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Geelong Naturalist : monthly magazine of the Geelong Field Naturalists Club PDF

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Preview Geelong Naturalist : monthly magazine of the Geelong Field Naturalists Club

GEELONG NATURALIST MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE GEELONG FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC (Incorporating The GFNC Monthly News) M OF VIG = KSG Oe es EO N ~ oo ÂN, Me. i ( 4-9 cro 4ogr ~ y i Sia, i h ; LIBRAR { “ii Be Vol 32 No. 5 ISSN 0726-7363 GEELONG NATURALIST September 1996 Vol 32 No 5. ISSN 0726-7363. CONTENTS 1 Plant Group Report Excursion Notice - Anglesea 1 Bird Group Report 2 Bio-diversity Group Report 3 VFNCA / WVFNCA Campout 3 Excursion Report - Lerderderg Gorge 4 - Reporto n Water Sports Complex Meeting 5 Club Notes 5 Spring in Geelong 6 August Meeting Report - Tony Robinson 8 Jerringot, Frogs and Snipe Dennis Greenwell 8 Library Notes 9 Another Kind of Spring Alban Lloyd-Jones 11 Bird Observations 12 COMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER 3 General Meeting Clive Minton “Tundra Ecology” 10 Plant Group Margaret MacDonald “Anglesea Flora” 15 Excursion Anglesea Leaders: Winston Huggins 632 787 Margaret MacDonald 24 Bird Group * Trevor Pescott “P J Wood - Birds of Geelong 1945-58” 25 Biodiversity Group Workshop Meeting OCTOBER 1 General Meeting * Patrick O’Leary “Logging: What Are the Threats?” 8 Plant Group * Debra Whitall “Conservation: An American Perspective” 18,19,20 WVFNCA Campout Casterton 27 Excursion Ocean Grove Nature Reserve; 25th Anniversary 22 Bird Group Phil de Gueselin “Rufous Bristlebird Recovery Plan” 23 Biodiversity Group Workshop Meeting * CHANGES TO PROGRAM GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 Plant Group... PLANT GROUP REPORT EXCURSION NOTICE September Meeting ... Joe Hubbard ... Dick Southcombe Margaret MacDonald, President of Angair will be our guest Anglesea, September 15. speaker. “If we do not act now there will be no tomorrow for many of our plants and All club members are invited as Leaders, Margaret MacDonald and animals”. Margaret's illustrated talk will Winston Huggins have been serve as an introduction to our checking Salt Creek and Bald Hills This point was made during the club excursion on September 15th tracks and have found some of them discussion on what our attitudes Margaret works hard for and has so eroded that they have decided not were towards conserving what was a wide knowledge of the to finalise a particular route until left of our plant species. wonderful and abundant natural closer to the excursion day. history features at Anglesea. And how many of these species As the Marshy Creek area and the would be left for the use and m) heathlands - illustrated on the front pleasure of future generations? of Mary White’s book - behind the power station are favoured sites, we It was acknowledged that we live in SPRING IN GEELONG will meet our two ieagers at the a more environmentally aware Great Ocean Road / Forest Road society but more has to be done in intersection and from there be promoting conservation issues. ... by Joe Hubbard - guided to one or two of Anglesea’s top spots. And how are we to tackle this most This month Joe’s column has urgent of causes? expanded somewhat as he and Please assemble at Karingal at 8.50 some of his friends have a centrefold for a 9am sharp departure or meet at Education was identified as a critical to celebrate the coming of Spring. Forest Road at 9.45am. factor, with children receiving a high priority. (The key players of Asked what Spring means to them, A bus is available. Put your name on tomorrow). they have given us all something to the bus list tonight or phone me on think about. Their answers will help 433 916. Although nothing was resolved, you find the many treasures which Oo these ideas were talked out. Froma are waiting for you in our region pool of members the Club could during this envigorating season. PROGRAM CHANGES provide a support service for teachers and children in their study On your behalf | would like to give General Meeting... of natural history in the school and special thanks to Joe and his team. local environment. David Cameron who was scheduled for the October meeting apologises Local field guides could create for not being able to speak next interest and inspiration for all ages. month; his studies prevent it. We October Meeting... are hoping to find a suitable date in A single sheet production could next year’s program. A speaker introduce short walks or drives with Logging: What are The from Environment Victoria has been key natural features indicated on an Threats? Patrick O’Leary. on our list for some time and we easily read map suitable for tourist, thank Patrick O'Leary for stepping in school or naturaiist. Patrick, who has a degree in at short notice. Zoology worked with the Dept. of Richard Mason, a year 12 student, Conservation and Natural Plant Group... attended the meeting and we