Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary in Bundoora, Victoria | Nursery & garden centre

Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary

Locality: Bundoora, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 9479 1206

Address: La Trobe Avenue, La Trobe University 3086 Bundoora, VIC, Australia

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25.01.2022 Lets take a moment to enjoy a #wildlifewednesday post! The Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novarguineae) is one of the most recognisable birds in Australia. Their raucous cackle is an essential addition to any dawn chorus. The inhabit a range of environments where there are suitable trees, including urban areas. They breed in tree hollows, so you can help encourage them by installing a nesting box. ... Kookaburras feed on a range of insects, worms, small mammals, lizards and even frogs if they can catch them! They will waiting on a suitable perch and then pounce on their desired prey. Head to our website to find out more about the range of wildlife that call the Wildlife Sanctuary home - www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/wildlife #australianwildlife #kookaburra #wildlifeoncampus Michiko Lida

25.01.2022 THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 30 CALENDARS LEFT! They will sell out so get yours now https://bit.ly/LTWSstore, or at the nursery . We are totally adoring our calendar this year. March features a gorgeous Imperial Hairstreak Butterfly stopping for breakfast on a local Sticky everlasting taken by Jonathan Neuman... March is a busy month, with World Wildlife Day, World Water Day, National Eucalypt Day, Harmony Day, Earth Hour AND David Suzukis birthday! Phew! https://bit.ly/LTWSstore #LaTrobeUniversity #latrobeuni #calender2021

25.01.2022 The Ascomycota are also called sac fungi and are extremely important to our everyday lives. It is to this group of fungi that yeast belongs; an essential component in bread making , the fermentation of grain to produce beer and the distillation of other liquors. And of course, the fine diners amongst you, would be very familiar with truffles, another fungi that belong in this group. We dont have any of these species within the Wildlife Sanctuary, but do have several other... representatives from this group: - Aleurina ferruginea - Anthracobia muelleri - Hypoxylon sp. Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous ones. #fungifriday #fungioz #fungi #fungiiscool #outdoorlaboratory

25.01.2022 If you mention lorikeets, most people would automatically think of Rainbow Lorikeets which are a common occurrence in urban areas. But Australia is home to several other species of lorikeet. There are four types of lorikeet that are known to be resident breeders at the Wildlife Sanctuary, including the Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta pusilla)! They are mostly green with a yellow patch at the side of the breast, and bright red forehead and band through the eye. Musk Lorikeets are... widespread throughout south-eastern Australia and are typically found in tall, open, dry forest and woodlands. They breed in hollow branches and are able to make use of relatively small entrance holes; so you can help them by installing one of our lorikeet nesting boxes in your backyard. Being mainly nectar and pollen feeders, you can encourage them into your backyard by planting a range of flowering plants that produce lots of nectar; eucalypts, banksias and callistemons are all good choices. To find out more about the wildlife that call the Wildlife Sanctuary home, visit www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/wildlife-latrobe To get a nesting box to encourage wildlife to your backyard, visit www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/nesting-boxes Stephen Garth #outdoorlaboratory #wildlifeoncampus #musklorikeet #aussiebirds #wildlifewednesday

24.01.2022 The La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary has been re-named! From this point forward, we will be known as Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary. Why Nangak Tamboree? Nangak Tamboree (nan-nyack tam-bor-ee) means respecting/sharing/looking after the waterway in Woiwurrung language of the Wurundjeri people. The Sanctuary lies within the Nangak Tamboree Eco-corridor. #latrobewildlife #LaTrobeUniversity #latrobeuni #mylatrobe #bundoora #wildlifesanctuary

24.01.2022 Unfortunately we have had to further restrict the services that we offer in light of the stage 4 restrictions. While these restrictions are in place, collection of trade and wholesale orders must be approved on a case by case basis. Anyone who has a current order with us which has pick up scheduled within the lockdown period will be contacted shortly.... ? Nestboxes are available via our online store. www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/nesting-boxes Building and monitoring your nestbox is a great lockdown activity. Boost the biodiversity of your own backyard! #backyardbiodiversity #mylatrobe #latrobeuni

