Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc. in Ringwood, Victoria | Sport & recreation

Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc.

Locality: Ringwood, Victoria

Address: 32 Greenwood Ave 3134 Ringwood, VIC, Australia

Website: http://rfnc.org.au

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25.01.2022 The Club holds 2 camp-outs a year, one in spring and one in autumn, and last weekend we headed away to Alexandra which is 1 hours north-east of Melbourne. Led by Inta and Roger, and basing ourselves on the Goulburn River, which was really pumping from the recent rains, we spent Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday exploring the areas bushland reserves to see what we could find. Birds are generally quieter and harder to find in autumn but we still managed a list of around ...80 species, with highlights including Diamond Firetails, Brown Treecreepers, Sacred Kingfisher, both Rufous and Golden Whistlers, Crested Shrike-tits and Dusky Woodswallows. Raptors were not common but we saw Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Goshawk and Brown Falcon. Most flowering plants are dormant in autumn but a few very lucky members of the group found an orchid (thanks Don) Parsons Bands (Eriochilus cucullatus). These orchids flower predominantly between March and May after rain, but we only managed a single flower. Getting out of the city also provides a lot of opportunities to appreciate the smaller things in life insects and spiders. We saw quite a number of different animals, with a wide variety of ants found on some of the drier walks. One member has newly acquired the habit of bark-peaking on trees and found countless Huntsman spiders, one of which was about as big as a small dog! (Or so he reported while running away past the group) It was a fun weekend with great spirit and camaraderie. Many thanks to our leaders Inta and Roger for, as usual, organising a terrific camp-out.

25.01.2022 Do you get excited about native orchids? Then don't miss the excursion on Sunday to Baluk Willam in Belgrave South. On the recce this morning approx. 13 species of orchids were seen including 5 Pterostylis (two past flowering), a Diuris, a Thelymitra and 3 (maybe 4) Caladenias, with a couple of others I forget the names of. You'll have to come if you want to find out.

24.01.2022 Our January excursion ventured to a local reserve Jells Park in Glen Waverley, led by Eleanor and Warwick. We often plan summer excursions close to home to avoid long travel times or cancellations in hot weather, but this time it was the rain we avoided. It was a cool morning, and though there was a very light shower as we were finishing lunch, the rain held off until we had finished the afternoon walk and were returning to our cars. The morning walk was around the lake in ...the fenced off sanctuary area of the park. We started with excellent sightings of a pair of Tawny Frogmouths. On the large island in the lake, there were numerous Australian White Ibis nests, and amongst them, several nesting Australasian Darters, Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants, with many of the nests having large nestlings begging their parents for a meal. A highlight was getting to see a Australian Reed-Warbler on its nest, hidden deep in a reed bed. After lunch, we had a short walk through the woodland section. Among other birds seen there were a group of Long-billed Corellas digging in the ground for roots, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, and on a small pond, an Australasian (Purple) Swamphen with two very small chicks. We saw a total of 44 birds for the day and also several different butterflies, including a Ringed Zenica and a Cabbage White. We also saw Damselflies and a Tau Emerald Dragonfly. Many thanks to Eleanor and Warwick for running the day.

24.01.2022 Recently at our December meeting, The Ringwood Field Naturalist Club celebrated their 700th meeting. The RINGWOOD FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB inc was formed in 1961, 58 years ago by writer and Naturalist Jack Hyett and fellow Naturalist Bill King. The group was formed and quickly grew to a large gathering of like minded people who shared the love of nature and the bush and what was in it. Whether it was a love of birds, flowers, orchids, butterflies and insects or many other interests in the local bush and beyond. The group is still going strong with a monthly meeting, followed usually by an excursion on the following weekend. Foundation members (both Life Members) Marion King and Bruce Fuhrer were on hand to cut the celebration cake.