were Resources where he was involved pleased to be able to exchange in studies on the Impact of Timber The guest speaker at the October ideas with him on one of his current Harvesting in various forests Plant Group meeting will now be assignments. He has to ascertain across Victoria. More recently he Debra Whitall - Conservation: An the status of a group of Snow Gums has been working with American Perspective. situated on a roadside reserve at Environment Victoria which has Vickery’s Road, Bellbrae, and come enabled him to pursue his interest Bird Group... up with a conservation plan. in the animals which are being denied suitable habitat by logging. See the last two paragraphs in Barry It is certainly heartening to see the Leadbeater's Possum, which is Lingham’s report on page 2. education system taking on, and fhe only mammal endemic to encouraging environmental studies Victoria and one of Victoria’s two See what fun it is being a program and young people such as Richard faunal emblems is just one of the co-ordinator. prepared to take up the challenge. animals under threat. Why? mi GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 About 6% of bird species are Some patterns emerged from this promiscuous, where’ both males study, but many other questions BIRD GROUP REPORT and females will mate with several remain unanswered such as what ... Barry Lingham other birds. Typical of these birds specific benefit is there to the are the Birds of Paradise, where a moorhens in forming these unusual female will mate with the most breeding groups. colourful male. Certain tribes from Sean showed us the mysteries that August 27th 1996 Western Africa have a custom are still to be solved in relation to one where the men dress in the most or more common and easily Our guest speaker for the meeting colourful costumes they can, paint observed birds. Please consider was Sean Pywell. Sean is currently their faces and wear jewellery to their interesting ways when you next studying at Monash University and attract a wife at an annual festival. visit your favourite wetland. his talk was entitled "Moorhens and The next year, the women can Other things” choose a different partner at the Please note the change in our festival. program for next month's speaker. Sean began by making some Unfortunately Roger Hicks has not observations on the mating patterns A very small number of birds yet been able to retrieve his of those strange animals, Homo (about 12 species worldwide) collection of slides on the "Birds of sapiens. Although we live in a practice polygyndry where a Chile" from Israel. society which is basically communal group form mating monogamous (one male to one bonds. The Dusky Moorhen is Instead, Trevor Pescott has offered female), throughout history and in one of these species, along with to give us information about " PJ other cultures various other types of certain Woodpeckers and Wood - Birds of Geelong 1945-58". mating patterns have evolved to suit Trumpeters. This is an opportune time to hear this the conditions prevailing. talk, as Trevor has just released his Sean has been studying the latest book "Geelong's Birds in Certain African tribes still practice moorhens at Jell's Park for over Retrospect" dealing with the polygamy (more than one female to five years, noting their breeding contributions to the knowledge of one male). This system has the habits. Moorhens usually nest in local birds made by PJ Wood benefit to the male of allowing him to reed beds but they may use small through his column in the Geelong produce a maximum number of mud islands or logs. Their mating Advertiser during a 13 year period. offspring, after consideration of the is quite conspicuous, involving the (see Ray Baverstock to purchase a amount of mouths he is able to male chasing the female as a copy at a discount price! ) provide for! Females tend to favour preliminary to copulation. This richer mates or good hunters, thus allowed Sean to easily note (m) maximising the chance of survival of copulation frequency and the birds their offspring. A woman may have involved. a better chance of survival with a rich FROG EVENING AT THE man who already has several wives From a genes viewpoint, males of MELBOURNE ZOO. than with a poorer single man. all species tend to try to maximise ... Dennis Greenwell the chance of producing their own Polyandry (one woman with several offspring. Sean statistically husbands) is a rare occurrence analysed the mating patterns to try | recently approached the Victorian amongst humans, but it is common to find any general patterns that Frog Group, to ask if a number of our in some Tibetan tribes where the could help to explain how a male members might attend one of their very limited available arable land would try to gain any advantage meetings, to see what went on. means that many single men could over other males within the group. not support a family on their plot. By | received an invitation, to be pooling resources, two men can use Moorhen breeding group sizes