FEDWALKS 2021 – LICOLA
FRIDAY 12^TH – MONDAY 15^TH NOVEMBER 2021
 
Our annual Federation Walks event is able to go ahead this year after last year's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event is open to all members of Bushwalking Victoria. 

Planning (take two!) is well underway for the Fedwalks 2021 event at Licola and the surrounding area in Gippsland. The walks and maps are currently being drawn and reccied. A new FedWalks Event website is being developed and should be live by the end of April, so watch this space for an update next month. The organising committee visited Licola Village recently to organise the finer details of the weekend and confirm the requirements for hosting a COVID-19 safe event.
 
Entertainment is being booked, catering menus are being finalised and the registration portal, TryBooking, will be ready for registrations to open on Sunday 1 August 2021.  
 
Keep informed by liking the FedWalks 2021 Facebook Page, as we’ll be showcasing the walks and the activities leading up to the event.
 
Make sure that the dates are in your diary: Friday 12^th – Monday 15^th November 2021!

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Photo: The new raised walkway above the Snowy River as part of the Snowies Iconic Walk still under construction. A possible realignment for the AAWT.

Meeting attendees on the Illawong Walk after crossing Blue Cow Creek.

Joe van Beek and John Green, from our Bushwalking Tracks and Conservation (BTAC) team, represented Bushwalking Victoria at an Australian Alpine Walking Track (AAWT) Stakeholder meeting at Charlotte Pass in February 2021.

Land manager representatives from Victoria, NSW, and the ACT, responsible for the various sections of the AAWT, presented an update on track conditions and of damage to the AAWT caused by last summer’s fires.  While many sections of the track and several huts were affected, three areas remain to be reopened.

Namadgi National Park in ACT currently has much of the track unable to be accessed.  There is an alternative route using the Bicentennial National Trail. Fortunately, progress has been better than initially expected and the track is likely to be re-opened later this year.  We await an official target date.

Around Limestone Creek to near Misery Trail, there is approximately 30 km of track that remains closed due to fire damage and dangerous trees.  This section can be walked around on a network of existing tracks. It is anticipated that an alternative route will be available by the end of the year if the track is not fully re-opened by then.

The bridge over the Thompson River at Poverty Point is expected to re-open later this year.  The many large fallen trees obstructing the track from Poverty Point to the Mormon Town Track need to be removed before this section can be reopened.  There is an alternative track available.

As well as working to re-open sections of the track, much work, such as replacing lost markers and other track signage and other repairs, remains to be done following the fires. 

The meeting also discussed the strategic direction for the AAWT and was briefed on the Snowies Iconic Walk and entertained by author Anthony Sharwood who recently released his book From Snow to Ash about his attempt to walk the AAWT. (See BWV Newsletter, Oct 2020) Attendees had the opportunity to walk a newly developed section of the Snowies Iconic Walk.

Parks Victoria offers free group walks led by trained Volunteer Park Walk Leaders all over Victoria. The walks on offer will suit a range of different walking styles. The three main kinds of walks are:

• Park Walks - regular walks that can be incorporated into your health and wellbeing routine.
• Discovery Tours -  a facilitated walk that focuses on providing information on a site's heritage or natural features.
• Mindfulness Walks - a relaxing guided walk through beautiful bushland, using the concept of mindfulness.

You can view the walks currently available here.

 

The larvae of the Longicorn beetle seem to be the culprit for causing the rapid and widespread death of snow gums. Read more here. Dr. Matthew Brookhouse, a forestry specialist at the Australian National University,  investigating the cause and possible control measures, is calling on citizen scientists to help. 

Mapping the instances of dieback across Victoria, New South Wales, and the ACT is a challenge, given the remoteness of parts of the alpine region. The research team is asking for your help to photograph any signs of the beetle’s presence and log it online through the website Save Our Snow Gum. Let's give them a hand alpine bushwalkers! 

Keep your eye on the progress of this project by clicking here.

 

Some fake animal 'facts' have snuck their way into faunal folklore - here are some myths busted courtesy of ABC Science. 

 

The Qantas Wellbeing App can help you earn Qantas points whilst bushwalking! You can set challenges, choose from different activities, access partner discounts and get some insights into your health. All the details are here. 

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   Remember landmarks as you walk

 

When out walking it is a very good idea to periodically take a look at the view behind you. This is very helpful if you need to return to the last known location because you have lost your way ahead. Take notice
of things that will confirm your position as you retrace your steps. For example a large tree trunk close to the track, or anything else useful that you will remember.