Friends of the Gippsland Lakes, Parks and Reserves (FOGL)

****Dr. Peter Fisher will be speaking on this issue at the Bairnsdale Italian Australian Club on Thursday 20 April at 7:00pm. Free of charge. Bookings essential: ph. 5150 2300.****

“The Gippsland Lakes are in serious trouble if the lack of water quality monitoring in catchment rivers continues. This has the potential to affect all businesses connected to the `jewel of Gippsland’, including tourism, industry and real estate.”
Retired engineer and advocate for improved water health throughout East Gippsland (and FOGL member), Ross Scott, raised the issue during an address to Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry members last week.
“This is a key issue that will involve all business with a connection to the Gippsland Lakes,” Mr. Scott said.
“The Gippsland Lakes are stuffed unless we do something immediately about impacting issues.

BAIRNSDALE & DISTRICT FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC

An open invite has been extended to join the B&DFNC on Friday 21th and Saturday 22th April which is hosting a visit by Alan Scrymgeour, a well known marine biologist from Bega.

The invitation:

“On Friday night Alan will be giving a presentation on our unique marine life from Boyd’s Tower to the Gippsland Lakes entitled “The Sea Rules”.

This will be held at the Noweyung Centre 84 Goold Street, Bairnsdale at 8.00pm (see map below).

On Saturday Alan will take us wading in the shallows to observe the marine environment at seagrass and sandy sites on Raymond Island. Entitled “Mud, Sand, Algaes and Angiosperms”, his briefing notes tell us that we will be “sampling sea grass fauna at various depths and positions in five groups and five sampling repeats looking mainly for micro fauna indications of summer and winter breeding programs”.

After a BYO lunch we will travel to a sandy area for: “quadrant sampling of the shallow area sandy bottom fauna using wash through process. The aim is a density figure as well as identification and photographing”.

After a BYO afternoon tea: “We will meet together and review the day’s work for a follow-up picture collection and documentation”.

The BD&FNC will provide the myriad of equipment that Alan has requested (kitchen sieves, microscopes, ice cube trays, card tables to name a few) but has asked participants to bring insect repellent, sunscreen, hat, drinking water, own personal note book and pencil, digital camera, hand lens, water gear such as bathers/shorts (waders if you have them). However, not everyone has to go into the water as our hardier members will bring specimens back to shore for examination, identification and discussion.

The arrangements are to meet at the Raymond Island Ferry Park at 10.00am on Saturday (the 9.45am ferry from Paynesville will get you there).

Our member, Andrew Bould is co-ordinating this process, so if you need further information or clarification please contact him on 5156 6494 or andrewbould@bigpond.com

Looking forward to seeing some of you at either of these functions and don’t forget you BYO lunch and elevenses.

With best wishes

Pat McPherson
President
14 April 2006″