About us
WHO ARE WE?
Sometimes known as the Tas Field-Nats, we are comprised of both amateurs and professionals who share a common interest in the natural world. Experts in a particular topic not only pass on their knowledge to others, but find themselves learning about related aspects of their particular interest. The only requirement of members is an active interest in the natural world. The club was formed in 1904, and we are associated with other Field Naturalist Clubs throughout Tasmania and beyond.
WHAT ARE OUR AIMS?
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.
HOW DO WE MEET?
Our monthly meetings usually include a guest speaker who provides an illustrated talk on a topic of their expertise or particular interest. Question-time usually follows, and the line of inquiry usually extends to the excursion on the following Saturday or Sunday at a site relevant to the topic of the previous talk. Also at our monthly meetings, members' observations of significant sightings are raised and discussed. A report of the previous excursions is also provided. Annually a Members' night is held on which members are encouraged to participate in 'show-and-tell' or to give short Powerpoint presentations. An annual excursion to an area of the state of particular natural-history interest, held over a full weekend, allows more extensive and varied activities.
We meet on the first Thursday of each month (except January) at 7.15pm. For many years this has been in the Life Sciences building at the University of Tasmania, but UTAS cancelled all bookings from mid-2020 due to the pandemic. When meetings resumed in October 2020 (after Covid Lockdown) we met at Mathers House in Hobart Central.
From September 2021 we will be meeting at UTAS Sandy Bay Campus, but the specific venue will be advised on the Home page for each meeting.
Excursions are held on the following Saturday or Sunday. Final arrangements for excursions are arranged at the meeting and are advertised on this website.
NEW LIFE MEMBER
Dr Kevin Bonham
The May 2023 TFNC General Meeting unanimously passed a motion that life membership be awarded to Kevin Bonham.
His life membership was awarded at the June Meeting.
Kevin was on the TFNC committee continuously from 1988 to 2022 for a total of 34 years. During that time, he was:
- President 9 years;
- Vice President 17 years;
- Librarian 3 years; and
- General Committee member 5 years.
But not only has he served on our Club committee - Kevin is an expert in Australian land snails especially those from Tasmania and Victoria. He is also interested in, and skilled at identifying, Tasmanian orchids, millipedes, centipedes and some beetle groups and bristletails, as well as marine cowries. He is experienced in the ordinal sorting of invertebrates (or the determination of ranking for taxonomic purposes) and is an Honorary Curator at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.
We have also enjoyed listening to his interviews and reading his blog during the lead-up to elections in his side hustle as a psephologist - a political analyst who specialises in the "quantitative analysis of elections and balloting”.
Within the Club, Kevin has always been very generous in sharing his expertise and knowledge on outings and in Club talks. He is an expert on the TFNC Club Rules and remains the go-to person whenever clarification is required.
We thank Kevin for his enormous contribution, leadership, and look forward to his ongoing commitment to the Club.
OUR LIFE MEMBERS
From time to time the Club acknowledges exceptional service of a member by awarding a life membership. The Club rules state 'That at no time shall the roll of honorary life members exceed 8.'
1927: L Rodway 1940: EA Elliot 1941: Mrs L Rodway
1942: GL Propsting 1945: EW Cruikshank 1948: H Sargison
1952: RS Ellis, MSR Sharland, HG Vaughan
1954: CH Elliot 1960: RC Harvey 1965: AB Brownell
1969: Mrs CH Elliot and Mrs FI Green 1977: Jesse Luckman
1978: HK Aves 1979: LE Wall 1981: M Westbrook
1983: AM Hewer 1985: Marjorie Wall 1988: Gerard Van Munster
2008: Barbara Greenstreet, Julia Scott and Isa Hurburgh
2016: Don Hird, Priscilla Park and David Ratkowsky
2020: Janet Fenton
2021: Genevieve Gates
PAST MEETING VENUES
Past meeting venues have included Lecture Theatre 1 of the Life Sciences Building at UTAS and rooms at the Tasmanian Museum, CSIRO, a church and the Masonic Hall.
There is a full list of past venues and dates here.
PAST OFFICE BEARERS
Here is a list of past office bearers, 1904-2022
Search Tools (pdfs)
TFNC Organisation and events 1904 onwards
TFNC Conservation Matters, Fauna and Flora Observations 1937 to 1999
TFNC Conservation Matters, Fauna and Flora Observations 2000 onwards
TFNC Excursion & Camps 1904-1999 l TFNC Excursions & Camps 2000 0nwards
TFNC Speakers and Topics 1907- March 2023