Bushfires near Tolmie

I think we are seeing the pendulum swing here....
so much bitter politics has been played that commonsense has left.
The bitter replies above illustrate the divide.

In the meantime, catastrophic fires belt through 500, 000 hectares, cleaning up everything in its path.
Not too many birds and butterflies and other animals will survive, and its 500, 000 hectars that will be in a sorry state for quite a few years.

Regardless of the politics, it doesn't excuse the shocking levels of fuel load that have been allowed to accumulate.

Clinton, it's not about politics, it's about the planet...

Do me a favour, take the politics, environmental & otherwise, to Nothing To Do With Woodwork, or Open Slather if you want no holds barred.

This thread was a good source to keep up with the impact of the bushfires on friends of many of us on these forums, I'd ask that it return to same, start another thread elsewhere if you want to discuss other issues.


Cheers..................Sean

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Originally Posted by scooter

Do me a favour, take the politics, environmental & otherwise, to Nothing To Do With Woodwork, or Open Slather if you want no holds barred.

This thread was a good source to keep up with the impact of the bushfires on friends of many of us on these forums, I'd ask that it return to same, start another thread elsewhere if you want to discuss other issues.


Cheers..................Sean

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ummm, http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...bits_start.gif Woodwork Forums > NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH WOODWORK > NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH WOODWORK > Bushfires near Tolmie

I guess you are right about this not being about the impact of fire on friends, but it is certainly about why the fires are impacting on people so badly.

shaun

Shaun, take the hint.


Regards.............Sean, moderator

so start a new thread

We are letting this one run its course. Be warned that if it gets personal, infractions will be handed out.

Just so long as infarctions aren't handed out. :eek: :eek:

woodbe, it is about politics.
Without politics being involved, nothing gets done.... global warming isn't buying enough votes at the moment - so nothing gets done at a political level.
Cattle were removed from Nat Parks because is was politically expedient.
Logging is closed down - politically expedient.
CFA is the only real level of bushfire protection - funding of the CFA is done by politicians.



Anyway, think I'll respect Sean's wishes, although I'll be happy to participate in any other thread on the subject. Seeya elsewhere ;)

Settle down children, cattle in the high country, or not as the case may be have no bearing on this fire. If we want to get serious lets look at imported plants, and animals, especially cats, birds such as the Indian Miner and the fox. It would be great to see a dedicated force let loose to destroy blackberries, thistles and everything else you come across in the bush. We can't return our native forests to what they were before settlement but we can manage them better.

Our enviroment is constantly changing with or without human intervention, its just that some of the human part of it is so destructive. It's time we took a bigger look than just bitching about who is or is not a greenie and just which side boasts the larger amount of wankers on their team.

We could start to give some thought about the energy effeciency of our homes, the amount of power consumed by appliances on standby. Our insatiable need for consumer goods, and most of us toy (tool) collectors are part of that. Ever larger homes it goes on and on, but we do need to think about the next couple of decades. Recycling of household water, less thirsty motor vehicles there is a lot that can be acheived if we all just gave it a bit of thought, without some of the emotion and bile that have appeared on this thread which does no one here much credit. The governments claim that we can't sacrifice our cheap power is just Howard speak for sod off we can't be bothered thinking about it. If anyone has noticed industry is starting to think about the enviroment and is ready to engage with the government to move towards some common approach, generally more efficient production involves initial investment then cheaper costs. Our tax system favours the speculators with tax discounts on capital gains from their plays. At the same time investoring in productive capacity get fully tax and a pathetic write down rate on capital investment. It is the later that provides employment for us all.

If you want to see enviromental improvement it will require a different view to taxation, Governmental leadership, and someone with the ability to absorb the populations views and needs and steer them in a positive direction. We don't have that leadership at the moment.

Perhaps the next posts can take us back to the fires which last Thursday saw Sale have nightfall at 4.00.p.m. in the afternoon, followed by black rain and dawn around 8.00.p.m. which really confused the birds. The town has not seen such a line ups at the car wash in years.


John.

