Table Of Content

' Honours Australian Natural History Medallion 2006 Ian Fraser In 1980, a few years after completing an Snow Country: a field guide to the honours degree in ecology at Adelaide AustralianAlps(1998). University, Ian Fraser moved to the Ian’s monthly column in Gang-Gang, the Australian Capital Territory. He travelled newsletter ofthe Canberra Ornithologists extensively in the region, becoming famil- Group, is characteristically called Avian iar with the complexities of its natural Whimsy and it encourages readers to think areas, its flora and fauna and its biodiversi- about manyaspectsofbirds. tyandecology. This familiarityalwayshad There is a long, diverse list ofassocia- its basis in scientific understanding but tions that have benefited by Ian’s talks and was never isolated from his sense ofwon- presentations. It includes: Field Naturalists der, the appreciation of beauty and the of Canberra; Canberra Ornithologists sense of awe and excitement that under- Group; Australian Native Plants Society; pins his mission to share The bush' with National Parks Association (ACT); Friends others. His essential philosophy is that of the Australian National Botanic understanding will lead to appreciation, Gardens; ACT 4WD Club; Namadgi and thus foster a conservation ethos. National Park; Women’s International Through his publications, talks and lec- ACT; Wamboin and Murrumbateraan tures, radio programs, nature-based tours Landcare Groups; Birds Australia; and and service on conservation committees, Cumberland Bird ObserversClub. Ian has made a strong contribution to He presents a series of courses with increasing the knowledge of Australian evocative titles for the Australian National natural history. University Centre for Continuing His service has been recognised with the Education: ‘Understanding Birds’, honour of the ACT Landcare Media ‘Understanding Plants’, ‘Understanding Award 1995, for his Nature Table contri- Orchids’, ‘From Gondwana to Australia’ bution to Elaine Harris’ radio programs, and ‘But what does it mean?’ which and the ASGAP Australian Plants Award demystifies the complexity of floral and 2001 forservices toconservation andedu- faunal names. , cation. This presentation was accompanied Since 1992 Ian has been the guest ofa by a seminar paper. Maintaining Links fortnightly local radio natural history show, between Landscape Plant and Animal one ofABC Canberra’s longest-running, , Communities which discussed timescales regular guest spots. He answers listeners’ , in Australian evolution and obligate plant- queries, comments enthusiastically on their animal relationships. observations and returns off-line with con- Together with Margaret McJannett, artist firmation if he’s unsure of an initial Helen Fitzgerald and photographer col- answer. Through shared and appreciated leagues, Ian Fraser has written a numberof observations and deceptive informality, Ian books portraying the local natural history: extends interest in natural history and con- Above the Cotter: a drivers’ & walkers servation into the general community. He guide to the North Bvindabellas (1991); hasalso prepared 160 orso5-minutenatur- Wild about Canberra: afieldguide to the al history segments for local radio which plants and animals ofthe ACT (1993); are repeated seasonally. In each of these Wildfiowers ofthe Bush Capital: afield snippets he presents information about a guide to Canberra Nature Park (1993); species, a phenomenon, an historical aspect Over the hills and Tharwa Way: Eastern of Australian natural history or seasonal Ninamtarodugblie:NaetniodnaanlgePraerdkp(l1a9n9t4s);aNnedigahnbiomuarlss iinntsoightthse.fTohuersCeDsesgemt.enFtosurhaSveeasboenesnomfatdhee in the ACT(1996); and Wildfiowers ofthe Bush Capital, issuedin2004. 400 The Victorian Naturalist Honours Ian was employed by the Australian Government on general conservation National Botanic Gardens to create the and environmental management matters background material forthe widely viewed in theACT. 2005 exhibition Phoenix - Fire and The ACT Flora and Fauna Committee Australian Plants. The exhibition would has responsibilities for assessing the con- have increased understanding ofAustralian servation status of the ACT’s flora and flora for those many national and interna- fauna and the ecological significance of tional visitors to the country's national potentially threatening processes. Assess- botanic gardens. He has also been contract- ments are made on nature conservation edby the National Capital Authorityto run grounds and serve to advise the ACT educational birdwalksin summerand write Government. The Committee develops guidesheets fornatural historywalks. Action plans describing thethreats to habi- Because of his breadth of knowledge tats orspecies, conservation issues relating about species and ecosystem functions in to and protective strategies appropriate for the region and his ability to impart this species declared to be in serious decline in knowledge to the lay person, the NSW the ACT. lan Fraser has served on the National Parks and Wildlife Service com- Committeesince itsinception in 1995. missioned Ian to research and write some He has been a member of the ACT 250 threatened species’ profiles for the Government’s advisory committee dealing South-East Directorate web-site (120 ani- with nature conservation and natural mal species and 130 plants). He also wrote resource management continuously since and designed a series ofbrochures on The 1984. He now chairs the ACT Natural Impact ofBushfires on the Environment Resource ManagementAdvisoryCommittee