BETWEEN FRIENDS

Hello world!

Welcome to the very first edition of our newsletter. FOBC (Friends Of Buchan Caves) started as an informal group in 1987, and became an officially incorporated association on the 14th October 1991, under the Associations Incorporation Act 1981. The model rules cited by this Act were adopted, with the following stated purposes:

• To promote public awareness and understanding of caves and cave landscapes.
• To carry out work and projects which are deemed to improve public awareness and understanding of caves and cave landscapes in and around the Buchan Caves Reserve.
• To foster the conservation of caves and related features.
• To co-operate with government and other relevant authorities to achieve these aims.
• To engage in such other activities which are deemed to promote caves and related features within Victoria.
• To give Graham Parkes the excuse to host BBQs!

This newsletter is the official voice of FOBC and will be published biannually or as the need arises. Some very brief announcements and reports will also appear in Nargun, the journal of the VSA (Victorian Speleological Association Inc.), and other important Victorian caving journals. If you would like to submit an article or photo, just contact me on the phone number given at the end of this newsletter.

The Friends usually get together four weekends a year, the number of volunteer labourers ranging from just a few to dozens. Some unscheduled work is also done by individuals and small groups. Major projects which have already been completed include the karst appreciation walk up Moon's Hill, the Caves Reserve telephone system, and the clean-up of Murrindal and Lilly Pilly caves. Fairy Cave has seen a lot of work with the Eastern Chamber pathway being constructed, the removal of wire netting and old fixtures, hand-rail improvements and the installation of a wash water system.

The first general meeting was announced in the August 1992 issue of Nargun 25(2):10, and held at Melbourne University on 12th August 1992. About a 15 people attended to discuss the current state of play, and to suggest future projects and directions. There are currently 41 paid-up members.

The treasurer reported that we have $5,227.41 in our coffers, with $2,000 set aside for the production of the bat awareness pamphlet, and $1,000 for The Potholes re-vegetation. These and other current projects are reported in this newsletter. Some ideas for future projects were also suggested:

• New lighting is a section of Fairy Cave, possibly Blackwood Chamber.
• Fund-raising by selling stickers and new postcards in the Caves Reserve kiosk. Suggested designs will be welcomed. Slide sets and souvenirs are also a possibility.
• Stabilisation of the entrance to Razor Cave, suggested by Bryan Gardam.
• Clean-up of other wild caves, such as removing the rubbish dump from Dicksons B Cave. This would help inform land owners about karst pollution.
• Interpretation and information kits for general publication and use by organisation such as the Buchan Tourist Association and Outward Bound.
• More involvement in the presentation of show caves to tourists.
• Work on the Spring Creek track.

Since Allotment 22A (commonly known as "The Potholes") was purchased by the state government in 1989 and it became a public reserve, moves are being made to re-vegetate it back to a natural state and control grazing access. An initial plot of 2 hectares has been selected.

In the week 24th October to 2nd November; Geoff Hammond will be working to enclose it in an electric fence. Any help will be much appreciated. Materials are yet to be purchased, but substantial support will be coming from DC&E.

It is becoming an annual ritual for the Friends to visit Limestone Creek over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. This year, more cave restoration work will be done in Pendergasts Cave (LC-4) and Sheehans Cave (LC-5) from Saturday 31st October through to Tuesday 3rd November. Contact Geoff Hammond or Peter Ackroyd for more information.

The last FOBC weekend was held on 29th to 30th August 1992, and was covered in October 1992 Nargun 25(4):35 by Peter Ackroyd. On Saturday morning, a meeting was held in the Caves Reserve camp kitchen beside a roaring log fire, with the occasional kangaroo hopping in. Department of Conservation and Environment (DC&E) staff were present, including the Bairnsdale Regional Manager, Mark Stone, and Peter Boadle, Planning Officer with the Bairnsdale Regional Office.

Many ideas were discussed concerning the future of FOBC, and we were assured of the continuing support and appreciation from DC&E. A delicious lunch of sandwiches was followed by a special tour through Fairy Cave to inspect the work that had already been completed, and to look at what else needs to be done. The FOBC donations bin was cleared by Margot Watson and found to contain $216. More old stanchions and wire netting were also removed from Fairy Cave that afternoon.

A visit to The Potholes saw the selection of the first plot for re-vegetation. More work was also done in Federal Cave on installing the wash-water pipe.

Where do I join?

Contact Geoff Hammond or Peter Ackroyd, and they will gladly take $2 from you to cover the costs and postage of this Newsletter for one year, and to support the Friends!