23.01.2022 Posties are being run off their feet nowadays! If you have ordered a nestbox from us recently, please be aware that your order may be delayed by a few days as they are sent through Australia Post. Running postman (Kennedia prostrata) is also blooming like mad in the sanctuary nursery right now. What plant would be more appropriate for this post?!... #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #outdoorlaboratory #backyardbiodiversity

23.01.2022 To help Celebrate Biodiversity Month, Darebin City Council will be hosting a webinar about the Cherry Street Grassland; a beautiful 13.5 hectare grassland in Macleod that supports over 110 indigenous plant species! Join La Trobe Sanctuarys Michael Cincotta on Saturday 19 September, 10.30-11.30am to learn about this diverse, fascinating and special place. This special online event is free, but bookings are essential. See you there!

22.01.2022 Did you know that education experiences are up an running again? Alia College visited us earlier this month for an excursion to explore macroinvertebrates and their role in an ecosystem. ... Find out more about our experiences here: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/visit/education #excursions #school #mylatrobe #latrobeuni

22.01.2022 Work experience applications are now open for the rest of 2021! If you or someone you know is a year 9 or 10 student interested in working in the environmental/conservation field, visit the "Get Involved" page of our website to apply! https://www.latrobe.edu.au//get-/secondary-school-students... #latrobeuni #workexperience #mylatrobe #year10

21.01.2022 We love aquatic macroinvertebrates, or water bugs, at the Wildlife Sanctuary. Searching and identifying them is by far our most popular activity to do with school groups. You will typically know that someone has found a Water Scorpion by the squeals or exclamations of OMG, how cool! Water Scorpions are not true scorpions, though they certainly look like one! The are actually a true bug and can grow 3-4cm in length. An underwater predator, they will use its grabbing pincer...-like legs to ambush its prey (tadpoles and small fish). If youve spent anytime barefoot in a dam or creek, you may also know Water Scorpions by the name toe-biters. The tail at the end of the body is actually a respiratory siphon. It is used a little like a snorkel to enable them to breath underwater. The eggs have breathing horns and the female will position them so that they are just submerged and the horns are exposed to the air. To find out more about the wildlife that call the Sanctuary home, visit www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/wildlife-latrobe #outdoorlaboratory #wildlifeoncampus #waterbugs #wildlifewednesday #waterscorpion

20.01.2022 Become a citizen scientist and help monitor the health of your local waterway. #citizenscience #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #frogcensus

19.01.2022 Have you booked your tickets for the Twilight Tour on the 27th March? Don't miss you chance to come on a tour while the weather is still warm! Only a few spots are left! If a Saturday doesn't suit you, there is another tour on Tuesday the 30th March instead. This should be a super bright night as its right after a full moon! ... Tickets are essential and are available via eventbrite https://tinyurl.com/latrobewildlife #latrobeuni #mylatrobe #tours #melbournetours #wildlifetours #historytours

19.01.2022 Hot weather is on the way, so as you look for ways to cool yourself, don't forget about our animal friends who can also suffer heat stress. There are loads of ways you can help our native wildlife through summer, check out this link for some great tips and fact sheets on helping wildlife through the hotter months. https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/wi/heat-stress-in-wildlife2

19.01.2022 Bookings for this Saturdays Cherry Street Grassland webinar are nearly full!! Theres only a few spots left so dont miss your chance to hear the fascinating story and discover the biodiversity of this special place #BiodiversityMonth

18.01.2022 Have you wanted to come on a Twilight Tour but have been too busy on weeknights? This is our first ever Saturday night tour! #melbournewildife #wildlife #history #tours #latrobeuni #LaTrobeUniversity #mylatrobe

