Who's speaking at our monthly meetings?
Meetings are held in Rosebud on the first Monday of the month. Speakers begin their presentation (around an hour) at 7:30pm, followed by refreshments of the cake variety, before meeting business gets underway.
SPIFFA has been presenting regular natural systems talks for over 25 years
Talks are always fascinating to those with enquiring minds, visitors are welcome, even for the speaker and cake only
To see how to get there, go to this page
SPIFFA has been presenting regular natural systems talks for over 25 years
Talks are always fascinating to those with enquiring minds, visitors are welcome, even for the speaker and cake only
To see how to get there, go to this page
2nd of March
Sacha Guggenheimer, Marine Biologist and photographer
has become known as an advocate for the oceans and wilderness through addressing ways to reduce plastic pollution and over-consumption, specifically of single-use items.
Five years ago Sacha started the Rye Seaside Scavenge, which has lead to the recent adoption of a zero waste policy by the Mornington Peninsula Shire (now out for public comment).
This outcome is thanks to the festival not just being a celebration of zero waste living, but acting as a long-term litter auditing data set using Tangaroa Blue's Australian Marine Debris Database. Sacha is passionate about using scientific techniques within community events to build platforms for advocacy and change.
3rd of February 2020
The Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation Project people will be talking to us about ... Local Koalas of course
See their website here...
2nd of December (2019 Annual General Meeting)
|
Peter Brenton, the applications manager from Atlas of Living Australia, . In this talk Peter will give a broad overview of the ALA, the purpose, role and tools. Then, using some local scenarios, we will look at some of the tools and how to use them for finding and accessing information in the ALA, collecting local data and contributing to the ALA, as well as managing your local habitat restoration projects." |
7th of October
Introducing the Shire’s Biodiversity Conservation Plan The MP Shire’s Natural Systems Strategy Coordinator, Jo Tetteroo, will outline the main features of the Shire’s newly adopted ‘Biodiversity Conservation Plan’ including actions relevant to Friends & Landcare groups and other conservation organisations. |
2nd of September
Dr Mark Fancett will be talking about the proposed new quarry on Arthurs Seat
Hillview Quarries have applied to the Planning Minister to open a massive new quarry on the northern slope of Arthurs Seat.
Much of the information given to the community has been lacking in detail or indeed incorrect. In this session, he'lll present an overview of the proposal and it’s impact on the environment and community.
The photograph shows Sheepwash Creek West Branch whilch will be impacted by any expension of this old quarry
5th of August
Dr Maddy Willcock Nature Stewards Program Co-ordinator Building communities' connection with nature and the next generation of environmental volunteers Nature Stewards is a new Victorian adult education program to encourage connection with nature, local community, and environmental volunteering and stewardship behaviours. It has just finished its two pilot programs with the City of Melbourne and City of Melton and is currently gearing up for Spring. This discussion will look at the program, the pilots, how to get involved, and what's next! |
3rd of June
Understanding the Planning Scheme to better defend the environment.
How to address inappropriate development applications, illegal clearing etc. via the most effective methods. Understand where we are let down by the planning system and why ultimately it’s better to get change to the zoning/overlays for the long term, as well as policy changes. Since 2008, Cameron Brown, with his partner Jess, has been instrumental in rallying community opposition and the seeing off of various inappropriate planning applications in and around the Tootgarook Swamp and in the process become a Jedi Master in environmental planning matters. |
6th of May
Speakers are Louise Page & Dave Stohr - President & Vice-President of Save Westernport - the NO AGL gas campaign Westernport is an internationally recognised Ramsar listed wetland and a UNESCO biosphere reserve. AGL want to import LNG through Westernport via a floating gas import terminal at Crib Point with pipeline to Pakenham. It's a senseless proposal in every aspect. The only benefits are to AGL. Follow the Facebook page here.... |
1st of April
Fossil Beach at Mt Martha is one of the Victorian "Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance"
Situated on the still-active Selwyn Fault line, it has geological features unique in the region and a part in Victorian post colonisation industrial history
Ian Stevenson will be telling us about these things and more
4th of March
We have a number of different cetaceans either living in/on/near or seasonally visiting Victorian coastal waters.