Contentious isue, isn't it? :D
Okay, just to clarify things somewhat:
I'm commited to sustainable paractices and biodiversity, hell my family was into all that stuff 35 years ago, well before it was trendy. Bought a large parcel of played out farmland and gave it back to the wildlife. We shot the local dogs that were hunting down the sweet faced wallabies and pademelons (didn't that make us popular :D ) and let the rainforest take over the paddocks. Because this is a high rainfall area that was origianlly covered by rainforest species we kept fire out and eventually all the grass was shaded out and the fire risk today is negligible. Warning! Don't try this in a low rainfall area (ie most of the rest of Australia;) )

The point I, and others have been trying to make is that it's no point putting aside an area for conservation and then letting a huge hot fire run through it because a high fuel load has been allowed to build up. A fire like this will kill pretty much everything thereby doing more damage than all the cattle grazing, motorbikes and 4wds combined.

This approach is often taken by what some people would term as "wildlife wankers" :eek: . Now I try to avoid labels and putting all people of a certain "category" in the same basket, so to speak. Yes, some "greenies" are total idiots and some from the other end of the spectrum are just as one eyed. To illustrate a point though consider the following:

Our local group of brigades organised a large combined exercise which would involve burning the main roads reserve along quite a few kms of highway. Main roads agreed to fund the cost of constructing breaks (2 blade widths of a 'dozer) along their reserve. The rationale was that by burning the road reserve we would prevent fire spreading from the road side to surrounding farms and reserve areas. This is a common occurence with fires being either deliberately or accidently lit along the highway every fire season.

Everything was going well until an environmental officer from Main roads got involved. :rolleyes: There is a large environmental reserve adjoining the road reserve at one point. The environmental officer ordered the road crew not to construct the fire break next to the environmental reserve. The fire warden tried to explain that the break was being made on the road reserve side of the fence and for the express purpose of keeping fire OUT of the environmental reserve.
Environmental officer said she didn't want any fire near the reserve.
Warden explained again that without the break any fires lit next to the road would run through the reserve.
Environmental officer said she didn't want any fire near the reserve.
Warden explained that without the break the fire we would be lighting would burn the reserve.
Environmental officer said she didn't want any fire near the reserve.
Warden got sick of arguing the point and said that as covered by relevant legislation which over rode that which the environmental officer was working under he would order the construction of a fire break and send the bill to main roads.

We eventually burnt the highway reserve, a nice slow, low intensity fire and for the last two and a half years we haven't had any fires succesfully lit along that stretch of highway.

To those people who say that we shouldn't conduct fuel reduction burns I ask:

"Do you advocate that any fires that are started by lightning strikes should be allowed to burn unchecked until they self extinguish?"

See, that's the (il)logical conclusion of the hands off approach. Before man came to Australia lightening strikes would have started fires which would have burnt unchecked until rain, lack of fuel or possibly large rivers stopped them. This would have reduced the fuel load.

When the Aboriginal came with the fire stick they changed the make up of the environment.

When European settlement came it changed the environment even more.

We can't turn back the clock and make it the paradise it once was. Not unless we embark on a huge reforestation scheme, knock down all the buildings and dams and try to find new offshore homes for about 20 million people.:rolleyes: We can try to find the best way to manage what we have, to ensure minimal environmental impact, to avoid habitat loss etc etc etc. In other words to manage what we have and try to accomodate the needs of all the humans, animals and plants that live here. (well most of them, we could probably do without most of the politicians:D ) In other words we need to manage the environment. And fire, wisely used, is an excellent management tool.

The day they take that tool away from volunteer fire fighters will be the day I hang up my yellow overalls.

So to all those who say that we shouldn't conduct fuel reduction burns I say, put your money where your mouth is (and your life on the line) and join a rural fire brigade to combat the monster fires we will have when fuel reduction is stopped.

Mick

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Originally Posted by sbranden

Gumby, the issue we have is a result of stuffing around with he environment. Cattle do not belong in national parks, and people can visit delicate areas on foot. We have to take care of what is left or risk further damaging the environment/ climate. We have caused huge damage to the planet and the creatures/ plants that we proclaim mastership over deserve our help.

shaun

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Originally Posted by sbranden

I guess you would prefer it all either running cattle for your burgers or concreted to stop those pesky critters and fires. I personally want my kids to know what a bird is, not just see them in pictures. Climate change is a direct result of people acting for short term goals and profit over long term sustainability. As a Gippsland resident you are seeing the result of that first hand, but still can't associate the two.

shaun

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Originally Posted by sbranden

Well I guess we need to agree to disagree. You obviously can't believe that the Conservation Department could have an interest in conserving wildlife and I can't understand why a native of Gippsland would not correlate fire behavior with environmental damage.

