Executive 2015

President

Pat McPherson (03)5152 2614

patricia.mcpherson@bigpond.com

Vice President

Lindsay Simmons (03)5156 4771

elise.walker6@bigpond.com

Secretary (under the Act)

Pat McPherson (03)5152 2614

Treasurer

Margaret Regan (03)5156 2541

marg.regan41@gmail.com

Ordinary members and

Coordinators

Clerical Duties/Club Enquiries

Fran Bright (03)5152 2008

franjohnbright@bigpond.com

Botanic Group

James Turner (03)5155 1258

jturner.kw@gmail.com

Bushwalking Group

Noel Williamson (03)5152 1737

nwilliamson_7@hotmail.com

Newsletter Editor/ Website

Manager

Pauline Stewart (03)5152 1606

happycats@eastvic.net

Librarian

Dianne Laws (03)5152 1768

di.laws@hotmail.com

The Clematis

The Quarterly Newsletter of the Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc. A0006074C

www.bairnsdalefieldnaturalists.com.au

Issue No. 102 Summer 2014/15

Maroon Leek –orchid (Prasophyllum frenchii) see article on page 12

Photo by Fran Bright

SUBSCRIPTION FEES 2014/15

Single membership $30

Family membership $45

Mid-year fee (new members only) $15

www.bairnsdalefieldnaturalists.com.au

MEETINGS

General meetings take place at:

The Noweyung Centre,

84 Goold Street, Bairnsdale

as per program at 7.30pm sharp

Committee meetings take place at:

members homes as per

program at 4.00pm

THE CLEMATIS Responsibility for the accuracy of information

and opinions expressed in this newsletter

rests with the author of the article.

All articles for the autumn Clematis must be

sent to the Newsletter Editor by March 1st 2015.

Issue The Clematis99 Pa Page 2

RULES TO OBSERVE DURING FIELD TRIPS

1. Excursions are cancelled on days of

TOTAL FIRE BAN.

2. Participants to keep a visual on the car

in front and behind.

3. When making a turn, give signal, and

stay at intersection until following car

has also turned.

4. If separated from other cars, stop, and

stay with your car.

Other members will return to find you.

5. The Car Pooling Cost Calculator is used

to assist drivers and car pool passengers

to share fuel costs.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS

Walks vary in distance from 6 to 14 km.

Easy: Flat, good firm track. Moderately easy: Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition. Mod: May be undulating, track in good to fair condition. Mod. Difficult: May be some steep sections, track may be rough In places. Difficult: May have long steep sections, track may be

non- existent at times.

Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the program.

CORRESPONDENCE TO: The Secretary, P.O. Box 563, Bairnsdale 3875

The Clematis is printed and supported by the Department of Environment & Primary Industry, Bairnsdale.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

1. To further the awareness and study of all branches of

natural history within the East Gippsland community

through field excursions, regular surveys, specialist

guest speakers and publications.

2. To observe and strengthen the laws for the

preservation and protection of indigenous flora,

fauna, habitat and important geological features.

3. To promote the formation and preservation of

National and State Parks and Reserves.

4. To collaborate with other groups and agencies with

similar environmental interest.

FIELD TRIPS

It is your responsibility to contact the coordinator of each

field trip to notify them of intention to participate.

The coordinator will notify you if the trip has to be

cancelled due to adverse weather conditions or other

unforeseen circumstances.

Please take note of safety procedures in your Bairnsdale

& District Field Naturalists Club Inc. ‘RISK MANAGEMENT

POLICY’ booklet.

LIBRARY INFORMATION - Librarian - Dianne Laws

• Books are generally borrowed for one month - however you

can write on the sign-out sheet if you wish to have it longer.

• Should any library materials need maintenance, please make

me aware of same.

• If you wish to recommend a book, this can be done by writing

a short recommendation for the Clematis. This information

could be from our library books or from other books that you

believe our library could look at purchasing.

CONTENTS:

Programme January to June 2015 3

Yalmy Road North of Orbost 4

Blond Bay Metallic Sun-orchid count 7

Talk by Leon Costermans 8-9

Book Launch, ‘Orchids of East Gippsland—A Field Guide’ 10-11

Green Hills and Mellick Munjie 12-14

Annual Report –Year ending 30th June 2014 15-19

Page 3 Issue 101

PROGRAMME January to June 2015

JANUARY TBA Special excursion 9.00am Bridge Club , 9.30am at Nowa Nowa . Leader: James Turner. As this excursion is weather related contact James after the 7th January for details. Sunday 25th Bushwalk 8.00am Forest -Tech, a walk in the Colquhoun Forest. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Easy FEBRUARY Thursday 12th Committee meeting 4.00pm Pat McPherson’s home. Friday 20th General meeting 7.30pm Noweyung Centre. Speaker: Mike Coupar, ‘Eastern Butterflies, Moths and Associated Caterpillars’ Saturday 21st Special excursion A mothing night at Fairy Dell with Andrew Duncan. Please contact Andrew Bould if you intend to participate. Sunday 22nd Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club, Timbarra Plains, Nunniong area. Leader: James Turner. MARCH Sunday 1st Bushwalk 8.00am Bridge Club, to Old Orbost Rd., West Boundary track. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Easy Thursday 12th Committee meeting 4.00pm Pauline Stewart’s home. Friday 20th General meeting 7.30pm Noweyung Centre. Speaker: Geoff Williams from the Platypus Conservancy, ‘Water Rats - Rakali’. Sunday 22nd Monthly excursion 9.00am To be announced. Sunday 29th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club - to Lonely Bay. Leader: Noel Williamson. Rated: Easy APRIL Thursday 9th Committee meeting 4.00pm Fran Bright’s home. Friday 17th General meeting 7.30pm Noweyung Centre. Speaker: Brian Jack, ‘The Sandplain Wild Flowers of Western Australia’. Sunday 19th Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club or 9.20am at Bruthen to Ensay North. Leader: James Turner. Sunday 26th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge club or 9.30am at Red Knob - to Buchan Reserve. Leader: Noel Williamson. MAY Thursday 7th Planning meeting /Committee meeting 4.00am Margaret Regan’s home. Friday 15th General Meeting 7.30pm Speaker: Wildlife Unlimited, ‘Fruit Bats’. Sunday 17th Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club to Lake Tyers area. Leader: James Turner. Sunday 24th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club or 9.30am at Bruthen to Bruthen Trails. Leader: Noel Williamson. Committee meetings and general meetings are now in recess for the winter. JUNE Sunday 21st Monthly excursion 9.00am Bridge Club to Fernbank. Leader: James Turner. Sunday 28th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club to Granite Creek mine site—Cobbannah ar. Leader: Noel Williamson.

CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS and email address’s for meetings and field trips.

James Turner 5155 1258 m.0427 290838 jturner.kw@gmail.com

Noel Williamson 5152 1737 nwilliamson_7@hotmail.com

The Clematis Page 4

From the Editor

I would like to thank all those who contributed to the Clematis in 2014. Without your wonderful articles and photographs the Clematis would not be success it is.

Many thanks to Mick Bramwell and the staff at the Department of Environment and Primary Industry at Bairnsdale for their help and support in producing the Clematis.

Also thanks to Paul Mlynarz of Bairnsdale Web Design for his service of hosting and updated our web page.

Subscriptions for 2015 are now due. Application forms can be printed off from ‘downloads’ on our web site at:

www.bairnsdalefieldnaturalists.com.au

Please let the treasurer know if you have any changes to your contact details or email address.

Subscriptions can be paid at general meetings, excursions or mailing a cheque to:

The Treasurer,

Bairnsdale & Dist. Field Naturalists Club Inc.,

P.O. Box 563,

Bairnsdale, 3875

All members should be aware that the Clematis is now being sent out electronically.

Hard copies are available on request .

Please let me know if you are having any difficulties receiving the Clematis.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

By nature, we Field Naturalists are a conservative lot, usually found head down, tail up happily exclaiming over miniscule specimens in an unaccommodating bit of bush, so it was a giant leap to centre stage for us on not one, but two very public occasions recently. I refer of course to the visit by Leon Costermans and the launch of our Field Guide to the Orchids of East Gippsland.

Nearly 200 people from all parts of East Gippsland and beyond turned out on Friday 17th October to hear Leon explain our local geological story and its influence on the land and vegetation. In welcoming him, I pointed out that everyone in the room most likely had a copy of his book, Native Trees and Shrubs of South-Eastern Australia and that he was with friends and readers. Leon ably demonstrated the points he had made in his talk on the following Sunday when he led an excursion along the Bairnsdale--Dargo Road. It was a fabulous day.

Three weeks later we hosted another hundred plus people at the launch of our Field Guide at the Bairnsdale Library. This was a somewhat sophisticated ‘drinks and nibbles’ affair with beautiful finger food provided by our members. Distinguished guests included the Honourable Tim Bull MLA and Councillor Peter Neal representing the East Gippsland Shire Council and Neville Walsh, senior conservation botanist at Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne who launched the book.

This book was five years in the making and as I explained to those present on the night, we put it together because there are over 200 species of orchids in East Gippsland and this knowledge, which is mostly held in the mind and memory of James Turner in particular and Andrew Bould needed to be documented and shared. Fortuitously, we had just the right person to do this – Jennifer Wilkinson who produced and published the book.

In bringing this beautiful book to fruition these three gifted members bring great credit to themselves; to the Bairnsdale and District Field Naturalist Club and to East Gippsland which we all love.

The book was printed locally by E-Gee Printers and is now available through local bookshops and Information Centres as well as from the Club, either at meetings and excursions or on order.

Pat McPherson

President

Page 5 Issue 101

YALMY ROAD NORTH OF ORBOST

21 September 2014

By Margaret Regan

On the Princes Highway between Nowa Nowa and Orbost the road kill toll was three juvenile Wombats, one Black Wallaby and one Brushtail Possum. It’s pleasing to know that these animals are around, but not pleasing that maybe motorists haven’t taken the care needed, and slowed down from dusk onward.

Yalmy Road is at the southernmost boundary of the very large destructive Goongerah-Deddick bushfire which decimated much of the country around Goongerah last summer. The fires started on 15 January 2014 and were declared contained on 10 March 2014. One hundred and seventy thousand hectares were burnt. We came to see what regeneration had occurred since the fires. Overall, in the areas we visited, the trees were almost all sprouting via epicormic shoots on their trunks. There were many small plants, either regenerating from seeds or from plant parts beneath the soil. There was no shrub layer up yet, but many burnt upright stick remains to trip over or walk into. We went home with our pants covered in soot, which fortunately was easily removed in the washing machine. No doubt there are areas within the fire zone where the fire was so intense that everything was completely burnt, but fortunately we didn’t see these. The absence of grown shrubs made it easy to see the plants that were regenerating.

Our first stop was at the beginning of Yalmy Road in unburnt country. During the day we heard or saw quite a few birds. As we were fairly close to the edge of the fire, it may have been that they had been able to move back in from unburnt areas. Here in this unburnt area we found Olive-backed Oriole, Crimson Rosella, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Grey Shrike-thrush, Kookaburra, Spotted Pardalote and Fantail Cuckoo. An upper storey tree was Silvertop Ash (Eucalyptus sieberi). Shrubs were Golden Pomaderris (Pomaderris aurea) which has tiny golden flowers in rounded clusters and stellate hairs on the lower surface of the leaves; Eastern Pomaderris (Pomaderris discolor); Myrtle Wattle (Acacia myrtifolia) with thick phyllodes with prominent midrib and marginal veins and short racemes of flowers in balls; Large-leaf Hop-bush (Dodonaea triquetra); Small-flowered Flat-pea (Platylobium parviflorum); Rough Guinea-flower (Hibbertia aspera) whose ovate leaves are rough above and felted below. The smaller plants were Wattle Mat-rush (Lomandra filiformis) whose inflorescence has dense clusters of rounded yellow flowers; Blue Dampiera (Dampiera stricta); and the creeper Purple Coral-pea (Hardenbergia violacea). The only orchid found was the glistening White Fingers (Caladenia catenata) whose three-lobed labellum is completely white with two rows of white calli.

