Join us to

celebrate the first year of Atlas Naturalists

and to help plan how we proceed for 2020

Thursday 12th December, Tathra

Tathra Community Hall, 5pm start

The Atlas of Life Annual General Meeting will be held from 5-6pm, followed by a short Atlas Nats planning meeting. Everyone is encouraged to come along. The Hall is just across the road from the Tathra Hotel.

Tathra Hotel, from 6:30pm

Join us as we celebrate 2019 with an informal gathering on the scenic deck of the Tathra Hotel (buy your own drinks and food).

ATLAS NATURALISTS MARINE FIELD DAY

‘offrandes de la mer’

(offerings of the sea)

Saturday 7th December
from 9:30 to around 3pm

Celebrate the arrival of Summer with a day at the beach. Join us as we explore the waters, rockpools and ocean shores around Bermagui. This is a day for everyone … including those keen to get their feet wet.

9:30 - 10:45am: Exploration of the Bruce Steer Pool – a sheltered, shallow enclosure just inside the river entrance. Wade around the edges and investigate marine life on the rocks and in the sandy shallow. Bring a face mask and venture into the deeper sections. Or stay dry and try some fish spotting from atop the breakwater.

11am – 2/3pm: ‘Keyholes, elephants and ramshorns’. We’ll meet Alan Scrymgeour at the Camel Rock carpark, just north of Bermagui and search the beach for marine offerings. As the tide drops we’ll head out onto the rock platforms, where the intertidal zone is at its richest. Afterwards, back on the beach, Alan will discuss what we’ve found … and probably uncover more than any of us even thought to look for!

Huge thanks to Alan Scrymgeour, Lyn Scrymgeour and Liz Allen for organising the day.

Where to meet: sign on at 9:30am at the Bruce Steer Pool, Bermagui. (Alternatively, join us for the beach ramble only – sign on at 11am at the Camel Rock carpark.)

What to bring:

• enclosed footwear with a suitable soles (for walking on the jagged rocks of the rock platforms)

• sunsmart clothing, including hat and long sleeves

• lunch and drinking water

• water shoes, such as beach sandals or booties (for wading in the shallows) - optional

• swimming and snorkelling gear, if that is your thing - optional, of course

• camera, with suitable protection from sand and water - optional

• a garden sieve if you have one (to sort through the micro beach wash-up with Alan) - optional

• and a friend - entirely optional, but no dogs please!

before or after: drop by the Bluepool. The Blue Pool at Bermagui is an ocean swimming pool famous for much more than swimming. It’s like an open air aquarium. Take a look from the sides or take a dip. It’s well worth it. (please note that this is an independent activity, outside the planned activities for the day)

The images above are just a small selection from our local records on NatureMapr … take an extended tour of marine invertebrates here

ATLAS NATURALISTS presentations

Saturday 9th November, 2019 2-5 pm

Tura Marrang Library, Tura Beach

Plant-animal interactions are fundamental to ecological systems. They are at the heart of carbon-cycling and they drive the evolution of species diversity.

Everyone is welcome to join us for this special two-part presentation and discussion. Norm Morrison with help us better understand plant pollination and Roger Farrow will introduce us to the lives of insectivorous plants.

Pollination with Norm Morrison

Perhaps one of the most notable plant-animal interactions is pollination. Norm Morrison will discuss pollination systems and the animals involved.

Norm Morrison is an experienced naturalist with a background in botany. Norm taught a U3A course which included pollination as a major topic. He will draw on this experience to present what is sure to be an engaging and informative talk.

Insectivorous Plants with Roger Farrow

Insects are not always the winners. Some flowers fool their insect visitors, wasting their time without reward. Some plants take this a step further, trapping and consuming the insects body! Roger Farrow will take us on a journey into the macabre yet fascinating lives of insectivorous plants.

Roger Farrow is an ecologist with many years of research experience. He has investigated locust biology, insect migrations and plant-feeding insects. And he is the author of Insects of South-eastern Australia: an ecological and behavioural guide (more info).

Have you made an interesting observation lately? You may even have a photo or two. Bring them along and we can help you identify what you have seen.

Everyone is most welcome to join us, so please share this information with interested friends.

Atlas Naturalists presentation

Saturday, 5th October

2pm - 4pm

Tura - Marrang Library, Tura Beach

Soils are fundamental to ecological systems. They influence the vegetation types which in turn determine the insects and animals that live there. And to really understand soils we need to think about rocks and their origins.

