Members newsletter Jan–Feb 2024
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Members newsletter January–February 2024 |
In this edition |
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Community engagement
Activity group updates |
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Noosa National Park Photo: Mary O’Callaghan |
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| Membership matters |
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NPA memberships are due for renewal on 1 January each year and and if you haven’t as yet renewed your membership your email will not be included in the mail list for future 2024 newsletters. To ensure you continue to receive communiqués, please renew your membership as soon as possible. If you joined NPA after 1 October last year, your membership extends through to 31 December 2024. Many members take the opportunity to make a donation at renewal time, thereby boosting NPA’s ability to to ensure continuation of the protective green belt and preservation of wildlife corridors throughout Noosa and Cooloola. Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible. 2024 membership fees As a reminder, family membership is $60 and individual membership is $35. Our preferred means of renewal is by bank deposit to: Name: Noosa Parks Association Inc. BSB: 734 219 Account no.: 070372 Please make sure to add your name! Payment by credit card is another option through our website. In 2019 we introduced a tertiary student membership concession, which costs only $5 for the first year. To date the take-up has been minimal. We all need to encourage the upcoming generation to join in protecting our beautiful part of the world, so please direct any student family members or friends to our website.
Please also encourage your like-minded friends and family to join now.
Mike Sackett NPA Membership Secretary |
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Friday Environment Forum |
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The FEF year started well with 58 people enjoying a short talk by Frank Wilkie who spoke of the environmental achievements in Noosa Shire, highlighting how fortunate we are to live in this beautiful place, and how important it is to keep it that way! Before the talk, the 2024 Golden Ort Award was presented to NPA member Eric Anderson in recognition of his ongoing support of the Glossy Black Conservancy Adrian Caneris followed with his entertaining presentation on ‘Living with wildlife – the good, the bad and the ugly’. Adrian highlighted the native wildlife that have benefited from colonisation, such as the brush-tailed possum, in contrast to the many creatures that have lost habitat as a result of human population growth. This includes birds requiring nesting hollows. A spirited Q&A session followed. In 2024, the $5 tap-and-go entry has resumed. Upcoming forums 8 March: Inspiring awe and wonder for environmental conservation outcomes – Karen Jones 22 March: Tony’s take on Noosa nature – Tony Wellington To read about upcoming forums, visit Friday Environment Forum. Join the mailing list to receive the FEF Newsletter issued on the Tuesday before each forum. Just click the SUBSCRIBE button. Liz Diggles, Friday Environment Forum |
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NPA member Eric Anderson receiving the 2024 Golden Ort Award for his continued service to the Glossy Black Cockatoo. Photo: Angela Farnsworth |
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The brush-tailed possum is one of colonisation’s ‘winners’, says Adrian Caneris. Photo: BAAM Ecology |
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Bird Observers’ Group |
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Having completed another successful birding year, we are now off to a fresh start. The 2024 Bird Observers program is complete and is published on the Noosa Parks website.
Adrian Caneris was our first speaker of the year, on 9 February, speaking about the good, bad and ugly of living with wildlife. A very experienced wildlife expert and an entertaining speaker, Adrian attracted a very appreciative audience.
The first Wallace Park walk of the year was also held on 9 February, with 14 people attending, including a new member. We recorded 27 bird species.
On 17 March, our group will visit one of the Noosa Bird Trial sites – Shepperson’s Park at Kin Kin – for the first outing of the year.
Recent ‘unusual sightings’ for the Sunshine Coast include Radjah Shelduck in Tewantin, Banded Lapwing at Lake Macdonald and Musk Lorikeet at Kureelpa.
Enjoy and appreciate the calls of the Channel-billed Cuckoo and the Eastern Koel while they are still around!
Valda McLean Convenor, Noosa Parks Association Bird Observers’ Group |
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Botany Group |
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I am writing my notes for this edition of the newsletter at a time when no walks or talks have occurred since my last contribution.
The weather is always an interesting subject and after an unusually dry year it has at last started to rain. The rainfall total for January 2024 (in Doonan) was 490 mm. The total rainfall in 2023 was 917 mm, by far the driest year since my arrival here in 1996! In other words, the January rainfall was equivalent to half of last year’s total rainfall. My contributions to the NPA newsletters last year all contained references to the dry weather and the lack of flowers on our botany walks. I hope the rain keeps coming for a while so that we can enjoy more floriferous walks!
The first meeting of the Botany Group in 2024 was on 14 February. Joan talked about carnivorous plants, a truly fascinating subject.
Sonia MacDonald Botany Group |
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Curated and edited by: Mary O’Callaghan, Mdash Editorial Copyright © 2024 Noosa Parks Association, All rights reserved. |