Past Cooney Ridge Road we entered the area that was burnt last summer. A little further on we stopped to see what we could find. Quite a number of birds were noted – Red Wattlebird, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Spotted Pardalote, Superb Fairy-wren, Magpie, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and White-throated Treecreeper. In the understorey was masses of Austral bracken (Pteridium esculentum), the most common and widespread of Victorian ferns. Fire seems to stimulate its growth. Its deeply buried rhizomes (underground stems) can be protected from the fire, and thus the plants regenerate quickly. The rhizomes are the main method of colonization used by Austral bracken; fertile fronds are rarely found. Another fern here was Gristle-fern (Blechnum cartilagineum) with fronds that are quite rough to the touch. Here we saw a number of orchids. There was the pretty mauve and white Wax-lip Orchid (Glossodia major); yellow Wallflower Orchid (Diuris orientis), one of the so-called donkey orchids which have two erect petals looking like the ears of a donkey; Pink Fingers (Caladenia carnea) where the column and the labellum are crossed with prominent red bars; two spider-orchids, the large Mantis Orchid (Caladenia tentaculata); and Monaro Spider-orchid (C. oreophila); Brown-beaks (Lyperanthus suaveolens) whose brown flowers have narrow tepals and a yellow-tipped labellum; and a leek-orchid in the (Prasophyllum odoratum) complex. Daisies were patches of yellow Button Everlasting (Coronidium scorpioides) with grey-green hairy leaves and stem; the smaller yellow Satin Everlasting (Helichrysum leucopscidium) with greyer leaves and stems; (Brachyscome spathulata); and tiny Blue Bottle-daisy (Lagenophora stipitata). Peas were two red kennedias, small pillar-box red Running Postman (Kennedia prostrata); and much larger deeper red Dusky Coral-pea (K. rubicunda). There was also the lily Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata); Tall Sundew (Drosera peltata); purple Hairy Fan-flower (Scaevola ramosissima); Bluebells (Wahlenbergia sp.); Yellow Wood-sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) which is not a weed; and two members of the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, Small Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea minor) whose trunk is almost entirely underground; and again Wattle Mat-rush.

Much further on, we were now on Morseford Rd and in Silver-leaved Stringybark (Eucalyptus conspicua) country. Here was again Wax-lip Orchid (Glossodia major) which has a white labellum with yellow basal calli; but also Small Wax-lip Orchid (G. minor) whose tepals are a deeper colour, with the labellum the same colour and with black-capped basal calli. The large ovate upright green leaves of Large Tongue-orchid (Cryptostylis subulata) were also seen. There was the tiny yellow pea Creeping Bossiaea (Bossiaea prostrata) with its almost circular leaves; the even tinier red rosetted Tiny Sundew (Drosera pygmaea); and the also small Screw fern (Lindsaya linearis).

Along further was a Brittle Gum (E. mannifera) area. This delightful small to medium-sized tree has white to cream smooth bark which sheds in flakes not ribbons, slender leaves, buds in clusters of 4-7 and fruits with short exposed valves. Birds noted, mostly by their calls, were Striated Pardalote, White-eared Honeyeater, Pied Currawong and Flame Robin. Orchids were White

The Clematis Page 6

Fingers, Wax-lip Orchid, Nodding Greenhood (Pterostylis nutans), and Clark’s Caladenia (Caladenia clarkiae) which was named for Ruth Clark, a keen orchid expert and late member of the Bairnsdale Field Naturalists Club. Clark’s Caladenia grows to 15cm with up to 4 small white to pink flowers. The trilobed labellum has a purple apex and there are no red glandular hairs on the outer surface of the tepals. Other small plants were cream Common Rice-flower (Pimelea humilis), the lily Golden Weather-glass (Hypoxis hygrometrica), mauve and white Ivy-leaved Violet (Viola hederacea), and the daisies Brachyscome spathulata which has mauve flowers and a basal rosette of leaves which are glandular-hairy above and have rounded teeth, and very vigorous yellow Austral Bears-ear (Cymbonotus preissianus). Austral Bears-ear is a perennial with a rosette of toothed furry leaves which are white beneath, and flowers on very short stalks. The elevated chimneys of Land Crayfish were seen. Waste from excavations is brought to the surface where the pellets of soil are deposited. Land Crayfish are active at night and feed mostly on decaying roots and buried plant matter, but sometimes eat worms and insects.

Back up Yalmy Road to our final stop, where again we saw Clark’s Caladenia, but also, a new orchid, the Mayfly Orchid (Acianthus caudatus). In the same genus as the very common mosquito-orchids, this orchid has a single heart-shaped green leaf, and the flower stalk bears up to 9 purplish flowers. These tiny flowers have very long tepals (up to 30mm long) for their size, making them look like insects with long legs. These orchids are not common, but there were 12 specimens at this site. Other plants were Wattle Mat-rush and the beautiful Blue Pincushion (Brunonia australis) was just coming into flower. Blue Pincushion has a basal rosette with the flowers clustered in a head at the top of the flowering stalk. The female style protruding from each flower is capped with a yellow cup-like indusium into which the pollen is shed before the flower opens. Later the pollen is pushed out by the growth of the female stigma. A Grey Fantail was heard.

What a fascinating day – thank you, James.

