Field Naturalists Club of Victoria www.vicnet.net.au/~fncv1 Gardenia Street
Blackburn, Victoria 3130,
Australia
Phone (within Australia): (03) 9877 9860
Phone (International): +61 3 9877 9860
email: fncv@vicnet.net.au

 Meetings and Excursions
All meetings start at 8pm FNCV Hall, 1 Gardenia Street, Blackburn (unless stated otherwise). On days of extreme weather conditions, please ring contact person to check if excursion is cancelled. please note that due to last minute changes and updates, the pdf/printed version of our calendar may be slighlty incorrect. For the most up to date version of our calendar please refer to calendar below or ring the contact people for each activity.

June

Sunday 4th June – Fungi Group
Fungal Foray. 10.30am Greens Bush, Baldry Crossing (MEL 254 G6). Contact Geoff Lay.

Monday 5th – Geology Group Excursion
The restoration of the Main Spire of St Paul’s. James Charlwood of Cathedral Stone will take a small group up the lift to the base of the spire. Afternoon trip. Details in FNN. Contact Rob Hamson.

Monday 5th – Fungi Group
Fungi sample ID and photo review session post foray. Contact Geoff Lay.

Tuesday 6th – Fauna Survey Group
Management of Koalas in Victoria. Peter Menkhorst from Dept Sustainability and Environment will discuss the sometimes difficult task of managing this much-loved species. Contact Prue Simmons.

Saturday 10th – Monday 12th Fauna Survey Group
Eumarella Scout Camp (near Anglesea). A mammal-trapping training weekend for all levels of experience. Registration beforehand essential. Contact Peter Homan 0407 525 103.

Tuesday 13th June – Terrestrial Invertebrate Group
An invertebrate that is bigger than many vertebrates – the Giant Gippsland Earthworm. Alan Yen will introduce the Giant Gippsland Earthworm and talk about the current treats to its survival. Contact Alan Yen.

Wednesday 14th – Bat Group
Excursion - Grey-headed flying-fox count. Yarra bend Golf Club car park. MEL 44 H3 at 4.45pm. Registration beforehand essential. Contact Megan Davidson.

Thursday 15th – Botany Group
Weeds and Native Tree Seedlings in Riparian Zones. Speaker: Dr Fiona Ede, research scientist at the CRC for Australian Weed Management. Contact Karen Muscat.

Saturday 17th – Juniors’ Group
Excursion. Werribee Zoo Safari & behind the scenes tour. NB Please note change of date. Limit 24 people (Junior members have priority) cost $18.00 Adult, $13.50 Child. Bookings essential by e-mail to Wendy Clark wendy.empathy@optusnet.com.au.

Saturday 17th – Trust for Nature
Survey at Bungalook. Meet at Ormond Place, Kilsyth South at 10am. Wear Sturdy footwear. Please call to confirm, any less than 5 and trip will be cancelled. Contact Annie Lamb.

Sunday 18th – Botany Group
Excursion - Visit experimental plots via Poowong, South Gippsland (car pool if enough interest). Contact Jenny Porter.

Sunday 18th – Fungi Group
Fungal Foray. 10.30am Big Pats Creek (near Warburton) MEL 612 T3. Meet at the picnic area. Contact Geoff Lay.

Wednesday 21st – Microscopy Group
Hands on Practical Night - with recently donated Carl Zeiss Ultraphot II Microscope System. Contact Ray Power.

Wednesday 28th – Geology Group
The Bass Canyon System. Jeremy Mitchell of Melbourne University describes the geological processes taking place in one of the world’s largest marine canyon systems. Contact Rob Hamson.

Friday 30th – Juniors’ Group
Bats. Speaker: Lindy Lumsden. Contact Wendy Clark.

Sunday 2nd – Fungi Group
Fungal Foray. 10.30am Blackwood (Mel 609 E11). Meet in the car park of Garden of St Erth in Simmons Reef Road. Contact Geoff Lay.

Sunday 2nd – Geology Group Excursion
The Geology of the Yea Area. Leader: Clem Earp. All-day trip with the opportunity to collect fossils. Details in FNN. Contact Rob Hamson.

