February 14th
Doctors Peak with Ian Matthews
A joint activity with the St Helen’s Walking Group.
2026
February 14th
Author Archives: Penny
2025
February 8th
Waterhouse Conservation Area
We looked at the remarkable resurgence after the fire a year ago
March 8th
Tamar Island Wetlands
Bird watching in this beautiful setting on the banks of the Tamar River.
April 12th
Weld River and Harridge Falls
A fascinating ramble through rainforest and riverbank vegetation to Harridge Falls
May 10th
Patersonia
A walk near Mt Arthur, following the tributary of the Patersonia Rivulet.
September 12th
Winifred Curtis Reserve
Important for its biodiversity, the Reserve of 80 hectares contains bushland, heathland, dunelands and marshlands. It is known as one of the best small reserves in Tasmania and has an amazing variety of species.
Here is the report.
December 13th
Lulworth to Weymouth lead by Jason Orr.
A 10km coastal walk on an unexpectedly calm and sunny day followed by our end of year barbeque.
2012
February
Mt Horror with Sean Blake
March
Black Sugar-loaf, Birralee
Birds: Button quail, yellow-throated honeyeaters, and golden whistlers. Slime moulds on rotting logs and stumps, moist and often brightly coloured
April
Mt Stronach
May
Waterhouse Conservation Area lead by Mike Douglas
From the top of Hardwickes Hill a birds-eye view of the Reserve and Waterhouse Island. Clearly discernible are the linear Pleistocene dunes formed during the last glacial advance, at its peak 20,000 years ago. The main objective of the day was to look at the salt-resistant plants (halophytes), most belonging to the saltbush family.
June
Mt Scott
July
Waterhouse
September
In the Fingal valley
At Evercreech Reserve are the giant Eucalyptus regnans, the tallest tree species in Australia. We looked at the impressive Mathinna Falls, then made our assault on Mt Young.
October
Federation Weekend
Mt Cameron and Cape Portland
November
Cascade River
Exploring the Chinese history in the area between the Cascade Dam and Mt Paris Dam.
2024
January 13th, Mt Michael
Craig Searle lead this fascinating circular walk which follows various old roads, marked tracks and creek-sides, through mature myrtles to a 810m summit boasting 360 degrees views.
Click here for the report and lots of photos from the day
February 10th, Narawntapu
Anne Witherden lead an exploration of the Narawntapu National Park near the Rubicon River and the Asbestos Range.
March 9th, Mt Horror and more
A visit with Mike to the top of Mt Horror on a very murky day, and then to the historic areas of Forester and Pearly Brook.
Here’s the report
April 13th East Sandy Point
Ross lead us on an expedition to East Sandy Point, part of the Double Sandy Point Conservation Area. We explored the dunes and discovered rhizoliths, structures formed when a root becomes encased with calcium carbonate and then exposed when wind blows away the sand.
Here’s the report, and photos
May 11th Briseis Water Race: Flumes and fungi
Lloyd lead us on a 10km walk along the remains of the race, built in 1902 to transport water from the Ringarooma River to the Briseis Tin Mine at Derby. There were a lot of fungi too.
Here’s the report
8th June
Sloop Lagoon and Big Lagoon
Led by Alex, the group botanised, learning the history of the area and listening to local environmental hero, Todd Dudley, explain his revegetation of a degraded landscape.
Here is the report
14th September
Cape Portland, Musselroe Wind farm
Highlights were seeing the technology at work to protect the Wedgetail Eagle and White bellied sea eagle from the blades of the turbines. And the discovery of two orchids.
The report is here.
12th October
Orchid hunting at Ansons Bay
A very pleasant walk along the bay and the river and on the tracks above. At least 10 different orchids were found. Here’s the report
9th November
Exploring the foothills of Mt Arthur.
Here’s the report
14th December
A ramble along the foreshore at Bridport with Mike Douglas providing lots of interesting information about coastal plantings, the altered shoreline, cobble beaches, meteotsunamis and a rock called granidorite.
News
2023
February 11th
Bridport
We had a walk through 4 varied environments: a salt marsh; the modified landscape along part of the foreshore; the granite Point Conservation Area; and The Bridport Wildflower Reserve
March 11th
Low Head with Marita Bodman
A walk from Bellbuoy Beach to Low Head, along a basalt cobbled shore, then a sandy beach collecting seaweed. A visit to the Low Head Community Garden, and a talk by Marita about a woman ahead of her time – Florence Perrin.
Here is a link to Marita’s talk
And a link to the seaweed we collected.
April 22nd
Fungi foray at Diddleum with Dr Genevieve Gates.
