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Hint: it is halfway around one of the tracks so you can rest up before continuing.  The seat was provided courtesy of Richard Bazeley and installed by Parks Victoria rangers from Inglewood and St Arnaud Field Naturalists members.

This is to announce the launch of our updated site. Hope you all enjoy

Our detailed submission to the EPBC Act review on behalf of the St Arnaud Field Nats The document can be read by clicking on the graphic below

Fungi Mosses Orchids Flora Landscapes Butterflies & Moths Insects Reptiles Native Birds Fauna Amphibians Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this Website are acknowledged to have been produced by Mrs Anne Hughes

The St Arnaud Regional Park surrounds the Town so there is plenty of opportunity to walk or ride along tracks in the Box Ironbark forest. The St Arnaud Field Naturalists have helped Parks Victoria to develop the following nature reserves within the St Arnaud Regional Park. Wax garden Flora Reserve Viewpoint Bell Rock Heritage Reserve The Basin - St Arnaud State Forest 4 Brochures are available direct from the website. Here St Arnaud Silo and Wall Art Trail Features paintings and portraits by local artist Kyle Torney. Starting in St Arnaud the trail links the Wimmera & Mallee’s small towns through 700km of roads. https://www.australiansiloarttrail.com/ Bike Riding Trails See Booklet ‘Cycling Trails Around St Arnaud’ Tour guides featuring ‘Historic Buildings in the Town’ and it’s ‘Mine History.’ See ‘Historic Walking Trail’ and ‘Mine History Trail’ produced by the St Arnaud Historical Society. Pamphlets, brochures and booklets are all available at the St Arnaud Tourist Information Centre, the St Arnaud Community Resource Centre and The Raillery Hub, St Arnaud … information and art gallery Avon Plains Walkers Lake … camping, water recreation Hollands Lake … a bird haven Banyena River Walk Burrum Burrum Cemetery (remember country cemeteries are rarely disturbed by the dead or living, making them a haven for bird life and our endemic plants) Cope Cope area Browns Lake / Lake Cope Cope Lake Nurrumbeet Lake Grassy Round Lake Swanwater West Cemetery … woodland birds in undisturbed buloke woodland Dalyenong Nature Conservation Reserve Kooyoora State Park … well managed park, facilities, camping - take a picnic Mount Bolangum Nature Conservation Reserve … again take a picnic Kara Kara National Park Teddington Reservoir Teddington Campground Walking trails and birdwatching, situated within Kara Kara National Park . Wooroonook Lakes … camping, water recreation, birds Local Facebook pages For great photos www friends avon plains lakes www friends bluegum rise friends mtwycheproof Places to Visit Less than one hour to Visit St Arnaud and Region Pastoral development in the region began before 1836 with the explorations of Major Mitchell. What followed has been a rapid clearing of the landscape for agriculture and industry, allowing little more than 5% of the native vegetation to remain. The two primary bioregions of the region are: The Western Goldfields bioregion; characterised by Box-ironbark vegetation communities, and The Wimmera bioregion ; characterised by Buloke woodlands and Black-box/lignum wetlands. Landscapes across the area are highly fragmented, with remnant vegetation occurring largely across private land and Public Land Reserves, including but not limited to the Kara Kara National Park, St Arnaud Regional Park, Bolangum and Tottington Conservation Reserves, Wooroonook Lakes, Lake Buloke, Lake Batyo Catyo, Walkers Lake, Dalyenong Conservation Reserve, and Mt Wycheproof. These few remaining sites provide critical habitat to native species, some of which are now endangered or regionally extinct, including Buloke tree, Stuart Mill Spider orchid, Powerful Owl, and Growling grass frog. Reconnecting these landscapes remains a priority project for the Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Network (BNGLN). https://www.bnglandcare.org/ https://windharphorizons.org/ The following link provides a map showing parks and reserves around St Arnaud https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H62LZpsoVN6v4yAx4wUEQXQ2rjqfCZcP/view?usp=sharing Around the Town Further afield - weekender / big day out Bealiba … begin at Evans Hotel. Picnic at Bealiba Reservoir, old gold diggings Boort lake … cabins, water sports, canoe hire Camping in the Goldfields (around Maryborough and St Arnaud) Butts Reserve Goldfield Glamping Hamilton Crossing Kooyoora State Park Hard Hill Tourist Reserve (near Wedderburn) Laanecoorie River Reserve Moliagul Campground Paddy’s Range Camping Pyrenees Glamping Retreat Secret Lead Slaty Creek Campground Teddington Camping Area Tullaroop Creek Tullaroop Reservoir Waanyarra Camping Grounds Canoe Trails – Serpentine Creek CT, Laanecoorie CT, Loddon River CT Central Goldfields Visitors Centre, Maryborough Railway Station, Maryborough, htpps://visitmaryborough.com.au Dunolly Museum 75 Broadway, Dunolly for some history Goldfields – current UNESCO review for inclusion Running from Mt Buninyong to Bendigo the Goldfields Track (210km) meanders through numerous Parks. Parks near Maryborough and Castlemaine , include: Castlemaine Diggings National Park. Paddy’s Ranges State Park. Maryborough Regional Park. Moliagul Historic Reserve. Walk the ‘Welcome Stranger’ discovery walk Visit htpps://www.parks.vic.gov.au Grampians National Park (Gariwerd) htpps://www.visitgrampians.com.au Laanecoorie Reservoir … walking tracks, birds Mt Arapiles … can drive to top and view the plains below. Nearby quaint town of Natimuk. Rock climbing, bushwalking, bird watching Mt Wycheproof … standing 43 m above surrounding plains is the smallest registered mountain in the world. Visit htpps://www.visitbuloke.com.au Pyrenees Unearthed Wine and Food Festival . At the beginning of April, our winemakers celebrate harvest - a day of sensational wine, delicious food, local produce and live entertainment. Head to Moonambel www.visitpyrenees.com.au Sea Lake … home of ‘big skies’ and Lake Tyrell Talbot … Court House Hotel, monthly farmers to stock up for that bush picnic Victorian Goldfields Railway . Heritage Goldfields Rail linking historic gold mining towns of Castlemaine and Maldon. Visit https://www.VGR.com.au or email info@vgr.com.au Pyrenees Rail Heritage Trail . Round circle Tour from Avoca via Amphitheatre, Elmhurst, Crowlands, Landsborough and Navarre. Farmers Markets ... for that picnic Avoca – 4th Sunday of month Carisbrook – 2nd and last Sunday of month Castlemaine -1st Sunday of month Dunolly - 4th Sunday of month Maldon – 2nd Sunday of month Talbot – 3rd Sunday of month