18.01.2022 The 2021 Sanctuary calendars are flying out the door! (pun intended). Our theme this year is backyard biodiversity with February starring this gorgeous Tawny Frogmouth taken by Tanya Thornton. Don't miss out on this limited print run at the special price of just $7.00. Buy online https://bit.ly/LTWSstore or instore at the nursery #LaTrobeUniversity #latrobeuni #calender2021

17.01.2022 Hooray! We're open again from Thursday 18th February!

17.01.2022 Backyard Bragging Rights! The theme for our 2021 calendar is Backyard Biodiversity. We want to see your indigenous garden habitat! Send us your best shots of your home garden or nature strip, featuring Victorian indigenous plant species and/or nesting boxes.... HOW TO SUBMIT -Like and Follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram -Email your submission to [email protected] -Deadline 30th September 2020 DETAILS -Photographs must comply with the theme -Write a sentence to accompany your submission. These questions might help: What wildlife is using your garden habitat? What is your favourite thing about your indigenous garden? Do you have further plans for your garden? -Photographs must be shot from 1 Jan 2019 -Maximum 3 photographs can be submitted per person -Must be good quality .jpeg or .jpg format -The calendar is A4 landscape. Therefore photographs (cropped or original) or composites must be in landscape orientation. THANK YOU -We will be selecting 16 images in total (One for the front cover, one for each month, two for the inner back cover, and one on back cover). -Submissions selected for the calendar will receive 2x calendars and 2x tickets to a Twilight Tour as a thank you. -Photographer credit will be included with the photograph in the calendar. TERMS & CONDITIONS You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the submission, you grant the La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion of the calendar. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. The La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.

17.01.2022 We are often asked about Aboriginal artefacts and evidence within the Wildlife Sanctuary, eg. scar trees and artefact scatters. According to the Victorian Aboriginal heritage register there is a registered scatter site within the Wildlife Sanctuary consisting of flaked artefacts including cores, flakes and angular fragments. Further archaeological investigations may reveal other similar sites within the Sanctuary, most likely in proximity to reliable water sources or on vant...age points. The question of scar trees is something that has been hotly debated in reference to the Wildlife Sanctuary. For many years, we referred to the pictured tree as the Scar (or Canoe) Tree as this is what we indeed thought it was. However, assessment of this particular tree has suggested that it is not actually a scar tree of Aboriginal origin. This decision was based on the irregular shape and form of the scar, limited regrowth, absence of weathering on the exposed heartwood, and the fact that the scar extends all the way to the ground. While we do not have any official scar trees within the Wildlife Sanctuary, there are a number listed on the Victorian Aboriginal heritage register in the local area. Although this tree is not a scar tree, it is still a common stopping point on our tours with the community or school groups. One of our student visitors suggested that there is an animal hidden in this tree. Can you spot the animal? Comment below (you may even find this animal in your emojis) and if you have been on one of our tours . We will let you know the answer in a day or so. To find out more about the history of the Wildlife Sanctuary, visit - www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/about/history Visit Aboriginal Victoria for more information about Aboriginal artefacts - www.aboriginalvictoria.vic.gov.au/aboriginal-places-and-obj #outdoorlaboratory #latrobeuni

17.01.2022 We often get balloons floating into the sanctuary, but this particular balloon got stuck on sanctuary manager Vern's mask while he was snorkeling in Port Philip Bay recently. Balloons are easily mistaken for jelly fish when they float in water, making them one of the deadliest items of marine litter . A 2019 CSIRO study found that seabirds are up to 32 times more likely to die when they swallow a balloon than any type of hard plastic. So next time you are having a gathering, consider an alternative to balloons. Ideas include, making your own reusable bunting, bubbles, paper and macramé decorations, flags and banners, the list goes on! Our wildlife will thank you for it .

