Updates

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 8th August 2025, 7.30pm by Zoom

Linden Ashcroft is an award-winning climate scientist and communicator from the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on historical climatology, using pre-1900 documents and weather observations to improve understanding of Australia’s past climate so we can better prepare for the future. The impact of human-induced climate change is […]

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 8th August 2025, 7.30pm by Zoom Read More »

Speaker: Dr Linden Ashcroft “What will climate change bring to Castlemaine weather?”

Excursion: Saturday 9th August 2025, 10.00am,“Grassland treasures”, Baringhup

At our July Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club meeting, Adrian Marshall (Grassy Plains Network) reminded us that less than 1% of Victoria’s native grasslands remain and they’re rapidly disappearing without recognition and protection. Small patches remain, often with just a few plants, but knowledge of grassland species and locations is limited.  Our first of three roadside stops

Excursion: Saturday 9th August 2025, 10.00am,“Grassland treasures”, Baringhup Read More »

Leader: Kerrie Jennings

Roadside Clean-up: Monday 11th August 2025, 9am

Our club checks a section of the Pyrenees Highway four times a year, west of Castlemaine from the top of McKenzie’s Hill to Woodman’s Road. It is always a pleasant walk along some interesting roadside bush as we do our bit for the community.  Meet: 9am near Tait’s Decorative Iron, corner of Willy Milly Rd

Roadside Clean-up: Monday 11th August 2025, 9am Read More »

Help keep our stretch of the Pyrenees Highway clean!

Reminder:  CFNC weekend at Wedderburn, 12-14 September 2025

As advised earlier, there will be no regular monthly meeting or excursion in Castlemaine in September. Instead there will be a weekend of events at Wedderburn.  Registrations (see below) are required by August 8th to confirm attendance and organise car-pooling. Speakers and excursion leaders – ecologist and Mt Korong fauna expert Professor Michael Kearney from

Reminder:  CFNC weekend at Wedderburn, 12-14 September 2025 Read More »

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 11th July 2025, 7.30pm by Zoom

Dr Adrian Marshall is the Facilitator of the Grassy Plains Network, which is program of the Victorian National Parks Association. He advocates for the greater protection of Victoria’s native grasslands and runs a range of community engagement activities to raise people’s awareness of our extremely threatened grassy ecosystems. He co-edited “Land of sweeping plains: managing

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 11th July 2025, 7.30pm by Zoom Read More »

Speaker: Adrian Marshall, “Our endangered grasslands: threats and ways forward”

Excursion: Saturday 12th July 2025, “Fungi search”, Mt Alexander; NOTE 10.00 am start time!

Rain at last! So for our July excursion we will go on a fungi search with Joy Clusker, co-author of the excellent guide to identification of the “Fungi of the Bendigo Region”.  Joy will give us valuable tips on identification and where to find fungi. Since the light drops early at this time of the

Excursion: Saturday 12th July 2025, “Fungi search”, Mt Alexander; NOTE 10.00 am start time! Read More »

Leader: Joy Clusker

SEANA Spring Camp – Ballarat, 17-19 October, 2025

The South East Australian Naturalists’ Association (SEANA) “camps” are an excellent chance to meet fellow naturalists from around SE Australia and explore a new region under the guidance of local experts.  The Field Naturalists’ Club of Ballarat Inc. warmly invites you to attend the SEANA Spring camp for 2025. The camp will be based at

SEANA Spring Camp – Ballarat, 17-19 October, 2025 Read More »

Hosted by the Field Naturalists’ Club of Ballarat Inc.

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 13th June 2025, 7.30pm by Zoom

The June meeting will be the first of our 3 winter meetings by Zoom for 2025. Kelly Clitheroe is President of DarkSky Victoria and will be talking about the need to retain the quality of the night sky for future generations. She will focus on the impact of light pollution on fauna and flora and

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 13th June 2025, 7.30pm by Zoom Read More »

Speaker: Kelly Clitheroe, “How light pollution impacts wildlife”

Excursion: Saturday 14th June 2025, 1.30pm, “Street trees of Castlemaine – part 2 and Forest Creek revitalisation project”, Greenhill Ave.

In July 2024, arborist Sue Luke together with Rosemary Turner led a Castlemaine street trees walk taking in Kennedy Street and Goldsmith Crescent. Sue will lead a second walk along Greenhill Avenue, from Greenhill Place to the Pyrenees Highway, looking at over thirty Australian tree and shrub species. In addition, the Forest Creek Revitalisation Project

Excursion: Saturday 14th June 2025, 1.30pm, “Street trees of Castlemaine – part 2 and Forest Creek revitalisation project”, Greenhill Ave. Read More »

Leaders: Sue Luke, Cathrine Harboe-Ree, Jon Leevers

Monthly Meeting: Friday 9th May 2025, 7.30pm, Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton St.

Graham is President of Turtles Australia Inc. A retired train driver, he has been devoted to freshwater turtle conservation for around 15 years. His talk will cover the three species of freshwater turtles we have in Victoria and will outline some of the conservation work Turtles Australia is engaged in. To allow attendees to get

Monthly Meeting: Friday 9th May 2025, 7.30pm, Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton St. Read More »

Speaker: Graham Stockfeld - "Talking turtles"