Darling Range Branch - WA Naturalists' Club

30/08/2026

The more we work together, the successful the bore reduction programs are!

Read more here…. https://echonewspaper.com.au/news/citizen-science-to-combat-shot-hole-borers/

23/08/2026

I don’t quite know what to think about this! What are your thoughts?

SLUGGISH and dead moon jellyfish were spotted two weeks ago along a 5km section of the Swan River between Caversham Avenue and Fish Market Reserve in Guildford.

11/08/2026

This is where you can find us on Friday night, look forward to seeing you then!

01/08/2026

DRB Talks and Excursions coming up August/ September:

Details of all WA Nats events at:

https://www.wanaturalists.org.au/events/

Poppy Mahon talking about Rodenticides (DRB)
14 August, 7:00 pm-9:30 pm

Note: This event will not be held in our usual venue. It has been changed to Zig-Zig Seminar Room, 50 Railway Road, Kalamunda

Speaker:
Poppy Mahon – Youth activist from Youth Action for Wildlife, advocating for change to protect native species from harmful rodenticides.
Topic:
Poppy was involved with the Big Challenge – Wildlife Friendly Rodent Control Forums, a family-friendly community event focused on protecting our waterways, wildlife, and pets from harmful rodent control methods. There were three forums held in 2025.
Poppy will talk about the information learned from these forums and will give us an update on where we are at with rodenticides.
Plus:
Focus/ Boffins talk – Ha Hoang will give an update on his Western Swamp Turtle Egg Translocation Study.

Discover the Birds of Broz Park – Guided Bird Walk with Rachel and Mike Green
22 August, 10:00 am-11:30 am

Go to the following link to book. Bookings open at 9am on 1st August 2026.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/discover-the-birds-of-broz-park-nature-walk-tickets-1991690588164

It’s on again. The last bird walk at Broz Park was so popular that we are running it again. This time in the month of August when different birds are expected and there should be water in the wetland. Birds, such as Yellow-billed Spoonbills, Great Egrets, White-faced Herons, Black-fronted Dotterels and even Shovelers have all been seen here in August.
It’s the number one bird hot spot (by size) in the Shire of Mundaring. Join local bird enthusiasts, Rachel and Mike Green, as they lead you on a guided bird walk around the park and tell you about the birds, how to recognise them, where in the park you might see them and how they behave.
Rachel and Mike are the authors of the “Guide to the Birds of Broz Park” and have surveyed the birds here over 80 times. They’ve recorded over 64 species here, so far. They are also long-standing members of the Darling Range Branch of the WA Naturalists’ Club.
Everyone who attends will be given a FREE copy of the Broz Park book, if you haven’t already got one. This will help you look for and identify the birds. Rachel and Mike may put your bird identification skills to the test with a quiz to find specific birds. Of course, you can use the book to help you!
Broz Park has a sealed easy walking track all around its wetland and lake. It has a bird hide, toilets, trees, native flowers, BBQs, seats with shelters, a water fountain, and of course, the birds. The path is suitable for people with walking frames and wheelchairs.
The Shire of Mundaring supported by Natural Resource Management (NRM) and other organisations are working to improve the health of the wetland and this is a great opportunity to see this important work.
Thanks to the Shire of Mundaring who are sponsoring and organising this event and have invited us to join them. This is a free event. Bookings are essential – the last one booked out.
Been before? Come again!
Practical details:
Date: Saturday 22nd August 2026.
Time: Start 10am, finish no later than 12 noon.
Meet at: Broz Park, 4 Parkview Gardens, Helena Valley, WA 6056. There is ample free parking.
What to bring: Bring binoculars. If you have never used binoculars before there will be guidance on how best to use them and some for you to try out. Also, you may need a hat, enclosed walking shoes, sunglasses, etc. according to the weather on the day. It may be wet.

Bookings: Essential as numbers are limited. Bookings open at 9am on 1st August 2026.
Book here:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/discover-the-birds-of-broz-park-nature-walk-tickets-1991690588164

Ideal for: People new to bird watching or experienced bird watchers who haven’t been to Broz Park before at this time of year. Children aged 8 and above are welcome.

Penny Hussey talking about the Himalayas – Prayer Flags + Blue Poppies (DRB)
11 September, 7:00 pm-9:30 pm

Note: This event will change back to our original venue of the Kalamunda Community Centre.

Speaker:
Penny Hussey – DRB Member
Topic:
Penny will talk about her trip to the Himalayas.
Plus:
Focus/ Boffins talk – Viv Reid will talk about “The Birds of Lake Carnegie”.

