Calendar

The Current Calendar (below) includes FoG and related activities. To be kept fully up to date with FoG activities, become a member, get the newsletter and if you have email access you'll also get the FoG E-bulletin with all the latest news and information. If you have queries about any of the activities below, contact the person nominated, or Contact Us.

FoG visits many private or public properties during the year to assist in plant identification and management issues. These visits usually do not appear in the FoG program because we may not know what to expect at such sites and because they are usually arranged at short notice. If you are interested in participating in property visits, Contact Us.

Please advertise this information amongst your friends and networks and support our activities.

Non FoG members are welcome to participate in FoG events.

For any FoG activity you should register with the indicated contact, who can assist with directions and possibly car pooling. By registering you assist us to organise any catering and provide you with any other information that you may need, including late changes. For all FoG activities please supply your emergency contact person's details when registering.

Summary of upcoming FOG Events

Sat 19 Oct, 9.30am Join Friends of Wamboin Crown Reserve for a guided walk in the reserve. Pls register as numbers are capped. https://events.humanitix.com/spring-2025-guided-walk-of-wamboin-crown-reserve.
Sat 25 Oct, Great Southern Bioblitz 2025, Adaminaby area. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Mon 27 Oct, Ginninderry Conversation Trust’s scrapes monitoring.
Join us if you are interested in seeing the scrapes after their evolving for five and one year respectively. Register: john.fitzgerald@fog.org.au.
Sat 1 Nov, 2pm, Perunga Grasshopper search on Hill Reserve, Ngunnawal. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Fri 14 Nov, 10am, Second NTG survey at Mulloon Institute. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Sat Nov 15, 9am-1pm, Field day with LLS and a couple of landcare groups - grassland workshop at a quality grassland, Bungendore. More info: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Fri 20 Nov 8:30am-1pm, The Poplars, Queanbeyan. A visit at peak flowering time. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Wed 26 Nov, 11am, Golden Sun Moth monitoring at Budjan Galindji Grassland, Franklin. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.

Summary of upcoming FOG Work parties

National Lands Group. Register: jamie.pittock@fog.org.au

Gurubung Dhaura

Sat 8 Nov, 9-12:30pm

Gungaderra Nature Reserve, Register:jamie.pittock@fog.org.au

Sat 22 Nov, 9-12:30pm. With Ranger Kieran O’Connor.

Yarramundi Reach, Register: jamie.pittock@fog.org.au.

Sun 23 Nov, 9-12:30pm. Herbicide sprayers wanted.

Budjan Galindji Grassland Nature Reserve (Franklin). Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.

Wed 22 Oct, 9-11:30am
Wed 5 & 26 Nov, 9-11:30am

Hall Cemetery. Register: john.fitzgerald@fog.org.au.

Sat 1 Nov, 9-11am

Top Hut TSR, near Cooma, NSW. Contact: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.

Sun 26 Oct, 9:30am-3:30pm
Sun 16 Nov, 9:30am-3:30pm

Scottsdale Monitoring. Inquiries & contact: linda@xamax.com.au.

Thurs 30 Oct, 9am-4pm.

Summary of Notices

23 Aug-2 Nov Lanyon Art Prize Exhibition 2025, Lanyon Historic Homestead, Tharwa Drive ACT. See the work of artist and FOG member Cathy Franzi. Free entry 10am-11am, Wed-Sun, otherwise paid homestead tours 11am-4pm.
Tues 18 Nov, 9-10am, FOG members Andrew Zelnik and Margaret Ning on 2XX (98.3FM) Radio Landcare.

Details of FOG Events

Sat 19 Oct, 9.30am Join Friends of Wamboin Crown Reserve for a combined wildflower and birdwatching walk. Pls register as numbers are capped. https://events.humanitix.com/spring-2025-guided-walk-of-wamboin-crown-reserve.
Sat 25 Oct, Participate in Great Southern Bioblitz 2025, in the Adaminaby area. Come along and learn what a bioblitz is all about https://www.greatsouthernbioblitz.org/about-1 Findings will be loaded onto iNaturalist. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Mon 27 Oct, Annual monitoring of Ginninderry grassland scrapes. FOG has worked with the Ginninderra Conservation Trust for 5 years on the original scrape, and 2025 marks the first monitoring of a brand new scrape. Help is required from interested FOG members, partly from those experienced with grass and forb ID, but also from others who would prefer to assist with data recording on the day. (Tue 28 Oct is a backup day, in case of bad weather.) Register: john.fitzgerald@fog.org.au.
Sat 1 Nov, 2pm, Perunga Grasshopper search on Hill Reserve, Ngunnawal. A Perunga was recorded on Hill Reserve last year just before an eco burn occurred there. We shall try to find the species, and see how the area is going following the fire. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Thurs 20 Nov, 10am-1pm, The Poplars, Queanbeyan. A visit at peak flowering time! The Rutidosis patch is looking beautiful, and nearby there is a patch of Fan Grevillea (Grevillea ramosissima subsp. ramosissima) which had not been seen previously by most of us. Come along and enjoy the wander. https://www.poplars.com.au/grasslands. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Fri 14 Nov, 10am, Second NTG survey at Mulloon Institute. Hopefully we shall add to the species list we compiled on our earlier visit. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Sat Nov 15, 9am-1pm, Field day with LLS and a couple of landcare groups - grassland workshop at a quality grassland, Bungendore. More details will be available soon. Contact: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.
Wed 26 Nov, 11am, Golden Sun Moth monitoring at Budjan Galindji Grassland, Franklin. See the spring flowering, and watch a Golden Sun Moth monitoring session in progress. Register: margaret.ning@fog.org.au.

