Living a Local Life

Dates for the Diary

A choir where the audience does the singing!

Upcoming Dates:
27 September, 11 October, 25 October.

No experience necessary, just turn up, grab a drink and get ready to sing.

We meet fortnightly: 7.30 pm, Mulberry Room, upstairs at the Toronto Pub.

Green Waste Tour with TASNG

Wednesday 28 September,

9:30-11

Awaba Recycling Centre

Wilson Roard, Awaba

RSVP to torontoareasng@gmail.com

Wednesday 28 September, 10am-noon
Morisset Multipurpose Centre, 143 Dora Street

Natural systems with higher biodiversity are more resilient against change, pest damage, disease and extreme weather events. Learn a range of techniques to encourage biodiversity in your garden.

Lachlan Storrie of Tree Frog Permaculture is an enthusiastic purveyor of all things permaculture and the natural world. His background in Biology, ecology and 12 years of sustainable gardening will get you excited and informed, ready to do the same in your corner of the globe! Call Southlake Neighbourhood Centre on 4973 7000 to book your spot.

TASNG Monthly meeting 
2nd Wednesday of the month.

5 - 6:30pm
The Hub, 97 The Boulevarde

Next meeting is 12 October 

- All Welcome -

Sunday 16 October , 11am-3pm
Myuna Bay Foreshore Park

The Nature Conservation Council is holding their first Picnic for Nature event where local communities will host and hold picnics - coming together to celebrate nature.

Our local picnic is being hosted on Sunday 16th October by the Coal Ash Community Alliance at Myuna Bay Foreshore Reserve, 11am-3pm. They are organising an amazing program, from fun activities for the kids, to discussions on what's next for the area. Bring a picnic lunch and something to sit on.

As well as a fun day out with the family, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate our local natural beauty and biodiversity and a chance to connect with locals who also care about nature in our area. More information 

The Aussie Bird Count

October 17 – 23 Outdoors and online

Taking part in the bird count is easy, register to participate, take a seat and admire the birds!

Spend 20 minutes in your backyard, local park, farm, balcony, or anywhere you can see birds, and submit your count using the web form or the app – both come with a handy bird finder to help you identify what you see.

Count as often or as little as you like. Some people count multiple times per day, others only once or twice for the week. Every count helps.

https://aussiebirdcount.org.au/#register

The Hunter Bird Observers Club website has many great resources available, including their newly-released publication, “Birding Guide to the Cessnock Woodlands“

Dreamtime to Modern

Sunday 23 October, 2 - 4 pm 
Rathmines Theatre , Stilling Street, Rathmines

The Lake Macquarie Wind Band presents, in partnership with the Gabinya Miyay Aboriginal Dance Group, an afternoon celebrating aspects of culture, from ancient indigenous dance, a smoking ceremony and modern Australian soundscapes.

Gold Coin Donation.Bookings are recommended via the Dreamtime to Modern Booking Link.

The Great Southern Bioblitz

28-31 October- Online

The Great Southern Bioblitz returns 28-31 October when the southern hemisphere’s natural world awakens from its winter slumber.

Help us learn about biodiversity across our suburban backyards, parks and bushland reserves, and see what is recorded in this snapshot of spring across three continents.

The iNaturalist website and phone app connect you to expert scientists and other naturalists from around the world, and let you collect observations that contribute to biodiversity science. You can explore observations from Lake Macquarie and the world, and get help to identify plants and animals.
To participate sign up to iNaturalist and join the Great Southern Bioblitz 2022 Lake Macquarie City project.

Great Southern Bioblitz 2021- Lake Mac City - 22-25 October

Over the past few months of exploring the local surrounds you may have noticed an occasional fungus, a periodic petal or two, the abundance of birds, the incessant insects, those tremendous trees, superb shrubbery, and groovy grasses. Their presence has helped to keep us present and provide much needed respite from the constraints of the COVID cloisters.

The Great Southern Bioblitz is an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge this biodiverse abundance in our backyard, a way of saying thank you to the silent majority and recognising their place in our community space… and you’ll get find out the names of these floral and faunal friends.

All you need is a camera and computing capacity to upload to inaturalist, a very easy-to-use app/desktop application. A community of citizen scientists will assist with the naming.

