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The Serra Terror event was started as a fundraising event for the Dunkeld Community Centre and Hall building project. It is an 80k (approx) hike in the Southern Grampians. It is not a race it is purely designed for the personal satisfaction of completing the course. There are two categories of entry. First there is the team entry of four, all of whom must complete the entire course. Four was chosen for a safety reason. If one is injured, then one can remain with the injured party whilst two others can seek help. The ‘relay team’ category was added later by popular demand, to include people who feel they could not do the whole course. Teams of up to 8 members can enter providing they always have a minimum of 4 walkers on the track in every section. It is repeatedly stressed that teams must stay together, it is not an individual event.

The route is carefully planned each year in an attempt to showcase the Southern Grampians to its best advantage, and vary it each year. We have had fantastic help from Dave Roberts and his team who are always positive. We trial walk it many times and prior to the event we mark it heavily with Surveyors tape. This is removed immediately after the walkers are through by sweeps.

The event starts on the Friday evening with a dinner in the Dunkeld Community Cenre. They are given maps, route descriptions, and an extensive briefing of the course, risks, rules and advice.

The event runs over the Saturday and Sunday. Everyone is electronically tagged. There are Checkpoints every 5-15k depending on terrain and accessibility. They are provided with snacks, water top ups, toilets and rubbish drop off points. Times in and out are recorded at every checkpoint, and names of walkers in each section are recorded, so we know where everyone is at all times.  We have a faithful band of checkpoint marshals who have done it for many years. Last year we trained them all in 1^st aid, and they are briefed prior to the event. We probably utilise the help of over 50 members of the local population who volunteer for the event. It is worth noting that team support crews are advised that they are actually responsible for supply of water, food, spare clothing and first aid materials throughout.

We have a botanist/geologist on the committee who highlights on the course all the geological and environmental features of the Grampians, which the participants love.

Walking takes place in daylight only. At the end of the first day, teams return to their accommodation for the night. This year we will finish on a private property in the Mafeking area where dinner will be provided.

Where walking occurs on private land, a written approval is obtained from the landowner.

Numbers have been capped at 50 teams (approx. 200 walkers on track at any one time) for the last few years. We feel this is the maximum we can comfortably manage, and that the roads system can cope with regarding support crew vehicles. It has become amazingly popular, booking out in only 2 weeks of  registration opening. There is now a waiting list for places.

Insurance is underwritten by DEWLP. Since the Community Centre is on Crown Land and the funds go to a facilty on their land then they cover the insurance

In summary, the Serra Terror not only has been successful in raising  funds for the Community Centre, it has opened up the Southern Grampians to a large number of people. It has hugely widened the interest in the GPT as we have used some of the GPT track. Less well known in the past, the area is now receiving much more attention. We support the local accommodations in Dunkeld, and many entrants have return  visits.

Golton Gorge

The two working bees on 1st and 2nd June were very successful.

There were 12 participants on each day, including the two

walking tracks Rangers on the Friday.

All the vegetation was cleared along the route and a large open

area created opposite the top lookout. Shrubs and small trees

had to be taken out by the roots so that no stumps would

remain on the track, but the enthusiastic workforce was more

than equal to the task.

The next stage is to form the track, about 600 mm wide, and

this was started on the Saturday. It will be a much longer

process, shifting rocks and soil with mattocks, shovels and

crowbars, but it is a satisfying process where one can see solid

results for one’s efforts.

The NEXT WORKING BEES have been set for FRIDAY

15TH and SATURDAY 16TH JUNE, meeting at 9.00 am at

Golton Gorge.

Please let me know if you intend to be there:

Tel: 5356 4300 or email: david@witham.net.au

David Witham

Golton Gorge

The two working bees on 1st and 2nd June were very successful.

There were 12 participants on each day, including the two

walking tracks Rangers on the Friday.

All the vegetation was cleared along the route and a large open

area created opposite the top lookout. Shrubs and small trees

had to be taken out by the roots so that no stumps would

remain on the track, but the enthusiastic workforce was more

than equal to the task.

The next stage is to form the track, about 600 mm wide, and

this was started on the Saturday. It will be a much longer

process, shifting rocks and soil with mattocks, shovels and

crowbars, but it is a satisfying process where one can see solid

results for one’s efforts.

The NEXT WORKING BEES have been set for FRIDAY

15TH and SATURDAY 16TH JUNE, meeting at 9.00 am at

Golton Gorge.

Please let me know if you intend to be there:

Tel: 5356 4300 or email: david@witham.net.au

David Witham

Declines, denial and disconnect: Victorian reptiles in a time of mass extinction

Nick Clemann will outline the “Sixth Extinction”, and how the reptiles of south-eastern Australia exemplify this bio-catastrophe. Our planet is entering a mass extinction event unmatched in 66 million years. Although charismatic megafauna feature in this ‘Sixth Extinction’, and get the lion’s share of attention from the public, lesser known species make up the bulk of the losses, yet fare poorly in terms of conservation attention and funding. Reptiles are the least popular of the terrestrial vertebrates, and are therefore particularly challenging to conserve. To highlight the value of some our least popular fauna, Nick will conclude with the story of Venom Bank – a new biological resource that explores the biopotential of venoms.

Nick leads the Threatened Fauna Program at the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.