24.01.2022 Its spring!! The sun is shining and the birds are singing (in Ringwood anyway). Spring is a wonderful time for naturalists birds are most vocal for their breeding season, orchids and native wildflowers are in their prime, and the weather starts to brighten up and days start getting longer. If youve been to Warrandyte lately you can no doubt attest to how spectacular the wattles are this year theyve been flowering for a few weeks. One of our winter excursions (to beat t...he cold) was to the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. Most members had been to the Aquarium before, but for our excursion, we had a personalised tour with Jason Caruso who is a marine expert and recently gave a talk to the Club on the types of stingrays in Port Phillip. We had a look at all the creatures on display and got the opportunity to go behind the scenes to see some of the operations including the veterinary and research area, and one of the food preparation areas it sure was fishy! Our next meeting is in a couple of weeks time and we have two excursions in September Pound Bend and Tindals Reserve on Saturday the 9th and then Labertouche on Sunday the 17th. Weve also got our camp-out to the Little Desert in October this will be a huge event as were hosting the SEANA camp-out this year.

24.01.2022 At our February meeting, we were treated to a great presentation from Arthur Carew on Cairns to Iron Range. This was based on a couple of trips that Arthur and Denise have done in recent years. The images were mainly of birds that they saw on these trips, many endemic to The Top End. For those who had been to this area it brought back many good memories and for those who havent been, will hopefully inspire them to take a journey up there. Photos by Arthur Carew

24.01.2022 We've had beautiful Melbourne autumn weather this weekend, but not so much last weekend, when we had our April excursion to Jumping Creek. The excursion was designed to be a "fungi foray" in the bush, but because of the lack of late summer rain, fungi has been slow to get started this year. It did however chose to rain for our excursion of course! Undeterred, our group met at Jumping Creek in Warrandyte and after warm-up coffees, headed out along to river to see what we could... find. No fungi, and no flowering plants, but we did manage 30 bird species, which was a good result in the conditions. Some of the highlights were large autumn flocks of "little brown birds" - Brown & Striated Thornbills, Grey Fantails, Silvereyes, Red-browed Finches and Spotted Pardalotes - a Wedge-tailed Eagle, and best of all a male Rose Robin. Well done to the members who attended in the less-than-perfect conditions, and thanks to Alison, Peter and Hazel for facilitating and leading us on the walk.

23.01.2022 The weather forecast for the weekend is pretty grim - and we have out monthly excursion tomorrow! But if you do manage to get out into some bushland, you may be lucky enough to find some of the treasures that are flowering at the moment - native terrestrial orchids. Spring is the high point of the orchid season, however there are species flowering almost every month of the year, depending on the weather conditions. Right now there are a few species in full bloom, and some others that are just leaves, getting ready for spring. So if you do get outside on the weekend, head into the bush to see what you can find. And watch were you step - some orchids can be smaller than a 5c coin so be careful not to step on any.

22.01.2022 Now that winter has well and truly arrived, the fungi season is in full swing. Fungi are nature's recyclers and can live just about anywhere. They are commonly seen on bare ground and dead wood, but can be seen on living trees, garden mulch and nature strips. If you are out walking, whether it's out in the country, in the Dandenongs, a local park or just around your local street, keep your eyes out and you might see some of these marvels.

21.01.2022 Our June excursion was to Badger Weir with Leaders Cathie and Ray Badger Weir is a favourite destination for members of our Club. The area has been opened at last after being closed to the public since October 2016 by Parks Victoria. The popular picnic area had a 'wild storm' rage through the area uprooting trees and damaging the toilets, water tanks and picnic tables. As there was other areas in the Healesville district with similar damaged it took some time to repair and ma...ke safe. Ray and Cathie took us for a wander up to the weir. Along the way we could see how much of the canopy in the large treed areas had disappeared. It was pleasing to see that the tree fern areas had been largely unscathed from the storms. Birds were still scarce although some lucky members saw a lyrebird down by the creek. Due to the recent wet, there was a lot of fungi beside the tracks and in the ferny areas. A lovely morning in a beautiful park. See more

