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