Early warning of FOG future events

Nothing to report here.

Events and dates are indicative and may be subject to change. Details will be advised as more information is available.

Details of FOG work parties

Registration

Participants need to register for these events at least two days before the event, to confirm details of the starting locations or any last-minute changes. Note: work includes weeding, planting and rubbish removal. Herbicides are often used so these events are not suitable for young children. Tools are provided. You need to wear gardening clothes (including hat) and solid footwear appropriate for the work and the weather, and bring your own drinking water. The work party convener may provide morning tea, making these pleasant social occasions. Events will be cancelled if the weather is unsuitable: a) the forecast is 35 deg C+, b) it is a total fire ban day, c) there is lightning, d) air quality is hazardous, or e) heavy rain.

National Lands Group

FOG’s National Lands Group is responsible for work on National Lands (Gurubung Dhaura /Stirling Park, Scrivener’s Hut, State Circle, Blue Gum Point & Yarramundi Grassland) managed by the National Capital Authority and Blue Gum Point managed by ACT Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS). Work parties with 10 to 30 participants held on Saturday mornings.

Gurubung Dhaura

Sat 8 Nov, 9-12:30pm. Marg will lead this work party that will continue work to maintain our recent plantings at Blue Gum Point. There will be many tasks. The plantings will be mulched. Plantings need guards repaired. There is woody weed regrowth to cut and daubed, and some spraying. And there will be rubbish to collect. We are short of tools for spreading mulch, so please bring whatever you can of the following: spade, fork, heavy duty rake with metal prongs, garden basket/trug and/or wheelbarrow. Please register with Margaret Ning: m. 0427 788 304, margaret.ning@fog.org.au.

FOG has received an ACT Environment Grant for FY26 that will enable us to complete major works to restore the grassy woodlands at Blue Gum Point. The grant will fund: a) contractor control of woody weeds exposed by the drop in Lake Burley Griffin water levels this year; b) weed grass spraying; c) mechanical spreading of the large woodchip piles created by previous weed control, and d) tubestock for revegetation of the areas occupied by the woodchip piles, involving us undertaking more planting in autumn.
Sat 13 Dec, 9-12:30pm: tba

Gungaderra NR

Sat 22 Nov, 9-12:30pm. Volunteers are wanted to support PCS spraying of African Lovegrass. FOG is helping the ACT Parks & Conservation Service control African Lovegrass at the Gungaderra Grasslands Reserve in Crace in this one off event. We need ~5 volunteers who have experience and are willing to use a back pack sprayer and can identify African Lovegrass. Registration will open in the coming week on the ParkCare Hub on the Ranger Assist page. Volunteers need to register to access the ParkCare Hub to get information: https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicOrganization/7baf50be-3b65-4dd3-bc53-04307685cfdb/1.

Yarramundi Reach

Sun 23 Nov, 9-12:30pm. Herbicide sprayers wanted.

Budjan Galindji Grassland Nature Reserve (Franklin) - Inquiries and registration: margaret.ning@fog.org.au

The Budjan Galindji Grassland Nature Reserve Parkcare Group is organised by FOG and ACT Parkcare. Work parties have largely focused on plant identification and removing weeds, and some planting of grasses and forbs is planned. We are working closely with the Rangers. This is a great opportunity for participants in the group to learn about grassland plants and weeds and their management, and more generally how to restore our precious grasslands, including selecting, growing, and reintroducing plants. Work parties are from 9-11.30am on the first and fourth Wednesday of the month.

Wed 22 Oct, 9-11:30am
Wed 5 & 26 Nov, 9-11:30am
Wed 3 & 24 Dec, 9-11:30am

Hall Cemetery - Inquiries and registration: john.fitzgerald@fog.org.au

FOG has held regular work parties at Hall Cemetery since 2009, aiming to remove weeds and restore the native grasses and wild flowers that were once present. Work parties are held from 9am-11am. You need to bring your own working tool, and dress sensibly.

Sat 1 Nov, 9-11am

Top Hut TSR, near Cooma, NSW. Contact: margaret.ning@fog.org.au

Sun 26 Oct, 9:30am-3:30pm, work party. Come and admire the bevy of Billy Buttons, Yam Daisies, Scaly Buttons.
Sun 16 Nov, 9:30am-3:30pm
Sun 14 Dec, 9:30am-3:30pm

Scottsdale Monitoring. Inquiries & contact: linda@xamax.com.au

Thurs 30 Oct, 9am to 4pm.

Details of Notices

23 Aug-2 Nov Lanyon Art Prize Exhibition 2025, Lanyon Historic Homestead, Tharwa Drive ACT. See the work of artist and FOG member Cathy Franzi. Free entry 10am-11am, Wed-Sun, otherwise paid homestead tours 11am-4pm

Tues 18 Nov, 9-10am, FOG members Andrew Zelnik and Margaret Ning on 2XX, (98.3FM) Radio Landcare. FOG members Andrew Zelnik and Margaret Ning join Queanbeyan Landcare’s Tom Baker and FOG member Margaret Piper to discuss what is happing in the FOG world, including activities and issues.

Please advertise these events among your friends and networks. Non FoG members are welcome to FoG events. For inquiries or if you have an item to include, please Contact Us