16.01.2022 A few of you have asked us recently when we will be reopening retail nursery. We would love to be able to give you a definitive answer on this, but unfortunately, at this stage, we are not in a position to do that. We understand that the nursery industry has not been impacted by restrictions, but as we are part of a university, we need to operate in line with the restrictions put on that industry. While the majority of La Trobe staff are working from home and teaching is occ...urring online, we will not be in a position to open the nursery. As the Victorian Government eases restrictions across the state and the university plans towards recommencing on campus activities, we will be in a position to look at the way forward for the Wildlife Sanctuary. Although, we have been closed, rest assured that we are continuing to propagate and grow plants for the nursery so there will be stock when we are able to reopen. To read more about the university response to COVID-19 visit - www.latrobe.edu.au/about/novel-coronavirus

16.01.2022 CROCODILE SIGHTING IN THE SANCTUARY WETLANDS! Can you spot it? Turns out the young students that visit the sanctuary were always right! They often tell us that crocodiles live here at the sanctuary but we never believed them! ... #latrobeuni #mylatrobe #wildlifemebourne #crocodile #aprilfools

16.01.2022 Jelly fungi are not what you typically think of when you think of fungi. Their gelatinous consistency is due to structural hyphae have walls that are expandable, unlike the rigid mushrooms that we are familiar with. During dry periods, they become rather hard and resistant to bending, but when moistened they expand back out to their original gelantinous texture. - Calocera fusca - Calocera sinensis - Heterotextus peziziformis... - Tremella globiospora - Tremella globiospora Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous one. #fungifriday #fungi #fungiforay #jellyfungi

16.01.2022 Its #NationalVolunteerWeek and although we are closed and not seeing our amazing volunteers, we wanted to stop and say a heart-felt thank you to all of them (you)! Our volunteers come in many forms, including La Trobe University students, Friends of the Wildlife Reserves, Australian Plants Society Yarra Yarra Inc, Conservation Volunteers Australia, community members and high school work experience students. In March, prior to having to close, over 700 volunteer hours went ...into the Sanctuary (and thats before our student volunteering really geared up for the year!). All up, we estimate that volunteers give over 8000 hours per year to the Wildlife Sanctuary sorting seeds, propagating and weeding plants in the nursery, helping to prep plant orders, on ground works with our land management team and biodiversity monitoring. While we are closed, we have put a halt on volunteer applications and activities. But we encourage you to have a look at the Get Involved page on our website for the different ways you can lend a hand - www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/get-involved We hope you are all keeping well and we look forward to seeing you as soon as we can! #NVW2020 #volunteering

15.01.2022 #waveforvolunteers this National Volunteer Week! Join us in showing appreciation for our dedicated volunteers who contribute over 8000hrs of effort to the Sanctuary every year! We look forward to when we can see you all again.... #workingfromhome #NVW2020 #volunteeringaustralia #nationalvolunteerweek #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #ausunipetwars

15.01.2022 Mantids are pretty fascinating to watch and are regular visitors to the Retail Nursery. Australia has an estimated 160 species of praying mantises and they come in a range of sizes, colours and patterns. All praying mantises are predatory; their raptorial (think dinosaur raptors) front legs are adapted to snatch and hold their prey. Small species will feed on other small invertebrates, but the large species will also capture small lizards or frogs. The triangular head and l...arge prominent compound eyes are a typical feature of praying mantises. Having eyes wide apart is enables them to accurately judge distance, allowing them to effectively strike their prey. The have a dot in middle of each eye; this looks like a pupil, but is actually a pseudo pupil and may help to fool the mantises predators by giving the illusion that it is looking at them. Most people have heard that the female will eat the male during or after mating. While some species do behave this way, it is not the case for all species. To find out more about the wildlife that call the Sanctuary home, visit www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/wildlife-latrobe #outdoorlaboratory #wildlifeoncampus #wildlifewednesday #prayingmantis #insectsarecool

15.01.2022 Do you know the difference between a dragonfly and a damselfly? Both belong to the order Odonata a name which refers to the large teeth-like mandibles of both the larva and adults. Damselflies generally have slender bodies, with similar shaped fore and hind wings and the wings are held closed over the body when at rest. Dragonflies tend to have stouter bodies with more variable fore and hind wings, their wings are also held spread out with at rest. We often find their larva...e, or nymphs, when searching for water bugs with school groups. The larvae of damselflies tend to be more slender with three long respiratory gills at the end of their abdomen. The larvae of dragonflies are more stout with only short projections. #wildlifewednesday #outdoorlaboratory #dragonfly #damselfly #insectsarecool