Orchids in the park
13 September, 9:30 am-11:30 am

Go to website to book:

https://www.wanaturalists.org.au/events/orchids-in-the-park/

Yanchep National Park (Yanchep Beach Rd & Indian Ocean Dr) is a stunning bushland and wetland reserve, home to western grey kangaroos and an impressive diversity of birdlife.

The park is also renowned for its remarkable range of native orchids, particularly during the flowering season. Walkers may encounter spider orchids, donkey orchids, bee orchids, and purple enamel orchids, among many others. These delicate blooms thrive in the park’s varied habitats, from open woodland to damp wetlands, making every walk a unique discovery.

Local guide Shelley Campbell will share her first hand knowledge of the orchids found along the trail, explaining their distinctive shapes, colours, seasonal patterns, and fascinating pollination methods. This experience offers a deeper appreciation of Western Australia’s exceptional floral biodiversity.

Visitors are encouraged to stay for a picnic. and explore the park’s additional attractions after the walk.

Meet that the carpark next to the Koalas Broad walk

Please note that the walking trail includes some uphill sections. We recommend checking suitability before booking, or bringing a walking stick for extra support.

10/07/2026

everyone needs to be vigilant now it has reached our shore and our native shore bird (s)

04/07/2026

DRB Nats upcoming talks:

Lois Gearing talking about Naretha Bluebonnet Parrot (DRB)

10 July, 7:00 pm-9:30 pm

https://www.wanaturalists.org.au/events/lois-gearing-2/

Topic:
The Naretha Bluebonnet (Northiella narethae) is one of Australia’s least-known parrots — and one of the very last to be discovered, formally described as recently as 1921. Even its name carries deep meaning: narethae is derived from the local Indigenous name for saltbush, a vital and lifesaving food source in the remote and often hostile country this parrot inhabits.

This remarkable species is confined to the Myall belt of Western and South Australia, on the fringe of the Nullarbor Plain — a landscape characterised by vast distances, saline soils, bluebush and saltbush, and very few trees. It is a land where survival itself seems improbable, yet the Naretha Bluebonnet has evolved to endure and persist.

For a time, agricultural development across parts of this region inadvertently benefited the species by providing more reliable sources of water, and flocks once numbered in the hundreds. However, other landscape changes have since made survival far more challenging. Gone are the days of flocks of 400, and populations have declined significantly, particularly in Western Australia.

In the 1990s, the then Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) established a pioneering captive breeding program in partnership with private aviculturists — a novel and forward-thinking initiative for Western Australia. As part of this program, surplus birds were made available to the public through CALM-run auctions. These auctions not only helped support the program, but also played a critical role in raising awareness of a parrot that, until then, very few people knew existed — or that it lived in WA at all.

It was through one of these CALM auctions that Lois and Wayne Gearing first came to meet the Naretha Bluebonnet and began what has become a decades-long commitment to the species, not as owners, but as guardians. Their involvement has spanned both intensive avicultural work and time spent in the bird’s remote homelands — landscapes that leave one asking how any creature survives there, let alone breeds successfully.

Today, the greatest threat facing the Naretha Bluebonnet is the loss of nesting habitat. Suitable nesting trees are few and far between, and many of the mature Allocasuarina pauper trees — relied upon for nesting hollows — are now splitting and collapsing with age. Regeneration of younger trees is minimal or absent. Without active intervention, the lack of nesting trees places this resilient little parrot at serious risk of extinction.

As of 2026, there are no Naretha Bluebonnets held in any zoos or wildlife parks in Australia.

This presentation explores the ecology of the Naretha Bluebonnet, the harsh and beautiful landscapes it inhabits, and the plants and trees essential to its survival — and tells the story of a small, tough Australian battler that urgently needs our understanding, advocacy and help.

Additionally, Mike and Rachel Green will give a talk on the Spotted Bowerbird.

Poppy Mahon talking about Rodenticides (DRB)
14 August, 7:00 pm-9:30 pm

https://www.wanaturalists.org.au/events/poppy-mahon-talking-about-rodenticides-drb/

Speaker:
Poppy Mahon – Youth activist from Youth Action for Wildlife, advocating for change to protect native species from harmful rodenticides.

Topic:
Poppy was involved with the Big Challenge – Wildlife Friendly Rodent Control Forums, a family-friendly community event focused on protecting our waterways, wildlife, and pets from harmful rodent control methods. There were three forums held in 2025.
Poppy will talk about the information learned from these forums and will give us an update on where we are at with rodenticides.

Additionally, Ha Hoang will give an update on his Western Swamp Turtle Egg Translocation Study.

04/07/2026

⚡ Want to reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable?