extended to anyone who might like to their land to raise one family. Often vary. Some birds form attend their next meeting night, the two men are brothers. This monogamous pairs. Polygynous which is this Friday, 6th September means that although one male is not groups with male to female ratios necessarily sure that any offspring of 1:2 are common as are To allow for extra seating, | need to belong to him, the progeny will be polyandrous groups with male to let the organisers know the number closely related genetically to him. female ratios of 2:3, or 4:1. of people who may be attending, so Groups practising polygndry with will anyone interested please let me Amongst birds, many variations in ratios of 2:2 or 3:2 are somewhat know as soon as possible. mating patterns exist. About 90% of less common. the world's birds are monogamous. In line with good conservation About 3% are polygynous (this Sean tested such variables as: practices, car pooling is strongly includes birds such as Reed e the number of copulations by recommended. Warblers and some other territorial particular male and female birds where the female will nest in a e the copulations per female Please ring me on 437 047. good territory presided over by one during the egg laying period male. Other females may also be e and the total number of nesting within this territory. copulations per male. GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 satisfactorily as they appeared to be COMBINED VFNCA / two different species; the larger WVFENCA CAMPOUT NOTICE BIODIVERSITY GROUP ones were all quite strikingly marked on the dorsal surface, the ..- Dick Southcombe . ..Ade Foster smaller ones were a plain olive brown. The marbled belly gave a October 18-20. clue as to their species, and when Hosted by Casterton FNC. several mating pairs were netted Excursion, Inverleigh Common from the dam, it was obvious that 11/8/96. Where: On the Glenelg River at the larger brighter ones were Myaring Reserve which is 6km west females, ardently pursued by the Members met at the Fyansford Hotel smaller duller males. (Young Jarrod of Pieracle on the Casterton - carpark at 9.30 on a fine and sunny was nick-named Amplexus Dartmoor Road. Refer RACV South Sunday morning; a very pleasant interruptus for his netting prowess.) Western Victoria map. About 400m change from the weather of the past before the river turn left on to a track two weeks, which had been Small Tenebrionid beetles were into the reserve. inordinately cold and wet. A very brisk very common under fallen timber breeze was. blowing from the north- west on our arrival at Inverleigh. throughout the Common. These Directional signs will be erected to were particularly notable for their show the route from Casterton. Tank Some months ago, using old railway absence on our last visit. Though water and toilets at reserve. we searched diligently for orchids, it sieepers, members constructed was not until late in the day that we artificial nesting logs for coconut ants, Program: Casterton FNC members came across a large patch of the symbiont host of our club emblem, will be at camp from 6pm-Spm Friday butterfly, Common Greenhoods in flower. A the Small Ant Blue to welcome visitors. small patch of half a dozen Acrodipsas myrmecophila. These Helmeted orchids were the only were modelled on those used - Excursions commence 10.00 am others we found. successfully by Tim New and others in Saturday to some wonderful plant their search for the SAAB at Mt. Piper, and bird areas looking mainly for Bio-diversity Workshop 28/8/96 (See Biodiversity Note 2, October orchids and Red-tailed Cockatoo. 1995, compiled by Les Barrow) and The last meeting of the Bio-diversity placed beside active nests in the hope group was again very well attended. During the evening we will be treated that they would be colonised by the The group looked at the to dinner at the Bluff and a talk about ants. They could then be easily invertebrates inhabiting several the limestone cliff formations next opened and examined for any sign of samples of water from Jerringot. doort o our camp. SABB larvae, and resealed without This was a very productive evening permanently upsetting the tenants. ... over 20 different animals were > We will search for fossils on Sunday One nest was inhabited by a range of recorded, and a list of freshwater morning and enjoy a barbeque lunch cockroaches and an impressive Black invertebrates being compiled by the provided by our hosts before heading House Spider, but no ants. The other group had two new specimens homewards. As the Bluff is only a few had been colonised, but had become added to it. We also spent some kilometres from our camp site those time keying and identifying ants and very wet and it's continued habitation who find the Glenelg River water too spiders as part of an on-going study was in doubt. Both were moved cold may take a hot shower at the that the group is undertaking. slightly to allow for better run-off of Bluff. BYO everything except rain water, and.re-sealed. No