Spotted Pardalotte Photo by John Saxton

Page 7 Issue 101

BLOND BAY METALLIC ORCHID COUNT

24 September 2014

By Margaret Regan

On the way to the Metallic Sun-orchid enclosures in the Blond Bay Reserve on Lake Victoria the following birds were noticed. These were Swamp Harrier, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Pallid and Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Grey Fantail, Yellow-faced and White-eared Honeyeater, Golden Whistler and Superb Fairy-wren.

The rare Metallic Sun-orchid (Thelymitra epipactoides) was first found in this locality in 1990 by James Turner. It mostly grows in coastal areas in Victoria, in heathland, grassland and shrubby woodland, but also in a few inland localities with mallee vegetation. Much of this habitat has been destroyed for agriculture, but it is also threatened by weeds and grazing animals. The orchid is commonest in open areas, particularly those that have been recently burnt. Like all sun-orchids it needs sunny days to open. Flowering is enhanced by summer fires. This large magnificent orchid can grow to 50cm and has a long grey-green leathery strappy leaf. The flower stalk can have up to 20 blooms and they can be of many colours, such as bronze, pink, blue, green or reddish, with a metallic lustre.

DSE constructed a secure fence around the greatest concentration of these orchids in 1997. A much larger enclosure was built around this in 2005. Unfortunately this was not as well constructed, and has been breached in many places. There are Wombat, Swamp Rat and Rabbit burrows within this outer enclosure, as the wombats have facilitated the entry of these other animals. The scats of rabbits and kangaroos/wallabies can be found within the outer enclosure.

On arrival at the enclosures a Striated Fieldwren was noted. I’ve never seen or heard one and I didn’t notice this one! It is a small bird with a white eyebrow, dark olive upperparts streaked with black and buff-yellow underparts similarly streaked. Its tail is white-tipped and often cocked. Usually found in open country with low cover. Other birds here were Spotted Pardalote, Crimson Rosella, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Grey Shrike-thrush, Rufous Songlark, Eastern Yellow Robin, Rufous Whistler, Common Bronzewing, White-fronted Chat, White-browed Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Shining Bronze-cuckoo, Australian Raven, Noisy Miner, Lewin’s, White-naped and New Holland Honeyeater, White-backed Magpie and Grey Butcherbird. As you can see, we had some very good birdoes on the trip.

After counting the Metallic Sun-orchid inside both enclosures and outside to the east, our total came to 81 flowering plants and 18 leaves. The area outside to the north is becoming overgrown with Burgan (Kunzea ericoides). This number of plants found wasn’t too bad, as there was an increase from 2012 with 60, and in 2008, the numbers had gone as low as 20; but in 2005, we found 261! The only other orchid found there was Trim Greenhood (Pterostylis concinna). Most of the groundcover was Spiny-headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia), with some Austral bracken (Pteridium esculentum). Other small plants were Creamy Candles (Stackhousia monogyna), the red pea Running Postman (Kennedia prostrata), the yellow pea Creeping Bossiaea (Bossiaea prostrata) and cream Common Riceflower (Pimelea humilis).

In previous years, we have counted Metallic Sun-orchid in Phiddian’s Swamp across the road, but the vegetation is now so dense, that even moving through it was very difficult, so we didn’t do a count there. We did see a Welcome Swallow overhead.

On the way to our next stop on Storm Point Road, 3 Black Wallabies, a pair of Mountain Duck and Dusky Woodswallow were seen. At the stop we searched for Red-beaks (Pyrorchis nigricans) which we have found here on previous visits. There were many of the flat, some very large, heart-shaped leaves around, but only one plant flowering. The flower has a broad hooded red and white striped dorsal sepal with narrow spreading petals and lateral sepals. Three other orchid species were seen. These were the ubiquitous Nodding Greenhood (Noddies) (Pterostylis nutans); white or pink Dusky Fingers (Caladenia fuscata) whose column and labellum have prominent red transverse stripes, and the side lobes of the labellum have forward-pointing triangular extensions; and Thick-lip Spider-orchid (Caladenia tessellata) where the labellum has a broad cluster of glossy purple calli. Other plants were the tree Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis); two small shrubs white Daphne Heath (Brachyloma daphnoides) with blunt oblong leaves and sweet-scented tubular flowers; Silky Guinea-flower (Hibbertia sericea) which has narrow hairy leaves and golden flowers; the blue Love Creeper (Comesperma volubile) twining over other plants; and white and yellow Button Everlasting (Coronidium scorpioides). In a slightly damper area was the minute Austral adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum). This is a primitive fern with usually a single ovate yellowish fleshy frond and a slightly taller spike with 6-15 pairs of sporangia at the top. A Rainbow Lorikeet was heard screaming overhead.

Thank you once again, James.

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Talk to the Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club, Friday 17 October, 2014 by Leon Costermans

‘The 500 million year story of East Gippsland’

The talk began with a Digital Elevation Image (from NASA’s Shuttle Project) showing the physiographic structure of south-eastern Australia. This raised the question ‘What is the Great Dividing Range?’ Leon went on to explain that there is no such ‘range’, but rather the Main Divide, which is the ‘line’ separating the heads of rivers of the Murray–Darling system from those flowing directly to the coast. This ‘line’ can be plotted very accurately, and has shifted over time.

Our attention was then turned to the south-eastern ‘corner’ of the continent where the Snowy River catchment straddles the interstate border, so emphasising that our understanding of natural features often depends on taking a wider area than just one state. The rivers of the Snowy catchment have some course complexities that are difficult to explain.

Using a geological map of the East Gippsland–south-eastern NSW area, we then took a journey through 500 million years of time to explain how a series of geological events led to the landscape and geological diversity which we now see. Several particular localities were used to illustrate both their geological differences and their consequent vegetation differences.

