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.