Over 60 fungi were spotted.
May 13th
A walk up Mt Scott
Mike Douglas lead us on the walk, through beautiful forest to the summit ridge.
June 10th
Binalong Bay to Dora Point
A coastal walk featuring blue gums, granite coastline, She-oak forests, sandy beaches, and huge rocks. Led by Pam Bretz.
September 9th
Waterhouse Conservation Area
A beautiful and fascinating walk through Allocasuarina forest, then heathland, from Blizzards landing to Ranson’s Bay
October 14th
Humbug Point Nature Recreation Area
A circular walk from Moulting Bay campgrounds, over the hill and eastwards to Dora Point mostly through open peppermint forest.
November 2023
Wind farm, Cape Portland
From the Little Musselroe River, across paddocks to the coast, a day with a wide variety of flora, some pelicans, and a clear view of Cape Barren and Flinders islands.
2022
29th January
Four Springs Lake
Dragonflies and Damselflies with Nigel Forteath, Professor of Aquaculture UTAS.
Four Springs Lake was established in the 1990s for recreational fishing, and 16 species of dragonflies and damselflies have been seen here. Nigel and the Nats caught dragonflies, then chilled them for a few minutes so they could be identified and photographed.
12th February
Ben Lomond alpine circuit
The Field Nats traversed the Little Hell pole line circuit, reaching a height of 1546 metres. Flowering snow gentians were abundant, and the most striking wildflowers were the beautiful silver snow daisies (Celmisia). The views were magnificent, with evidence of previous glaciations and later intensive shattering of the heavily jointed dolerite rock by frost action. The great block fields and screes of Ben Lomond are said to be the most extensive in the world.
March 12th
Birds at Native Point
Seen and/or heard: Brown falcon, Brown thornbill, Brush bronzewing, Corella, Crescent honeyeater, Crested tern, Dusky raven, Flame robin, Forest raven, Golden whistler, Green rosella, Grey butcher bird, Grey fantail, Kookaburra, Little pied cormorant, Little wattlebird, Magpie, Olive whistler, Pacific gull, Silvereye, Spotted pardalote, Striated pardalote, Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Tasmanian native hen, Wattlebird, Welcome swallow, White-bellied sea eagle, White-faced heron, Yellow-throated honeyeater.
April 9th
Ferns at Northeast Park, Scottsdale
Lead by Deb Searle, and armed with fern flips, the Nats discovered an amazing variety of species for such a small area.
June 11th
Fungi foray, East Diddleum Plains
In the rainforest we saw lots of entoloma species, and Clavulinopsis amoebeae and Ascocoryne sarcoides amongst others.
September 10th
A walk along the Supply River to the Flour Mill ruins
The banks of the Supply River were lined at times with tussock grass – Poa labillardierei. Also noted were the native cranberry – Astroloma humifusum; storksbill – Pelargonium australe; the fungus Anthracophyllum archeri, and beyond the ruins: Pinkwood – Beyeria viscosa. This is in the Euphorbiaceae genus, the defining feature being a white milky sap in the stems.
October 8th
Palaeontology at Liffey and Poatina. Leader Phil Tattersall
Here is Phil’s report of the day
November 12th
Cape Portland
A visit to the Musselroe wind farm, notably to observe the flora and fauna at the Tregaron Lagoon : a mob of Forester kangaroos, and extensive areas of samphire, dodder laurel, and bower spinach
December 10th
Bare Rock, Fingal
A rocky climb in vehicles to a plateau above Bare Rock, studded with an amazing variety of flora. The native clematis and blue love creeper were still in flower, and we saw about a dozen members of the daisy family, and several species from the family Ericaceae.
2021
February 13th
Ascent of Ben Nevis
Mike Douglas led us up the steep track to the summit at 1368 metres. From dense regrowth forest of Eucalyptus delegatensis, through a belt of Eucalyptus archeri, then above 1200 metres alpine vegetation, including the beautiful Tasmanian snow gentian. The grand vista from the summit took in Mt Maurice, Mt Albert, Mt Victoria and Mt Saddleback.
March 13th
Whale Rock, Mt Cameron
Whale rock, on Mount Cameron’s south West peak, is a spectacular boulder resembling a breaching whale emerging from the granite slab. We walked through open woodland of bracken, dotted with large stringybark and black peppermints, their trunks blackened by bush fires. Also common were caterpillar acacia, bulloak, banksia, kunzea and tea tree. Then we passed between massive sculptural boulders with drifts of the rock orchid Dockrillia clinging to them. From the huge steep granite slab beside Whale Rock, where we stopped for lunch, there are breathtaking views to the west across the Mt Cameron Regional Reserve, and north to the coast and the mouth of the Ringarooma river at Boobyalla.
