In 1863 Seymour was declared a town. That year witnessed the construction of an Anglican church, the first bank and the first bridge over the Goulburn. By 1865 the population had increased to 450 and Seymour continued to grow in the era of free selection which began in the 1860s.

The arrival of the railway in 1872 had a profound impact on the town. It made Seymour the goods receival centre for the district and, being at an important rail junction, it became a railway town with workshops and an administration centre providing employment and economic activity. Consequently the town started to expand demographically, commercially and geographically with the 'new town' developing around Station St.

The association of the area with army training camps really began in 1904 with the establishment of a troop of Light Horse at Seymour. The rail connection, local terrain, good water supply and agreeable property owners made the area a convenient assembly point for military trainees who met annually for field exercises and official inspection. Thus when Lord Kitchener came to Australia in 1910 to advise the government on military matters he inspected a major encampment at the racecourse and recommended it as a permanent military training area. When World War I arrived a few years later that permanent camp was set up and, in 1920, Seymour shire became the chief military area in the state. This ultimately led to the establishment of the Puckapunyal camp in World War II.

The Seymour Alternative Farming Expo is held in February at the Kings Park Showgrounds, the Rafting Festival in March and the Seymour Show in October.

Things to see: Tourist Information
The town's information centre is located in the old courthouse which was built in 1864. It is located in the historical precinct at the corner of High and Emily Sts and can furnish a walking guide of the historic precinct. It is open daily from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., tel: (03) 5799 0233. Within the building is an art gallery , tel: (03) 5792 3285.

Historic Walk
Adjacent the courthouse is a log lock-up (1853), originally built beside the river. A typical gaol of its period, it is made of rough-hewn logs stacked 14 high and crossed at the corners with a heavy door and lock. It was used as a temporary holding pen for those awaiting trial and was relocated to this site in 1994.

Over the road  is the old post office which was built in 1872-73. It now contains an art gallery and licensed restaurant. Adjacent, at the Emily and Robert St corner, is the Prince of Wales Hotel (1863).

Turn left into Tallarook St. To the left are the police offices, built as a residence for the chief superintendent of police in 1880. Slightly further along, on the same side of the road, is the old primary school (1860). Almost opposite, at Tallarook and Edward, is the old free library (1875). It is now home to the local historical society.

Return to Emily St and turn left. To the left is the old Methodist parsonage (1860s). Adjacent is a BP service station. To its rear is the old Anglican rectory (c.1863), now privately owned.

Royal Hotel/Moody's
Walk along to the north-eastern corner of Emily and Manners St where you will find The Royal Hotel which dates from 1848. The middle section of the hotel was built in 1852 and the front in the 1890s. The upstairs ballroom was once a centre of community activity.

The original hotel is now only a part of the larger Royal Hotel. It was here in 1941 that the artist Russell Drysdale set his famous painting The Cricketers. If you look at the painting you can see the similarity but then you will notice that Drysdale's pub was named Moody's Hotel. In fact this was the name of the hotel at the time when Drysdale was painting his famous work.

Walk Concluded
Next to the Royal Hotel is the first shire hall (1872), currently derelict. Beside that is an automobile wreckers which was built in 1872 as the Bank of Victoria. A few doors along is the Town and Country Hotel which was erected in 1865 as the Canadian Hotel. The original verandah was removed and replaced in 1939.

Terminus Hotel
The Terminus Hotel at 28 Station St is a two-storey red brick building erected in 1897 to replace the original hotel which was erected in 1873 to capitalise on the arrival of the railway in 1872.

Railway Station
The old railway station (1872) is located in Station St and has recently been subject to major restoration work.

Railway Heritage Centre
The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre is located off Victoria St. It is primarily a restoration workshop and hence has limited visitor facilities, but those interested in seeing restored steam and diesel locomotives are welcome. The centre is attended on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends. The steam trains only run on a very occasional basis but they are available for charter, tel: (03) 5799 0515.

Goulburn Park
Picnicking and swimming can be enjoyed at Goulburn Park, which is located on the riverbank off Progress St.

Wineries
Somerset Crossing, established in 1969, is a family winery which produces shiraz, cabernet/merlot, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling and ports. It is situated at the western edge of town at the corner of Emily St and the Old Hume Highway, by the Goulburn River. The cellar is open Friday to Sunday and public holidays from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., tel: (03) 5792 2445.