The story started about 500 million years ago when the western part of ‘Australia’ was merely part of the Gondwanan supercontinent, and eastern Australia did not exist. The oldest exposed rocks in the area covered were formed from volcanic action in the sea, and occur north of Licola as a greenish rock on the roadside.

Vast quantities of sediment were washed from Gondwana in the west into the sea in a series of mountain-building and erosion phases over a period of 150 million years up to about 380 million years ago. Thus was built the foundations of eastern Australia, now seen as the folded sandstone/mudstone/shale beds in much of our area. The commonest types of beds are called turbidites, formed as sediment rushed intermittently down a continental slope, avalanche-like, then settled out on the deep sea floor. Fossils are common in these beds, the most important of which are graptolites—small creatures that evolved rapidly giving many variant forms and so are used to date the ages of the beds. They became extinct over 300 million years ago.

The several deformation events caused folding of the strata, sometimes several times, giving complex fold patterns which vary with different types of strata. These can be seen in roadside cuttings, and in coastal localities such as the Mallacoota coast.

At similar times to the deformation of the sediments, molten material, called magma, rose from the base of the crust. Where this cooled and solidified in large masses (called plutons) several kilometres below the crust’s surface, granitic rock types were formed. We only see the granite where the overlying sedimentary rock has been eroded away. If magma erupted at the surface, it produced volcanic rock types.

When the granitic magma intruded into sedimentary rocks, it hardened or metamorphosed them at the contact around the pluton. This metamorphosed rock is often more resistant than the granite itself, so that with erosion, it stands as hills around the granite pluton. An example was shown in the maps and aerial photos of the Dargo granite, and seen in the Castleburn granite on the excursion. It was noted that in these areas, clearing has occurred mainly on the granite. Differences in granite (and other rock types) can be seen in radioactivity images taken from the air, making it easier for geologists to explore large areas than walking, especially in rough country.

The next rock type shown was ancient volcanic, erupted at similar periods to the intrusion of the granite magma, but sometimes in rifts, such as the Buchan Rift, which occurred between the compressions. Examples were shown of the massive rock outcrops of the Snowy River Volcanics, as seen east of Gelantipy and in the Cobberas. This is an especially tough rock.

Also in the Buchan Rift, the sea invaded at one stage, and calcium carbonate deposits gave the Buchan Limestone, in which much more recent groundwater solution has produced the various karst features, particularly caves.

Very much later (around 35 million years ago), basaltic lava erupted and flowed down a valley formed in the Snowy River Volcanics, but with subsequent uplift of the area, it is left forming a capping on the Gelantipy area, as a plateau. The basalt can be seen as hexagonal ‘pavement’ blocks (the tops of columns) at the roadside. In this case, clearing has been mainly on the basalt.

Our exploration took us eastwards past the Little River Gorge (cut into the Snowy River Volcanics) and then to the Snowy River itself, cut into granite. Google images showed differences in vegetation colour which match the different rock types. Still further east, we visited the Errinundra National Park, mainly on granite (the westernmost section of the ‘Coast Range’ (a secondary Divide). Here, there are some particularly interesting and significant vegetation communities and plant types, as was illustrated.

The next major area was that known as the ‘Howitt Province’ running in a broad band from around Mansfield in the north to the Mitchell River area in the south, as seen on the excursion. This whole area was a trough into which large quantities of river deposits built up great thicknesses of conglomerate, sandstone and siltstone, interbedded with tough volcanic rock. A characteristic of the finer sediments is their cherry-red colour, as seen on the excursion, so they are called ‘red-beds’. The Den of Nargun is in a valley in these sedimentary deposits, and cross-bedding is evidence of the shifting of river courses as sediments were being deposited.

Page 9 Issue 101

Between this and more recent times (i.e. between about 350 million years ago and 40 million years ago) many things happened, but there is not much evidence of this in East Gippsland. There was glaciation over south-eastern Australia about 300 million years ago; Gondwana split up and ‘Australia’ separated from ‘Antarctica’ about 100 million years ago; the Victorian east–west ranges started to form, giving the Main Divide; the sediments which gave the Strzelecki Ranges were deposited in a rift, later to be elevated to become ranges; and basaltic lava erupted in the period 50–17 million years ago.

Much more recently, with continued uplift of the present Main Divide, sediments were eroded and deposited on the lower margins of the hills, and water washed pebbles are abundant, overlying the other rocks, as seen on the excursion. There were also periods when the sea encroached on this area. Even more recently, fluvial flooding produced several terraces of the Gippsland Plains.

To round off the talk, we looked at the most recent significant event of the south-eastern Australia area—the glaciation of the Kosciuszko area only around 20,000 years ago, gouging out the lakes, leaving striations on the rocks, and depositing much glacial sediment. Thus the talk finished on the highest point on the continent—Mt Kosciuszko.

An excursion was held the following day to show members examples of our local geology.

The photo shows rock strata along the Lindenow Road roadside. Photo by Fran Bright