April 10th
Paradise High Plain
Views of Ben Nevis, and Mts Victoria and Albert; an old pine arboretum, vestigial rain forest, 2 huge 200 (at least) year old myrtles, sub-alpine vegetation, and even a bit of wind-driven snow.
May 8th
Two properties at East Diddleum
We visited two properties, the first with sub-alpine grassland, and both with native rainforest. The highlight of the day was the wide range of fungi to be seen and photographed.
June 12th
Notley Fern Gorge
A richly satisfying fungi foray in the remnant rain forest.
September 11th
Mount Cameron with Mike Douglas
We walked a network of 19th century water races from tin mining days, some dug by hand by both Chinese and European miners. We took a scrambled diversion across Deep Creek (aka Galloway Creek)
October 9th
Upper Scamander and Granite Knob
November 13th
Mt. Barrow Discovery Trail with Len Gillett
We explored the Trail in vehicles, interspersed with short and interesting walks. Remains of the timber industry going back to the mid 1800s were seen, as well as the mightier destruction caused by forestry happening right now. We picnicked at the rather neglected discovery centre, and found many orchids in bloom. Our last stop was at the Weaver’s Creek Waterfall.
December 11th
Cape Portland – Petal Point and Wind farm
Looking for threatened species.
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Blackman’s Lagoon
Other native species present at Blackman’s are the jollytail, another galaxia – Gallaxiella maculates, the pygmy perch – Nannoperca aus-tralis, and the short and long finned eel.
The water bird list includes: Ducks: Mountain duck, Black duck, Grey teal, Chestnut teal, Hard head [200 at a time], Pink eared and Musk duck. There are also White-faced heron, Great egret, Grebes—probably Hoary headed, sometimes 300 at a time], Little pied cormo-rant, Great cormorant, Black Swan, Eurasian coot, and of course the White bellied sea eagle.
2013
February
Black Creek pools and Derby tunnel
Lunch and a ramble at the pools. Then to the 3.7 metre-long tunnel cut through solid granite in the early 1880s by the Briseis Tin Mining company. We saw glow-worms, Arachnocampa tasmaniensis, and the cave spider, widely distributed in Tasmania – a top-level predator maintaining a stronghold around the entrance zones to caves and tunnels.
March
Bush-food day at Little Musselroe
April
Mt Cameron Range – the Skywalk
May
Tomahawk walk and talk with Aboriginal elder Patsy Cameron
Patsy shared her extensive knowledge of Aboriginal culture, local plants and animals, and bush tucker.We were introduced to “cunnygong” (pigface), the natural aloe vera for burns and ant bites. Also of note was the native cranberry, Astroloma humifusum, Diplarrena moraea, the white flag iris, a favourite plant for basket weaving. And an unusual species of native cherry, Coastal Ballart, Exocarpus syrticola,
June
Blackman’s Lagoon
Blackman’s Lagoon covers 28 ha. And is an important site for the rare State and Commonwealth protect-ed dwarf galaxias Galaxiella pusilla. This is a small scaleless species which grows to a maximum of 40mm and can survive in the substrate even when the water dries up. A list of native species and bird-life is here
July
Rocky ramble Mount Cameron
A small band of nine members enjoyed this walk partway up the Wedgetail Peak Track, starting from the Field Study Centre. The track wandered through a woodland of gnarled black peppermints, stringy barks and white gums and then climbed up rocky slopes dotted with granitoid monoliths resembling abstract sculpure
September
Harridge Falls
After a scramble down the steep, humus-rich and damp hillside we slid and wended our way over fallen logs covered in beautiful fungi such as the “curtain crisp” until we reached the Weld River and the falls.
We disturbed an echidna at his ant lunch and caught a glimpse of the prized pink robin. We also spotted some maroon hoods, Pterostylis pedunculata, thriving in the sandy damp conditions.
October
Federation of Field Nats get-together Port Sorell
November
W.A.G. Walker Rhododendron Gardens, Lalla
In the gullies Tree ferns, dogwoods, Bursaria, white gums and various species of rhododendrons. Higher up, Eucalyptus obliqua and a stand of Eucalyptus viminalis,
On the ground, maroonhoods, the curtain crisp fungus, and the dogs vomit slime mould. Above, the crescent honeyeater, the golden whistler, pardalotes, thornbills, cuckoos, the shrike thrush, and everywhere wrens and robins.