14.01.2022 #fungifriday Puffballs are named for the fact the puffs of spores are released when the dry and powdery fruiting body is disturbed, eg. by rain. - Aseroe rubra... - Geastrum triplex - Ileodictyon gracile - Scleroderma cepa - Vascellum pratense Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous one. #fungi #puffballs #earthstars #fungiforay

14.01.2022 Its Biodiversity month! Were very lucky in Victoria; we have the most diverse collection of landscapes and support a wider range of ecosystems than any area of a similar size in Australia. Our parks are home to over 4,300 native plant species and 948 native animal species, and more than 12,000 species of marine animals and plants, most of which are found nowhere else in the world! (Parks Victoria, 2020)... You can explore our incredible biodiversity here: https://bit.ly/2QKIsZm The video below explores Victorias incredible diversity and how it can help us understand our changing climate.

14.01.2022 Meet Tony. Tony has been building and supplying nest boxes for the Wildlife Sanctuary since 2015. Based in the forested Strzelecki Ranges in Gippsland, he is surrounded by many of the birds and mammals that utilise our boxes. The Sanctuary and Tony have built a great working relationship over the years and we look forward to many more years working together to supply quality nest boxes for the community. Thanks for all your fantastic work Tony!

14.01.2022 This looks like a great event for anyone wanting to learn more about our local frog species!

14.01.2022 At this time of the year, we would normally be awaiting the arrival of Swift Parrots (Lathamus discolour). The Swift Parrot is listed as Critically Endangered in Australia and at this time of the year they migrate from their summer breeding areas in Tasmania to winter feeding sites on mainland Australia. Their distribution is associated with eucalypt forests and woodlands, particularly the box ironbark woodlands on central Victoria, where they feed nectar and pollen. Each ye...ar, they can typically be spotted on the main Melbourne (Bundoora) campus as they move through and have even been known to visit us at the Wildlife Sanctuary. With less people on site, we dont know whether they have made an appearance yet. But weve heard whispers on the twitcher-vine that they have been spotted locally. Find our more about the wildlife that call the Wildlife Sanctuary home - www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/wildlife Michael Livingstone

14.01.2022 What are you up to today? We are OPEN Melbourne Cup day from 10am-3pm. Get in quick to get your hands on some of our beautiful indigenous plants and boost your backyards biodiversity! Please note that only the nursery is open at this stage. The rest of the Sanctuary is closed to the public. ... #indigenousplants #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #backyardbiodiversity #gardening See more

13.01.2022 Today we delve into the world of the bracket fungi! Bracket fungi are polypores. Unlike other fungi who have spore producing gills, they have many pores lined with spore producing cells called basidia. The basidia form woody gills through which spores are released. A new layer of spore tissue is added each season on top of the old; as time passes, these layers grow into the large bracket that we are familiar with. - Antrodiella citrea... - Ganoderma australe - Podoscypha petaloides - Postia lactea - Stereum hirsutum Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous one. #fungifriday #fungi #fungiforay #bracketfungi

13.01.2022 Sometimes you need to have eagle eyes when trolling through thousands of images captured on wildlife cameras PhD student Millie Scicluna recently spotted this series on a camera she has set up within the Wildlife Sanctuary. The first image is at 1:59am, and the second is at 3am the following morning, showing a mushroom that has grown in that short amount of time. The mushroom was not in any of the previous photos, and in the 24 hours that it emerged from the ground, an inva...sive black rat had already found and eaten it, leaving only the stalk (final image). This is a perfect example of what happens when our native animals have to compete against species that dont belong in that ecosystem; they are left far behind. Fungi are a food source for over 30 Australian mammals (not to mention countless reptiles, birds, insects etc), inclusive of but not limited to: Mountain Pygmy-possum, various native rodents, various macropods (kangaroos, wallabies, pademelons, Quokka), Yellow-bellied Glider, Sugar Glider, Mountain Brushtail Possum, Common Brushtail Possum, Bettongs, Potoroos, Bilby, Bandicoots and the Common Wombat. Thanks for sharing Millie!

