Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc.

08/09/2026

September Speaker: Jack Airey – President’s address. "Top End"

Have you been to The Top End of Australia? This talk is not to be missed. Jack was lucky enough to spend some time in the Darwin, Kakadu area. He will show us many of the birds, flowers, scenery and more.
Even if you have been, it will be a great reminder of what you may have seen yourself.
Hope to see you there.

All visitors are welcome to come along. No charge.
7.30 p.m, at Ringwood East Senior Citizens Club, 2 – 8 Laurence Ave, Ringwood East

01/09/2026

The first day of spring is 'National Wattle Day'. ( Acacias). Some of these photos are Victorian local wattles and some may be from other states growing in gardens.
They are gorgeous to look at.
Although the national floral emblem of Australia is a particular species, named the 'golden wattle' (Acacia pycnantha), any acacia can celebrate the day.
Already the usual uneducated are referring to wattles as hay fever producers and this of course is not true. (if unsure have a test to see if this is your problem or is it the Rye and Barley grasses that flower at the same time). Every year I think the wattles are 'the best I've ever seen', but really, they are wonderful every year.
Even if you have a small suburban block, you can still find a wattle that will suit your space. Visit your local nursery to find which might work for you in your garden.
The taller varieties are looking stunning along the country highways especially the Western Highway, Calder and Hume. A recent trip to Yarrawonga had soooo many wattles blooming. How lovely. What a way to brighten up your long trips.
Photos Alison R

14/08/2026

Victoria is having a mushroom moment.
Have you noticed fungi popping up in parks, gardens, school grounds and bushland across Victoria?
Nature's recyclers are putting on a spectacular show right now, making this the perfect time to learn more about the fascinating world of fungi.
Our beautifully illustrated Common Fungi Archive Poster helps children and adults identify and appreciate some of Australia's most intriguing fungi species. Ideal for classrooms, homes, nature centres and curious explorers.

13/08/2026

Thousands of little penguins from Phillip Island will be herded into a pen to receive a bird flu vaccine as cases of H5N1 continue to climb in Australia.
Victorian authorities said it would be the largest vaccination of wild birds globally.

11/08/2026

Dr Emily Gregg will be giving our group a talk this Wednesday 12th August with the title: ‘Conservation is a people problem – and everyday actions still matter’.
Emily is an Adjunct Industry Fellow at RMIT University.
She is an ecologist turned conservation social scientist, passionate about engaging individuals and communities with nature and empowering them to take meaningful action for biodiversity.
She'll share her journey from chasing bilbies through the red sand in South Australia to facilitating behaviour change in Naarm/Melbourne, and explore the challenges and opportunities of engaging individuals with biodiversity, from lack of awareness to perceived social relevance.
You'll walk away with practical everyday actions for nature, and a better understanding of how to bring your own community along for the ride.

All visitors are welcome to come along. No charge.
7.30 p.m, at Ringwood East Senior Citizens Club, 2 – 8 Laurence Ave, Ringwood East

07/07/2026

Wednesday 8th July. We have a member's night. All members are asked to bring along 5 images each which depict COLOURS IN NATURE. We wonder what we will see. It is sure to be a great night.
Supper afterwards.
All visitors welcome. No charge.
7.30 p.m, at Ringwood East Senior Citizens Club, 2 – 8 Laurence Ave, Ringwood East

26/06/2026

15/06/2026

🌿 Cold Breakfast, Great Fungi at Sherbrooke! 🍄

Twelve of our eager Ringwood Field Naturalists Club members gathered at O'Donohue's Picnic Ground on a dark and chilly 7am Sunday morning for our "Breakfast with the Birds" excursion. A broken BBQ meant a frosty start with a cold breakfast, but the spectacular Sherbrooke Forest quickly warmed us up!

As we walked down to Sherbrooke Falls, the forest came alive. We were treated to the magical soundtrack of Superb Lyrebirds calling through the damp morning air, alongside the vibrant flashes of King Parrots, Crimson Rosellas, and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos screeching overhead.

Down on the forest floor, the damp conditions brought out some stunning fungi, including the brilliant, tiny blue Pixie’s Parasol (Mycena interrupta). Everywhere we looked there seemed to be a different kind of fungus! Before the tracks got busy with weekend joggers, we wrapped up our morning with a bird call back at the car park, and while it wasn't a long list - only 15 species - we did have some great views of Eastern Yellow Robins which were a highlight.

(Photo IDs are best guesses - fungi aren't the easiest to identify)

14/06/2026

Recently Ringwood Field Naturalist Club helped out with a Planting Day with Maroondah Council. This is an annual working bee for us. Although a cold and rainy day we managed to plant hundreds of plants in two different locations.
With the recent rain we have been having, we hope they have settled in nicely.

12/06/2026

Recently the Ringwood Field Naturalist Club had a weekday excursion to Wicks Reserve. The weather wasn’t special with gusty winds blowing the stringy bark gum trees around. We had a good turnup of members wanting to look at this Reserve that many hadn’t seen before. Our Leaders Sandra and Don lead us through the heathlands and bushy areas. The swamp areas didn’t have any water in them. There wasn’t much in flower but Victoria's floral emblem the Common Heath was in full flower. Both the white and pink forms.
We were serenaded by kookaburras, currawongs, parrots and cockatoos. Probably due to the weather we only saw 16 species of birds. The smaller birds, grey fantails, eastern yellow robins and blue wrens were a delight to see.
One of the main attractions was the amount of fungi species seen. Certainly a special place to see those. All sizes, colours and types for us to ponder over.

This area has toilets, picnic tables, shelters, bbqs and is an ‘on leash’ dog reserve. The dog droppings were many and you needed to keep your eyes on the ground which is a great shame.

Purple fungi - Cortinarius archeri
Photos Graham Ellis