About one-third of Victoria, or about 7.1 million hectares, is publicly owned native forest. Under Section 50 of the Forest Act, it was possible for the Forests Commission to set aside reserves, usually for recreation or the conservation of natural features. In 1957 the area covered by this provision was quite small being only 700Continue reading “FEAR Branch”
Category Archives: Forests
Charles Thomas Smith.
Charles was born in January 1899 at Yarragon in Gippsland. Following graduation in 1917 from the Victorian School Forestry VSF) Charles enlisted in the AIF (#57139) on 17 April 1918. After embarkation on 16 June and arrival in Egypt where he underwent additional training and was allotted to the now famous 4th Light Horse RegimentContinue reading “Charles Thomas Smith.”
Romain and Gilbert Smith.
Romain Smith was born in 1891 at Waterloo near Beaufort. Romain saw active service during World War 1 after enlisting on 2 February 1915 at Bendigo (#696). He described his occupation as government fencer. He joined the 22nd Battalion AIF and embarked on 8 May 1915. His army records show that Romain got into aContinue reading “Romain and Gilbert Smith.”
Remembrance Day.
Today is special for Australians, young and old, for many different reasons. The custom across the British Empire of observing a minute’s silence on Remembrance Day is largely due to Australian soldier and journalist Edward George Honey. A small unassuming plaque can be found near the Shrine of Remembrance in Birdwood Ave. Edward never returnedContinue reading “Remembrance Day.“
On the Somme.
Very little is recorded about Australian forestry efforts during WW1. Huge quantities of timber were needed on the Western Front and by 1918 the British were exploiting about 44,500 hectares in a dozen locations north of the river Seine. But it’s reported that relations between the Allies over forestry issues were not always cordial andContinue reading “On the Somme.“
Norman Allan McDonald.
Norman was born in 1893 at Jerek and entered the Victorian School of Forestry (VSF) but did not graduate. Norman signed up in Bendigo in March 1916 with the 38 battalion (#750). He joined with his brother Alexander Cosmo McDonald (#751). They both embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A54 Runic on 20 June 1916.Continue reading “Norman Allan McDonald.”
Boys Camps.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Forests Commission ran a large unemployment program of firebreak slashing, building roads, erecting firetowers, silvicultural thinning, firewood cutting, weed spraying, soil erosion works and rabbit control. Importantly, most of the work was in country areas. By 1935-36 almost 9000 men were employed for periods of up toContinue reading “Boys Camps.”
CHEP Pallets.
The humble timber pallet (or, less typically, a plastic or metal one) has at some time or another, probably carried almost every type of object in the world. For a mostly unseen and unnoticed item, pallets are everywhere, and there are said to be billions of them circulating through the global supply chain. While thereContinue reading “CHEP Pallets.”
Sir John Jensen.
John Klunder Jensen was born in Bendigo in 1884 but had to leave school at the age of 11 to find work following the early death of his father in 1895. He moved to Melbourne in 1898 and in 1900 took a job as a junior messenger boy in the Defence Department’s ordnance stores branchContinue reading “Sir John Jensen.”
The 1982-83 Victorian Bushfire Season, including Ash Wednesday – 16 February 1983.
Free e-book now available. Forty years ago, south eastern Australia was in the middle of a prolonged drought and facing a perilous bushfire season. A new ebook provides a detailed account of the 1982-83 bushfire season from a Victorian forester’s perspective. And while the bushfire season is best remembered for those on Ash Wednesday onContinue reading “The 1982-83 Victorian Bushfire Season, including Ash Wednesday – 16 February 1983.“
Watle bark stripping.
Harvesting of various wattle species began in Victoria and southern NSW around the time of the gold rush in the 1850s. Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) is a small, fast-growing, leguminous tree and was highly prized for tanning leather. The tannin is also used to produce waterproof adhesives in reconstituted wood products. Bark was stripped from the wattlesContinue reading “Watle bark stripping.”
Splitters.
Forest and bushfire management in the Colony of Victoria from 1851 through to Federation in 1901 can best be described as chaotic. Prior to European settlement, nearly 90% of Victoria had been forested but it was rapidly, and indiscriminately, cleared by miners during the gold rush, by timber splitters and then in a mad scrambleContinue reading “Splitters.”
Fire Dams & Water Points.
Building fire dams was another of the many recommendations of the Stretton Royal Commission after the 1939 bushfires. The Forests Commission annual reports give a clue to the increase in the numbers over the years. There were no fire dams reported in 1939-40, but by the time that the Forests Commission ended and became Conservation,Continue reading “Fire Dams & Water Points.”
Des Collins – Long Tan.
Desmond (Des) John Collins was born at Glenlyon on 12 June 1945 to Frank and Olive Collins. The family moved to Daylesford in 1954 and Des left Tech School when he was 16 and took several jobs around the town. Des had never really travelled far from Daylesford until he was conscripted into National ServiceContinue reading “Des Collins – Long Tan.”
Ash Wednesday 1983 – Warburton.
The Upper Yarra Fire #12 erupted on Ash Wednesday, 16 February 1983, on the slopes of Mount Little Joe near Millgrove at 7.20 pm and quickly progressed under the influence of the strong north westerly wind. Also often known as the Warburton or Powelltown Fire, it was first spotted by Jon Gwilt in the Briarty’sContinue reading “Ash Wednesday 1983 – Warburton.”
Ash Wednesday 1983 – Otways.
A day of Total Fire Ban (TFB) was declared for Victoria at 06.30 am on Ash Wednesday, 16 February 1983. Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) firetowers at Peters Hill, Crowes and Mt. Cowley were up early from 09.00 am in expectation of a bad day, and all crews were in their depots on standby. Under provisionsContinue reading “Ash Wednesday 1983 – Otways.”
Ash Wednesday – 1983, East Trentham & Macedon.
A day of Total Fire Ban (TFB) was declared for Victoria at 06.30 am on Ash Wednesday 16 February 1983, and Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) crews were kept close to the depot at Trentham with the intent that everyone would be back in the yard by midday. Peter Brown was the Trentham District Forester andContinue reading “Ash Wednesday – 1983, East Trentham & Macedon.”
Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Two weeks before Ash Wednesday, on Tuesday 1 February 1983, the weather forecast was for a very hot day with temperatures of 41 degrees and windy conditions. The CFA declared a Total Fire Ban (TFB). A fire, which many believed had been deliberately lit, broke out at 12:49 pm just north of the Macedon RangesContinue reading “Picnic at Hanging Rock.”
Victoria’s Forests & Bushfire Heritage 