Dr Sue Mason, is the research director of the
Dolphin Research Institute, based on Hastings.
2019
7th of February
7th of February
The Common or Indian Myna was named “Australia’s most important pest/problem”, yet it has not been declared as an invasive species in Victoria or NSW.
Senior Darebin Parklands Ranger Peter Wiltshire will be drawing from 33 years of experience to share his insight into Myna’s origin, history, behaviour, habitats, effects on biodiversity and trapping methods in an
entertaining video presentation, with
assistance from Michael Mann.
3rd of September
Ecologist and wetland specialist, the "Barefoot Ecologist" Damien Cook
Topic: Restoring tree cover in the Ramsar-listed Koorangie Marshes through an indigenous partnership The North Central Catchment Management Authority, in partnership with the local Barapa Barapa traditional owners, have implemented a restoration program that has resulted in the planting of 11,000 trees over 1000 ha of the Marshes. Planting followed the draw-down of the 2016 flood using a technique that required no herbicide use and resulted in very high tree survival rates |
6th of August
2nd of July |
Protecting properties, connecting people. Ben Cullen, Regional manager for Trust For Nature for the Port Phillip and Westernport region will be talking about the Wurundjeri & Bunurong Conservation Training Program run across 10 covenanted conservation properties on the Mornington Penininsula. Pic. Jan Dwyer Life in linear habitats: the ecology of the Southern Brown Bandicoot in the former Koo Wee Rup Swamp region with Sarah McLagan, the Environmental Projects Coordinator at Port Phillip & Westernport CMA |
4th of June |
13 years of the Two Bays Project with Natalie Davey Two Bays provides a unique opportunity for bay managers and stakeholders to build knowledge, engage coastal communities, form partnerships to better understand and protect bay values, and to highlight the our links with bay health. The program is designed to develop deeper cross-collaboration and knowledge sharing. The program has created a unique curriculum based on the science and traditional knowledge of both bays See the SV Pelican 1 website here.... |
7th of May
Our speaker at the May meeting is Noushka Reiter, from the Royal Botanic Gardens, who conducts research on the fascinating subject of native terrestrial orchid pollination. |
5th of March
There are two dolphin species that call Port Phillip Bay.home Dr Sue Mason, the Research Director at the Dolphin Research Institute will be talking about the pod of Short-beaked Bottle-nosed Dolphins that hang about in the bay off Mornington. Find out about the other species here.... |
2018
5th of February
5th of February
Imported geological material in natural areas: impacts and management with reference to the Mornington Peninsula Dr Jeff Yugovic will be telling us about the little understood issues around introducing rock materials or soils that don't belong there See this page.... |
2nd of October
- Mackenzie Kwak is a parasitologist with a research focus on the systematics, ecology and biogeography of ectoparasites, chiefly ticks (Ixodidae) and fleas. He'll be talking to us about ticks.
Read an article in wildmelbourne.org...
See his published work here...
4th of September
Jacqui Salter is the facilitator for the Mornington Peninsula Landcare Network.
The network in this region is making great strides in connecting habitat, particularly beween large public parks and reserves, utilising remnant habitat and restored vegetation on private land.
See this landcare link....
See this council link....
7th of August
Tonight we'll be showing a selection of short films made about our own Tootgarook Swamp, emphasising both the biodiversity and the threats.
See this one from our friends at Save Tootgarook Swamp
3rd of July
5th of June
Homes for our small (and large) furry and feathered friends
Artificial arboreal habitat expert Jim Greenwood will again appear @SPIFFA to take us through the many design and construction refinements. Many interesting things have been learned by the successes and failures of the deployments of nest boxes that Jim's been involved in since we saw him last.
Jim, his extensive knowledge and his range of boxes were were a big part of our tent activities for the four days of the recent Schools Environment Week at the Briars. You will be able to purchase (or order) some of the range on the night.
He'll also be talking about his range of wildlife friendly feral pest control recipes and will be giving these out to those that attend.
1st of May
Dr Greg Holland
With Bush Regeneration, Small Patches Can Make a Whole
Greg has been steadily returning half his farm to indigenous flora and fauna status.
He will describe the plans, the progress, the lessons learnt, and the results of an ongoing biological survey that to date has identified 600 native species along with a decreasing 100 exotics.