Lake Macquarie City will be joining in the Great Southern Bioblitz from 22-25 October 202. In addition to increasing awareness of what we have across Lake Mac’s suburban backyards, parks and nature reserves, we can see what is recorded in this snapshot of Spring across three continents.

You‘ve still got time to learn how to use  inaturalist app, here’s an instructional run-through.

All of the details on how to participate
in the Great Southern Bioblitz are here. 

Bushcare’s Major Day Out

For this year’s Bioblitz event we’ll be admiring the benefits of a blaze and joining in with Bushcare’s Major Day Out at Stansfield Reserve.

If you’ve never walked over this area some landcare locals will be happy to take you on a guided tour.

If you’ve never really appreciated the impact of Asparagus fern the burnt v’s non-burnt areas will amaze and inspire you into tackling one of our most prolific weeds.

If you’ve ever wondered what all the fuss is about with fire and the Australian bush, come along and see what can grow in 5 months after incineration.

We’ll have an area with some tools for you to practice your Asparagus fern removal technique and morning tea will be provided.

We’ll be walking and demonstrating weeding from the back of Progress Hall between 9-11am on Sunday 11th September. Morning tea will be provided.

Searching for Seed

Searching for seed will be the Annual Bioblitz event this year. Often overlooked in the understorey and out of reach in the canopy the secrets of seed will be revealed on Saturday 5^th September 1-4pm along the West Ridge reserves.

A seed collection specialist, Trish Barker, will be leading the hunt and seeds collected will be grown on for planting back in the bush or purchase by locals for their bushland blocks or backyards.

Seed is an amazing source of wonder to the bushland wanderer, a food supply for the local wildlife and the vehicle for plant’s ability to adapt to change by mixing up the genetics of parents in the progeny.

Seed comes in all shapes and sizes from big woody pears to dust-like sprinklings. Knowing what to look for and when it’s ripe for the picking & propagating will be part of the seed searching session. A seed-D of resources, The Seedy Side of Plants will be provided to all participants.

Soup and damper will be provided after the walk.

Bookings are essential please email cppa.tsls@gmail.com or ring Trees In Newcastle on 4969 1500. The meeting point will be off Whitelocke Street between the mobile tower and the water tank.

BioBlitz for beginners

The votes may all have been counted but on Saturday September 14^th from 9am till night time the local flora and fauna of the Coal Point peninsula will be the focus of the polls.

September is Biodiversity month and it will be celebrated at Progress Hall with walks & talks, surveys, displays and an opportunity to find out what resources are available to help you learn about and care for the web of life that surrounds your home.

The variety of life from giant gums, amazing animals, frilly fungi to soil microorganisms and everything in between is biodiversity. 

The inaugural BioBlitz event will have experts on hand to help you identify that weird plant or the curious night time noise. 

There will be opportunities to learn some survey and identification skills too. What does a habitat hollow look like, how does a GPS work, how are plants surveyed and how do you know what birds are in the area are some of the questions that will be answered.

The day of discovery aims to share local knowledge and resources.

9:00-4pm Progress Hall open for displays and discussion. Do you want a hand with weed control, native plants or nest boxes? Book in for an expert to advise on what treasures you have in your yard. Find out who are the local wildlife carers and experts and what Council can do to help. 

10-11 am -Birds in the bush. Walk & talk around Stansfield Reserve with bird observer Tom Clarke. 

11.30-12.30- Know your natives. A look at the plant survey plots around Stansfield Reserves and what’s in them with botanist John Moen. 

12.30-1:00- Wildlife carer Catherine Rowe explains her role and that of the Native Animal Trust Fund. 

1-2:30 Habitat hollows. What cracks and crevices do our local wildlife have to live in. A survey of the West Ridge reserves with nocturnal mammal expert Chris McLean

1.30-2.30 - Birds and the bush. Walk & talk around West Ridge Reserves with bird expert Tom Clarke and botanist John Moen.

6:00 pm What goes thump in the night? Spotlight tour of West Ridge Reserves with Chris McLean. Meet at the top of Whitelock Street. Limited numbers RSVP essential.

All activities, except for the spotlight tour, start at Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point Rd, Coal Point 

Food and drinks available at the hall. 

To assist in coordination of the day please RSVP to  coalpointprogress@gmail.com or ring Trees In Newcastle during office hours on 4969 1500.