Leon showing members examples of Silurian sedimentary rocks Photo by Fran Bright

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BOOK LAUNCH – ORCHIDS OF EAST GIPPSLAND – A Field Guide by Andrew Bould The new book, Orchids of East Gippsland – A field Guide was recently officially launched at the Bairnsdale Library. Orchids of East Gippsland was a book that has developed in principle over many years and especially the past five years when local publisher and field naturalist member, Jennifer Wilkinson offered to undertake the publishing of the book. The book is the culmination of decades of excursions by the Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club actively searching for, photographing, monitoring and protecting native orchids across East Gippsland. Early club photographs presented on a slide show during the launch show many naturalists and keen orchid enthusiasts in the field photographing orchids for posterity. Some of the late Neil Hansen’s orchid photographs have also been digitally reproduced and included in the book. Stalwart club member and highly respected naturalist and botanist James Turner wrote the orchid descriptions as well as providing many of the quality images throughout the book. James has undertaken many excursions searching for and recording orchid species and in particular, many rare or threatened species in remote and inaccessible areas throughout East Gippsland. Local naturalist and photographer, Andrew Bould has a keen interest in native orchids and also contributed with the book text and many images of local orchids. The paperback book is A5 in size, 232 p ages with over two hundred native orchids photographed including the terrestrial and epiphyte orchids. In addition, several known hybrid orchid species have been included which makes the book a very sought after reference for all orchid enthusiasts. President Pat McPherson officiated the special occasion welcoming the large gathering and introducing the guests, authors and publisher. Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull gave a brief overview of the publication in relation to the uniqueness of East Gippsland and its orchids and praised the professional presentation of the new book. Neville Walsh, Senior Conservation Botanist with Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne who also wrote the foreword section, officially launched the book expanding on his comments in the foreword. (See below) The new Library venue was a highly appropriate location to launch the book and following the launch, the authors and publisher were eagerly sought after for their autographs and the catering by club members was especially appreciated. Orchids of East Gippsland is available online from the Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club website, CSIRO Publishing and local book sellers. For reference; Neville Walsh’s Foreword ‘East Gippsland is different!’ So went a bumper sticker of thirty-something years ago when I was cutting my botanical teeth in the region. And of course it is different. With a broad sweep of plant communities from alpine grasslands and snow-gum woodlands, tall mountain forests, cool- and warm-temperate rainforests, heathlands and grasstree plains near the coast, East Gippsland comprises habitats for plants and animals not to be found elsewhere in the state, and in some cases, elsewhere on earth.

So, naturally, there’s a suite of orchids to slot into those habitats. In no other region of Victoria can all three genera of epiphytic orchids be found, and every genus of terrestrials except Leporella, and maybe that will yet turn up. So the time has come for a book that celebrates these captivating plants in this unique corner of Victoria. It is so appropriate that the book be prepared by three local naturalists who, collectively, have spent countless hours ‘poking about’, learning to anticipate when and where each species is likely to occur with disarming accuracy.

What is it about orchids in particular that capture the imagination? Their biology is unique, being dependent to such a high degree on intimate associations with fungi and insects, making them an intriguing example of co-evolution. But even without knowing about their biology, they continue to fascinate. Perhaps it’s their ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ behaviour, their tantalizing trait of offering a mere leaf, year after year, until a suitable season or fire appears. Maybe it’s that so many are rare and we might regard them as ‘canaries in the coal mine’ – yardsticks of the health of our natural environment. Or perhaps it’s just that their flowers are, in the most part, just so different from others, a consequence of their particular need to attract a particular pollinator. Whatever it may be, they continue to fascinate venturers into the bush, and are often an introduction to the great plant diversity to be found there. By knowing more about the natural world around us we are ourselves enriched, and in a better position to ensure that we can protect that world into the future. By demystifying at least the orchid puzzles in the bush, with excellent photographs of all of the region’s orchids and notes about their habits, habitats and ‘look-alikes’ (of which some might argue there are rather too many), this book will undoubtedly satisfy curiosity and inspire its readers to want to learn more about the nature of East Gippsland. Thank you James, Andrew and Jennifer.

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GREEN HILLS AND MELLICK MUNJIE

23 November 2014

By Margaret Regan

A large contingent of Field Nats and friends (11 cars and 37 eager naturalists) turned up on a perfect Sunday morning to

get out into the spring bush.

Our first foray was into the Green Hills Nature Conservation Reserve NW of Buchan. The reserve had been part of

Gillingall Station, but was bought in the early 2000s to protect the Austral Toad Flax (Thesium australe) and the Maroon

Leek-orchid (Prasophyllum frenchii).

Since then it has been realized that another rare orchid, the Yawning Leek-orchid (P. chasmogamum) also grows in this

reserve. After an interesting drive in over the last bit of fairly rough narrow road, we stopped just inside the gate in an

open area mostly covered with pasture grasses. Here was where the Maroon Leek-orchid was growing and the keen

photographers were soon crouching in front of the best specimens. Leek-orchids have a single erect cylindrical leaf. The

Maroon Leek-orchid, which is endangered Australia-wide, can be 60cm tall with up to 60 scented upside-down flowers

in an open spike. The flowers vary in colour from greenish to maroon, the tepals are striped, short and broad, and the

labellum is pinkish with a green callus. There were many other herbaceous plants among the grasses which did include

Kangaroo Grass (Themeda triandra). We found Common Buttercup (Ranunculus lappaceus) which has hairy leaves and 5-

petalled flowers; pink Soft Crane’s-bill (Geranium potentilloides), a perennial scrambling herb with hairy leaves and stems;

the lilies Pale Vanilla-lily (Arthropodium milleflorum) whose pale pink pendent flowers have anthers with densely hairy

filaments, and yellow Bulbine Lily (Bulbine bulbosa); Slender Speedwell (Veronica gracilis) with blue 4-petalled flowers;

Tufted Daisy (Brachyscome scapigera) which has a rosette of simple leaves and single pale flowers; a white woodruff

(Asperula sp.) with rough stems; a Bluebell (Wahlenbergia sp.); and Slender Onion-orchid (Microtis parviflora). The Slender

Onion-orchid can have up to 80 tiny flowers on a crowded spike, hence the specific name – ‘parvi’ is Latin for small and

‘flora’ is Latin for a flower. There were of course, many birds. These were a pair of Wood Duck on the dam with 4

ducklings, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Crimson Rosella, Spotted and Striated Pardalote, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Eastern

Yellow Robin, Red Wattlebird, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail, Jacky Winter, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Australian Raven and

Pied Currawong.

