The Mountain Safety Collective (MSC) is a voice for the backcountry community. It organises training and other events, produces wonderful maps, merchandise, and the backcountry conditions report through winter.
It is run by a group of diehard backcountry enthusiasts. Lately it has been introducing its committee. This is taken from a recent MSC newsletter and is an introduction to the wonderful Narelle Watters, who lives in north eastern Victoria, at the base of Mt Feathertop.
Endangered snow leopards or mountain gorillas? Not in Australia – but we do have native animals and plants threatened with extinction, right here in the Upper Ovens Valley.
The Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Group is hosting a special community event on Saturday June 19 to explore the ecology of some of these very special local species, why they are at risk and what can be done about it.
Continue reading “Threatened Species and Fire Recovery: a special community event”
The Mountain Safety Collective (MSC) is a voice for the backcountry community. It organises training and other events, produces wonderful maps, merchandise, and the backcountry conditions report through winter.
It is run by a group of diehard backcountry enthusiasts. Lately it has been introducing its board. This is taken from the most recent MSC newsletter and is an introduction to the wonderful Rolf Schonfeld, who lives in Smoko in north eastern Victoria, at the base of Mt Feathertop.
Continue reading “Introducing Rolf Schonfeld”
The Mt Wellington Cableway Company’s proposal for a commercial centre on the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington, aerial tramway up the face of the mountain, associated infrastructure and works is now open for public comment. If you live in Hobart you can make a submission about the proposal.
Continue reading “Keep kunanyi cable car free”
The development application for a controversial proposal to build a cable car on kunanyi/Mt Wellington could be voted on as early as July, but members of the Aboriginal community say the site is sacred and they will do “whatever it takes” to stop it going ahead.
Continue reading “Cable car developer pushes ahead with plans for kunanyi/Mt Wellington”
IMPORTANT UPDATE: due to new Covid restrictions, which start at 6pm tonight, we have had to postpone this event. We will set a new date as soon as is possible.
Victorian snow lovers had a tough winter in 2020. We’re all frothing to get out once the snow starts to fall, and we know it will be busy in the mountains this year, with new and experienced skiers and riders keen to get out and away from the resorts.
If you’re starting out on backcountry skiing, riding or snow shoeing, please feel free to join us at this free event at Bogong outdoor store in Little Bourke st, Melbourne on May 25.
Kelly Van Den Berg will introduce you to the skills, gear, and knowledge you need to get out into the backcountry and enjoy it safely. There will be a quick talk on Mountain Safety Collective (MSC) and the backcountry advisory bulletins that MSC produces through the winter. Followed by a Q & A.
Continue reading “Getting into the backcountry”
On May 1, an alpine ecology workshop was held at Dinner Plain, which had a focus on alpine peatlands.
The day was supported by a range of groups and featured fantastic presentations from peatland experts, followed by a wander and chat through some of the peatland systems that exist in Dinner Plain. It brought together locals, people interested in alpine ecology from the broader region, and a wonderful cast of experts. One of the key messages I took from the forum was that fire is a grave short-term threat to peatlands and already impacting widely on this vegetation community.
Congratulations to Gail Owen, a Dinner Plain resident and member of the BDPO Landcare Group, High Country Landcare Facilitator Lisa Lee and NECMA Biodiversity Project Officer, Phillip Falcke, and Bev Lawrence and Aviya Naccarella from Mt Hotham Alpine Resort Management for organising an excellent and informative day.
The Facebook group objecting to gold mining in the Ovens Valley has launched a survey to get Alpine Shire people’s views towards the future of gold-mining in the Alpine Shire.
It comes as a gold exploration company has been drilling in the Havilah Valley in recent weeks.
There are many exploratory licences applicable to the upper Ovens Valley. And there are 2 applications for gold exploratory drilling waiting for approval covering areas south of Yackandandah, Wandiligong, all the upper Ovens Valley to Harrietville and a strip down the western side of Kiewa Valley near Mt Beauty.
“We were getting clear indications many people in the Alpine Shire were not happy with the exploratory drilling and the prospect of new gold mines in the area” said Col Finnie, administrator of the group. “But we thought it was time to find out what ratepayers and residents of the Shire think, hence launching a Survey Monkey survey.”
Continue reading “Please express your views about gold-mining in the Alpine Shire”
Come together with other backcountry enthusiasts and get pumped for the upcoming season
Speakers include:
Food and drinks available for purchase at the bar.
Recent snowfalls across the Alps has got every snow lover excited about winter. Here is an initial list of snow related events happening across Victoria, NSW and the ACT this winter.
Please check here for a list of tour guides, all avalanche training providers, and gear hire options.
FITSKI is something of an institution in Harrietville. It happens before winter to help get the community fit for the snow.
The May session will include a screening of the Backcountry Film Festival.
Continue reading “Backcountry film festival screening in Harrietville”
Many thousands of people campaigned for years to see the best areas of wild Tasmania protected in national parks, World Heritage and other conservation reserves. However, the current state government continues its efforts to open up these areas to commercial development via tourism ventures.
While the plans for a ‘helicopter’ tourism venture at Lake Malbena on the Central Plateau has been generating a lot of community opposition, a range of other, lesser known projects are also being pursued by a number of developers.
Emily Baker, reporting for the ABC says that ‘documents obtained by the ABC show the Tasmanian government has received almost 60 proposals for tourism developments in wilderness areas, but only 30 have been disclosed to the public’.
Continue reading “Development proposals for wilderness areas have not been disclosed to the public”
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