Spring mornings in the Diggies bush smell fabulous because of the native frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum for you Latin lovers), and look beautiful because of the mauve Australian indigo (Indigofera australis) and the purple Hardenbergia vine that will soon carpet the bush floor if we get rain.

If we get rain. With recent grey skies delivering only 0.6 of a mm of the promised 8.0 mm here, tanks and dams are lower in Diggies than anyone would like, and the creeks are bone dry. The paddocks, in what Icall our suburbs, are turning from green to yellow to brown, and we in the dusty bush are pensive. Hopefully all are doing our fire preparation, getting up in the gutters, testing our fire hoses and mister systems and fishing out the grab bags and refreshing their contents. The Dignams Creek Community Group office bearers are thanking residents for updating their contact details so that Scott can update our fire tree and map. It sucks but denial sucks harder.

The Dignams Creek Community Group recently wrote to National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) about our united and strong opposition to the use of 1080 in ‘wild dog’ management. We were grateful that NPWS took the time to consider and respond to our questions, and the agency’s recognition of the ecological role of dingoes in some areas. However, the response has not resolved our concerns. We remain unconvinced that 1080 baiting is the right approach around Dignams Creek, given the potential impacts on dingoes and other native wildlife and the availability of other control methods. We believe the community deserves a management approach that gives greater consideration to the ecological and cultural importance of dingoes, local knowledge and the concerns of people living in the area. We will keep on engaging / howling about this issue.

Finally, the Xmas market preparations have begun. Spring cleaning has yielded quite a box of goodies at my place, and I also accidentally made 65 jars of marmalade, which has been described as ‘sunshine in a jar’, from Fiona’s Seville oranges. Don’t miss out on your jar on Saturday 12 December, 3.00 pm to 7.00 pm at the Diggies Xmas Market!

Flick Ruby

Photos by Flick Ruby