Club Aims
The Geelong Field Naturalists Club (GFNC) is a group of like-minded individuals who appreciate our natural environment and enjoy sharing this interest with others.
The aims of the club are to:
- Stimulate the study and appreciation of natural history
- Preserve and protect native flora and fauna
- Promote the conservation of natural resources and the protection of endangered species and habitats
- Record information and knowledge about the flora and fauna of the Geelong region.
The club has many events for you to enjoy:
- Conservation projects
- Monthly field trips to local areas of natural significance observing plants, birds and all other things
- Presentations about diverse natural environment topics
- Campouts in forest, coastal and alpine locations
- Citizen science projects
- Flora and fauna surveys.
The club emblem is the Small Ant-Blue butterfly Acrodipsas myrmecophila, in the Geelong region known only from the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve where it is now extinct.
The club’s region of interest extends beyond Greater Geelong:
Watch our introductory video.
Meetings
General meetings are held in the Meeting Room in the Geelong Botanic Gardens or by Zoom on the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm. General excursions are held on the 2nd or 3rd weekend of each month.
Bird Group
Bird group meetings are held in the Meeting Room in the Geelong Botanic Gardens or by Zoom on the third Thursday of every month (except December) at 7:30pm. Bird Group excursions are held on the fourth Thursday of every month (except December).
Surveys
Special Events
Fauna Group
The group carries out field surveys of mammals and reptiles under current permits from DEECA and Animal Ethics. Surveys use a variety of equipment and are normally done over three consecutive nights. The captured animals are identified, weighed, measured, photographed and released.
Conservation Committee
The Club is active in conservation to protect our natural environment. Submissions are made to Local and State Statutory Planning Authorities on specific areas of concern or in the development of policy that impacts Australian flora and fauna of the area.
Environment Fund
The Environment Fund is a registered charity that accepts donations and provides grants to young people engaged in natural environment projects or studies. Find out how to donate or apply for a grant.
Special Projects
African Boneseed, an introduced weed, has been actively removed from the You Yangs Regional Park by GFNC volunteers for over 60 years. Rob Beardsley led these efforts for 34 years, resulting in better control of Boneseed and the return of native plants. Leadership has now passed to Courtney Jennings.
Jerringot Wetlands Wildlife Reserve is an 18-hectare wetland in Belmont, Victoria, historically significant to the Waduwurrung people. It supports diverse ecosystems, including endangered species, and is managed to maintain its biodiversity. The reserve is home to regionally significant plants, breeding crakes and rails, Latham’s Snipe which migrates from Japan, and many other waterbirds. Jerringot acts as a natural filter, purifying water and supporting wildlife.
Seaview Reserve in Belmont contains rare remnant vegetation of state significance, including the endangered Limestone Woodland Complex. In 1995, local groups opposed its sale for development, leading to conservation efforts coordinated by GFNC members, community volunteers, and students.
The Moolap Salt Works, formerly the Cheetham Saltworks, is a crucial habitat for migratory waders and other water birds, including species protected under the EPBC Act. The Geelong Field Naturalists Club has long monitored the site and advocated for its conservation, especially following a proposed urban development in 2012. Despite a 2015 decision to protect the leased area, the future management of Moolap remains uncertain.
Club Committee 2026
| President | Graham Possingham |
| Vice President | Vacant |
| Secretary | Jane Morrow |
| Treasurer | Peter Pick |
| Minutes Secretary | Courtney Jennings |
| General Committee | Margaret Alcorn Silvana Benacchio Wendy Duncan Brad Ferrier |
| Publication Sub-Committee Chair | Bernie Lingham |
| Conservation Sub-Committee Chair | Chris White |
| Program Sub-Committee Chair | Jane Morrow |
| Environment Fund Chair | David Boyle |
| Fauna Group Leader | Barry Lingham |
| Bird Group Leader | Craig Morley |
| Child Safe Officer | Naomi Wells |
| Membership Officer | Deborah Evans |
| Librarian | Lorraine Phelan |
| Website Administrators | Margaret Alcorn Graham Possingham |
| Geelong Naturalist Editors | Bernie Lingham Jane Morrow |