Aprils outing with the Field Naturalists of Tasmania took us back to New Town Falls. The family and I were up there not that long ago, so I won’t go into detail about the logistics of the walk and where it is and all that stuff. If you are interested you can go and read about it here – New Town falls | Sun and Thunder

As you may, or may not know, I have been involved with the Field Naturalists of Tasmania for a few years now. On the first Thursday of each month we meet up at the University of Tasmania and have our monthly meeting, which consists of a someone giving a presentation about something to do with the natural world, discussion on any interesting things anyone has spotted over the month, and finishing with tea and biscuits in the tea room. The following weekend we all meet up and go on a wander somewhere. Generally the location for the walk is chosen to reflect the corresponding talk from the Thursday. Past talks have been on things such as conservation projects, insects of Tasmania, the work of the Seed Bank at the RTBG, lichens, biosecurity, history of Peter Murrell Reserve, Kakapo’s of New Zealand and more.

On the surface, this monthly get together might sound a little bit ‘old fashioned’. I’ve quite often tried to convince people I study with to come along and mostly they aren’t interested… Perhaps I don’t market it well enough, or maybe they really just aren’t into the natural world so much.

Let’s say you are someone between the age of 1 and 120. You like to hang out in the bush or at the beach. You are interested in bugs, plants, fungi, birds, animals, rocks, the weather, snails, moss, rivers, photography or all of the above and more. Maybe you are studying botany, geology, zoology, ecology or something similar. Maybe you just like hanging out with people. Maybe you are just interested in things, and like to explore and learn stuff. Perhaps you are looking for something different to do, something that isn’t boring and something that doesn’t empty your wallet within five minutes. Tasmanian field Naturalists Club, there is your answer. Everyone is welcome.

Granted, I am super into botany, natural history and everything remotely similar. So much so that I finish my degree at the end of the year and will then embark on trying to make a career based on it. So perhaps that makes me biased, but even so. How could you not jump at the chance to spend a day a month walking in the bush with a wealth of experts and people who are passionate about the world. We have fungi experts, snail experts, bird experts, moss experts, wildlife carers, photographers, ecologist, mammal experts and the list goes on. Professional and amateur alike. All different walks of life. All with something new and different to bring. Also a good excuse to just go out and visit places you don’t usually walk or learn about something you have never even thought about!

The Tasmanian Field Naturalists club has been around since 1904 and has contributed greatly to the knowledge bank of the Tasmanian flora and fauna. They are responsible for publishing  some fantastic field guides, which a lot of you probably use or own, the latest being the second edition of ‘A Field Guide to Tasmanian Fungi’ by Genevieve Gates and David Ratkowsky. ‘The Tasmanian Naturalist’ is also published annually which contains a collection of articles and papers that have been submitted throughout the year.

I could go on and on about the benefits of joining up (which is only $30 a year). I think you should just come along to a few talks and outings and see for yourself. Everyone is so friendly and relaxed and it really is a wonderful institution which we need to keep going! The other thing worth mentioning is that you don’t need to be some crazy fit bushwalker, we usually crawl along at snails pace…

I have gotten so much out of being a part of the Field Nats. I’ve met some amazing people who have become good friends and I go exploring with outside of the normal Field Nats outings. I am constantly discovering new things and being amazed at critters I have never heard of and introduced to things I would have never have thought about.

Their website is http://www.tasfieldnats.org.au go and have a look, tell your friends and your family. If you want to know more, or are keen to come along, just drop me a message.

Next meeting is the 3rd of May, and it is definitely one to come along to. Peter Fehre will be giving us all a run down on the orchids of Tasmania. For those who are already into the orchids, Peter Fehre will be a name you recognise. Peter has an amazing wealth of knowledge on all things orchid, and if you have ever come across him on the Facebook page, you will know how forthcoming he is with sharing all he knows. Be there. 7.15pm at the Life Sciences lecture theatre at UTAS.

I have written about the Field Nats before back in 2015 in the post Naturising with Naturalists

Instead of a write up about the last outing, here it is in photos…