All the best to you and yours

shaun (proud to be a wildlife wanker)

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A lot of rhetoric, but little substance in these quotes.

I fail to see how we can categorically state that we have completely ruined the environment with 200 years of habitation. Furthermore the ones blamed for the ruination are those with a vested interest in seeing its sustainability. These people are being blamed by feelgooders with no ideas of their own or worse, those with another agenda.

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Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

So to all those who say that we shouldn't conduct fuel reduction burns I say, put your money where your mouth is (and your life on the line) and join a rural fire brigade to combat the monster fires we will have when fuel reduction is stopped.

Mick

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Mick, good post. I am just trying to work out who said we shouldn't have fuel reduction burns.

shaun

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Originally Posted by outback

I fail to see how we can categorically state that we have completely ruined the environment with 200 years of habitation.

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Outback, happy to discuss this, as I'm sure others are, but not in this thread. The Mods have said please leave this thread for the Tolmie fires and friends there...

woodbe.

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Originally Posted by sbranden

Mick, good post. I am just trying to work out who said we shouldn't have fuel reduction burns.

shaun

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Shaun,
there's a very vocal green faction that says so, plus lots of rural residential dwellers who don't like their washing getting smoky.:rolleyes: As recounted above there's at least one government employed environmental officer up here who sees all fire as bad and is blinded to commonsense by this.

So if we've established that fuel reduction is neccesary then we need to look at the different methods. So cattle have been closed out of the alpine areas - this may or may not be a good thing for that environment. I don't know the area or the needs of alpine environments. Up here though, in rainforest regeneration areas, cattle grazing can be a good management tool for fuel reduction. Occasional introduction of cattle at appropriate times will reduce the fuel load (grasses) and prevent/minimize fire damage to the fire sensitive rainforest species. In many cases they will have less impact than fire as a fuel reduction tool.

So there"s not a one size fits all solution for environmental management. Unfortunately lots of people get really one eyed about it all. However, there's one barrow I'll continue to push, and that is that unless the managers of our environment learn from these fires and implement a strategy of fuel reduction rather than fire supression we will continue to have fires and they will get more intense and more wide spread even without the added drying effects of climate change.

Mick

I hope the brigades involved in the Tolmie area fires are listening to the local contingent as the amount of times I have attended a fire and had no local input only to find trucks sitting idley by because local land knowledge has not been utilized would make you cringe.

I know we need a distinct chain of command but we also need to be realistic about these things, no one knows an area like the locals do.

I remain thoughtful of our friends in the area.

Pete

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Originally Posted by johnc

......................If you want to see enviromental improvement it will require a different view to taxation, Governmental leadership, and someone with the ability to absorb the populations views and needs and steer them in a positive direction. We don't have that leadership at the moment...........

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Yep, vote 1 J'Mick for benevolent dictator. :cool: :D

(Just trying to lighten the mood somewhat.)

Mick

Has anybody heard from Rob?

I heard on the radio yesterday arvo that there were 6 firefighters injured near Mansfield.

Anybody know what is going on?

I rang Rob Saturday night and he and Meg are ok, smoked but not stirred.

Al :p

Thanks Al, glad to hear that.

Keep the god news coming Al. I'd hate to hear bad news about all those lovely handtools. :o

Yes we are OK, the danger has been greatly reduced so we were able to go to my old company's Christmas turn in Melbourne (Restaurant at Albert Park Lake).

Our son and his fiancee looked after the place. We got home at 2:30 AM;)

Today the smoke was virtually gone which was wonderful.

Today we discovered the bower of a satin bower bird decorated with a squillion blue objects, pen tops, pegs, bottle tops ...... no record clamps or tools yet but if they go missing I will know where to find them. The bower seems to be working because there are four female bower birds flying around.

