We are delighted to announce the appointment of Richelle Olsen as our new Executive Officer. We asked her to introduce herself in her own words:

"Some of you may have come across me before, I was the founder of the Escaping Your Comfort Zone bushwalking club, I was a Board member at Bushwalking Victoria just before COVID, and I’ve been the MC at the Outdoors Vic Conference. I’m the one with the colourful hair! Coming from a corporate background as a project manager and business analyst, I’m super excited to get started in this role. I’m bringing a “let's get it done” attitude to the role, and I’m passionate about club development, to get more people enjoying the camaraderie, the physical challenge and the mental health benefits that come from bushwalking in a supportive club space. I’m a “slow and steady, smell the roses” bushwalker, and love mountain biking, so much so that I rode my bike nearly 5,000kms off-road from Canada to Mexico a few years back. (Tho' these days I just have fun on my e-bike). Over the next few months I’m getting to know our clubs, and how we at BWV can best support them. I'm heading to the Fedwalks event in a few weeks, and I'm excited to meet many club members in person there. "Richelle will frequently be the face behind our Facebook posts, and you can contact her at eo@bushwalkingvictoria.org.au ... See MoreSee Less

Lets talk about ticks. There might be debate on how prevalent they are in Victoria, whether they cause Lyme Disease, and what the best way is to remove them, but as we know, it pays to be informed, and this article from Health Direct that covers off all you need to know. www.healthdirect.gov.au/tick-bites

Here's the key facts:- Ticks are parasites that feed on human and animal blood.- Tick bites are usually harmless, but sometimes they can cause an allergic reaction or serious illness.- If you aren’t allergic to tick bites, you should kill the tick as soon as possible with an ether-containing product and allow it to drop off by itself.- You should not squeeze, agitate or forcibly remove the tick.- If you allergic to tick bites, you should seek medical attention urgently after a tick bite. ... See MoreSee Less

The Cement Creek Redwood Forest, fondly known to many as ‘the Warburton Redwoods’, is an enchanting forest in the Yarra Ranges National Park, on Wurundjeri Country.

Its towering Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) trees, standing at up to 55 meters tall and planted closely together in uniform, make it a unique and popular place among locals, day trippers and international visitors alike. Visitors can wander beneath the canopy of these giants and find a moment’s peace in the quiet and still of the forest, relax on the surrounding lawn with a picnic, or venture down to Cement Creek and explore the site’s native flora and fauna.However with recent works to upgrade the connecting Cement Creek Road Bridge, the forest currently cannot be accessed via Cement Creek Road – by car or on foot. But did you know the Redwoods are still open to visitors? If you’re up for a bit of a walk (or bike ride), you can make the journey along the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail from Yuonga Road Car Park. With the current bridge closure, you can avoid the crowds typically seen in autumn, spring and during the school holidays, and be rewarded with the unique and serene experience of exploring the beautiful Redwoods with only a handful of people around.It’s a 16km round trip (a little over 8km each way) which will lead you along the historic open-channeled aqueduct through cool fern gullies, alongside the bubbling waters of creeks and tributaries, and across mountain ridges with spectacular views of surrounding valleys and ranges. Here are the tips from @parksvictoria on getting the best out of this beautiful hike. Image: @Tamarahutch ... See MoreSee Less