Mick Harewood has kindly offered to share what he has learned of the geology in our region. Mick’s knowledge derives from his interest in hydrology, soils, and fluvial geomorphology.

To help with us with our planning, please register for this event (button below).

Everyone is welcome to join us for this event, so feel free to share this information with interested friends.

Some geological sites of interest

Rather than an organised field trip, Mick has suggested that people simply look out for the following features as they travel about our local region. He will be discussing these soils and their formation during his presentation.

Pambula River mouth and Rotary Park = red Merimbula metamorphosed mudstone visible

Yellow Pinch cuttings along Princes Hwy = Devonian or Silurian metamorphic strata

Nethercote = Basalt visible just south of the hall, on the right, and volcanic soils

Roadside cuttings on the road back to Eden from Nethercote = Ordovicien metasediments

To see the granite of the Bega batholithe, one only has to drive around the Bega Valley. The poorer Adamalite granite further south is visible at Allen Brook Road (off the Imlay Road) and further west in Yambulla State Forest.

Rhyolite can be seen (with some difficulty of access) at the Nethercote falls or at the access road to the Navy wharf near Edrom. It is also underlying Bournda Nature Reserve, but with few road cuttings is not easily viewed.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Paul Whitington (Atlas Naturalists coordinator) on 0459 315132 or Kerri-Lee Harris 0467 966553

FULLY BOOKED

Very sorry to disappoint, but bookings have now reached the room capacity.

Atlas Naturalists Workshop

Saturday, 21st September

2pm - 5pm

How much do you know about native orchids? Would you recognise a Greenhood or know where to look for a Flying Duck? Did you know that there are about 140 distinct species in our region? And have you ever wondered what’s involved in accurate species identification?

David Jones has generously offered to share his knowledge of orchids through a special presentation at this Atlas Naturalists workshop. You can even bring along your own orchid photos for identification and discussion.

David Jones is well known for his research into orchid diversity and has contributed to many projects and publications. His expertise includes species identification, pollination and propagation. He has been directly involved in the recognition and identification of many new species of Australian orchids. We are very fortunate to have David and Barbara Jones as active members of the Atlas of Life community.

Everyone is welcome to join us for this special workshop, so feel free to share this information with interested friends.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact Paul Whitington (Atlas Naturalists coordinator) on 0459 315132 or Kerri-Lee Harris 0467 966553

Atlas Naturalists Field Day

rescheduled to Sunday, 15th September, 2019

Wild weather forced us to cancel the original planned walk ( 8th Sept), so we’ve rescheduled for Sunday 15th.

Update 6:30 pm Friday: The weather forecast for Sunday is OK, so the walk is on!

A bit of wind, but nothing too strong. Bring a jacket, bring your lunch, and join us as we explore the coastal heath. Full details below.

Early Spring seems a good time to explore the special vegetation communities of the South Coast Heaths.

The low-growing shrubs, forbs and sedges should be starting to flower. There may even be an orchid or two! Whales, seals and seabirds are almost guaranteed. Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters – specialists of the coastal heath – should be making their song-flights as they contest territories. And if we’re very, very lucky, we may even spot a Southern Emu Wren or Eastern Ground Parrot!

Join us as we wander the track northwards from Green Cape.

Place: Green Cape, Ben Boyd National Park

We’ll meet up at Green Cape Lighthouse car park at 10am. From there the walking track heads north through Melaleuca scrub and then out onto the more exposed heath.

Please consider car-sharing. The road is currently in excellent condition, readily accessible for 2WD vehicles.

Turn off the Pacific Highway onto Edrom Road. Follow the signs for Green Cape Lighthouse. Allow plenty of time for the drive in - it takes about 30mins from the highway.

Time: 10am - 3pm

We’ll explore a 3 km stretch of the Light-to-Light walking track (up to the Pulpit Road track intersection). Of course, you can choose how fast and how far you walk before turning back. The actual heath vegetation starts 1.3 km along the track. Some people may decide to stay around the lighthouse point, bird watching or exploring the vegetation along the roadsides or on the southern side of the point at City Rock.

What to bring

• lunch and water (to carry on the walk)

• appropriate clothing and footwear (long trousers, covered shoes, wind jacket)

• cash for National Park vehicle entry fee ($8 per vehicle). Annual permit holders are, of course, exempt.