sign of Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch. Some of our members will be the Small Ant Blue. attending the next meeting of the Cost: The camnout fee of $30 former Frogwatch group at A puddle beside the dam on the golf- covers Saturday dinner, Sunday Melbourne Zoo on Friday 6th course was swarming with newly lunch and other charges met by September. Anyone interested in hatched tadpoles and masses of frog- attending can contact Dennis Casterton FNC. spawn. Because it was very shallow, Greenwell or meet at the Elliott we doubted that it would survive to Avenue entrance to the Zoo at 7.45 Please send your cheque direct to Ms allow the tadpoles to mature. The pm. Carol McKinnon, RMB1108, spawn and as many tadpoles as Casterton, 3311 by 10th October. possible were collected and The topic at the next meeting will be transferred to the dam itself. (Dennis returned the following week to retrieve Reptiles and Amphibians with guest Other accommodation: Hotels and speaker Neil Davie, President of the a net inadvertently left behind and the motels in Casterton. Phone numbers Geelong Herpetological Society. puddle was dry! A timely intervention available. Our next excursion is to Gum Flat at indeed.) No on-site vans at Casterton. Anglesea. Meet at the corner of BE EARLY. Anglesea and Forest Roads at 9.30 Having done our bit for the frog am on Sunday September 8th. population of the area, we turned our Further information: See me at attention to the area surrounding the meetings or phone 433 916. Anyone interested in joining the dam. We uncovered Southern Brown oO Biodiversity group can contact Tree Frog, a very large Spotted Marsh convener Les Barrow on 430 061 or Frog, (with very few spots and no Dennis Greenwell on 437 047. diagnostic stripe) and several m) specimens of the Common Froglet. These last took some time to identify GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 Not to be forgotten were the long LERDERDERG EXCURSION EXCURSION REPORT stretches of a rogue species of BIRD LIST shrub which covers the tracks and .. . Diana Primrose smothers the normal vegetation. . . . compiled by Barry Lingham This species proliferated after the 1983 fires and has changed the nature of the Lerderderg bush. Species seen between Report on Lerderderg Geelong and Lerderderg As we made our way down the Excursion - Gorge ridge we had some nice views August 18th 1996. across the gorge and down the Little Black Cormorant side gullies. At one point there is This was more a bush walking day White-faced Heron a birds eye view of a stretch of the than an intensive natural history Straw-necked Ibis river heading straight towards us Maned Duck exercise - weather forecast, rain, hail before taking a sharp horseshoe Wedge-tailed Eagle and snow showers. We were not bend just below, to curve around Australian Kestrel disappointed! to our lunch spot on the flat at the Silver Gull bottom of McKenzie track. The Common Bronzewing Eleven of us made the journey. We drop to the river from this view is Galah started the day in fine conditions quite precipitous. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo travelling in the mini bus through Crimson Rosella Anakie, Staughton Vale and Bacchus Twenty-three bird species were Laughing Kookaburra Marsh - a scenic run within view of seen between Geelong and the Welcome Swallow the Rowsley Scarp all the way. gorge. A highlight of the day was Richards Pipit Golden wattle Acacia pycnantha in the 30+ Flame Robins at the base Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike flower along the way. of Mt. Blackwood. Flame coloured Blackbird Our target for the day was Chadwick breasts perched on rocks, fences Flame Robin 30+ Track and Mckenzie Track, down to and scattered over the paddock as Scarlet Robin the Lerderderg River. Leaving the far as the eye could see! A Eastern Yellow Robin vehicle in Loh Lane at the base of Mt. beautiful sight. Most probably a Grey Shrike-thrush Blackwood, we made our way migrating flock which happened to Willie Wagtail through wet soggy muddy farmland pause at Mt. Blackwood the same Superb Fairy Wren to the start of the track - signified by day we did. White-browed Scrub Wren Brown Thornbill a blaze on a tree. You have to know Yellow-rumped Thornbill where to look! Another highlight of the day was Striated Thornbill the scene of our little band of Varied Sitella The track, originally well formed and walkers on the trail through a haze White-throated Treecreeper probably a main packhorse track to of pink and white heath and yellow Red Wattlebird the gold diggings (or sluicings), wattle with the snow flakes floating Yellow-faced Honeyeater follows the ridge through heathy down and settling on us. What a White-eared Honeyeater scrubby woodland, before dropping beautiful picture - and | had left my White-naped Honeyeater down to the river where vegetation is camera at home. A short time New Holland Honeyeater more “otways like”. before this a shower of hail came Eastern Spinebill Along