This area also now forms part of an extended biolink being established by a coordinated effort among the Peninsula Landcare groups
With Bush Regeneration, Small Patches Can Make a Whole
Greg has been steadily returning half his farm to indigenous flora and fauna status.
He will describe the plans, the progress, the lessons learnt, and the results of an ongoing biological survey that to date has identified 600 native species along with a decreasing 100 exotics.
This area also now forms part of an extended biolink being established by a coordinated effort among the Peninsula Landcare groups
3rd of April
6th of March
|
Benjamin O'Leary Light at the end of the tunnel: The ecology and management of Pittosporum undulatum. Ben is completing a doctorate on the subject and is also involved with the Stoppitt project in the Dandenong Ranges and the Cardinia Shire and there are plans to expand that program into this shire. A citizen science project at the Menzies Creek Primary School was initiated in 2012, which estimated that Sweet Pittosporum’s invasion rate was around 80 metres per year. It is believed that at an invasion rate of 80 metres per year, the Dandenong Ranges will be completely covered in dense Sweet Pittosporum thickets in less than 25 years. Find them on Facebook |
6th of February 2017
Joab Wilson is a conservation biologist and natural systems management teacher.
He'll be talking about arid bird communities in a modified mallee landscape
3rd of October
Friend or foe? Gidja Walker presents a session on the indigenous plants that can be mistaken for weeds and vice versa and how to tell the difference. See her website here... |
5th of September
Victoria’s only listed macrofungus Tea-tree Fingers (Hypocreopsis amplectens) has rarely been seen. Our speaker on September 5th is Sapphire McMullan-Fisher from the FungiMap team who will explain how you can recognise this rare fungus.
Known populations have been found Heathy Woodlands and Tea-tree Thickets from the Mornington Peninsula (particularly Greens Bush) and Coastal Gippsland.
We hope that local people will keep their eyes open for this threatened species and contact Fungimap if they find it.
1st of August
Peter Beddows - Ranger-at-large.
Pete's an English gentleman who first came to Australia on a ranger exchange program with Parks Victoria. He's well-known from his time as coordinator of Conservation & Land Management at Rosebud TAFE. For the last several years he's been rangering at Kings Canyon in the NT. An entertaining speaker, he'll be taking about this and other things
6th of June
Naturalist Chris Chandler talks about French Island flora. In particular the more than 100 species of terrestrial orchids, including the one at left, the EPBC-listed French Island Spider Orchid Caladenia insularis
2nd of March
2nd of February 2015
|
Chemical free weed control Our president, Gidja Walker will talk about practical alternatives to using herbicides, particularly in a bushland restoration context. but also generally Tools, techniques and methodology The principle is: Chemical control should always be seen as the absolute last resort Sheree Marris Sheree is an environmental consultant and an engaging speaker. She'll be taking about the Melbourne Down Under project investigating and protecting marine life in Port Phillip See the MDU website here.... |
|
1st of December
Trudy Worme
A longtime SPIFFA member and traveler, Trudy is talking about her recent Antarctic trip
October the 3rd
|
SPIFFA president, Gidja Walker is a trustee of the 2700 acre Mt Oak restoration property at Bredbo, south of Canberra on the Monaro This property was bought by the "passing around of a hat" at the second ConFest in1977 and has been managed for biodiversity ever since Gidja will be taking a virtual tour of the land and telling us about the Voluntary Conservation agreement over 80% of the land that was signed in 2010 The property is managed by the Mt Oak Community Association The website is here.... The picture at left shows artists Gidja Walker and Donna Magree painting en plein air at Mt Oak in 2013 |
September the 1st
The Birds of Tootgarook Swamp and other tales with wildlife photographer, bush regenerator and chair of Save Tootgarook Swamp, Cameron Brown
Cameron will also contribute to a discussion on the recently imposed shire friends group insurance regime
August the 4th
Adjunct Research Fellow at Monash University, David Low is the General Manager of the Weeds Network, publishers of the Weeds Digest The network has become the country's best source of sustainable, herbicide free weed science and management techniques. Some of the highlights of the network website are a comprehensive weed species A-Z and an extensive Working with Weeds guide |
June the 2nd
Pam Whiteley - Wildlife Health Surveillance Victoria
A University of Melbourne project collecting data about sick and dead wildlife to assist in fauna conservation management
See this page for more details
May the 5th
7th of April
White Tag was founded by Victorian surfer Kent Stannard, experienced coastal dweller, who lives on the edge of Australia’s rugged and harsh southern coast.