21.01.2022 May weekend away - to Nagambi - Leaders Alison and Peter Over the weekend 4th & 5th May, 25 members traveled to Nagambie to spend the weekend studying nature around the area. Saturday was spent driving through the Heathcote-Graytown National Park and Whroo Historic Reserve. This included a visit to the Graytown POW ruins, then stopping frequently to look at the vegetation and find bush birds. Morning tea at the Mt Black Quarry where we saw Speckled Warblers and an obliging... Echidna. Just before we stopped for lunch we looked at the historic 'Puddling Wheel' in the Whroo forest. We traveled through the forest and around the bottom end of Reedy Lake. The day concluded with a visit to the Goulburn Weir. Highlights for the day included the stand of grass trees and sightings of Golden whistlers and Yellow tufted honey eaters. The Sunday morning activity was a 4 km walk through the Tahbilk Wetlands and Wildlife Reserve. 33 bird species were recorded for the morning including many waterbirds and bush birds. We also came up close and personal with a Red bellied black snake. The afternoon was spent on the Tahbilk Wetland Cruise looking at the wetlands from a different angle. Highlights included watching a Whistling kite swoop over the water and a pair of Tawny frog mouths, one which was perched just 70 cms above the water. See more

20.01.2022 More of our catch up series. At our May meeting, Nick Monaghan spoke on A macro photographic journey through nature". He showed us a sample of his brilliant and stunning photography. . His main interest is macro photography, specialising in our invertebrate creatures, a passion he has been pursuing in earnest for the past 14 years. He commented that his main aim is to photograph insects in their natural habitat and cause as little disturbance as possible. Having recently developed an interest in native plants, Nick also showed a sample of some wildflower close-ups. During his talk, Nick described the various camera gear that he has used over the years. He also expanded on just how he meticulously goes about taking some of these close-up photos. Photo by Nick Monaghan

19.01.2022 Summer is a great time for some of the smaller members of our natural environment - invertebrates. Spiders, flies, bees, wasps, ants & butterflies - they are all more active in the warmer months which makes them easier to find and enjoy. You also don't always have to go far to see them - your garden will be crawling with them once you start looking. You might be surprised what you find!

19.01.2022 Weds 12th February is our next meeting for the RFNC. Our speaker for the evening is Club member Arthur Carew who is taking us on an adventure, "Cairns to Iron Range". If you haven't been to this area or even if you have, you will be delighted in Arthur's wonderful photography and knowledge of this area. Photo Alison Rogers

19.01.2022 Our February excursion was to Arthur's Seat on the Mornington Peninsula. The weather was fine and cool, though unfortunately very strong winds meant that we didn't see many birds on the day. However, we were able to enjoy the tracks through the bush, complete with wildflowers, the occasional fungus, and quite a number of butterflies, mostly Common Browns. The afternoon was topped off by good views of a Copperhead snake which crossed our path, plus another smaller brown snake seen by a few members.

19.01.2022 Cancellations of all events at Ringwood Field Naturalist Club until further notice.. There is no doubt recent events have been challenging for our local community and for all Victorians. Right across Australia, Governments have joined together to put in place measures to help stop the spread of this virus and to help minimise the effects it has on our community, our health system and particularly to those who may be more vulnerable or elderly. Its vital that we pull together, remain calm and look after those who need it most. To this end we have cancelled all Ringwood Field Naturalist events until further notice, including our up coming weekend camp, Committee meetings, Monthly meetings and excursions until further notice.

18.01.2022 In our catch up series - July we had a members night. Two of our members gave mini talks which were enjoyed by all. Graham Ellis gave a talk on his Antarctica and South America Adventure. Graeme spoke of the trip he and his wife Chris took earlier in the year. Being close to the penguins and seals in their own environment without disturbing them was an amazing experience for them. He showed images, not only of the wildlife but, of picturesque bays and ice formations.... Following this part of the adventure they moved on to South America where he was able to show us images of beautiful birds found there. A great talk about an area that not many of us know much about. Our second speaker was Alan Veevers who showed us A closer look at natures patterns. These were patterns found in the natural world which he had taken over the years. These patterns occur in different contexts and can sometimes be modelled mathematically. Natural patterns include symmetries, trees, spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tessellations, cracks and stripes. His images of plants, insects, butterflies, rainbows, sea life and much more, showed examples of these patterns. An interesting look at everyday objects which we will now look at differently. Photo taken by Graeme Ellis of a Chinstrap penguin See more