James Turner leading the excursion to Green Hills and Mellic Munjie

Photo by Fran Bright

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Pale Vanilla Lily (Arthropodium milleflorum) Photo by Fran Bright

Austral Bugle (Ajuga australis) Photo by Fran Bright

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After a very pleasant lunch beneath some cooling trees, we went on past the first dam and to the north, then dropped down

to a damper area near a lower dam. Here was the Yawning Leek-orchid. The only other place this grows in Victoria is at

Perry Bridge in Central Gippsland, in plains grassland on seasonally wet sites in heavy clay soils. Although there were a

few trees around this site, it was mostly grassland and mostly native plants. The Yawning Leek-orchid grows to 65cm with

up to 40 flowers on a fairly crowded spike. The tepals are long and narrow. The pointed petals are widely spreading-

“yawning”?

There were plenty of other lovely plants flowering. The clusters of bright blue bluebells were particularly appealing.

Added to the ones seen at the higher more open site were the purple herb in the lavender family Lamiaceae, Austral Bugle

(Ajuga australis); purple Showy Violet (Viola betonicifolia); the lilies Paroo Lily (Dianella caerulea) which has leaves to 30cm

and the blue flowers have yellow anthers much longer than their filaments, and Golden Weatherglass (Hypoxis

hygrometrica) with yellow starry flowers with long silky hairs at the base of the flower stalk; and deep pink Grass Trigger-

plant (Stylidium graminifolium). Others were the daisy Scaly Buttons (Leptorhynchos squamatus) which has leafy cottony

stems and small bright yellow flower heads; the creeper Pink Bindweed (Convolvulus erubescens) which has round pink

flowers; the pea purple Twining Glycine (Glycine clandestina); Australian Carraway (Oreomyrrhis eriopoda), a perennial herb

with flowers in umbels like its relatives parsley, dill and carrot; and Joan’s favourite white or blue Sweet Hound’s-tongue

Yawning Leek-orchid (Prasophyllum chasmogamum) Photo by James Turner

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(Cynoglossum suaveolens) whose tiny flowers have a beautiful perfume. Sweet Hound’s-tongue is in the forget-me-not

family Boraginaceae. On one of the surrounding trees was Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema pendulum) with its red flowers in

groups of 3.

Back along the rough road in to Glenmore Road and then further north to Mellick Munjie Falls. To our surprise there

was enough water going over the falls to make them very attractive. As the day had become quite hot, the cool water was

much appreciated. The falls are quite long, but only the upper area is easily accessed. To get to the bottom requires a

great deal of bush-bashing.

Birds found here were Shining Bronze-cuckoo, White-eared and White-naped Honeyeaters, White-throated Treecreeper,

White-browed Scrubwren and Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo. New plants were the tall shrubs Hazel Pomaderris

(Pomaderris aspera) and white Shiny Cassinia (Cassinia longifolia) which has long leaves which are hairless and shiny above

and densely hairy below; the smaller shrub Pale-fruit Ballart (Exocarpus strictus) which is a broom-like with tiny leaves and

pale pink-lilac succulent fruit; the blue Tasman Flax Lily (Dianella tasmanica) whose filaments are longer than the anthers

they support; mauve and white Ivy-leaved Violet (Viola hederacea); white Prickly Starwort (Stellaria pungens) with pointed

leaves and divided petals; the daisies yellow Yam-daisy (Microseris sp.3), and yellow Clustered Everlasting (Chrysocephalum

semipapposum); and the orchid Musky Caladenia (Caladenia gracilis). The Musky Caladenia has musk-scented flowers

which are white inside and brown glandular outside.

Further north along Glenmore Road past the Mt Stewart Track, we found a new pea, pink Austral Trefoil (Lotus australis),

a low perennial herb whose leaves have 5 leaflets. Of course there were other plants and birds. New birds were White-

winged Chough and Superb Lyrebird. New plants were the orchids Common Ruddyhood (Pterostylis squamata), Tiger

Orchid (Diuris sulphurea) and Slender Onion-orchid.

Members searching for plants at Green Hills Photo by James Turner

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Common Ruddyhood grows to 30cm with up to 10 small reddish flowers. The labellum is completely exposed and has

fine white hairs around its margin. There was the small shrub Daphne Heath (Brachyloma daphnoides) with white tubular

flowers; cream Stinking Pennywort (Hydrocotyle laxiflora), a low creeping perennial, whose flowers give off an offensive

odour; and Nodding Chocolate-lily (Arthropodium fimbriatum) in bud. In the Nodding Chocolate-lily, the inflorescence is

unbranched and the flowers are chocolate-scented. This is a very disjunct occurrence of the Nodding Chocolate-lily, as it is

a mostly Western Victorian species.

Some hardy souls with high 4WDs then headed further up Glenmore Road to cross the ford on the Buchan River to travel

home. The rest of us returned the way we had come, tired but happy. Many thanks to James.

Austral Trefoil (Lotus australis) Photo by Fran Bright

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BAIRNSDALE & DISTRICT FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC

Reg. No. A0006074C

ANNUAL REPORT

for year ending 30 June 2014

I am pleased to present the Annual Report of the Bairnsdale and District Field Naturalists Club for the financial year

2013-14.

Membership

Current member ship of the Club is 44.

Committee

In line with the Model Rules adopted in May 2013 the Committee of four was elected and five ordinary members were

elected and allocated portfolios at the AGM in October 2013:

Committee

· President: Pat McPherson

· Vice President: John Saxton

· Secretary (Under the Act): Pat McPherson

· Treasurer: Margaret Regan

Ordinary members

· Botanic Group Co-ordinator: James Turner

· Bushwalking Group Co-ordinator Noel Williamson

· Newsletter Editor/Website Co-ordinator Pauline Stewart

· Clerical Support/Club Enquiries Fran Bright

· Librarian Dot Prout.

MEETINGS

Five committee meetings, two planning meetings, and five general meetings, were held in 2013-14 with an average

attendance of 41 members and visitors at the latter who heard excellent guest speakers make the following presentations:

James Turner & Andrew Bould Native orchids of East Gippsland

Duncan Frazer Odonata, moths and beetles of Gippsland

Aileen Collyer Population survey of migratory shore birds near Gladstone Qld.