13.01.2022 Check out how much greener the sanctuary is now following recent rainfall! See the same patch in 2018 here: https://bit.ly/3dPrDHr #outdoorlaboratory #latrobeuni #mylatrobe... *We remain closed to the public until further notice. Please refer to pinned post or our website for more information. See more

11.01.2022 #fungifriday isnt enough, so lets add in a #mushroommonday! The Mycena fungi are amongst the smallest fungi, rarely more than a few centimetres in width. They are characterised by a white spore print, a small conical or bell-shaped cap and a fragile stem. You definitely need to have your eyes peeled to spot these delicate fungi. - Cruentomycena viscidocruenta - Mycena albidocapillaris... - Mycena clarkeana - Mycena epipterygia - Mycena kuurkacea - Mycena marangania - Mycena mijoi Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous ones.

11.01.2022 Some up close shots of the Wallaby grass (rytidosperma geniculatum) field posted last week! The fluffy seed heads have finally popped ready to collect! #indigenousplants #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #nativegrasses

11.01.2022 A pair of brushtail possums were caught on camera sussing out a new home Did you know that many hollow bearing species move home frequently as a way to outsmart predators and reduce parasite loads? #wildlifewednesday #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #brushtailpossum #homesforwildlife #nestboxes

11.01.2022 Make some #timefornature this World Environment Day! You could be lucky enough to find an Anemone Stinkhorn and may smell it before you see it because they stink of rotten meat! Fungi are quick! Many only emerge for a few weeks, days or even hours. When was the last time you found something interesting outside? ... #worldenvironmentday #fungi #latrobeuni #mylatrobe #stinky

10.01.2022 Good news Wednesday! Four new adorable additions to the endangered Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby population in the Grampians/Gariwerd National Park have been spotted by Parks Victoria cameras. Boosting the estimated population in the area to 13. This exciting and important news shows the power and positive outcomes cross collaborative sustainability projects can achieve . Congratulations to all involved in this amazing work. Watch some footage https://www.thehorshamtimes.com....au/endangered-brush-tailed- Read the Parks Victoria media release https://www.parks.vic.gov.au//endangered-joeys-spotted-in- Watch a video about the Grampians Ark project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvxW3U9n6RQ&feature=youtu.be

10.01.2022 The wetlands throughout the Wildlife Sanctuary are a haven for a range of waterbirds. This Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae) is striking a typical darter pose; they will hold their wings out like this to dry when perched. Darters will dive to depths of about 60cm and use their sharp, spear-like beak to impale fish. They will swallow small fish underwater, but will bring large ones to the surface where they are flicked off the bill and then swallowed head first.... They are usually solitary birds, but when breeding they may nest within loose colonies with other water birds that nest in trees, such as cormorants, spoonbills and ibis. The male uses green leafy twigs to decorate its nest site and will use elaborate wing-waving and twig-grasping movements in an attempt to attract a mate. Chicks are able to swim after about four weeks and start to fly at around 50 days old. To find out more about the wildlife that call the Sanctuary home, visit www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/wildlife-latrobe Peter Bennet #outdoorlaboratory #wildlifeoncampus #aussiebirds #wildlifewednesday #darters

09.01.2022 Look at all that wallaby grass! The river red gum grassy woodland within the Sanctuary is definitely living up to its name thanks to recent rainfall! #indigenousplants #latrobeuni #mylatrobe #grasses #NAIDOCWeek2020

09.01.2022 Do you have a fussy family member or finicky friend who is hard to buy for? Gift vouchers could be the perfect solution! #wildlife #latrobeuni #latrobeuniversity #xmasgifts #giftvoucher #mylatrobe