16.01.2022 I wonder if anyone in our group would have use for these :)

16.01.2022 Now that winter has well and truly arrived, the fungi season is in full swing. Fungi are natures recyclers and can live just about anywhere. They are commonly seen on bare ground and dead wood, but can be seen on living trees, garden mulch and nature strips. If you are out walking, whether its out in the country, in the Dandenongs, a local park or just around your local street, keep your eyes out and you might see some of these marvels.

16.01.2022 A well deserved award for Dick. Always willing to share knowledge. (Well done to his wife Marion who is always there to support Dick.)

16.01.2022 If you are out and about in Ringwood today come down to Bunnings Ringwood (next to Costco on Market St) and say g'day. The Club is running the sausage sizzle station - perfect for a chilly morning snag!

15.01.2022 More of our catch up series. Our June speaker was David De Angelis who spoke on Frogs in the Maroondah area. David showed us a series of images of the various frogs and toads currently found in the Maroondah area, as well as some of the ones that used to be found here but have disappeared over time. Each image had a photograph of the tadpole, the adult animal and he played the call of each one. David also spoke about creating a frog pond to encourage frogs in the garden. The pond should have dappled shade with plenty of water plants that provide a suitable habitat for the frogs. The stems of these underwater plants will be used by some frogs to attach their eggs. A wonderful talk enjoyed by all. Photo by David De Angelis

15.01.2022 Orchid season is well under way now. Despite the dry weather this year, there are orchids to see in suburban bushland reserves. All of these photos have been taken within about a 25 minute driving distance of Ringwood.

14.01.2022 Over the last 7 months we have had many speakers and excursions. Below we have listed what has happened during this time. Over the next few weeks there will be a snippet of all these activities. We hope you enjoy every one. In May we had an Autumn 'Club Weekend' at Nagambie Leaders Alison and Peter R Also in May our Speaker was Nick Monaghan A macro photographic journey through nature... In June our speaker was David De Angelis Frogs in Maroondah Our excursion was to Badger Weir Leaders Ray and Cathie In July we had a Members night with 2 mini talks by members 1."Antarctica and South America Adventure" By Graham E 2."A closer look at natures patterns" By Alan V Our excursion was to Grantville and The Gurdies - Leaders Hazel and Alan V In August our speaker was Geoff Lay Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park" We had a Fern Excursion to the Mt Dandenong Area -Leader Graham September was our AGM and President's Address: Hazel V -"Encounters with Wildlife" In September we have two excursions. this is because it is such a good time for flowers and orchids in the bush. First one was to Kinglake Leaders Eeva and David Second was to the Brisbane Ranges - Alison and Peter In October some members travelled to Castlemaine for a combined groups weekend away. Our October meeting our speaker was Roger Needham "Adventures in the Kimberley" We didn't have an excursion but headed to Anglesea for the weekend. Leader Jack A In November our speaker was Jack Airey - "Introduction to Victorian Orchids Our excursion was Morwell National Park with Don and Sandra R Keep an eye out for some photos from each activity

13.01.2022 Our first excursion for 2020 was to Pound Bend, part of Warrandyte State Park. We were lucky with the weather, which was cool and clear after overnight rain, so for the time being the smoke had gone and the bushland was fresh and sparkling. We started well, with a Tawny Frogmouth perched in a tree just by the carpark. As we walked along the track by the Yarra, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were screeching to each other, a Little Pied Cormorant was spotted perched on a tree bran...ch in the river, and members watched for a platypus but didn't see one. More Tawny Frogmouths were seen cuddled up together, and then in a more open area, we saw some Galahs searching out seed, and in the distance a mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos relaxing on the grass. We walked through a delightful fenced garden called Froglands, complete with some attractive mosaic sculptures. Some members took the short cut back to the picnic ground, while others visited the Tunnel and were lucky to see several King Parrots in a eucalypt. We had lunch together (patrolled closely by a family of Australian Magpies who were teaching a youngster the fine art of pestering humans for food), and then headed for home after a very satisfying morning.

