Excursions

Leader: Joy Clusker “Fungi search at the Oak Forest, Harcourt” There is a change of location for our fungi search owing to recent storm damage to the fungi at the Bullarto site. Instead, we will now visit the Oak Forest, Harcourt where Joy reports a better display of fungi.  Of interest will be a fire-affected […]

Following some welcome showers of rain, the fungi are putting on a show.  This month we are privileged to have as leader Joy Clusker, co-author of the excellent guide to identification of the “Fungi of the Bendigo Region”. Joy will take us to some fungi hot spots in the tall, damp forests around Bullarto, sharing

The Yung Balug Aboriginal Artefacts Museum houses a vast collection of important aboriginal artefacts, some found and donated by local farmers. The garden includes indigenous food plants (and a marvellous collection of Eremophila species). The museum entry is free but donations are appreciated with 100% of funds spent on housing an ever-expanding collection. After lunch

The Post Office Hill Action Group is a Landcare group that manages 22.6 hectares of public land on behalf of the community, with a focus on preserving the natural, cultural and historical features of the Post Office Hill Reserve in Chewton, Victoria. Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung people) have lived and cared for their traditional lands

At last some rain and somewhat cooler weather, and on cue some autumn gems are appearing in our bushlands!  Join us for a search through some open woodlands for tiny Midge Orchids, larger Autumn Greenhoods, autumn flowering wattles and a trove of ground-cover native plants. Several other orchid species have been found here in the

For the start of our March excursion, we will visit the Newstead Arts Hub to enjoy the exhibition of Geoff Park’s stunning wildlife photography and John Wolseley’s creative landscape artworks, a part of the Castlemaine State Festival. Meet: for car-pooling and 1.00pm departure at the northern end of the Car Park north of the Railway

We will have an easy walk along a track on the bank of the Loddon River, enjoying the shade of the large old Red Gums and other riparian vegetation.  We should see and hear quite a few species of water birds and bush birds as we make our way along to some mini-rapids and, time

Join us for a ramble around the grassy woodlands near the summit of the Rock of Ages, Maldon. Spectacular views, soaring raptors, some special granite-area plants and interesting geology. Easy walking. Finish with afternoon tea. Meet: for car-pooling and 1.30pm departure at the northern end of the Car Park north of the Railway Goods Shed,

Visiting Geelong Field Naturalists Richard and Margaret Alcorn will join us for a walk along Sinclair’s Lane and down the track alongside the Maldon railway line to the trestle bridge.  A morning walk to favour bird sightings. This is an excellent area for a wide diversity of bird species and a chance to enjoy some

The Mount Alexander region is generally quite dry, but Chewton residents Mikael and Helle Hirsch have transformed a dry, weedy paddock of about one hectare into a biodiverse wetland in a remarkably short period of time. Drawing on the expertise of local ecologist Karl Just and others, and making use of a natural spring supplemented