Future Events

Western Australian wildflowers

Speaker: Bradley Curnow.

My presentation on Western Australian wildflowers is a low-key photographic ramble through a tiny fraction of Australians largest state. Amongst other places I start in Perth at the King’s botanic garden then travel to John Forrest national park on the Darling escarpment. We head north to Newman and into the outback at Southern cross and Kalgoorlie. On the south coast we visit Esperance and a Banksia speciosa forest and the superb Cape la Grande national park. I also have a section of orchid photos.

Slope Point and Environs, Southland

Leaders: John Barkla / Gretchen Brownstein.

On this trip to the far south we will visit both public and private reserves to see the diversity of plants and vegetation along the south coast, including coastal forests, coastal turfs, coastal cliffs, estuaries and sand dunes. The local QEII reps will lead us around some of the hidden gems of the area. We will be doing a series of shorts walks (between 5min to 1 hour at various sites) depending on site, so there will interesting plants to see for all levels of fitness. Come prepared to be flexible, with good walking shoes, warm clothing, food, and water. Limited accommodation at Slope Point is availble on the Saturday night. Travel 200km (one-way). Please contact Gretchen to book a place on the trip.

Blue Mountains

We are planning a field trip to the Blue Mountains with Alan Mark and John Knight. More details to come; check the website closer to the date.

The Sequoioideae: What can extant lineages tell us about evolution?

Speaker: Jess Paull. In ages bygone, gymnosperms were at the height of their diversity. In the modern age, many face extinction due to the looming threat of climate change. What can this group (and others) tell us about our past and our future?

An Introduction to the Natural History of Chatham Island

Speaker: On Lee Lau. Chatham Island/Rēkohu/Wharekauri on the eastern edge of Zealandia is home to a high proportion of New Zealand's endemic flora and fauna. Join On Lee for a talk about encountering this flora and fauna in some special sites over the past few years while visiting the island to support freshwater fish research with Otago Uni. On Lee comes from a botany background in the Americas and has gained an appreciation for birds and bugs while working at Tūhura Otago Museum for the past 10 years. The talk will include a virtual visit to some of the island's rākau momori in kōpi groves, including the 2023 Winner for Rākau o te tau/Tree of the Year NZ Aotearoa.

Manuka Gorge Lichen and Bryophyte walk

A short trail of Sycamore trees exploding in a lichen and bryophyte community, with a scattered native understory will lead us to Mount Stuart Tunnel. The tunnel was built around 1875 and is 442 metres long. The cool damp air may require warm clothing. If we turn the torches off, we might be rewarded with a glow worm show. The entrance of the tunnel walls are coated in hornworts, liverworts, moss and ferns. Having a hand lens and head torch on this trip is highly recommended. This is a short walk (~1km return) on well- formed tracks. Meet at the Botany Department carpark 9am. Returning to Dunedin by 2pm.