13.01.2022 Well the rain has finally arrived and fungi is sprouting all around the place which is a good thing, not only for us as fungi observers and photographers, but more so for the good that fungi does in its environment. It plays an incredibly important role - that of recycler. Last weekend, the Club attended a field care day in Warrandyte with the Osborne Peninsula Landcare group. It's a enjoyable morning of planting, followed by a delicious morning tea of home-baked goodies. Wel...l worth the effort. And our speaker last month was Dr Ken Walker talking to us about citizen science and the increasingly important role it plays in the collection and recording of data. Ken's website (Bowerbird) is achieving data recording rates, particularly with photos, much higher than museums can, all from regular people with an interest in nature and a desire to contribute. This data then passes into the Atlas of Living Australia which provides the data free to use. Go and have a look.

12.01.2022 Weve had beautiful Melbourne autumn weather this weekend, but not so much last weekend, when we had our April excursion to Jumping Creek. The excursion was designed to be a "fungi foray" in the bush, but because of the lack of late summer rain, fungi has been slow to get started this year. It did however chose to rain for our excursion of course! Undeterred, our group met at Jumping Creek in Warrandyte and after warm-up coffees, headed out along to river to see what we could... find. No fungi, and no flowering plants, but we did manage 30 bird species, which was a good result in the conditions. Some of the highlights were large autumn flocks of "little brown birds" - Brown & Striated Thornbills, Grey Fantails, Silvereyes, Red-browed Finches and Spotted Pardalotes - a Wedge-tailed Eagle, and best of all a male Rose Robin. Well done to the members who attended in the less-than-perfect conditions, and thanks to Alison, Peter and Hazel for facilitating and leading us on the walk.

10.01.2022 Our November excursion was to Crib Point, which is near Hastings on Western Port Bay. This can be a good area to look for orchids, although we were a bit late in the season so would need some luck. This was a joint excursion with the Peninsula Field Naturalists Club, which we often do when we have an excursion on the Mornington Peninsula, and leading us was Judy Smart. We visited a number of sites throughout the day including grasslands, Wooleys Beach and Lornas Triangle. Wi...th many eyes scanning, were able to find quite a few orchids, including Thelymitra ixioides (Spotted Sun Orchid), Cryptostylis subulata (Large Tongue-orchid), Diuris sulphurea (Tiger Orchid), Microtis sp. (Onion Orchid) and several blue Thelymitra species from the pauciflora complex (which can be difficult to identify). With the warmer weather, there were also quite a lot of insects about, and apart from the mosquitos, we enjoyed seeing grasshoppers, butterflies, native bees, dragonflies, and even weevils, which was a treat. It was a great outing in a special locations and big thanks to Judy and the PFNC for showing us around.

09.01.2022 More of our catch up series. Our June speaker was David De Angelis who spoke on 'Frogs in the Maroondah area'. David showed us a series of images of the various frogs and toads currently found in the Maroondah area, as well as some of the ones that used to be found here but have disappeared over time. Each image had a photograph of the tadpole, the adult animal and he played the call of each one. David also spoke about creating a frog pond to encourage frogs in the garden. The pond should have dappled shade with plenty of water plants that provide a suitable habitat for the frogs. The stems of these underwater plants will be used by some frogs to attach their eggs. A wonderful talk enjoyed by all. Photo by David De Angelis

09.01.2022 At our February meeting, we were treated to a great presentation from Arthur Carew on 'Cairns to Iron Range'. This was based on a couple of trips that Arthur and Denise have done in recent years. The images were mainly of birds that they saw on these trips, many endemic to The Top End. For those who had been to this area it brought back many good memories and for those who haven't been, will hopefully inspire them to take a journey up there. Photos by Arthur Carew