• cameras, binoculars, notebook (all optional)

• a friend, if you like (but no dogs)

Activities

We’ll compile species lists for the day. You can help by taking photos or notes of your sightings. In particular:

• plants in flower

• orchids, in particular

• birds, including seabirds around the point

• insects, particularly those seen visiting flowers

• reptiles - it’s a good time of year for snakes!

Or simply join us as we explore this natural place. It’s a narrow walking track, so we’ll be spread out. Plenty of opportunities for people to focus on their own particular interests.

The NatureMapr database has a ‘Maps’ feature that allows you to view all sightings for a particular area. You can filter by birds, plants, insects … whatever category you like.

If you have any questions, please contact Paul Whitington (Atlas Naturalists coordinator): 0459 315132

Read more about South Coast Heaths (OEH website) vegetation community.

Atlas Naturalists Field Day

The Goodenia Rainforest Walk lies within South East Forests National Park. Tall old-growth eucalypts shelter a patch of warm temperate rainforest.

Jackie Miles and other plant ecologists will help us learn more about the plants that comprise this special ecosystem. We’ll also be on the lookout for fungi, and will take advantage of Teresa’s knowledge to help record and identify those we find.

Goodenia Rainforest picnic area (images from NSW National Parks website )

The walking track
The track is rated as ‘Grade 4’. It is quite steep, with steps and some obstacles in places. Some people might complete the full walk (1.2 km return), while others descend just a short distance before returning to the picnic ground … which in itself is a good place for bird watching and simply enjoying the view of the surrounding, lush forest.

Date: Sunday 7th July, from 9:30am (for car sharing)

Location: We will meet at Goodenia Rainforest (GR) picnic area at 10am. However, there is very limited parking, so we need to car share.

1: Meeting place for car share. Please meet us at 9:30am in Pambula (at the carpark, behind the shops, near the Community Garden - Bennett Lane). From there we can car share for the 30 minute drive to GR.

2: Directions for drivers. Turn right into Mount Darragh Road (just after Pambula). Drive for about 15 minutes and then turn right onto Chalk Hills Road (note: you will pass a turn off to Wolumla Peak. Ignore this. The Chalk Hills Road is about 2km further west. It is 12.8km from Pambula Shopping Centre). Follow the road to Goodenia Rainforest walk (ignore other, unsigned side roads). Unsealed, 2WD access road, recently graded and in good condition. view in Google Maps

What to bring:

• Please wear long pants and good walking shoes. The track may be slippery in places, particular after rain. Also bring a jacket. We’ll be at about 450m altitude, in July, in a shady forest … it may be chilly.

• Food and drink, which can be left in your vehicle as we’ll meet back at the picnic area for lunch.

• An LED torch can be useful for spotting tiny fungi in dark places - optional

• A hand rake and gardening gloves if you would like to join Teresa in a truffle search - optional

• Camera, binoculars (for birds or tree-tops) - optional

• A friend … visitors or other people new to Atlas Naturalists are most welcome to join us.

• No money needed. Access to this National Park picnic area and walk is free … and Atlas Nats events are always free of charge.

No need to RSVP. However, if you have any questions, at any time, please contact us:
Paul Whitington 0459 315132 (pmwhitington@gmail.com)
Kerri-Lee Harris 0467 966553 (kerrilee.harris@gmail.com)

We also welcome members of the National Parks Association to this combined Atlas Naturalists - NPA event.

This special workshop features a presentation on fungi, and a planning meeting to help shape Atlas Naturalists. For this reason, we have put together a rough agenda:

4pm - 5pm general discussions and discovery

Bring along any photos or interesting finds – including fungi! Take advantage of the resources, and people, on hand to help with identification. Also learn how to get the most from the Atlas of Life NatureMapr database. Get practical advice and one-to-one assistance from other NatureMapr users.

5pm - 6pm special presentation: The Wonders of Fungi (by Teresa)

Teresa has developed a wealth of experience and knowledge through many years of careful study of our local fungi and slime moulds. She has kindly agreed to give a talk and presentation, and to share her insights and enthusiasm for ‘all things fungi’.

from about 6pm Atlas Naturalists planning meeting

Now that Atlas Naturalists is up and running, we would like to discuss how best to refine and develop it further.

7pm close

It is perfectly fine to arrive late or to leave early. Atlas Nats events are flexible and informal. We understand that people have many commitments, including travel, and invite you to participate in any way that works for you.