09.01.2022 Frogs are an incredibly important part in our ecosystem and are a vital indicator species for the health of our environment, and YOU CAN HELP Download Melbourne Waters Frog Census app and become a citizen scientist as you walk your neighbourhood! The app is easy to use and the data you collect may even end up in the official Victorian Biodiversity Atlas and the Atlas of Living Australia! Another great way to contribute to #BiodiversityMonth

07.01.2022 The 2021 Calender is here! Just $7 each - available online & in-store at the nursery. Featuring images of local backyard & their indigenous inhabitants!... #LaTrobeUniversity #latrobeuni #calender2021

07.01.2022 Places are filling fast for the Twilight Tour, Tuesday next week. Book now to avoid missing out. Can't make it that night? Why not book your own private tour on a night of your choice. Contact us at [email protected] for more info. #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #LaTrobeUniversity #melbournewildlife #melbournetouristguide #melbourneiloveyou

06.01.2022 Today we delve into the world of the bracket fungi! Bracket fungi are polypores. Unlike other fungi who have spore producing gills, they have many pores lined with spore producing cells called basidia. The basidia form woody gills through which spores are released. A new layer of spore tissue is added each season on top of the old; as time passes, these layers grow into the large bracket that we are familiar with. - Antrodiella citrea... - Ganoderma australe - Podoscypha petaloides - Postia lactea - Stereum hirsutum Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous one. #fungifriday #fungi #fungiforay #bracketfungi

05.01.2022 You dont need a backyard to help boost biodiversity in your local area! Check out this cut-leaf daisy (Brachyscome multifida) thriving in a pot! Its grower says that the abundant daisy flowers help attract bees and other insects to her courtyard which pollinate her other potted plants. Do you have any indigenous plants growing in pots? Post them below!... #patiogardens #balconybiodiversity #dontwasteyourspace

05.01.2022 We love fungi at the Wildlife Sanctuary, so over the next few weeks, we are going to share some #fungifriday posts showcasing some of the weird and wonderful fungi that occur in the sanctuary! Weve seen a dramatic increase in the diversity of fungi since 2008 when we first started recording them (from 29 species to a whopping 200 species!). This is indicative of an ecosystem that is pretty healthy. Pictured species:... - Leratiomyces ceres - Pycnoporus coccineus - Gymnopylus dilepis - Ramaria capita Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous ones. #outdoorlaboratory #fungi #fungiforay

05.01.2022 "Crown Shyness" is a really cool phenomenon where the crowns of trees do not touch each other, forming a visually stunning canopy with distinct gaps. There are many theories about why crown shyness occurs (see link below), but it certainly indicates that trees know a lot more about what's going on than we often give them credit for ... Next time you're walking through a forested area, look up, there is amazing stuff happening... Happy Wednesday reading.

05.01.2022 Thinking about adding some green at home? These tips from the Sustainability Team could help you get started! NB. Our indigenous nursery is still closed to the public (but we are working on a plan for when we get the green light to reopen).

05.01.2022 As you can see from these photos circa. 1977, our indigenous plant nursery began from quite humble beginnings in the early 1970s with the sole purpose to assist restorations efforts within the Sanctuary. By the late 1980s we were receiving numerous requests to supply plants for other projects, so the indigenous plant nursery was established in 1989. It has gone through many upgrades and evolved over the years to become what it is today. Today, we supply over 300 species of t...rees, shrubs, groundcovers, climbers, grasses, herbs and wetland plants to local councils and other land managers, schools, landscape professionals, other retail nurseries and backyard gardeners. We specialise in indigenous species from the middle and lower yarra catchment of Melbourne; with collection areas extending from the Kinglake escarpment in the east, to the grasslands in the west and Dights Falls in the north. This means our plants are best suited to the following municipalities Darebin, Banyule, Nillumbik, Whittlesea, Hume, Murrindindi, Moreland, Manningham. NB. While we are taking orders from our trade and wholesale customers, we are not able to supply plants to the general public. Staff at La Trobe University (which includes Wildlife Sanctuary staff) are still predominantly working from home in line with the Victorian Government guidelines, so we do not have the capacity to facilitate retail sales. #indigenous nursery #throwbackthursday