His passion for the ocean and the shark has brought him together with Australias preeminent scientists to build an unprecedented team of expertise to tag, track, identify and understand this much maligned species.
Together they have developed pioneering technology that is capable of them sharing the watery world and the life of these eigmatic creatures with us all.
3rd of March
Jim Greenwood designs and builds nest boxes for Powerful Owls.
When a pair moved in to his neighborhood and tried to breed, Jim decided to help.
The pair was seen roosting together, mating, trying to dig out a small vertical hollow, and even dropping an egg on the ground. It was obvious to Jim that there were no hollows big enough to accommodate our largest owl.
Extensive research followed and showed that breeding failure due to a lack of large hollows was the biggest threat to Powerful Owls. They require the largest hollows of all our native animals.
Many had tried but no nest box had ever been used by Powerful Owls. Jim then built large nest boxes with several unique features.
Ed McNabb owl researcher with DSE then met Jim and the local owls. He agreed that breeding was impossible due to a lack of suitable large hollows. Together they erected 3 boxes and waited for results. Ed felt that Powerful Owls were unlikely to use an artificial nest box but this was a pair that needed help.
Success! The pair used a nest box and raised an owlet.
Jim now has boxes in Blackburn, Hastings, Gembrook, East Malvern, Glen Iris, Timboon, Fitzroy Gardens, Flagstaff Hill, Carlton Gardens, Royal Park, Princes Park, and Domain Park.
When a pair moved in to his neighborhood and tried to breed, Jim decided to help.
The pair was seen roosting together, mating, trying to dig out a small vertical hollow, and even dropping an egg on the ground. It was obvious to Jim that there were no hollows big enough to accommodate our largest owl.
Extensive research followed and showed that breeding failure due to a lack of large hollows was the biggest threat to Powerful Owls. They require the largest hollows of all our native animals.
Many had tried but no nest box had ever been used by Powerful Owls. Jim then built large nest boxes with several unique features.
Ed McNabb owl researcher with DSE then met Jim and the local owls. He agreed that breeding was impossible due to a lack of suitable large hollows. Together they erected 3 boxes and waited for results. Ed felt that Powerful Owls were unlikely to use an artificial nest box but this was a pair that needed help.
Success! The pair used a nest box and raised an owlet.
Jim now has boxes in Blackburn, Hastings, Gembrook, East Malvern, Glen Iris, Timboon, Fitzroy Gardens, Flagstaff Hill, Carlton Gardens, Royal Park, Princes Park, and Domain Park.
3rd of February 2014
Peninsula fauna ecologist and friend of SPIFFA Malcolm Legg will be talking about the forthcoming shire-commissioned Mornington Peninsula Fauna Atlas
Mal has spent the last five years doing field work at around 500 sites. This information was added to the 15 years of peninsula wildlife data Mal has already collected
Much of the survey was done using fauna cameras
The results are quite surprising
7th of October`
Mark Antos is a fauna ecologist at Parks Victoria
While his primary interests lie with birds, he sometimes gets distracted by mammals.
Mark’s talk will cover the results and management implications of a large-scale mammal monitoring project covering the Mornington Peninsula and Point Nepean National Parks. Parks Victoria staff deployed remote cameras throughout both parks and the results provided much useful information as well as a few surprises.
