Updates

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 13th October, 7.30pm, Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton St.

The Gariwerd National Park is renowned for its significant diversity of fauna species – 50 species are classified as threatened, including the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby. Introduced predators potentially have an enormous impact on the wildlife of the park. The Gariwerd Ark project aims to deliver predator animal control and reintroductions of native animals such as […]

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 13th October, 7.30pm, Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton St. Read More »

Speaker: Kailee Savoia (Parks Victoria, Gariwerd), “Grampians/Gariwerd Ark – landscape scale predator control"

Excursion:  Saturday 14th October, 1.30pm “Pre-1852 Eucalypts around Maldon – their importance and protection”

On this excursion, we will learn how the MULGA project aims to document and ensure long-term protection of eucalypts that were growing before 1852 (pre-European settlement) in Maldon. These trees are of significant environmental and historical significance. MULGA secretary Bev Phillips will describe how to identify the four indigenous Box trees in Maldon – Grey,

Excursion:  Saturday 14th October, 1.30pm “Pre-1852 Eucalypts around Maldon – their importance and protection” Read More »

Leader: Bev Phillips, Maldon Urban Landcare Inc. (MULGA)

Great Southern BioBlitz 24-27 November 2023

Block out your diaries and rally your friends, the 2023 Great Southern BioBlitz is fast approaching. Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club is the project host for our local area and Club members and all others are encouraged to participate. This annual event is an intensive four-day effort by citizen scientists across the southern hemisphere to record

Great Southern BioBlitz 24-27 November 2023 Read More »

FOR YOUR DIARY!

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 27th September, 4pm “The Monk”

A beautiful walk circling up the Monk will be our next Wednesday Wildflower Wander. We will enjoy those wildflowers that emerge later in the spring season, maybe even including some stunning spiders! Meet: at the Octopus (opposite the motel in Duke St) ready to leave at 4 pm, returning by about 5.30 pm. Bring: Sturdy

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 27th September, 4pm “The Monk” Read More »

Leader: Noel Young

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 20th September, 4pm, Boronia and Olearia in Muckleford Forest

Our September Wednesday Wildflower Wanders will continue this week with a visit to a hillside of Sticky Boronia Boronia anemonifolia in the Box Ironbark Forest near the Red White and Blue mine site. Nearby is a fine display of Cypress Daisy-Bush Olearia teretifolia. Meet: at the Octopus (opposite the motel in Duke St) ready to

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 20th September, 4pm, Boronia and Olearia in Muckleford Forest Read More »

Leader: Peter Turner

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 13th September, 4pm, Youngman’s Track

Join us for another beautiful Wildflower Wander this week.  We will see the rare Goldfields Grevillea (Grevillea dryophylla), a large bank of the locally rare Dusty Miller (Spyridium parvifolium), as well as many other wildflowers including native orchids. Meet: at the Octopus (opposite the motel in Duke St) ready to leave at 4 pm, returning

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 13th September, 4pm, Youngman’s Track Read More »

Leaders: Peter and Rosemary Turner

Excursion: Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th September, “Special double field trip near Ballarat”

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

Excursion: Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th September, “Special double field trip near Ballarat” Read More »

Saturday, Leader Roy Pails, Private Wildlife Sanctuary; Sunday, Leader Emily Noble, Clarkesdale Orchids and Birds

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 8th September, 7.30pm, Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton St.

Combined Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club and BirdLife Castlemaine District annual presentation Going bush, watching and photographing birds and then making art about them, is talented local nature artist Jane Rusden’s idea of the perfect day. Jane will talk about her time in remote desert landscapes, namely Nature Foundation’s Witchelina Reserve in outback SA, studying and

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 8th September, 7.30pm, Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton St. Read More »

Speaker: Jane Rusden, “Birding in SA Desert country”

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 6th September, 4pm, Kalimna Park

During September each year, we arrange late afternoon excursions on Wednesdays to nearby sites to enjoy the wonderful wildflower show in our local Box-Ironbark woodlands. Meet: at the Octopus (opposite the motel in Duke St) ready to leave at 4 pm, returning by about 5.30 pm. Bring: There are a few rough spots along the

Wednesday Wildflower Wander, 6th September, 4pm, Kalimna Park Read More »

Leaders: Peter and Rosemary Turner

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 11th August, 7.30pm by Zoom

Skylos Ecology Co-Founders Tracy Lyten and Fiona Jackson will discuss the specialised use of detection dogs in the conservation world.  They will explore how dogs are providing a valuable service in helping protect Australia’s flora and fauna. From endangered species detection, fox and feral cat management to the detection of invasive weeds, Tracy and Fiona

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

Speakers: Tracy Lyten and Fiona Jackson (Skylos Ecology), “The Role of Detection Dogs in Conservation”