Monday 3rd – Fungi Group
Fungi sample ID and photo review session post foray. Contact Geoff Lay.

Tuesday 4th – Fauna Survey Group
Sexual Selection and sexual competition in Black Swans. Dr Raoul Mulder from Melbourne University has delved deep into the surprising world and mating habits of these beautiful black birds. Come and hear what he found! Contact Prue Simmons.

Monday 10th – Marine Research Group
Ibla – a very special minute barnacle. Speaker: Dr John Buckeridge from RMIT. Contact Leon Altoff.

Wednesday 12th – Bat Group
Excursion - Grey-headed flying-fox count. Yarra bend Golf Club car park. MEL 44 H3 at 4.45pm. Registration beforehand essential. Contact Megan Davidson.

Saturday 15th – 16th – Fauna Survey Group
Cosstick’s Wildflower Reserve, near Maryborough. Nestbox checking on property owned by FNCV and also in Paddy’s Ranges N. Park. Some bat trapping may be done. Contact John Harris.

Sunday 16th – General Meeting 2pm
Re-constructing the Natural History of Melbourne. This talk will focus on how the Melbourne area appeared to the first European settlers. Speaker: Dr Gary Presland.

Sunday 16th – Fungi Group
Fungal Foray. 10.30am Mount Worth (MEL 612 V8). Meet at Moonlight Creek Picnic Area. Contact Geoff Lay.

Wednesday 19th – Microscopy Group
Meeting. Speaker to be advised, details in FNN. Contact Ray Power.

Thursday 20th – Botany Group
Terrestrial Orchids of Victoria. Speaker: Cathy Powers, Australian Plant Society. Contact Karen Muscat.

Sunday 23rd – Botany Group
Field Trip. Baluk William Flora Reserve, significant flora, particularly orchids. Situated in Belgrave South, MEL 84 D7. Led by Cathy and Ron Powers from the Australian Plant Society. Contact Karen Muscat.

Wednesday 26th – Geology Group
Supervolcanoes: Potential Effects and Hazards of Future Eruptions. Professor Ray Cas, Monash University. Contact Rob Hamson.

Friday 28th – Juniors’ Group
Giant Earthworms. Speaker: Dr Alan Yen. Contact Wendy Clark.

Sunday 30th – Fungi Group
Fungal Foray. 10.30am The Beeches picnic ground, Marysville (MEL 610 T11). 500 metres along Woods Point Road turn left into Lady Talbot Drive (approx. 17 km). Contact Geoff Lay.

August

Tuesday 1st – Fauna Survey Group
Adventures of O’Reillys Mammal Week. FSG member John Harris will regale tales from a week spent chasing mammals in the rainforest in O’Reillys Lodge. Contact Prue Simmons.

Sunday 6th – General Meeting 2pm.
Dzongs, Tarkins and Blacknecked Cranes: Biodiversity in Bhutan. John Weiss and Penny Richards will talk about WWF conservation work in Bhutan.

Sunday 6th – Fungi Group
Fungal Foray. 10.30 am Cathedral Range State Park (MEL 610 T9). Meet at Ned’s Gully car park. Contact Geoff Lay.

Monday 7th – Fungi Group
Fungi sample ID and photo review session post foray. Contact Geoff Lay.

Tuesday 8th – Terrestrial Invertebrate Group
Millipedes with a difference: The challenges of describing the pin cushion millipede fauna of Victoria. Megan Short will talk about a very little known group of invertebrates and Cuong Huynh will display live specimens. Contact Alan Yen.

Wednesday 9th – Bat Group
Excursion - Grey-headed flying-fox count. Yarra bend Golf Club car park. MEL 44 H3 at 5pm. Registration beforehand essential. Contact Megan Davidson.

Monday 14th – Marine Research Group
Meeting. Speaker to be announced, details in FNN. Contact Leon Altoff.

Wednesday 16th – Microscopy Group
Hands on study of Algae - with Mary Gibson. What are they, fertilization and reproduction. Contact Ray Power.