The bower is in our garden about 10m from the house. I'll try and remember to take a photo and post it if anyone is interested.

The tools and the pythons are fine too.

Rob that's great news, now enjoy your Christmas :)

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Originally Posted by Wood Borer

...The bower is in our garden about 10m from the house. I'll try and remember to take a photo and post it if anyone is interested.

The tools and the pythons are fine too.

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Good to hear you are all fine, I'm interested in a pic of the bower.

Hi Rob,

Glad things are better in your area.

I, too, would love to see a photo of the Bower Bird's nest. Just another lovely reason why you moved there I hope :)

cheers
Wendy

Here's the Bower Bird's special little place and method of picking up chicks:cool:

Perhaps some of the males on this forum who are wanting female company could give this method a shot - probably cheaper than internet dating.

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Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Here's the Bower Bird's special little place and method of picking up chicks:cool:

Perhaps some of the males on this forum who are wanting female company could give this method a shot - probably cheaper than internet dating.

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Why would he go to so much trouble.

Just put up a sign, chicks wanted, car and meals supplied.

It worked for me. :o

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Originally Posted by Sturdee

Richard,

Please delete this and the four previous posts ( including yours) as they have nothing to do with the bushfires near Tolmie.

A little bit of consistency in your moderation of posts would be great as I feel you are leaving some posts that are irrelevant to the topic and deleting the replies it generates.

Why are the original posts about bower birds left and others deleted, maybe because the original replies were from Moderators?


Peter.

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1. Richard is not the only one moderating this thread :mad:

2. Posts by moderators get deleted just as anyone elses that are not appropriate, so it is unreasonable to suggest that their posts are treated differently.

3. Perhaps the deletions haven't been as all-encompassing as they could be, we are always trying to walk the thin line of over-moderating, vs sufficient moderating to keep this place on-track despite numerous attempts to hijack a thread set for a specific purpose.

4. Everyone has been warned (more than enough), so it ends here. There are plenty of other threads to spread the typical anarchy. Leave this one alone, unless of course you actually have something valid to contribute to the original topic.


Stuart
Senior Moderator

Fires are reported 100m from Walhalla. Geez, I used to spend quite a bit of time there about 30 years ago.

It's a real old relic of a town with hardly any residents but in recent times it's had the old Hospital converted to a Hotel and the old pub burnt down long ago.

It's in a small valley so if it roars through there, I wish them luck. :(

I think the fire threatening Walhalla was deliberately lit wasn't it?

The fires between us and Walhalla around Merrijig, Mirimbah and Mt Buller are posing quite a threat to people there. There are community meetings for many places including BAIRNSDALE, BENAMBRA, BRIGHT, BRUTHEN, DARGO, ENSAY, EUROBIN, GLENGARRY, GOUGHS BAY, JAMIESON, MACS COVE, MERRIJIG, METUNG, MYRTLEFORD, OMEO, RAWSON, SWIFTS CREEK and WALHALLA.

I heard Omeo might be threatened, lets hope Eastie and his family are OK.

Eastie, you kindly offered to help us prepare for fires now the boot may be on other foot, is there anything any of us can do to help you.

The smoke around Mansfield and up here in Tolmie is still hanging about. I was driving home from Melbourne around midnight last night and after approaching Mansfield, oncoming headlights appeared orange in colour.

I understand Melbourne and other areas are copping the smoke although it seemed clear in Melbourne last night.

How bizzar, apparently its going to snow in some of the bushfire affected areas on Xmass day:eek:

Smoke is bad today - my folks are over from NZ (they grew up in Melbourne / Ballarat regions - said they have never seen it this bad.

Heard about that potential for snow - is going on with the weather :eek:

Any more news of Walhalla? Can't imagine 100m is very far given the potential speed these things can move.

Walhalla is still on ember alert.:(

If there is snow up here, I will post a photo. I've never experienced a white Christmas.

I think everyone would be happy with a good rain to give the burnt areas a good douse.

I agree that the climate seems to be rapidly changing for the worse.

I hear that a big blow is due in your area next Wednesday..