This small patch of rainforest is truly a fungi hot spot. Fungi play a vital role in the ecosystem of the rainforest, yet for much of the year they remain hidden from sight. But this changes in Autumn, as many species suddenly make their presence known. Mushrooms of various kinds, and the extraordinarily beautiful, incredibly tiny, myxomycetes (‘slime moulds’).

The casual observer would probably overlook most of the fungi on show.

We are very lucky to have Teresa and John to guide us. They are experienced amateur mycologists with a deep knowledge of this patch of forest, developed over many years of careful observation and study. They will explain the range of fungi - and slime moulds - growing among the leaf litter and fallen logs of the forest floor.

Please join us at 10am in the carpark for the Box Cutting Rainforest Walk (at Kianga, between Narooma and Dalmeny … click here for map details)

Please wear closed shoes and long pants, and bring a backpack lunch. An LED torch may also be useful – some of the tiny fungi in dark crevices are among the most beautiful.

Wondering what all the fuss is about ‘slime mould’? Take a look at these! Tiny, briefly ‘fruiting’, but fantastic: click here to see species list on NatureMapr

This Workshop will include:

• waterbug investigation. Following on from the survey of aquatic invertebrates at the Bemboka Creek Field Day, we’ll take a closer look at waterbugs under the microscope. We’ll collect a couple of samples on the morning of the Workshop. Perhaps bring along a sample from your own dam or nearby creek.

• general species identification. Bring along your mystery photos or collections, and take advantage of the field guide – and fellow naturalists! - to help in their identification.

• NatureMapr advice session. Whether you’re unfamiliar with NatureMapr, or an experienced user, pick up a few tips on how to get the most out of the database.

We’ll meet at the Bemboka River Reserve carpark, before exploring the native grassland, creek and rivers of this open woodland.

The Bemboka River Reserve is an excellent example of Lowland Grassy Woodland, a Threatened ecological community. It is cared for by the Bemboka Landcare group.

Join us at Tura Murrang Library, Tura Beach. Bring along any images, collections or resources you would like to work with.

Meet at Wajurda Point Carpark at 10am

We’ll explore the forest trails, Nelson beach and shores of Nelson Creek/Estuary.

We will kick off with a brief session on photography: how to get close to the subject; what to photograph; how to get the most from your camera. There will be plenty of time to practise this as we explore the various environments at Nelson Beach. 

During our explorations, we encourage you to look for whatever animals, birds or plants interest you. Alert others to what you see, discuss the observations you make, and photograph your sightings (if possible).

You’ll be free to wander independently or in groups. Some people may be most interested in the bush, while others choose to explore the beach or estuary. Some people will choose to wander constantly, others will sit quietly, watch and wait. The choice is yours. We’ll regroup for a lunch break, and a chance to compare notes.

what to bring

• your camera*, and perhaps a small notebook to record additional information about your sightings (memory alone can be a bit unreliable)

• your lunch and drinks, including a water bottle you can carry with you (there is no drinking water available within the Park)

• a folding chair or something else to sit on. There is no seating in the Park, and having a chair off the ground will make the lunch break more comfortable. Chairs and other lunch gear can be left with your car until needed … you won’t need to lug it around.

• binoculars can be handy (and not just for birds)

• a friend. If you know someone who is interested in coming along, but who hasn’t officially ‘joined’ Atlas Naturalists, that’s just fine! There will be a sign-on sheet available, and so long as they attend the preliminary briefing at 10am, they are most welcome.

• anything else you like (except your dog … this is a national park)

Note: there are toilets at both carparks

what to wear

• long trousers and comfortable, solid shoes are advisable. Although the tracks are quite level and open, the area is natural bushland and forest - with all the wildlife and scratchy things that go with that.

• ‘wet’ shoes if you are interested in wading around in the lagoon.

• hat and sunscreen too, of course.

finish time

We’ll end the day at 3pm. However, if you need to leave earlier that’s fine – simply let us know.

Location of Wajurda Point and Nelson Beach

* cameras are optional, but we expect that most people will be recording their sightings for later identification and uploading to the database. We imagine that there will be a wide variety of cameras in use, from mobile phones, through small fixed lens cameras, to larger SLRs with interchangeable lenses. All are welcome!

** if you wish to swim, that’s fine, but you do so at your own risk (our insurance won’t cover you). Please take care. This is a remote beach and waterway.

Tathra Hotel (see Tathra Hotel website for further venue details)