Thursday 17th – Botany Group
More than fishbones and maidenshair. Neville Walsh, Senior Conservation Botanist, Royal Botanic Gardens. Peridophytes (ferns and allied plants) in Victorian shaded gullies, dry exposed cliffs, grasslands and beds of ponds and streams. A range of "spotting characters" for the fern groups will be presented. Contact Karen Muscat.

Sunday 20th – Botany Group
Ferns and allied plants trip to Bunyip. With Neville Walsh and possibly a bryologist. Contact Jenny Porter.

Sunday 20th – Fungi Group
Fungal Foray. 10.30am, location to be advised in future FNN. Contact Geoff Lay.

Wednesday 23rd – Geology Group
Chatham Islands: Dinosaurs of Greater New Zealand at the K-T Boundary. Chris Consoli of Monash University describes his recent research. Contact Rob Hamson.

Juniors’ Group.
Worm excursion. Date and location to be confirmed, see FNN for details. Contact Wendy Clark.

Friday 25th – Juniors’ Group
Birthday Meeting. Theme – parasites. Contact Wendy Clark.

Saturday 26th – Sunday 27th – Fauna Survey Group
General survey - Lysterfield Park in conjunction with Knox Environment Group. Including the use and operation of a remote camera. Contact Russell Thompson or John Harris

September

Monday 4th – Fungi Group
Details to be advised in FNN. Contact Geoff Lay.

Tuesday 5th – Fauna Survey Group
Wildlife and management at Puckapunyal Reserve. John Theobald, an Environmental scientist with the Australian Defence Force, will chat to us about the fantastic environmental monitoring work happening at Puckapunyal. Contact Prue Simmons.

Wednesday 6th – Bat Group
Excursion - Grey-headed flying-fox count. Yarra bend Golf Club car park. MEL 44 H3 at 5.30pm. Registration beforehand essential. Contact Megan Davidson.

Saturday 9th – Fauna Survey Group
Stagwatch. Enjoy an evening listening to the sounds of the bush, as we look for Leadbeater’s Possum and other nocturnal animals. Contact Ray Gibson.

Sunday 10th – The Field Naturalist Club of Victoria Biodiversity Symposium – Invasive species. 10am – 5pm. See the FNN or check the FNCV web page for updated information.

Monday 11th – Marine Research Group
Meeting. Kate Charlton, Phd student from Monash University, will talk about the dolphins of South Australian waters and the Dolphin Research Institute work on breeding patterns. Contact Leon Altoff.

Wednesday 20th – Microscopy Group
Mycorrhiza, what they are and what they achieve. Speaker: Chris Dunk. Contact Ray Power.

Thursday 21st – Botany Group
Box Iron Bark Forests, their components, complexity and future, by Ern Perkins, an outstanding naturalist from the Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club. Contact Karen Muscat.

Saturday 16th – Friday 22nd – Fauna Survey Group
Croajingalong Nat. Park. Limited numbers. A continuation of assistance with the Southern Ark Project in conjunction with DSE. General trapping using cage, Elliott and Harp traps as well as hair tube monitoring. Contact Russell Thompson or Sally Bewsher.

Sunday 24th – Trust for Nature
Excursion. "Uambi", Heathmont. Meet at 10am at the end of Allens Road, Heathmont. RSVP essential. This 3.7ha property was visited last year and had some amazing plants in full flower. It is one of the last pockets of Valley Grassy Forest in Heathmont and a delight to survey. Contact Annie Lamb.

Wednesday 27th – Geology Group
The Permian World: Deep-time Bio-geographical Links between Australia and East Asia. Professor Guang Shi of Deakin University discusses fieldwork in Mongolia, Japan, East Russia and NSW. Contact Rob Hamson.

Juniors’ Group Excursion
Whale Watching at Warrnambool. Train trip. Date to be advised, see FNN for details. Contact Wendy Clark.

Friday 29th – Juniors’ Group
Land Crabs, Crazy Ants and Rainforests. Speaker: Peter Green. Contact Wendy Clark.