2nd of September
Jarrod Ruch - Re-introducing native animals into local habitats
Briars Senior Conservation ranger Jarrod is one of SPIFFA's favourite people and is an inspiration and it's a challenge to be brief when describing him. His "Which way home" blog is a very rewarding read and will acquaint you with him
Heritage plants and gardens are a passion and that is a perfect fit for the Briars (They now produce heritage 19th century vege seeds, on sale at the information centre). He also helps organise the extensive Briars Homestead Volunteers program. His work has been recognised with a National Trust Sustainability/Greening of a Heritage Place award
Jarrod also has expertise in permaculture and runs the Mornington Peninsula Permaculture Network blog
Notwithstanding all that, he has coordinated the planning, fund-raising and construction of the replacement of the feral-proof fence surrounding the bushland/wetland area and there are now a group of emus and other native animal reintroductions that are safe from foxes and cats. More are planned
Briars Senior Conservation ranger Jarrod is one of SPIFFA's favourite people and is an inspiration and it's a challenge to be brief when describing him. His "Which way home" blog is a very rewarding read and will acquaint you with him
Heritage plants and gardens are a passion and that is a perfect fit for the Briars (They now produce heritage 19th century vege seeds, on sale at the information centre). He also helps organise the extensive Briars Homestead Volunteers program. His work has been recognised with a National Trust Sustainability/Greening of a Heritage Place award
Jarrod also has expertise in permaculture and runs the Mornington Peninsula Permaculture Network blog
Notwithstanding all that, he has coordinated the planning, fund-raising and construction of the replacement of the feral-proof fence surrounding the bushland/wetland area and there are now a group of emus and other native animal reintroductions that are safe from foxes and cats. More are planned
5th of August
Peter Marriot is the author of the Moths of Victoria series of field guides and is one of the foremost experts on this subject and an interesting presenter
Peter is also one of the people behind the new citizen science biodiversity photography website Bowerbird
!st of July
Paul Bertuch - Bats Rats and Bandicoots
Rare footage of a Long-Nosed Bandicoot mother and young will be shown for the first time, also of the highly successful Organ Pipes Bat Box project. The BERG Bat Box project and successful Bat Box design will be discussed.. Black Rat control research advances using baits will be discussed and the Remote Cameras pictures from the research will be presented as a Part of the Camera Footage.
A Remote Camera Comparison and Brief Workshop will be run at the end of the presentation by Paul Bertuch from Eco-Agri.
Rare footage of a Long-Nosed Bandicoot mother and young will be shown for the first time, also of the highly successful Organ Pipes Bat Box project. The BERG Bat Box project and successful Bat Box design will be discussed.. Black Rat control research advances using baits will be discussed and the Remote Cameras pictures from the research will be presented as a Part of the Camera Footage.
A Remote Camera Comparison and Brief Workshop will be run at the end of the presentation by Paul Bertuch from Eco-Agri.
3rd of June
Rabbiters Swamp. Sheet of water
Damien Cook has been a keen naturalist for 27 years and has developed a sound knowledge of flora and fauna ecology, identification, habitat requirements and the consequences of environmental change, and abiotic factors that affect wetlands and other vegetation types including hydrology, geomorphology, geology and soil chemistry.
The title of Damien's talk is:
The state of Victoria’s Wetlands; where are the good ones left?
Victoria is richly endowed with a high diversity of wetland habitats, from coastal lagoons to alpine bogs and semi-arid clay pans. Since European occupation at least a third of all wetlands have been completely destroyed, and many of those that remain are ecologically degraded. This presentation will cover the diversity of wetland types, what plants and animals live in them, what is threatening them and where to go to see the healthiest ones
The title of Damien's talk is:
The state of Victoria’s Wetlands; where are the good ones left?
Victoria is richly endowed with a high diversity of wetland habitats, from coastal lagoons to alpine bogs and semi-arid clay pans. Since European occupation at least a third of all wetlands have been completely destroyed, and many of those that remain are ecologically degraded. This presentation will cover the diversity of wetland types, what plants and animals live in them, what is threatening them and where to go to see the healthiest ones
6th of May
Penny Woodward is a passionate organic gardener and a well-known gardening writer and photographer who regularly contributes to the ABC’s Organic Gardener Magazine
She is also a panelist on Melbourne’s 3CR community radio gardening program (855 AM, at 7.30-9.15am every Sunday) and has written seven books on edible and useful plants
Some of her other books are
Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies
Community Gardens (with Pam Vardy)
Asian Herbs and Vegetables
Growing Easy Herbs
Herbs for Australian Gardens
Penny's website can be found at pennywoodward.com.au.
