Macedon resident and Gisborne Bushwalking Club president Gail Davies is passionate about the Macedon Ranges environment and the joys of bushwalking. Oscar Parry spoke with Gail about her history in Macedon and what she enjoys most about bushwalking in the region.
What is your connection to Macedon?
I’ve lived in the Macedon Ranges for 30 years. I moved in 1995, came over for a year for a holiday and ended up staying and getting residency. I rented in Gisborne South for four years …[I sold] my house in the UK and then bought [a] farm in Macedon. I had a business in the UK which was an interior design and a soft furnishings business so I continued doing that and working in a shop in Gisborne. Before that, I did some voluntary … [and] part-time work at [an] aged care facility in Gisborne. I have worked locally in Gisborne, new Gisborne and Macedon for over 28 years.
What do you like about where you live?
I love the tranquillity of where I live and the changing seasons – it could be the English in me. I joined the GBWC in 1996, as a way to discover the vast bushland and interesting history of the area, including the Gold Rush era – evidence of which we see on many of our walks. I love the autumn changes because it reminds me of England.
How long have you been a member of the Gisborne Bushwalking Club, and how did you first get involved?
I joined in ‘96 so 29 years. The bushwalking club was established in 1982. I’m on my third term as a president after one year as vice president. I had a friend who was in the club who was a neighbour and we used to go walking together. She said to me one day “you should join the bushwalking club, they go on very interesting walks and you’ll meet some very interesting [and] friendly people.” We have about three to four walks per month, we also have social outings, and we do a variety of walks from simple easy town walks to hiking up the Lerderderg hills all day – so plenty of variety for all ages and all abilities
What do you enjoy most about bushwalking in the Macedon Ranges?
I enjoy leading walks and encouraging new members to participate. It’s … about discovering interesting things in the area – I love the geology of the volcanic areas, the geology behind what’s created the areas we walk in. We discover quite a lot of old mining sites, which are always interesting to see. The sections of rainforest that we can walk in on Mount Macedon … you’ve got that variety, that complete change of environment … in a local area. I’m very passionate about map reading and compass use as opposed to electronic devices, and I run training courses for the Gisborne Bushwalking Club in map reading. It uses much more of your personal skills. It’s harder to get lost if you actually know where you are with a real map … I think a lot of young people these days spend too much time on their electronic devices, and I think it’s good to get back to map and compass and actually understand the terrain. If you learn to read a map, you can actually read the terrain much easier than you can on an electronic device that might not have all the contours clearly marked.