08.01.2022 Last Sunday the Club headed to an excellent bird-watching location in the suburbs of Melbourne Banyule Wetlands, otherwise known as Banyule Flats Reserve, in Viewbank which is next to Heidelberg. Banyule Wetlands is a well-known spot for bird-watching because of its location in Melbourne and it offers a good range of habitat for birds. Its main lake is popular with ducks, cormorants and grebes, and when water levels are low supports crakes and rails on the grotty pond. La...thams Snipe are regular visitors in summer. There is a flowing drain (more like a creek) with feeds into the Yarra River which is close by. Both are good for herons and kingfishers, with Azure and Sacred typically seen. The entire park is native bush which provides habitat for a range of bush birds such as Butcherbirds, Kookaburras, Grey Fantails, Mistletoebirds, Whistlers, Red-rumped Parrots and especially Tawny Frogmouths, which are a speciality of the park. Dusky Woodswallows are a summer breeding resident. Our day's walks took us around the main lake and we checked out the grotty pond. After lunch we walked along the Main Yarra Trail to the golf courses east of the park. Returning to the car park, several members took a detour on a side track in an attempt to find a reported Powerful Owl (unsuccessful) however we did find more significant bush birds. The daily total was 51 bird species with the highlights of 3 Tawny Frogmouths, a pair of Mistletoebirds, a juvenile Nankeen Night Heron and a Musk Duck, which was seen on the lake at the very end of the day.

08.01.2022 Weds 11th March is our next meeting for the RFNC. Our speaker for the evening is Geoff Carr who is giving a presentation on "Australian plants as weeds". Geoff has been a botanical consultant for over 35 years, including founding director of Ecology Australia. Geoffs other areas of interest include taxonomic research. He is interested in several plant groups, describing approximately 30 plant species Geoff is a leading authority on environmental weed research, management and taxonomy in Australia, with world perspectives on biological invasions and weed-risk assessment. Come along and hear what he has to say. Visitors welcome. Photo Alison Rogers

08.01.2022 In our catch up series - July we had a member's night. Two of our members gave 'mini' talks which were enjoyed by all. Graham Ellis gave a talk on his 'Antarctica and South America Adventure'. Graeme spoke of the trip he and his wife Chris took earlier in the year. Being close to the penguins and seals in their own environment without disturbing them was an amazing experience for them. He showed images, not only of the wildlife but, of picturesque bays and ice formations.... Following this part of the adventure they moved on to South America where he was able to show us images of beautiful birds found there. A great talk about an area that not many of us know much about. Our second speaker was Alan Veevers who showed us 'A closer look at natures patterns'. These were patterns found in the natural world which he had taken over the years. These patterns occur in different contexts and can sometimes be modelled mathematically. Natural patterns include symmetries, trees, spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tessellations, cracks and stripes. His images of plants, insects, butterflies, rainbows, sea life and much more, showed examples of these patterns. An interesting look at everyday objects which we will now look at differently. Photo taken by Graeme Ellis of a Chinstrap penguin See more

08.01.2022 Our February excursion was to Arthurs Seat on the Mornington Peninsula. The weather was fine and cool, though unfortunately very strong winds meant that we didnt see many birds on the day. However, we were able to enjoy the tracks through the bush, complete with wildflowers, the occasional fungus, and quite a number of butterflies, mostly Common Browns. The afternoon was topped off by good views of a Copperhead snake which crossed our path, plus another smaller brown snake seen by a few members.

07.01.2022 We started our celebration of spring with a visit in September to Kinglake National Park. The area seems to be recovering well from the terrible fires of Black Saturday, and we hope the same is true for the people who live in the area.

05.01.2022 It was National Tree Day today and the Club got into the swing of it with members joining the Osborne Peninsula Landcare Group in Warrandyte to plant out one of their sites. A couple of hours work resulted in 500 new plants in the ground, followed of course by the Landcare Group's famous morning tea! It's always a pleasure getting out and contributing to the beauty of our local bushland.

