Author Archives: Col Bower

In last Saturday’s Central Western Daily Orange City Council announced the successful tenderer to do  an environmental impact statement for a mountain bike track on Mount Canobolas. As well as producing an environmental impact statement the successful applicant is charged with designing a mountain bike track which will be partially within the Mount Canobolas State ConservationContinue reading “PRESS ARTICLE | Earth First – Canobolas Environmental Impact Study”

Orange conservationists are preparing for a long battle to protect Mt Canobolas from mountain biking. The Canobolas Conservation Alliance, until now a loose coalition of local environment groups, formally adopted a constitution and elected office bearers on Monday. Newly elected president, Dr Colin Bower, said the Alliance is committed to protecting the integrity and viabilityContinue reading “PRESS RELEASE | Conservationists Gear Up for Fight to Save Mt Canobolas”

Four rare greenhood orchids have been rediscovered on Mount Canobolas by members of the Orange Field Naturalist and Conservation Society.   After a hot and dry spring and summer, rains in autumn have spawned the Antelope Greenhood (Diplodium laxum), Scarlet Greenhood (Diplodium coccinum), Summer Greenhood (Diplodium decurvum) and Long-tongue Summer Greenhood (Diplodium aestivum) orchids. OrangeContinue reading “PRESS ARTICLE | Four species of autumn greenhood orchids rediscovered on Mt Canobolas”

Question: What is big, scary, comes out after dark and lives on Mount Canobolas? Answer: The Powerful Owl. In a rare sighting, the Powerful Owl, Australia’s largest owl species, was seen and photographed for the first time on Mt Canobolas during a recent wildlife survey. With a 1.4 metre wingspan, height up to 67 cmContinue reading “PRESS RELEASE | Rare Powerful Owl Seen on Mt Canobolas”

The following press release (12 September 2019) announced the formation of a new alliance of conservationists to oppose a national mountain biking park on Mount Canobolas. Members of four Central West conservation groups have formed the Canobolas Conservation Alliance (CCA) to oppose the proposal for an international mountain biking competition centre in the Mt CanobolasContinue reading “PRESS RELEASE | Canobolas Conservation Alliance Formed”

The following article by David Fitzsimons appeared in the Central Western Daily on 10 September 2019. CYCLING: The coloured lines represent part of the 63-kilometre web of mountain bike trails planned for Mount Canobolas as shown in the concept plan. A 63-kilometre web of mountain bike trails could be built on Mount Canobolas within fiveContinue reading “MEDIA REPORT | Mount Canobolas mountain bike park to generate jobs, tourism says council”

Along with many other colourful wildflowers, a rare native orchid not seen since 1994 has made a stunning reappearance following the wildfire that burnt most of the State Conservation Area last February. Over 100 plants of the fire-dependent Canobolas Leek Orchid, pictured above, have been observed to flower this spring for the first time inContinue reading “MEDIA RELEASE | Bloomin’ Marvellous Wildflower Display on Mt Canobolas”