Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club Inc.

2023 Program

 General Meeting Thursday 1st. June

Dr Jim Lovell will present Fantastic beasts and where to hear them - bioacoustics in Tasmania.

Single-microphone bio-acoustic recorders have limitations, especially when it comes to counting and identifying individuals, and studying behaviour and movement. Jim has been using his background in astrophysics to develop a bio-acoustic recorder using a 4-microphone prototype system to determine the original locations of the sounds resulting in improved tracking of individuals and their interactions. He’ll also give an overview of the CallTrackers citizen science project which is using bio-acoustic recorders to find and monitor threatened bird species in Tasmania and in which Field Nats members can participate.

Dr Kevin Bonham Life membership

At May’s General meeting, Dr Kevin Bonham was unanimously voted in as our latest life member. At this meeting we will have the pleasure of formally presenting to him his well-deserved life membership.

The meeting starts at 7.30pm in the Law Building, UTAS, Sandy Bay. (see map and directions below.)

 Excursion to Pelverata Falls, 10 am, Saturday 3rd. June

Pelverata Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in Tasmania (114 m). The Pelverata Falls Track starts about 50 minutes’ drive from Hobart. Take the Huon Highway, turn left into Sandfly Road at Sandfly and almost immediately turn right into Pelverata Road. When you reach Pelverata, turn left just after the Pelverata Memorial Hall into Crosswells Road and the car park is reached after about 600 m.
The track to the Pelverata Falls lookout is 5.2 km return. For the first 20-25 mins walk, it follows vehicular tracks through forest and then becomes narrower and undulating. Near the falls, the track goes across some screes of small rocks.

Covid Safety

TFNC follows the Tasmanian Government’s latest safety guidelines which can be found at Coronavirus (COVID-19) | Tasmanian Department of Health . Cancellation of events or new restrictions due to government advice will be posted on the TFNC website and an email will be sent to all members.

Non-members can now attend general meetings and excursions.

It is each member’s responsibility not to put others at risk. If you are unwell or have flu like symptoms, please get tested and stay at home.

Masks must be worn at meetings (speakers excepted). On arrival at meetings and excursions, please sign in on the TFNC attendance list to record your name and phone number and also use the hand sanitiser. Please socially distance at the required spacing.

TFNC excursion guidelines, including use of car sharing, are available from https://tasfieldnats.org.au/data/documents/2020-TFNC-Excursion-Guidelines-final.pdf .

 A little bit about us

Our members are both professional and amateur naturalists who share a common interest in the natural world.

We encourage the study of all aspects of natural history and advocate the conservation of our natural heritage. Our journal, The Tasmanian Naturalist, is issued annually and our quarterly information Bulletin covers forthcoming activities. 

The club was formed in 1904, and we are associated with other Field Naturalist Clubs throughout Tasmania and beyond.

Our monthly meetings usually include a guest speaker who presents an illustrated talk on a topic of their particular interest or expertise. Members also contribute and discuss their recent observations of nature. An excursion on the following weekend visits a site, usually in Southern Tasmania, and usually related to the topic of the presentation.

From October 2021 meetings are being held at University’s Sandy Bay campus Law Building Seminar Room (Room 132), located off Grosvenor Crescent near the University sports grounds. The entrance is located off the laneway on the northern side of the building.

Here is a map of the venue and instructions to access

CONTACT US

There is more about us here              website enquiries: web.master@tasfieldnats.org.au