Excursions

An opportunity to join with expert field naturalists to gain experience in photographing fauna and flora species including key characteristics to maximise the likelihood of getting your observations identified from photos submitted to iNaturalist. Whether you prefer to use a smart phone, a point and shoot digital camera or a digital SLR camera with interchangeable […]

This excursion is rescheduled from March due to the high temperature. Christine will take us for a walk along the Great Dividing Trail path beside Forest Creek (now named Leanganook Track) to see first-hand the remarkable transformation of a gorse-infested, tree-less valley to a productive native riparian strip following over 20 years of work by

Unfortunately, due to the high temperatures forecast for Saturday, we have decided to postpone our walk along Forest Creek with Christine to 12th April 2025. However, members and visitors are reminded of our AGM and Monthly Meeting as detailed in our previous update. Friday 14th March, 2025, 7.30 pm, Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton St

Following Christine’s talk the previous evening, she will take us for a walk along the Great Dividing Trail path beside Forest Creek (now named Leanganook Track) to see first-hand the remarkable transformation of a broom- and gorse-infested valley to a productive native riparian strip following over 20 years of work by CLG and supporting agencies. 

What are the habitat features that aid survival of the rare Bright-eyed Brown Butterfly? Brian will take us on a walking tour to inspect some sites around Trentham where habitat restoration has been carried out to support this special butterfly. We will then drive to Lyonville and follow the Domino trail east for about 700m

Our October excursion is to a private property in Walmer that has uncommonly rich biodiversity and is not generally available to the public. The site is one of the few places where Bitter Cryptandra (Cryptandra amara) is in good numbers in the district. Our guide will be local environmentalist and plant expert Ian Higgins, who received

As we heard from Executive Director Dr Sophie Bickford at our November Monthly Meeting last year, the Central Victorian Biolinks Alliance aims to work with partner organisations to restore and reconnect large landscapes across Central Victoria.  For our August Excursion, we now have the opportunity to visit a Biolinks Alliance project site in the Spring

This excursion provides the opportunity to appreciate the interesting collection of trees in Goldsmith Crescent and Yandell, Forest, Kennedy and Campbell Streets. Our guides both have botanical expertise and will help us identify at least 20 different indigenous and introduced species, including several forms of Yellow Gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon). Two of the trees are historically

For our June excursion, we will search for fungi with Joy Clusker who will give us tips on identification and where to find fungi. Since autumn has been dry, we will travel south to cooler, damper forests for a better chance to find a good range of fungi. So we will meet earlier than usual

Our May excursion will be along the Coliban Channel starting at the historic outlet of the Back Creek Syphon.  We will follow the route described in “Castlemaine Bird Walks” by club member Damian Kelly.  As well as birds, we hope to see some early flowers as plants respond to recent rainfall.  The walk is mainly