Biodiversity Group
(currently in recess due to lack of numbers attending meetings)
Enthusiastic members needed to revive the group!
Our excursions are to areas of interest around Geelong and are held regularly throughout the year. These usually take the form of a walk through interesting areas of bushland, coastal dunes and cliff-tops, beaches, swamps and wetlands. Interesting specimens are caught, examined and discussed, some are released, some are taken for further research and reported on at our monthly workshop meetings.
The meetings
are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Each meeting has a topic with the
majority of specimens relating to that topic (see the Program for upcoming
topics). However, a sometimes surprising, (and always fascinating) number of
'strays' make it to each meeting. Specimens are tabled for identification,
discussion and dissection. There are always plenty of specimens from a very wide
range of families and sources. Microscopes and research books are unearthed,
(the GFNC has a very good natural history library) and lively discussion is
guaranteed.
Topics are as varied as the members, and those from recent meetings have included
Members also contribute regularly to the Geelong Naturalist, the monthly magazine of the GFNC. Some of these interesting articles can be found on the Publications page of this site.
WHERE CAN YOU SEE GEELONG'S BIODIVERSITY
The short answer is ... Just about anywhere, depending on what you are looking
for! Try these, or just wander about and observe.
Anakie Gorge
A walk along the gorge in any season is a must. The track from the Lower picnic
ground to the Stony Creek picnic ground is graded and easy going, but provides a
wealth of animal life. Koalas are commonly seen here, and, if you are lucky you
may see echidnas. There are several very interesting frogs in the Gorge,
including Bibron's toadlet, and it is rich in insect and arachnid fauna.
Melway Ref: 511 - E3
The Bluff - Barwon Heads
Take a drive to Barwon Heads, 21 km SE of Geelong. Take the road through the
camping ground to the Point Flinders (The Bluff) Lookout car park
and then down to the rocks. A broad ledge is exposed as the waters recede with
the falling tide, and a fabulously diverse collection of marine life awaits you.
If you roll over a rock to look beneath it, don't forget to roll it back.
Map
Ref: E: 2815 / N:57589
A great place for birds and plants, Inverleigh common is an outstanding
Biodiversity hotspot, too. Sugar-gliders, ring-tailed and Brush-tailed possums
inhabit the trees, frogs and invertebrates in the water-holes. Many fungi,
including the very interesting Vegetable fungus, Cordiceps gunnii, moths,
beetles, spiders and much more make this a must visit area close to Geelong.
Melway
Ref: 511 - C6
Barwon River
The Barwon runs through Geelong and many different habitats. At Pollocksford, (511
- D7) you can nearly always see platypus, Buckley's Falls
(E:2639 / N:57738) provides good hunting
grounds for reptiles and native fish, or a walk along the many kilometres of
urban walking tracks extending from Fyansford to the Breakwater, will reveal
many fungi and insects, frogs, water rats and much more.
Summer in Geelong and District
Summer time is the time of the insects. Not just the flies
and mosquitoes that ruin everyone's summer BBQ, but moths, beetles, bugs,
lacewings and weevils. The numbers are astronomical and the best thing is you
don't have to go far, or even look hard to find a great number. Try your
backyard and have a careful look at flowers, under bark and bricks, behind the
leaves or around the lights at night. Don't just bat them away and shudder, take
the time to catch a couple and marvel at the variety of shape, colour, and the
beauty of design.
Contact us if you want to know more about us, our meetings or excursions.
Page last modified 09/10/2004