forthesameorganisation. which is responsible for the development Ian Fraser administered the Canberra and implementation ofthe ACT Natural Environment Centre for several years, Resources Management Plan, as well as linking its environmental resource centre broaderadviceon landandwildlifemanage- and educative roles to the widercommuni- mentmatters. ty. His nature-based tourism operation, In all ofthese roles Ian has contributed, Environment Tours, continues to operate by serving on committees ofmanagement, inassociationwith theCentre. to the protection and understanding of Ian was co-founder and first Director of Australian native flora and faunawithin the theConservation Council ofthe South East ACTand importantly inaregional context. Region and Canberra (CCSERAC) in the TheJanuary2003 bushfiresthat devastat- NSW early 1980s. The Council is the peak con- ed Victorian and alpine areas also servation organisation in the Region, using altered the region’s Brindabella Ranges its resources to monitor and comment on and Namadgi National Parkalmost beyond changes to the environment on behalf of recognition. Ian’s reaction to the virtual many member groups. CCSERAC pro- loss of his ‘workplace’ was to make a motes protection ofthe environment from series of personal and then official jour- urban encroachment and human impact, neys to assess the impact andto interpret it using input from lan and other acknowl- in the long-term context ofthe ecology of edgedexperts. fire in the Australian landscape. He was He also has contributed to the protection invited by Environment ACT to accompa- of Australia’s native flora and fauna ny them into the burnt areas, which would through his involvement in two advisory beclosedtothepublic formany months,to committeestotheACTGovernment, viz. report on them to the Canberra community • the ACT Flora and Fauna Committee, via ABC radio and throughout the world which makes recommendations on plant viareportsposted onthe internet. and animal species and ecological com- His reviews and explanations ofplant re- munities that warrant listing as vulnera- growth, germination, exceptional flower- ble or endangered under the ACT’s ing patterns and species’ variations stimu- NatureConservationAct 1980 and lated great interest among local amateur • the ACT Natural Resource Man, agement naturalists and the community. Ian helped Committee, which advises the ACT many Canberra residents to come to terms Vol. 123 (6) 2006 401 Honours with biodiversity losses by explaining the and since then Ian has been running them cycles of fire-related damage. He ran a alone. By mid 2006 he had led 365 tours specific public course on the effects offire comprising day trips, overnight trips, 3-4 its origins in the Australian landscape, nightsawayand2-3 week majortours. The the ecology of fire in different habitats, tours have explored the natural history of and responses ofAustralian biotatofire. In the ACT and hinterland, all non-urban this sense the tires were a catalyst for an regionsofNew South Wales, and included extension ofinterest in natural history and outstanding areas ofVictoria, Tasmania, conservation within the general communi- South Australia, the Northern Territory’s ty,which Ian nurturedwithgreat skill. ‘Red Centre’, Queensland and Western Working with botanist Geoff Butler, Ian Australia. Ian incorporates experiences has professionally carried out many sur- from prior private visits, meticulous veys under New South Wales’ research, knowledge ofbotany, zoology, Environment Planning and Threatened geology, Aboriginal heritage, land-use Species Act. This has involved assessing changes and local expertise in presenting the likely presence of populations of these popular trips. He is leader, guide, threatened species and surveying the con- mentor, teacher as he extends participants’ dition ofhabitats so that local government interest in natural history and conservation authorities can develop appropriate restric- and nurtures theirown skills as naturalists tions or controls before development or andobservers. rural subdivision proceeds. Local councils Thenomination fortheAustralian Natural were able to promote environmentally History Medallion was made by the Field friendly landscape changes in theirjuris- NaturalistsAssociation ofCanberraand let- dictions. Nearly 70 such surveys havenow ters of support were received from been conducted in NSW, illustrating the Canberra Ornithologists Group, Australian esteem in which Ian's and Geoff’s skills Native Plants Association (Canberra aNnSdWintNePgrWitSy areheld by local councils, the region), 666 ABC Radio Canberra, Office and privatedevelopers. of the Commissioner for the Environment In association with The Environment ACT, Executive DirectorArts Heritage and Centre (and formerly the Conservation Environment, and the Department of Council), Environment Tours have been EnvironmentandConservation NSW. operating since 1981, ‘to introduce people to new areas and to increase appreciation Ian Endersby ofour region with an emphasis on infor- 56LookerRoad mation and fun’. Ian Fraser and Margaret MontmorencyVic3094 McJannett co-hosted these tours until 2001 One Hundred YearsAgo EXCURSION TO WILSON’S PROMONTORY The only objectionable animals in the Park are wild dogs and snakes. Rabbits, we were glad to find, had not reached the Promontory. Thedogs are nottrue Dingoes, but have escaped from fishermen, hunting parties, and selectors, and have interbred with the Dingotosuchan extentastohaveamosteffacedthe latter. From The VictorianNaturalistXXII p 195, March 8, 1906 402 The Victorian Naturalist