No April meeting due to Easter
4th of February 2013
"Jant & Granet", staunch SPIFFA supporters and owners of the Flinders restoration property Boonoorong, have received awards for their landcare program
The former grazing property, on Grey Kangaroo Rise, forms part of an ideal habitat area that supports a large mob of kangaroos
Unlike many local landowners who build high electric fences to keep out all native animals and others who unfathomably get permits to shoot kangaroos, they enthusiastically share their land with wildlife
There's at least one resident snake under that veranda....
Sensitive and gradual patch and connectivity revegetation of previously cleared land is only one aspect of their program. The land features a now-restored wet fern gully with many large soft tree ferns
No January meeting
3rd of December AGM (at Hickinbotham's Winery)
Naturalist, geologist, photographer, teacher, bushwalker
Leon Costermans will be speaking about Mornington Peninsula geology, in it's context as the basis of all vegetation distribution and ecological processes
Leon is best known for his standard reference works, the Trees and Shrubs of South-Eastern Australia and the Trees of Victoria and Adjoining Areas field guide. See this link
He holds science degrees with specialisation in geology and botany, and has published books in these fields. Since retiring from the Faculty of Education at Monash University, he has continued to give training sessions and produce books using his own photography, illustration and design
A BYO tucker BBQ at 6pm is followed by Leon's talk at 7:30
Leon Costermans will be speaking about Mornington Peninsula geology, in it's context as the basis of all vegetation distribution and ecological processes
Leon is best known for his standard reference works, the Trees and Shrubs of South-Eastern Australia and the Trees of Victoria and Adjoining Areas field guide. See this link
He holds science degrees with specialisation in geology and botany, and has published books in these fields. Since retiring from the Faculty of Education at Monash University, he has continued to give training sessions and produce books using his own photography, illustration and design
A BYO tucker BBQ at 6pm is followed by Leon's talk at 7:30
No November meeting
1st of October
Michelle Thomas is talking about her Animalia Wildlife Shelter organisation
See their website here and their Facebook page here
For wildlife rescue telephone numbers, see this page
3rd of September
Ursula de Jong is an academic and architectural historian. She is Senior Lecturer in art and architectural history in the School of Architecture and Building, Deakin University, Geelong
Ursula is a scholar of the 19thC Gothic Revival, and a researcher of place. She is co Chief Investigator on an ARC Research Project: Sea change communities: intergenerational perception and sense of place.
Ursula is a Director of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Member of the Heritage Council of Victoria. She is President of the Nepean Conservation Group
6th of August
After 26 years, Gidja Walker is just back from revisiting the Roxby Downs/Olympic Dam expansion site, Alberrie Creek and the mound springs, the natural outlets of the Great Artesian Basin
2nd of July
Victorian "retiree" Doctor Tim Ealey is an internationally acclaimed scientist who has devoted his days to reviving the state's fragile Westernport Bay by regenerating mangrove and seagrass colonies. It is a grassroots campaign that has swept up local school-children who have become passionate about saving the seaside.
4th of June
Photo: Melbourne Water
Norman McKinlay is the long-term champion of the Toogarook Swamp and in particular the restoration of the habitat of the endangered Swamp Skink
Norman is in the thick of things again as we, the community, try to prevent the latest threats to the biodiversity of these wetlands from yet another planning application for an infill development. See this archive page created for the last (failed) application on this particular site
For more on the swamp, see this page
7th of May
Port Phillip & Westernport Catchment Management Authority area
Matthew Khoury, our Regional Landcare Facilitator for the Port Philllip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority
Matt will speak about landcare and the role of the CMA in helping to preserve and protect biodiversity
2nd of April
80,000 hectares protected in over 1100 conservation covenants
Threatened species and ecological communities protection on private land in Greater Melbourne
Ben Cullen, the Port Phillip and Westernport region manager for Trust for Nature and SPIFFA member, will tell us how to protect private land for habitat, even after it's changed hands, through perpetual covenants on the title.
