2012 Trip Note

Conservation: 26-29 January 2012 - Bushwalking Victoria Alpine National Park Work Party

Contributor: Rod Novak

Source: "The News", March 2012

Photogallery: Bushwalking Victoria Alpine National Park Work Party

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The Melbourne Bushies crew.

We had perfect weather for the work party. We were lucky with sunny days and the rain pelted down on Saturday evening when we were inside a very comfortable ski lodge at Falls Creek. Seven Melbourne Bushies attended with a group total of 27 from the various Bushwalking clubs from around Victoria. Bushwalking Victoria organised the work party with the Parks Victoria Rangers [Elaine and Anthony] and we divided into three groups to tackle the Sallow (grey) Willow weed problem. After our safety briefing we then travelled to Pretty Valley and identified the weed, used GPS to map its spread, and then cut and poisoned it. We had great views and lots of wildflowers and many commented on how the wildflowers were recovering with the end of cattle grazing. We enjoyed a BBQ on the Saturday evening and a guest speaker: Chris Towers (President of Bushwalking Victoria) giving us an update of BV's strategic direction and the Rangers gave a Q and A session on the Bogong High Plains (eg feral horse trapping program, Hawkweed eradication program, 18,000 willow weeds destroyed in 2011, etc.).

Melbourne Bushies attending were; Rod, Claire, Angela, Chris, Leanne, Andy and Una.