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

Leader: Peter Turner

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 …

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

Leaders: Peter and Rosemary Turner

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 …

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

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 …

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

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

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 »

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

Leaders: Peter and Rosemary Turner

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 …

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

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

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 …

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Excursion: Saturday 12th August, 12 noon. “Whipstick Wildflowers”

Leaders: Peter Turner & Noel Young

Join us for a walk in the Whipstick, Greater Bendigo National Park, to enjoy the emerging spring wildflowers in this beautiful box ironbark forest. Meet: 12 noon at the Octopus car park (Duke St, opposite the Castle Motel) or at Shadbolts Picnic ground, Whipstick, Bendigo ready to start the walk at 1.30pm after a picnic …

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Monthly Meeting:  Friday 14th July, 7.30 pm, by Zoom

Speaker: Dr Matt West (University of Melbourne Biosciences) “Protecting frogs from Chytrid fungus”.

Matt will talk about his research studies into the Chytrid fungus that is causing a serious decline in our frog populations.  Matt is identifying factors that influence frog disease susceptibility and strategies for protecting frogs from this fungus.  He will also describe projects to translocate healthy populations of frogs, including the Growling Grass Frog, to …

Monthly Meeting:  Friday 14th July, 7.30 pm, by Zoom Read More »

Excursion: Saturday 15th July, 1.30pm. “Maldon Historic Reserve Flora Surveys”

Leaders: Euan Moore and Richard Piesse

Our July excursion will be to the Gower area of the Maldon Historic Reserve.  The purpose of the visit will be to look at some of the vegetation plots established by Ern Perkins around 2009 to monitor the effects of bush fires and fuel reduction burns on the native vegetation.  We will remeasure one or …

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SEANA Spring Camp – Yarram, October 20-23, 2023

Hosted by the Sale & District FNC and Latrobe Valley FNC

The South East Australian Naturalists’ Association (SEANA) organises two camps each year where Field Naturalist groups from around SE Australia gather to meet fellow naturalists and explore a new region under the guidance of local experts. Several of our members greatly enjoyed the Autumn camp at Port Campbell. The SEANA Spring Camp will be held …

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