Ben also has extensive experience in wildlife camera survey programs
5th of March
*there is a small population of common bottle-nose dolphins in the bay
Judy Muir - Port Phillip's Burranan dolphins
Last year the dophins* living in Port Phillip Bay and the Gippsland lakes were determined to be morphologically and genetically different from the common and cosmopolitan bottle-nose dolphin and were given the species name Tursiops australis and a special common name from a koorie word. Burranan
Judy Muir conducts dolphin tours from the good ship Polperro, is an expert on these dolphins and has been instrumental in drafting and implementing a code of practice and penalty-backed boat and jet ski exclusion zones around dolphins
Last year the dophins* living in Port Phillip Bay and the Gippsland lakes were determined to be morphologically and genetically different from the common and cosmopolitan bottle-nose dolphin and were given the species name Tursiops australis and a special common name from a koorie word. Burranan
Judy Muir conducts dolphin tours from the good ship Polperro, is an expert on these dolphins and has been instrumental in drafting and implementing a code of practice and penalty-backed boat and jet ski exclusion zones around dolphins
7th of February 2012
Harry Breidahl - Marine educator
The International Pacific Marine Educators Network (IPMEN) is a developing collective of marine educators throughout the Pacific
Harry was one of the original 6 people that started this network up and is one of the organisers and drivers
He's an expert on Port Philip Bay and the protection of its biodiversity
Harry is a prolific author, particularly of children's educational books and has written about subjects as varied as dinosaurs, extremophiles, frogs and toads, microscopic aquatic life, human skin flora and fauna, the snow country, crabs and heaps more
The International Pacific Marine Educators Network (IPMEN) is a developing collective of marine educators throughout the Pacific
Harry was one of the original 6 people that started this network up and is one of the organisers and drivers
He's an expert on Port Philip Bay and the protection of its biodiversity
Harry is a prolific author, particularly of children's educational books and has written about subjects as varied as dinosaurs, extremophiles, frogs and toads, microscopic aquatic life, human skin flora and fauna, the snow country, crabs and heaps more
5th of December 2011 Annual General Meeting
Our AGM will be held at the Hickinbotham Winery at Dromana, after a 6pm BYO food BBQ and will feature a talk by Sean Dooley
Sean is a comedy writer, blog contributor, edits Wingspan magazine and has written a book The Big Twitch, about his successful "most Australian bird species seen in a year" record attempt
7th of November
Wallermeryong (or Main Creek)
An illustrated talk by Gidja Walker
Gidja will conduct an ecological virtual tour of Main Creek from it's rising on the range to it's Bass Strait mouth at Bushrangers Bay, on Monday the 7th of November. See this page for time and place
3rd of October
5th of September
Chisholm Rosebud CLM students in the field
Jacquie Salter on Muttonbird breeding success on French Island
Jacquie has been working with David Nicholls (owner of the hand and head torch at right in this adult-banding picture) on a long-running Short-tailed Shearwater nestling monitoring program
Migratory birds traveling up to 32,000 kms every year, they have been known to fly this remarkable distance in six weeks and can live to around 40 years old
The Short-tailed Shearwater establishes massive breeding colonies off the southern and south-eastern coasts of Australia each year.
Birds arrive at the colonies during the night. The nest is a chamber at the end of a burrow in the sandy ground
Each year around 100,000 "Muttonbirds" are killed for their meat, oil and feathers in Tasmania
Jacquie has been working with David Nicholls (owner of the hand and head torch at right in this adult-banding picture) on a long-running Short-tailed Shearwater nestling monitoring program
Migratory birds traveling up to 32,000 kms every year, they have been known to fly this remarkable distance in six weeks and can live to around 40 years old
The Short-tailed Shearwater establishes massive breeding colonies off the southern and south-eastern coasts of Australia each year.
