All Events

Excursion – Sat 9 July, 1:30 pm

Starting from the junction of Muckleford School Road and Bells Lane Track, we will drive along Talbot, Dunns Reef and Red White and Blue Tracks, with stops along the way to enjoy the birds, wildflowers and trees of the forest and to view old mining sites.  We will then drive along Bells Lane Track to […]

Excursion – Sat 9 July, 1:30 pm Read More »

Muckleford Forest and the Red White & Blue Mine : Leaders: Peter and Rosemary Turner

8th July, 7:30 by Zoom – The Old-growth Moss Forests of Antarctica – Dr Melinda Waterman

Because it contains the best moss beds on continental Antarctica, Casey Station is dubbed the ‘Daintree of the Antarctic’.  Individual plants have been growing here for at least 100 years, fertilised by ancient penguin poo. But our new research shows that these slow-growing plants are changing at a far faster rate than anticipated.  The healthy green

8th July, 7:30 by Zoom – The Old-growth Moss Forests of Antarctica – Dr Melinda Waterman Read More »

The lush moss beds that grow near East Antarctica’s coast are among the only plants that can withstand life on the frozen continent.

We Have Moved!

All Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club members who receive emails from the club and those who have subscribed to our old website have been subscribed to our eNews on the New Website.  Subscribing to our eNews will keep you up-to-date with our activities.  We will not bombard you with emails but you will receive information about

We Have Moved! Read More »

Our new website is now live.

Excursion – Sat 11 June 10am – 12:30pm

Cassia will take us for a slow walk in the Clinkers Bushland reserve and nearby, exploring the variety of moss species along the way.  She will give us clues for distinguishing mosses from lichens and point out the features useful for identification of different moss species including the habitat where they are growing. She will

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Cassia Read will lead us on a “Moss Foray” at Clinkers Hill

Monthly Meeting: Friday 10th June, 7:30pm via Zoom 

Understanding the behaviours of native and introduced bees How do we ask a bee a question? Can you train a bee? What types of tasks can they solve? Can they acquire concepts? What is the limit of intelligence in a miniature brain? Scarlett will answer these questions and more using examples from the European honeybee

Monthly Meeting: Friday 10th June, 7:30pm via Zoom  Read More »

Dr Scarlett Howard, Monash University. What’s on a bee’s mind?

Excursion: Saturday 14 May 10am ALL DAY –

Seeding Victoria Inc. is a not for profit, charitable organisation that manages several seed banks in Victoria. For our May excursion, we will be privileged to have a tour of Seeding Victoria’s seed bank at Creswick as recently featured in the ABC’s Gardening Australia. Dan Frost who manages this seed bank will explain how seed

Excursion: Saturday 14 May 10am ALL DAY – Read More »

Seeding Victoria’s seed bank and La Gerche trail, Creswick

Monthly meeting: Friday 13 May, 7.30pm
Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton Street

Peter will talk about the emerging problem of feral deer in Victoria. The talk will discuss the identification and distribution of the 4 main feral deer species in Victoria, the economic, social and environmental impacts they are having, and the cost to the community. Peter will also present on Victoria’s laws that protect feral deer

Monthly meeting: Friday 13 May, 7.30pm
Uniting Church Fellowship Room, Lyttleton Street
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Peter Jacobs, Deer Project Officer for the Invasive Species Council, “Feral deer - managing and monitoring”

Excursion: Saturday 9 April, 1.30pm – Campbells Creek Landcare

Leader: Ian Higgins Ian will guide members along sections of the Campbells Creek walking trail showcasing the restoration work of the local Landcare group over the past 30 years. He will show us a wildflower restoration experimental area and an area for restoration of a heathy woodland. He will also demonstrate how landcare efforts are

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