A coming together of frontline fire impact, some fine photography, and a Melbourne private members club is bound to produce some hope for wildlife as fundraising events begin to gain momentum after the Longwood bushfire. The 161-year old Kelvin Club, nestled in Melbourne's CBD, will host on Thursday 16 April a gala night for members and non-members to raise money for the re-establishment and preservation of biodiversity in the Longwood East area. Michael Bankes lives in Longwood East and lost all of his property's flora on day one of the fire, along with his plant equipment and tools in his shed, saving his cabin beside the lake, a small building which he calls home. Michael's property is the Gap Road Botanical Sanctuary, a 23-hectare property containing a network of small interconnected wetlands between rare spring soak woodlands and swampy riparian woodlands and which is dedicated to wildlife preservation. He is also a member of the Kelvin Club, and when two other members - Adriana and Andrew MacKinnon - approached him at a garden party the conversation turned toward biodiversity. "After the bushfires went through, people were scattered, mentally and physically," Michael said. "Then I realised there were no grants available to deal with biodiversity, and in Longwood East we have all manner of flora and fauna. "Adriana and Andrew then had a more formal chat with me afterwards and offered the club to do a charity function." Michael accepted the offer and has garnered some of the region's best photographers to show off their work as part of the event. 'Granite & Gum' will be an autumn evening dedicated to ecological regeneration, biodiversity initiatives, and landscape renewal in the Longwood East area, and will showcase the work of Euroa photographers Peter Ward and Mike Adcock as well as Benalla's Melanie Ball. Ms Ball said she had close friends impacted by the bushfire. "Several people I know lost their houses, so I am delighted to be asked to get involved," she said. Ms Ball is known widely for her bushwalking expertise and has published three books on bushwalks in Victoria, as well as written for The Age on postfire regrowth in the Grampian Ranges. "I see regeneration as a double edged sword when you walk through it," she said. "You do get some quick epicormic [branchlets on trunks] growth but from a lot of work I have done in the high country, you also see a lot of dead trees as well. "I will put together some Strathbogie images that will work to help get some focus for the event. "I am grateful to do anything to help in the recovery of the land." Michael purchased the property in 2015 and has been living there since 2021. He said Gap Road Botanical Sanctuary was about biodiversity and that the area, at 450m elevation, was a 'lot different than having horses and sheep'. "But now, everything is gone," he said. "It is totally burnt out and huge trees have collapsed. "But now there are images of hope." Granite & Gum invites non-members to join with members of the Kelvin Klub in what Michael says will be an 'immersive experience', complete with fundraising activities throughout the evening and food prepared with an Australian flora theme. The Euroa Arboretum is playing a role as strategic partner and will manage the distribution of the money raised. Music played by the John Bennet Trio will not be without its own poignancy: John's father Chris Bennet operates Antcliff's Chase Wines which lost all dwellings and buildings on the property as well as wine stock, while the five hectares of vines survived. Granite & Gum Thursday 16 April 6pm-8:30pm The Kelvin Club, 14-30 Melbourne Place, Melbourne $100 members and $120 non-members For tickets, visit trybooking.com/dknjm