Birds arrive at the colonies during the night. The nest is a chamber at the end of a burrow in the sandy ground
Each year around 100,000 "Muttonbirds" are killed for their meat, oil and feathers in Tasmania
1st of August
Purple Donkey Orchid - click for photo source
Andrew Dilley from the Australasian Native Orchid Society
Australia has about 1200 native orchid species, many of them under threat
Half of Victoria's 300 or so orchid species are threatened in some way, with many down to a handful of sites or even just a single location
ANOS Victoria's immediate past-president Andrew Dilley is involved in threatened orchid conservation programs with the ANOS Conservation Group and will be talking about the cryptic "forgotten flora" that are native terrestrial orchids
4th of July
Shire Natural Systems Team member Sam Hand on the shire feral animal control program
From the shire website: "A comprehensive predator control program is carried out on an ongoing basis focusing on some of the Peninsula’s biodiversity hotspots. Some of these include locations like the Tootgarook Swamp and surrounds, the Mount Martha Summit Bushland Reserves, Moorooduc Quarry Flora and Fauna Reserve, Earimil Creek Bushland Reserve, Peninsula Gardens Bushland Reserve and Warrangine Park. All these Bushland Reserves have significant native fauna populations that are currently under threat from feral predators such as foxes, cats and the European black rat"
From the shire website: "A comprehensive predator control program is carried out on an ongoing basis focusing on some of the Peninsula’s biodiversity hotspots. Some of these include locations like the Tootgarook Swamp and surrounds, the Mount Martha Summit Bushland Reserves, Moorooduc Quarry Flora and Fauna Reserve, Earimil Creek Bushland Reserve, Peninsula Gardens Bushland Reserve and Warrangine Park. All these Bushland Reserves have significant native fauna populations that are currently under threat from feral predators such as foxes, cats and the European black rat"
6th of June
Gail Rossi on rain gardens
Harvest some of the water from your roof or paving to create a water feature that reduces the impact of your hard surface runoff into streams and storm water outlets
Rain gardens can be permanent water bodies that may need some augmenting when there are long periods without rain, or ephemeral pools that fill up and dry out with the seasons and are stocked with wetland plants that thrive under those conditions, or a combination of both
Gail is an environmental scientist and garden designer, with an interest in both the aesthetic and sustainability benefits of providing micro wetland habitats using indigenous plants
Harvest some of the water from your roof or paving to create a water feature that reduces the impact of your hard surface runoff into streams and storm water outlets
Rain gardens can be permanent water bodies that may need some augmenting when there are long periods without rain, or ephemeral pools that fill up and dry out with the seasons and are stocked with wetland plants that thrive under those conditions, or a combination of both
Gail is an environmental scientist and garden designer, with an interest in both the aesthetic and sustainability benefits of providing micro wetland habitats using indigenous plants
2nd of May
Jenny Warfe
Jenny will talk about her extensive experience of organising a prominent environmental activist group and dealing with challenges and barriers you meet along the way
4th of April
SV Pelican with Pelican Expeditions patron Andrew Denton
Natalie Davey is director and one of
the founders of Saltwater Projects and Pelican Expeditions. She has been
actively interested and involved in multidisciplinary projects in the
Arts and Science for the last 10 years. After receiving a Fine Arts
degree at the Slade in London and teaching and working as an artist in
Germany for a number of years, she returned to Australia to pursue her
interests in Community projects.
This led to becoming involved in the building of Pelican1, a 63 foot Ocean going Catamaran, and working on projects which often combine her passions for the environment, Arts and social justice.
Pelican Expeditions now has a solid 5 year track record of multidisciplinary projects at sea.
Since 2007 the Two Bays program (www.svpelican.com.au) has sought to raise awareness of the extensive natural and cultural values of Victoria's Port Phillip and Western Port, promote attitudes of care, and encourage actions by individuals and organisations to improve bay health. Centred around a sixty-one foot catamaran this marine research and community engagement program builds partnerships providing a space for ‘ocean dialogue' and information sharing on key bay environmental themes.
This led to becoming involved in the building of Pelican1, a 63 foot Ocean going Catamaran, and working on projects which often combine her passions for the environment, Arts and social justice.
Pelican Expeditions now has a solid 5 year track record of multidisciplinary projects at sea.
Since 2007 the Two Bays program (www.svpelican.com.au) has sought to raise awareness of the extensive natural and cultural values of Victoria's Port Phillip and Western Port, promote attitudes of care, and encourage actions by individuals and organisations to improve bay health. Centred around a sixty-one foot catamaran this marine research and community engagement program builds partnerships providing a space for ‘ocean dialogue' and information sharing on key bay environmental themes.
7th of March
Engineer, professional bushland regenerator, naturalist, inveterate hiker and travel author Warwick Sprawson will be talking about the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair area of South-west Tasmania
Return to the previous page for time and place details