Andrew Bould Moths of East Gippsland

Roger Bilney Peregrine Falcon nesting boxes on the Red Gum Plains

Greg Fyffe Frogs and reptiles of East Gippsland.

A big thank you to Andrew Bould for the informative articles and photographs he prepares for The News to promote

our guest speakers.

CLUB ACTIVITIES

Field excursions

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Monthly field excursions were once again ably planned by James Turner and this year leadership was shared with John

Saxton, Andrew Bould and Duncan Frazer. We went to Providence Ponds Nature Reserve in July, Beyond Wairewa in

August, Swallow Lagoon and Freestone Creek in September were we were joined by a large group of members of the

Australian Native Orchid Society (ANOS). In October we monitored the Purple Diuris orchid that had been translocated

in May at Marlo Aerodrome and in November we checked out the Ensay north area.

The New Year started off with a survey along the Marlo Plains Old Coast Road looking of Sun Orchids (Cryptostylis).

In lieu of an excursion in February, over 50 members and visitors, including three young visiting Frenchmen and

numerous children went mothing with Duncan Frazer and Andrew Bould one Saturday night in the Moormung Reserve.

In March John Saxton took us through Cassilis Valley to Mt Delusion. In April we went birding with James and looking

for plants in the Roseneath/Meerlieu area. May was a fungi trip to Mt Elizabeth followed by a visit to the Nicholson/

Sarsfield area in late June.

James also led the annual survey of Metallic Sun Orchids at Blond Bay in September.

Margaret Regan’s masterly reports of these excursions are printed in the Clematis. Congratulations Margaret.

Bush walks

Bush walks were ably planned and led by Noel Williamson, and Pauline Stewart to the Mitchell River Silt Jetties in August

and to the Boys Camp in the Monkey Creek area in October. We began our bush walks for 2014 in March at the Chinese

Diggings at Melwood and went to the Avon Channels in April; to Angus Vale-Billy Goat Bend in May and to Mia Mia

Road in the Melwood area in June.

Camp outs

A very successful campout was held at Bendoc in November when we were asked to do a survey of the Bendoc Nature

Conservation Reserve. Highlights were the discovery of a very large, very old Silver Banksia which was 1.3m across the

base - probably the oldest and largest in Victoria, and many specimens of the endangered Monaro Greenhood orchid.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES INVOLVING THE CLUB

Submissions

In July the Club made a submission to the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act

supporting its recommendation to list the Mountain Burr-daisy as threatened. This daisy was located by James Turner in

2009; until then it hadn’t been seen in Victoria since 1845 when it was discovered by Baron Von Mueller.

In July the Club made a submission outlining its position regarding Parks Victoria’s Draft Victorian Alps Wild Horse

Management Plan.

In December the Club made a submission to the Environment Assessment Branch of the federal Environment Department

opposing the latest attempt by the Victorian Government to bring cattle grazing back into the Alpine National Park.

GENERAL MATTERS AFFECTING THE CLUB

Collaboration with other groups

In November we were invited to join with about 20 other regional stakeholders on the East Gippsland Roundtable

Planning group the purpose of which was to set up a forum for

‘sharing information and knowledge and understanding among stakeholders

leading to open, honest and informative communication that influences fire

and other related land management plans, policies, practices and effects’.

James Turner is the Field Naturalist representative on the group.

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Fauna Survey group

In September we received advice from Jenny Edwards the Co-ordinator of our Fauna Survey Group that the time had

come to disband this group because changes to her work location had made it impossible for her to carry out any surveys

for a number of years and our Wildlife Research Permit had expired. As there were no other members able to undertake

this activity a decision was made to disband the Group. We thank Jenny for her valuable contribution to the recording of

fauna in East Gippsland over many years.

Club Finances

In order to remain financially viable, membership fees were increased in January 2013. I am happy to report that for the

first financial year since that date we are now operating within our income.

Register of members

With the adoption of the Model Rules we are required to have a Register of Members.

Pauline and George Stewart worked through fifty three years of records and established this Register on an Excel

spreadsheet and we have implemented a process whereby new membership is brought to the Committee and from there,

added to the Register. Congratulations Pauline and George on a mammoth job well done.

Risk Management Policy

This policy was reviewed and revised during the year.

Clematis On line

During the year Issue 100, the Winter edition went on line. Pauline Stewart our Newsletter Editor included a delightful

history from 1962 when Clematis started off as an annual magazine which was roneod and sold to members, then on to

1996 when it was photocopied and published quarterly and made free to members and now members receive their copies

on line whilst those without this facility can apply to receive a hard copy. This new format enables more of the beautiful

work of our gifted photographers to be highlighted. Thank you Pauline.

Field Guide to Orchids of East Gippsland

January to June 2014 has been a time of intense activity for Jennifer Wilkinson, James Turner and Andrew Bould as they

had finished collecting photos and began compiling all other relevant data for the Field Guide and went into production

mode. A launch is planned in November. This has been a mammoth project over several years for these three

exceptionally gifted people and we thank them most sincerely for their vision, passion and sheer hard work in bringing

this Field Guide closer to fruition.

THANKS

I would like to close this Annual Report by recording my thanks to the management of Noweyung for the continued use

of their building for our general meetings. and to DEPI for photocopying our Clematis newsletter until June.

I also thank all the members for their support and contributions to the activities of the Club during the year, in particular

the Executive and Co-ordinators who, year after year, keep us in business and keep our field work and activities relevant.

I extend to you all, every good wish for a safe and happy Christmas and for peace, good health and prosperity in 2015.

Pat McPherson

President

The Newsletter of the Bairnsdale & District

Field Naturalists Club Inc.

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P.O. Box 563, BAIRNSDALE. Vic. 3875

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