the river... down and bounced straight off us White-fronted Chat Blackwoods Acacia melanoxylon, - So frozen it did not wet us! Striated Pardalote Hazel Pomaderris P. apetala, European Goldfinch Hop Goodenias G. ovata, An enjoyable day getting to know House Sparrow Hedge Wattle Acacia paradoxa the “Lerdy’ in all its weathers. Common Mynah (Bacchus Marsh) Swamp Bottlebrush Callistemon Australian Magpie-lark paludosus. (Note: Botanical names Australian Magpie An introduced species of broom and mentioned are what used to be - Grey Currawong gorse were also on the river flat. some have been changed - check Little Raven your updated lists) Along the ridge were beautiful 43 species in all. stretches of pink and white Common o Heath Epacris impressa, the gold of Spike Wattle Ac. oxycedrus, with a HOODED PLOVERS scatter of pink and white Silky Hakea H. sericea and the occasional stunted Silver Banksia B. marginata. | believe there is a count on the weekend of Nov 9-10. Barry Lingham will clarify this in the next issue. Oo GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 BELMONT COMMON, proposed course does not directly A WATER SPORTS COMPLEX lie across it. and that Jerringot is CLUB NOTES AND YOU! “seen as providing a significant and complementary element for ... Claire McCormick the Watersports complex as a ..- Valda Dedman wetland environment”. There are Dick Southcombe of course implications for the Valda Dedman, Dick Southcombe water table and the use of the and Trevor Pescott are looking area by Latham’s Snipe and other The Club has had two meetings with closely at the issue of Belmont birds in any development of the representatives of the City of Greater Common and its future uses. Common as well as questions of Geelong to discuss the proposed Please see the report elsewhere in salinity, pollution and the like. We International Water Sports Complex this month’s issue. feel that the real question should on Belmont Common. The Victorian be “Would a Watersports government has given a grant of Rachel Keary and Barry Lingham Complex complement the $52,500 and the Council has added have submitted our response to the Jerringot Wildlife Reserve?” thousands more dollars towards a draft recommendations of the Land Would it enhance the Belmont feasibility study. The Club was Conservation Council - Marine and Common as an area where concerned because no detailed Coastal Areas. Thank you both Geelong citizens can stroll and plans for the complex were available Rachel and Barry. relax? The area is worthy of and there had been no real protection; centrally situated and opportunity for comment. As Barry Lingham reported that there available to everyone, it is lessees of the Jerringot Wildlife are still in excess of 22 domestic common Crown land. Reserve, an integral part of the geese at Balyang Sanctuary. Common, we believed this was our Our vision is even wider. As field due. Finally, after many inquiries, Valda Dedman has offered to naturalists we understand that we found that our lease had not represent the Club on the Barwon Jerringot is part of a larger been renewed, although we had River Users Group (RUG). This environmental unit, firstly of the carried out all the terms of our lease group will meet about four times a whole of the Belmont Common, and had been involved with, and year “to provide Barwon Water with then as part of the Barwon River improved and protected the area the opportunity to remain responsive floodplain, and this in turn is linked since 1972. In 1992 the Club to customer needs and concerns.” to the total river catchment and in negotiated with the City of South We were asked to nominate one particular to the system of Barwon and the Department of person to represent both Geelong wetlands leading through Reedy Conservation and Natural Environment Council and us. Valda Lake, Hospital Lake, Lake Resources to include the wetland and Tony Woolford were interviewed Connewarre, the Barwon delta north of Golf Course Road in the by Barwon Water. They will choose and the sea. And we also see the Wildlife Reserve and a three year one person to represent both importance of the Common as an lease was drawn up. organisations. The G.E.C.and urban park, a green heart to the G.F.N.C. feel that we should both city. In our meeting with Council we were have representatives. hoping to find out more details about We have a vision for the Belmont the project. We were amazed to The Club plans to reprint the very Common, not just for Jerringot, learn that the substantial grants had successful ‘GEELONG NATURE and we are preparing a concept been made with very little GUIDE’. We have received a Grant plan to present to Council. The information about the requirements of $400.00 from Surf Coast Shire area has been dear to our hearts of- international water sports. Four Council to start the ball rolling and for a long time. We have planted straight lines drawn across an aerial we are also seeking further funding trees and shrubs there; we have photo, with no details as to