Friends of Buchan Caves

2006

• May 20 – 21 : Buchan, working bee. Construct shelter for Wilsons Reserve intepretation sign. Maintenance on Potholes Reserve interpretation sign.
• November 11 – 12 : Buchan, working bee and Annual General Meeting. Install roof and windows on shelter and attach interpretation posters at Wilsons.

Volunteers will be treated to a free barbeque held at 6PM on the Saturday of each working bee weekend, at Homeleigh. Meat and salads provided; bring your own drinks. Please let someone on the committee know if you are coming so that adequate catering arrangements can be made.

2006 Letters to members

Letter posted to members, 3rd October 2006

FRIENDS OF BUCHAN CAVES
NEWS LETTER SEPTEMBER 2006G’day Friends

Lots of good news – Our group has really progressed this year. During our last working bee at Buchan the Interpretation sign shelter at the Potholes was repainted, it now looks a treat. The frame work of the new shelter for the interpretation sign for Wilson’s Reserve was built and installed at Wilson’s Reserve. Now all we need to do is to fit the roof and finish painting the woodwork, then fit the actual interpretation sign into the new shelter.

The collection board in Royal Cave was renovated, after we collected nearly $500 dollars of donations from this and the Fairy Cave donation boards.

Feed back The Friends have received good positive feed back on the Potholes sign from both Commercial groups, Caving clubs and Park Victoria. Well done !

Grants We have received a number of grants totalling $10 000 for further work in Federal cave. So the foot is to the floor for our next working bee on the 11/12th November 2006.

As usual there will be a free BBQ at Homeleigh on the Saturday night BYOG. This weekend will also be the Friends AGM Weekend. We need extra committee members, so please nominate, now is your chance to be at the helm of this dynamic group.

Working Bee Program

The plan is to complete the Wilson’s reserve sign
Start installing extra lighting and control units in Federal Cave,
Mount new up to date photos of friends at work on the donation boards
Count and bank the takings from the donation boards.

Contact Erica Baddeley on 9808 7248 by Wednesday the 8th Nov. so we can plan the catering and what will be achievable. Let’s know what you would prefer to work on.

More Good news At Parks invitation the vacant Caves House will be available for free accommodation of Friends during the working bee. Talk to Erica when you call to confirm your attendance at the working bee re the process of using this generous offer by Parks. You can also camp for free at the Caves camping reserve or stay at Homeleigh where the usual fees apply.

Friends member Peter Robertson gave a presentation on the Friends of Buchan Caves during a state wide DSE conference this August, well done Peter.

See you on the 11/12th, your Committee

  
Photos from the May 06 working bee. Friends building the sign shelter frame and transporting the finished frame to Wilson’s reserve

Letter posted to members, 28th April 2006

G’Day Friends

Well our next working bee will be on the weekend of the 20/21 of May 06

As usual there will be a free Saturday evening “special” BBQ at Homeleigh, just bring your own drinks.

Remember that Friends and helpers may camp for free in the Buchan Caves Reserve camp ground.

At our last working bee the Friends installed the Interpretation sign at the Pot Holes reserve. We have had much positive feedback from Parks Victoria and Potholes Reserve users on this sign, well done friends.

Our task for this working bee is to commence installation of the Wilson’s Cave interpretation sign and shelter. We will need a fairly good turn up of Friends to make substantial progress or even complete this job.

If the weather on the day is bad, we can make the sign shelter in the Caves Reserve workshops and prepare the actual site between showers.

If you intend to come please call Erica Baddeley on 9808 7248 by Wednesday the 17th May so we can plan the work that will be done, also for the catering of the “special” BBQ

Also if you contact Erica early we maybe able to arrange passengers to help share the cost of fuel.

Other news Glenn Baddeley is the Friends representative with Parks on the planning of the ACKMA conference next year (Australasian Cave & Karst Management Association). The Friends of Buchan caves will present to the meeting the projects that we have completed and have ongoing. Also guiding ACKMA delegates around (through) these projects.

Planning of the next stage of our ongoing Federal Cave project is under way. As a Friend you do have the opportunity for input, please contact Paul Brooker the Federal cave system leader, or Peter Robertson cave lighting leader or Daryl Carr to discuss your ideas.

Contact Details: Paul Brooker H5135 3961, Peter Robertson H 9818 4415, Daryl Carr H 9457 1720

Hope to see you at the working bee

Your Committee FOBC