SEPTEMBER 12th: WALK A SECTION OF THE RAIL TRAIL: LEADER : ROSS COAD
From Kamona Siding to Tonganah is considered by many to be the most picturesque section of the North East Rail Trail.
This is a walk of about 7km, most of it gently down hill, showcasing stunning scenery, tranquil forests, ferny banks and interesting cuttings into the hillsides. I remember orchids.
Approximately 7km east of Scottsdale, turn right onto Tonganah Road and follow the signs a short way to “Don’s Dunny”.
Meet here at 10 a.m.
We will then car pool to Goanna Road to start the walk. Ideally we would minimise the total number of cars by encouraging people to carpool from their point of origin, but people normally do that anyway.
Remember waterproofs and lunch.
FUTURE WALKS
October 10th- Waterhouse with Mike
November 6th, 7th, 8th – We will be hosting various activities in conjunction with the Central North Field Naturalist Club based around Bridport and Waterhouse. More details next bulletin. NOTE : this is not our usual 2nd weekend in the month.
December 12th – Paradise Plains with Ian Thomas.
ORANGE BELLIED PARROTS
I’ve just been reading an interesting story about the orange bellied parrots and the possibilities of saving them from extinction [apart from breeding them in captivity that is] If I understand the present day ABC report, the wild population is under 100. But the present population of 350 birds in captivity is undergoing the first of two vaccinations to help it fight bird flu.
The article in the following link talks about hybridization as a possible conservation method. It’s dated April 2025.
LUCY CUTTING – SUNDAY MORNING ABC RADIO.
Does anyone listen to Lucy Cutting on 936 ABC on Sunday mornings?
Lucy presents a rich program full of Tasmaniana. One of my favourite segments is when Lucy talks to botanist and owner of Tasmania’s best native plant nursery, Rae Young. Her nursery is Plants of Tasmania at Ridgeway, near Hobart.
Last month, a national poll asking people to vote for their favourite Australian wildflower attracted 70,000 votes. The flannel flower came out on top, 1000 votes ahead of the flying duck orchid. It’s too late to vote now …. but I was wondering what yours would be?
On a recent program, Rae chose her ten favourite Tasmanian wildflowers. They were interesting choices.
- Climbing heath, Prionotes cerinthoides
9.Blanket Leaf, Bedfordia salicina
8. Davies Wax Flower, Phebalium daviesii
7.Silver Banksia, Banksia marginata
6.Wedding Bush, Ricinocarpos pinifolius
5.Fringe Myrtle, Calytrix tetragona
4.Native Laurel, Anopterus glandulosus
3.Native Box, Alyxia buxifolia
2.Sassafras, Atherosperma moschatum
1.Tasmanian Purple Star, Isophysis tasmanica
Click here : “Botanist Rae Young’s top 10 Tasmanian wild flowers” to see pictures and some general information about each one.
And here to listen.
NEW ORCHIDS OF TASMANIA app. [FREE]
This app is dedicated to Hans and Annie Wapstra who spent 50 years together surveying and describing Tasmania’s orchids. They also wrote the definitive book, The Orchids of Tasmania.1999 [now out of print] The primary authors of this app. are Mark Wapstra [son of H + A] and Malcolm Wells.
Some of the headings are “using the app, fact sheets, glossary, and using the keys to identify orchids” and there’s a fact sheet for each orchid. It might be interesting for field nats to get a basic understanding of dichotomous keys.
The photographs are contributed by Tasmania’s best.
It’s worth a look.
See you Saturday,
Louise.
0417 149 244