size, site from other sources. built a bird hide; we have requirements, infrastructure or conducted surveys of its flora and international standards gave us no Concern has been raised as to the fauna; we have published a understanding at all as to what is continued suitability of the Small Ant brochure about it; we have held envisaged. It is impossible to Blue Butterfly as our Club emblem. bird walks there for our members, comment without sufficient - The butterfly appears to now be other environment and education knowledge. It is also a matter for extinct in this region. This is very groups, disabled persons, concern that Councillors appear to scouting groups and the general sad, as | know how hard members have been so influenced by the have worked to preserve its former public; we have provided lobbying and talking up by the habitat at the Ocean Grove Nature information and practical proponents - albeit with inadequate Reserve. Your feelings on the assistance to students. We want factual data - that general matter would be appreciated. the Common to remain accessible acceptance is assumed. This is to all and to enhance its regrettable especially as there was The final Seminar by COAST environmental values and natural no community consultation. appeal. ACTION will be held tomorrow night, Thankfully things have now Wednesday 4th September. The changed. There is now to be We need YOUR input, too. Please subject will be “Coastal Animals” and extensive community consultation. let us have all your ideas. The the speaker is Barbara Wilson. The Common, reserved in 1839, could meeting begins at 8.00 p.m. at the We have been told that it is unlikely be a jewel in the crown of Geelong West Town Hall. that “our” wetland would be Geelong. detrimentally affected, since the mj o 6 GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 SPRING IN GEELONG .... by Joe Hubbard and his special helpers The proponents of the six season cycle of nature will tell you Spring is already here. But this old conservative waits until September 1 to celebrate its coming. Whatever you believe everyone with our interests looks forward to the bounty of the next few months. And what a bounty! It is such a special time that we have asked some of our members to share with us their Spring thoughts with the usual emphasis on what and where. Valda Dedman... Valda is another fan of the Brisbane Ranges and its wattles and is looking forward to sharing this bounty with a lot of friends. She also recommends Forest Road and Gum Flat Road, Anglesea for more wattle -~ viewing. The swans at Jerringot Nature Reserve should have cygnets by now. She will check on their progress. Gordon McCarthy... Spring brings the pleasure (7?) of being awakened by the dawn Gordon feels that September brings chorus of the birds. an awakening of nature. He looks for the first orchids flowering and the And the colonies of greenhoods song of the birds and their mating everywhere. and territorial behaviours. “Yesterday, you could feel spring in the warm wind - there is something intangible about the prospect about the approach of spring - you feel it, smell it, sense it. You feel as though you have turned the corner. Every thing starts to feel better.” Gordon feels that spring starts in August when he finds the first Scented Sundew in flower. GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 7 Carleen Huggins... This marks the beginning of the spring orchids. Carleen looks out for Blunt Greenhoods, Maroonhoods and the first of the Caledenias. She likes Forest Road, Anglesea. She also will take a drive down Purnell Street, Anglesea stopping off at the Bowman Reserve where there will sure to be something of interest. At the end of this street there is a lovely walk across to the cliff tops. Trevor Pescott... The remarkable changes that occur in nature as August ticks over into © September never fail to excite - more than at any other time of the year. It is a season of awakening. Itis still too cold though to visit forests, wetlands and shores, so as a nature photographer | head out to open woodlands at the You Yangs, Inverleigh and the Brisbane Ranges. Birds have started nesting and wildflowers are in profusion. Wattlebirds, New Hollands, chats, Leila Ramsay... pardalotes and robins will be busy at their nests; and ravens, lapwings, magpies, kites and even “The burst of colour of the wattles wedgetails may already have young. makes you feel so much better - the gold against the green of the Anglesea too is worth visiting, but not yet the bush. For a variety of wattles e.g. “Otways’”. Spike, Rough, Golden, you can't do better than the Brisbane Ranges. Thompsons Road and Aeroplane Road are recommended”. (Access from south end of National Park via Switch Road or from the north via Mt Wallace Road off the Geelong- Ballan Road.) “A drive along the Geelong-Ballan Road is a treat in itself. Don’t forget the beautiful Fairy Wax-flower on the right hand side of De Motts Road, Anakie, just over Clarkes Road”. It grows roadside