05.01.2022 When you inherit land that was cleared for farming and recreation, you also inherit an invasive weed problem. This was one challenge face by the Wildlife Sanctuary in the 1980s and with minimal resources to solve the problem, they came up with an ingenious solution to keeping tracks cleared; a goat monorail! Goats were tethered with a leash to a single wire line that ran along a track. The goats were able to move freely up and down the track to keep it clear of vegetation. R...ather than roaming freely, which could impact remnant vegetation, the goats were targeted in areas that needed pruning. Goats are not particularly fussy eaters; they eat anything, so were good at controlling woody and broad-leafed weeds. There was a bit of trial and error in the early goat days to ensure that the goats wouldnt get tangled in the wire and to make sure that they were far enough apart to prevent sparring; a successful method of tethering was developed. At its peak, there were up to 5km of tracks being maintained by goats. The Wildlife Sanctuary employed the help of goats for over ten years, and in that time became a half-way home for goats from, sometimes, checkered backgrounds. The original two goats were retired milking goats that came from a childrens farm at Werribee Mansion in 1988. Each goat came with its own personality and some had been rehomed due to antisocial behaviour. Most notably, Rasta who was a big black goat with dreadlocks who was known to charge at and headbutt the rangers. The last goat on the monorail was a sweet ex-milking goat named Giselle (pictured) who passed away in the early 2000s. For more information about the history of the Wildlife Sanctuary visit - www.latrobe.edu.au/wildlife/about/history

04.01.2022 Happy Birthday David Suzuki!

04.01.2022 Who needs to head to the tropics to see coral, when you have coral fungi? This type of fungi is notoriously hard to identify as their structure, colour, spore size and shape can change as they mature. - Ramaria capita - Ramaria gracilis... Fungi identification can be tricky. We do not recommend consuming any fungi found growing wild as edible species can look very similar to poisonous ones. #mushroommonday #fungi #coralfungi #outdoorlaboratory

02.01.2022 Have you swapped a plant in your garden for an indigenous species? Indigenous plants often require less water and maintenance than their non-indig lookalikes. After all, they have evolved to survive and thrive in the Greater Melbourne area! #backyardbiodiversity #outdoorlaboratory #Indigenousplants #plantswap

02.01.2022 Bees are amazing! Did you know there are over 1,500 species of bee native to Australia? All of them vital to the pollination and health of our bushland and backyards. You can help our little friends by planting local native flowering plants and leave out some water, and for a bit of fun you can even build a bee hotel like the one in this Gardening Australia video! Or order one of our very cool Bug Pads from the sanctuary online store http://bit.ly/LTWSstore. Whichever way you go, the bees and your garden will love you for it

01.01.2022 Someone else discovered the new footprints at the Bioshack this week! Introducing Heidi! She is part of the Dogs for Life project at La Trobe University to train assistance dogs for veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress. As part of this program she will be spending the next 12 months with our team. Though we are spending most of our time working from home, she is still helping out with fence patrols and supervising us in the nursery!... We hope she will also help educate our visitors and students about how they should interact with service dogs, and these dogs public access rights in parks and reserves. Find out more about this program: https://bit.ly/3f0WOzH #dogsoncampus #ausunipetwars #latrobeuni #mylatrobe #dogsforlife #cstda

01.01.2022 See anything that tickles your fancy? Come see us tomorrow for all this and more! We have an abundance of species available to brighten up your backyard. #latrobeuni #mylatrobe #backyardbiodiversity #indigenousplants #flowers #spring

01.01.2022 The Wildlife Sanctuary and its indigenous nursery will be closed Good Friday (2 April) and Easter Monday (5th April). #mylatrobe #latrobeuni #easter #easteropeninghours