The arrival of the Victorian Railways narrow gauge train (now the iconic Puffing Billy) into Gembrook in about 1900 signalled the rapid expansion of sawmilling in the district. Sawmills had operated at Gembrook from the 1880s, but their produce was transported by primitive tramways to places like Nar Nar Goon in the south. A newContinue reading “Gembrook forests.”
Author Archives: Peter McHugh
Fyansford Paper Mill.
Building the Fyansford Paper Mill, on the Barwon River near Geelong, commenced in the 1870s and was completed in 1878. When the site opened, it was claimed to be one of the most advanced paper mills in the southern hemisphere. At the time, there were seven paper mills in Australia and Fyansford is one ofContinue reading “Fyansford Paper Mill.”
Sugar Gum.
Sugar Gum (Eucalyptus cladocalyx) originates in South Australia in three distinct populations: the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. Sugar Gum is also widely planted across the drier western district of Victora as a windbreak or shelterbelt and for durable farming timber as well as magnificent firewood. Sawn timber harvested from sugar gum hasContinue reading “Sugar Gum.”
RC-16B radio phone.
In the wake of the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the war, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. The RC-16 radio phone had been designed and built by theContinue reading “RC-16B radio phone.”
Wallaby Creek Catchment.
The east branch of the Plenty River, Silver Creek and Wallaby Creek catchments, were permanently reserved for water supply purposes in 1872. Together with the 5,700-acre Yan Yean, which was completed in 1857, the catchments were part of the first system of reservoirs and aqueducts suppling water to Melbourne. The Toorourrong Reservoir was added inContinue reading “Wallaby Creek Catchment.”
Giant Mountain Grass
The recovery of the mountain ash forests after an intense bushfire is remarkable. From a blackened and seemingly desolate landscape, new life soon begins. Giant mountain grass, (Dryopoa dives – previously known as Festuca dives and Glyceria dives – bloody botanical taxonomists), grows back quickly within a few weeks after bushfire. But the old bushiesContinue reading “Giant Mountain Grass”
Peterson’s Lookout.
I spent 40 years as a field-based forester and firefighter in rural Victoria, mostly around the Powelltown and Central Gippsland forests. And while it had its ups and downs, like any job, I mostly enjoyed my career. But one of the things that upset me the most, were the small number of people (bogans IContinue reading “Peterson’s Lookout.”
CFL Regions.
The Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands (CFL) came into effect on 1 September 1983 after a short Act of State Parliament. The Forests Commission Victoria (FCV), which had existed since 1918 lost its discrete identity and merged into the newly formed mega-department, along with the Crown Lands and Survey Department, National Park Service, SoilContinue reading “CFL Regions.”
The Carver Papers.
Morris William Carver was born on 25 October 1896 at Thorpdale in Gippsland. He enlisted in the AIF in Feb 1918 and set sail from Adelaide, holding the rank of Sergeant, but returned home when the boat was recalled. On returning, Morris got a job on 5 March 1919 with the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV)Continue reading “The Carver Papers.”
Wattle Day – First Day of Spring.
Today, the 1st of September, marks the official beginning of Spring in the southern hemisphere, and wattles are starting to flower in the bush and in gardens around the country. Wattles feature prominently in Australian ceremonies, literature, poetry, art and song from the 1830s to the early 1900s. But until the early 1980s, three setsContinue reading “Wattle Day – First Day of Spring.”
Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) – Commemorative Lapel Badges.
Commemorative lapel badges have been produced for the Forests Commission Retired Personnel Association (FCRPA) to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV). The Commission began in 1918 and had a long and proud history as the primary forest and bushfire manager of Victoria’s 7.1 million ha public land estate.Continue reading “Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) – Commemorative Lapel Badges.”
Black Butt – Mt Fatigue.
This photo from the State Library comes in black and white as well as colour versions, so I guess it was sold as a postcard. It also features in the Leader Newspaper published on 30 August 1902. The caption says the road was recently constructed with an unemployment scheme. I clambered all over those soggyContinue reading “Black Butt – Mt Fatigue.”
Power Poles.
Hardwood poles have always been a very high value forest product with a royalty much higher than sawlogs. In 1946 the Forests Commission produced some 250,000 lineal feet (76.2 km) of telephone and electric power poles, mostly for the Post Master General (PMG) and State Electricity Commission (SEC). From about 1947, as the power gridContinue reading “Power Poles.”
Total Fire Bans in Victoria – a history.
The declaration of a Total Fire Ban (TFB) in Victoria was for many years the key indicator of a day of extreme fire danger for both the fire agencies and the public. But it also served, and indeed continues, to prohibit a range of activities well beyond a ban on barbeques and burning off. TotalContinue reading “Total Fire Bans in Victoria – a history.”
Sundial Peak – Grampians.
Sundial Peak in the Grampians National Park sits at the southern end of the Wonderland Range and overlooks Lake Bellfield. It was named by early settlers who noticed that the 2360-foot-high peak received the first and last rays of sun each day. In 1968, form-five students at nearby Stawell Technical School, under the guidance ofContinue reading “Sundial Peak – Grampians.”
National Service – Vietnam Veterans Day.
Unlike other military conflicts, the records of Forests Commission staff who served in Vietnam are not consolidated or recognised on honour boards. I know a few names… One of the most notable was Des Collins who worked on the crew at Daylesford and was killed along with his workmate, Alan Lynch, at the Greendale fireContinue reading “National Service – Vietnam Veterans Day.”
Pole Plot – Sherbrooke Forest.
The Sherbrooke Forest pole plot is at the southern end of Coles Ridge Track, between Belgrave and Kallista. The study plot in wet forest was paired with another site in drier bush near Winton, on the old Hume Highway. Both research plots are thought to have been established in the 1930s by Post Master GeneralContinue reading “Pole Plot – Sherbrooke Forest.”
Pennies for Pines.
Margaret March-Mount began working for the U.S. Forest Service in 1913 as a clerk on the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming. Growing up in southern Illinois and Kansas, Margaret had witnessed the devastating effects of erosion from wind and rain. She envisioned a nation of healthy trees so began writing and speaking about the benefitsContinue reading “Pennies for Pines.”