and spills over into private property. Joe Hubbard... | guess my first trip this Spring will be to the Brisbane Ranges and the stony, dry hillsides around the Stony Creek picnic ground (via Anakie) to look for Pink Fingers orchids. If I am lucky |w ill find growing in close proximity to each other, pink and white Pink Fingers and the lovely Blue Caladenia. Pushing my luck | will continue to the Bert Boardman Reserve at Steiglitz and take the gravel road through it towards the creek. There | will find lovely mauve-blue Waxlip Orchids backed by the yellow of Guinea Flowers. GEELONG NATURALIST Vol 32.5 2 Discussions are taking place JERRINGOT, AUGUST MEETING REPORT with Alcoa with regard to the FROGS AND SNIPE discharge of waste water of low . . Roy Whiteside ... Dennis Greenwell salt content. The EPA advises it is preferable to discharge On 7th August, Í was at the wetland onto a land area with recreated with two other members looking for habitat rather than straight into frogs. As expected, we were able to Report of illustrated talk the bay. It has suggested that find a dozen or more Spotted Marsh higher stacks would lower the entitled "Protecting Frogs under some carpet alongside fluoride level close to ground Geelong's Environment" the cycle track. They exhibited a level. given by Tony Robinson at wide variation of colour and pattern and many were very fat, which | the General Meeting held 3 The Geelong Cement concluded, was due to spawn. We on 6 August 1996. Company is shortly to produce were also able to find a single an environment improvement specimen of Ewing’s Tree Frog in the plan which has been drawn up Tony Robinson, a chemical engineer, same place. Although many by the company in conjunction is a Manager in the S.W. Region of Common Froglets could be heard with the EPA, council and local the Environment Protection calling from the edge of the swamp, residents. The main concerns Authority. He stated that the aims of we were unable to find any. being addressed are with the EPA are to monitor the quality of regard to cement dust and air, water and land and to ensure that While we were busy with our frog discharges into the river from pollution levels are kept below hunting, a rather “useful” thing the quarry operation. acceptable values. happened. A car travelling along the Barwon Heads Road, backfired. 4 The Shell Company of The EPA tries to encourage the local This had the effect of making all the Australia has a similar community to deal directly with a birds that had been peacefully going environmental improvement company whose practices are of about their business, take to the air scheme. concern. in panic. | knew that at any day, the Latham’s Snipe would be returning EPA Publications The talk was illustrated with maps from their Northern Hemisphere Catalogue and aerial photographs were shown breeding grounds and | took of the local area. particular notice of the birds in the This gives a summary of all air, to see if any Latham’s Snipe were The positions of EPA monitoring publications produced by the amongst them. However, none stations were shown at S.Geelong, EPA. With the major areas being could be seen. Corio and Point Henry. air, waste, greenhouse-effect, ozone layer, industry, policies, On 13th August, Ade Foster and | The EPA liaises with other agencies, technical guidelines. Videos are were at the Bird Hide carrying out our eg. The Catchment and Land also available. routine water testing for Barwon Protection Authority. Water. When we had completed our The talk created a great deal of tests, we decided to have a walk Water quality in this region is under interest from the audience who through the edge of the swamp to the contrel of Barwon Water in asked a wide range of questions. see if any Snipe had arrived in the conjuction with the EPA. Major concerns were expressed week since the “Frog hunting” day. with regard to discharges from the Tony stressed the importance of Shell Refinery into the atmosphere To our immense satisfaction, 15 community involvement with and Corio Bay. The major Latham’s Snipe took to the air almost companies together with the EPA concerns were the odours from at once. Although it was very and gave a number of examples: the waste water treatment plant, tempting to continue with our walk to the increased temperature of the try to discover how many more birds 1 The EPA is working with Rohm bay from cooling water and visible had arrived, we thought that they and Haas in conjunction with the smoke plumes. should be left in peace to recover community at Pt Henry in an from their long flight back to attempt to retain remnant Roy Whiteside gave a vote of Australia. vegetation. Waste water thanks to the speaker. (containing paint) had previously o (m) been discharged into a pond. The EPA advised that this practice was unacceptable. It is now planned to filter out the paint and to make use of the waste water to irrigate a rehabilitated area of remnant vegetation.

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