Saturday, Leader Roy Pails, Private Wildlife Sanctuary; Sunday, Leader Emily Noble, Clarkesdale Orchids and Birds
Saturday 9th – meet at 3pm at a private fenced wildlife sanctuary at Berringa (40mins SW Ballarat) for a tour of the sanctuary, then an early picnic tea before viewing grazing free-roaming nocturnal animals (Rufous Bettongs, Bandicoots etc) until about 8pm.
Sunday 10th – meet at 9.30am for an orchid/bird walk in Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary (360 Linton-Piggoreet Rd, near Linton) with Emily Noble, Secretary Ballarat FNC. As we search for beautiful native orchids, we will enjoy the wonderful array of springtime birdlife at the sanctuary. We will finish with a picnic lunch.
Please register by email on castlemainefnc@hotmail.com with your details (name, number attending, contact phone, where you will be staying, and whether you will be attending on one or both days) and we will send meeting point maps and further information directly to those who have registered.
Bring: Picnic tea, chairs and torch for Saturday, picnic lunch for Sunday, water, snacks, sturdy shoes.
Boot hygiene: Please clean your boots thoroughly before leaving home. On arrival at the excursion sites, we will spray the soles of our boots with Phytoclean.
Accommodation Saturday 9th September: Participants must arrange their own accommodation. They can either camp (suitable for caravans) at the Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary (bookings required as below) or stay in nearby accommodation (see below).
Camping at Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary (about 20mins drive from Berringa) – Amenities: toilets and shower, unpowered sites but power points available for charging phones etc., drinking water and hot water. Please book directly with the sanctuary coordinator emily.noble@birdlife.org.au $15 per adult + $5 per night. Payment via EFT: Account Name: BirdLife Australia Operations Account, BSB: 083166 A/c No.: 11 863 6581, Ref: Clarkesdale + your name. Enquiries: Emily 0433 344 287.
If you plan to camp at Clarkesdale, we suggest that you first drive to Clarkesdale and set up camp early Saturday afternoon before driving to the wildlife sanctuary at Berringa. This will avoid the need to set up camp in the dark.
Alternative accommodation suggestions: There are country hotels offering accommodation at Linton, Smythesdale and Snake Valley. Alternatively, there are a number of motels and hotels in the south-western suburbs of Ballarat. Most of these options will be within 45mins travel from our two activity sites.