Al :p

Hi Folks

I found your site when searching the web for news of the bushfires. I have a cousin who lives in Tolmie and haven't been able to contact her by email. Her name is Liz Owen and she is a nurse/midwife at the hospital there in Mansfield. Bit of a longshot I know but if any of you do know of her or could give me a bit more info re the fires I would be really grateful. Liz's son Rone is currently on holiday in Europe so she doesn't have him there for support. If you do know her please could you let her know that Sue and Thelma are thinking of her.

I really feel for you people out there - we never experience anything like this here in England and don't appreciate what you go through.

I hope you are all safe and pray that the fires miss you.

I would be really grateful to get some feedback.

Thanks in anticipation.

Mate, I don't know her as we have just moved up here 5 weeks ago. If you can give me further details in a personal message such as address, surname or phone number, I would only be too happy to make contact and forward on your concerns and best wishes.

My wife Meg might know your cousin or I can ask down at the pub next time I'm down there.

There has not been any loss of property or lives in Tolmie so that should put your mind at rest. As I have said in previous posts, the media have beaten it up a bit and the main danger has passed.

Tolmie is a wonderful part of the world so your cousin has good taste, that's why my family moved to Australia about 200 years ago. My wife's people were transported out here at the same time or maybe slightly earlier (First Fleet Convicts).

Are you into woodwork over there in the UK or did you just happen across this Bulletin Board because of the fires?

Al, What on earth are you thinking of doing?:eek:

Our local pub the Tolmie Tavern has a raffle with all proceeds going to charities such as the Children's Hospital.

I made a tray out of an old redgum post and an old mountain ash fence post.

The base is obviously made from the mountain ash with a strip of redgum running through it. Hand cut dovetails of course.

All the thicknessing was done using handplanes (of course), the only electron burners used were a bandsaw (to break down the post and to cut the curves)and a router to cut the grooves for the solid base.

Finishing was done using UBeaut white shellac, UBeaut EEE wax and UBeaut traditional wax.

This is my first major project made in Tolmie. The stand for the electron burner saw was also made here out of recycled timber using mortice and tenon joints cut by router and by mortise chisels.

If you want to buy a ticket for the hamper, send $2 per ticket to the Tolmie Tavern Mansfield Whitfield Rd, Tolmie Vic 3723 to support this wonderful little community who banded together and supported each other under the threat of the bushfires and so readily accepted and welcomed us.

Even better, come up here, visit us and we can drop up the road and have a cold one in the Tolmie Tavern. There is always a bed here for visitors.

Cousin Pommie - I asked about your cousin down at the pub tonight and they thought she must be Liz O***. If so, she is fine.

Rob, can you PM me your bank account number, so I could transfer $20 to you and ask you to buy me 10 tickets ?

I'll purchase Gumby's ticket tomorrow night - damn, I'll have to go down to the pub to do it.

One mile there and one mile back. No traffic lights, probably be lucky to see another car on the road just wombats, echidnas, roos and deer.;)

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Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Our local pub the Tolmie Tavern has a raffle with all proceeds going to charities such as the Children's Hospital.

I made a tray out of an old redgum post and an old mountain ash fence post.

The base is obviously made from the mountain ash with a strip of redgum running through it. Hand cut dovetails of course.

All the thicknessing was done using handplanes (of course), the only electron burners used were a bandsaw (to break down the post and to cut the curves)and a router to cut the grooves for the solid base.

Finishing was done using UBeaut white shellac, UBeaut EEE wax and UBeaut traditional wax.

This is my first major project made in Tolmie. The stand for the electron burner saw was also made here out of recycled timber using mortice and tenon joints cut by router and by mortise chisels.

If you want to buy a ticket for the hamper, send $2 per ticket to the Tolmie Tavern Mansfield Whitfield Rd, Tolmie Vic 3723 to support this wonderful little community who banded together and supported each other under the threat of the bushfires and so readily accepted and welcomed us.

Even better, come up here, visit us and we can drop up the road and have a cold one in the Tolmie Tavern. There is always a bed here for visitors.

Cousin Pommie - I asked about your cousin down at the pub tonight and they thought she must be Liz O***. If so, she is fine.

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Hi Wood Borer - Thanks so much for enquiring at the pub re Liz O. We're so pleased she's OK. Hope things are looking better for you all up there.

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from a cold, frosty foggy London!