Projects Since it was founded in 1984, the St Arnaud Field Naturalists Club Inc has been actively involved with the ‘fencing off’ of specific natural areas to protect rare native flora from disturbance. PAST FENCING/PROTECTION PROJECTS: Hard Hills 1984 7 line rabbit proof Caladenia filamentosa, Inland Pomaderris Wax Garden 1991 Replacement of earlier fence. Area of reserve increased to 6.84Ha from 3.84Ha. Signage. Walking tracks. Numerous threatened species Dalyenong NCR 2004 7 line rabbit/wallaby proof. In conjunction with DSE Biodiversity Unit Bendigo “Back from the Brink” Orchid Project. Re-introduction of Caladenia cruciformis The Basin 2005 Signage and restoration work. Biodiversity Mt Bolangum NCR 2010 7 line rabbit/wallaby/kangaroo proof. In conjunction with DSE Biodiversity Unit, Orchid Project Re-introduction of Thelymitra mackibbinnii PP near Stuart Mill 2010 7 line rabbit proof enclosures Caladenia cretacea PP near Stuart Mill now part of JC Griffin Reserve 2011 6 ft high rabbit proof topped with stocklock. Very old colony of Grey Grasstrees Dalyenong Bushland Reserve 2011 7 line rabbit proof. In conjunction with DSE Biodiversity Unit, Bendigo, Orchid Project Caladenia cretacea and further establishment of same. Kara Kara NP 2011 7 line rabbit proof (study site) Comesperma polygaloides Stuart Mill NCR 2011 7 line rabbit proof. 2 enclosures Grey Grasstree colony Hard Hills 2012 7 line rabbit proof Caladenia ampla PP as above 2012 Small rabbit proof Caladenia cretacea Kara Kara NP 2012 7 line rabbit proof (study site) Comesperma polygaloides Stoney Creek NCR 2016 7 line rabbit proof. Lowly greenhood orchid. To repair burnt out gully. View Point 2016 7 line rabbit proof. 4 small enclosures. Signage. Grey Grasstree (Xanthorrhea glauca ssp. Angustissima) Moolerr Bushland Reserve 2017 Stocklock fencing with many double gates. In conjunction with ‘Bush Heritage’ and Djaara. Signage. 75Ha of Blakeley’s Redgum/Long leaved Box/Buloke woodland Bell Rock 2017 Stocklock fencing. Signage. Walking tracks. Boronia anemonifolia, Cane Speargrass. Others? Unique geological features and HISTORY SIGNIFICANT TREE DATABASE Nominate a Tree for our Significant Tree Database. Northern Grampians Shire Council has a Significant Tree Register . The Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwilli) in the Queen Mary Gardens and the largest Yellow Gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon) at the Market St entrance gate to Market Square are classified by Heritage Victoria as Regionally Significant . The Council recognises that other trees growing within St Arnaud’s main Public Spaces such as The Queen Mary Gardens, the Town Hall, Pioneer Park and King Georges Park have High Amenity Value. What is the Significant Tree Database Council needs help from the community to identify appropriate trees to add to these lists. The St Arnaud Field Naturalists Club is supporting this process by collecting suggestions from residents to create a tree database and, if a case for inclusion can be made, we’ll nominate the tree(s) to Council for special protection. What is a significant tree? It may be an unusual species or outstanding example of its type (native or introduced). It may have historical, social, cultural or religious significance or be a local landmark. It might have important habitat value by providing nesting holes for example. It can be a single tree, an avenue or a group of trees. If you value a special tree please fill in our form. HERE How do I nominate? We would like as much information as possible, but we understand that it may not be possible to provide everything. Just fill in what you can. (Thank you to ‘Broken Hill Landcare’ for sharing their idea) ONGOING PROJECTS: Bird Surveys Small Milkwort (Comesperma polygaloides) Monitoring Wax Garden Maintenance Banksia marginata Seed Collection from established orchards on PP. CURRENT PROJECTS: Website reconstruction Digitization of Herbarium Notable Trees of St Arnaud and District