05.01.2022 Do you get excited about native orchids? Then dont miss the excursion on Sunday to Baluk Willam in Belgrave South. On the recce this morning approx. 13 species of orchids were seen including 5 Pterostylis (two past flowering), a Diuris, a Thelymitra and 3 (maybe 4) Caladenias, with a couple of others I forget the names of. Youll have to come if you want to find out.

05.01.2022 With shorter days and cooler temperatures, we move into the next season for Field Naturalists one that sees our members hiking through forests looking for the dampest and most mushroomy hot-spots they can find. Of course, Im referring to fungi season! Last weekend our May excursion was to Upper Yarra Reservoir Park out past Warburton which is a popular spot for the Club for fungi. Leading the excursion was our own Life Member and notable fungi expert Bruce Fuhrer. With Bruce's expert leadership and member's foraging efforts we managed to find and identify over 70 species which was a very pleasing result. Another highlight of the day was the views we had of Satin Bowerbirds, even managing to find a bower. All in all, a very enjoyable day in a wonderful location - thanks to Bruce and Jack for organising.

04.01.2022 More of our 'catch up' series. At our May meeting, Nick Monaghan spoke on A macro photographic journey through nature". He showed us a sample of his brilliant and stunning photography. . His main interest is macro photography, specialising in our invertebrate creatures, a passion he has been pursuing in earnest for the past 14 years. He commented that his main aim is to photograph insects in their natural habitat and cause as little disturbance as possible. Having recently developed an interest in native plants, Nick also showed a sample of some wildflower close-ups. During his talk, Nick described the various camera gear that he has used over the years. He also expanded on just how he meticulously goes about taking some of these close-up photos. Photo by Nick Monaghan

04.01.2022 In February, we headed down the Mornington Peninsula to Flinders to spend the morning rock-pooling at Mushroom Reef, which is a basalt reef and is named for the distinctive shape of its largest intertidal platform. It is a Marine Sanctuary and the eroding reef provides habitat for numerous marine life in its cracks and crevasses. The weather was forecast to be unfriendly with high winds and a rainy change predicted around lunchtime but thankfully it held off and we spent a ra...in-free morning on the reef, carefully checking out the pools and turning over rocks to investigate the inhabitants. We headed across the stalk of the mushroom to access the intertidal platform and once on the reef, we quickly scanned for any bird life (that wasnt being blown away in the strong winds) then worked our way through the various rock-pools. It wasnt long before people were getting really excited because of the numerous brittle sea stars we were finding almost under every rock! We also found cushion stars, elephant snails, flat worms, crabs, and an especially beautiful Meridiastra gunniiI (Purple Sea Star). After lunch it started to get quite chilly - a beanie was even seen among the group - so we decided to head home. A fun morning outing with always lots to learn and explore in the marine world.

03.01.2022 Very relaxing to watch. Use full screen

01.01.2022 Two of our regular contributors, Life Members Hazel and Alan, recently returned from a trip to one of their all-time favourite holiday destinations - Lord Howe Island. Having visited Lord Howe a few times now, Alan recently added an underwater camera to his photography gear which enabled him to bring back photos that gave the Club a new perspective of this wonderful place. Lord Howe Island is situated 600km east of Port Macquarie in the Tasman Sea. It is part of New South Wal...es. It is 10km long and between 300m and 2km wide. It is a crescent-shaped remnant of a volcano, with a large sheltered coral reef lagoon on the west side. There are numerous beaches and dive sites around the island. It has a population of approx. 360 residents and tourists are restricted to 400 at any one time. It has been listed as a World Heritage Site of global natural significance with large areas of untouched forest, containing endemic plants and animals. It is also the worlds southernmost barrier coral reef. Given the natural history of the island, the lack of human impact, and with Hazel and Alan spreading the word in the Club, several members have already booked trips to Lord Howe for later in the year. Im beginning to wonder whether Hazel and Alan arent moonlighting for the LHI Tourism board - it's certainly working!

01.01.2022 Had this prepared for another group so thought I would share it with RFNC :)