Join Electrify Everything WA for a free Powering Up Our Communities: The Future is Electric session at the Shire of Mundaring Civic Room on Saturday 25 July, 1pm-2:30pm.

Learn how technologies like heat pump hot water systems, induction cooking, rooftop solar, batteries and electric vehicles can help save money, improve comfort and create a healthier, more resilient home.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/powering-up-our-communities-the-future-is-electric-tickets-1985555169963

22/06/2026

good news is so infrequent - this is worth jumping for joy

20/06/2026

See link for the video!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GCEctAPqR/

06/06/2026

DRB Talks coming up:

June: Kit Prendergast talking about native bees (DRB)
12 June , 7:15 pm – 9:30 pm
Science communicator Kit Prendergast will talk about native bees (DRB)

https://www.wanaturalists.org.au/events/drb-presents-kit-prendergast-2/

Note: Change of venue: This event will not be held in our usual venue, but has been changed to the Zig-Zag Seminar Room, 50 Railway Road, Kalamunda.

Dr Kit Prendergast

Native bee scientist, conservation biologist and zoologist
University of Southern QLD Postdoctoral Researcher (Pollination Ecology)
Adjunct Curtin University and Forrest Scholar Alumni
Find native bee resources and more on my Patreon The Bee Babette: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheBeeBabette
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1164-6099
Research: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kit-Prendergast/research
YouTube channel The Bee Babette: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBeeBabette
‘Creating a Haven for Native Bees’: https://www.facebook.com/CreatingaHavenforNativeBeesBook/
Wild Bee artwork: https://www.redbubble.com/people/BeeBabette/explore?asc=u&page=1&sortOrder=recent
Insta: .babette_performer:
https://www.instagram.com/bee.babette_performer/?hl=en

Dr Kit Prendergast is a native bee ecologist and science communicator. Her PhD involved investigating the impact of honeybees on native bees and pollination networks , and the impact of urbanisation on native bees. Dr Kit’s research ranges from pollination ecology, to native bee ecology and behaviour, citizen science, critiquing methods for surveying pollinators, undertaking biodiversity assessments. She is a renowned science communicator, performing under the persona of ‘Bee Babette.’

Plus:
Focus/ Boffins talk – Allan Willis will give a talk on “Insects of Walpole”

June talk:
Lois Gearing on the Naretha Bluebonnet Parrot
10 July , 7:15 pm – 9:30 pm
Lois Gearing will talk about the little-known Naretha Bluebonnet Parrot

https://www.wanaturalists.org.au/events/lois-gearing-2/

Note: This event will not be held in our usual venue. It has been changed to Zig-Zig Seminar Room, 50 Railway Road, City of Kalamunda

Topic:
The Naretha Bluebonnet (Northiella narethae) is one of Australia’s least-known parrots — and one of the very last to be discovered, formally described as recently as 1921. Even its name carries deep meaning: narethae is derived from the local Indigenous name for saltbush, a vital and lifesaving food source in the remote and often hostile country this parrot inhabits.

This remarkable species is confined to the Myall belt of Western and South Australia, on the fringe of the Nullarbor Plain — a landscape characterised by vast distances, saline soils, bluebush and saltbush, and very few trees. It is a land where survival itself seems improbable, yet the Naretha Bluebonnet has evolved to endure and persist.

For a time, agricultural development across parts of this region inadvertently benefited the species by providing more reliable sources of water, and flocks once numbered in the hundreds. However, other landscape changes have since made survival far more challenging. Gone are the days of flocks of 400, and populations have declined significantly, particularly in Western Australia.

In the 1990s, the then Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) established a pioneering captive breeding program in partnership with private aviculturists — a novel and forward-thinking initiative for Western Australia. As part of this program, surplus birds were made available to the public through CALM-run auctions. These auctions not only helped support the program, but also played a critical role in raising awareness of a parrot that, until then, very few people knew existed — or that it lived in WA at all.

It was through one of these CALM auctions that Lois and Wayne Gearing first came to meet the Naretha Bluebonnet and began what has become a decades-long commitment to the species, not as owners, but as guardians. Their involvement has spanned both intensive avicultural work and time spent in the bird’s remote homelands — landscapes that leave one asking how any creature survives there, let alone breeds successfully.

Today, the greatest threat facing the Naretha Bluebonnet is the loss of nesting habitat. Suitable nesting trees are few and far between, and many of the mature Allocasuarina pauper trees — relied upon for nesting hollows — are now splitting and collapsing with age. Regeneration of younger trees is minimal or absent. Without active intervention, the lack of nesting trees places this resilient little parrot at serious risk of extinction.

As of 2026, there are no Naretha Bluebonnets held in any zoos or wildlife parks in Australia.

This presentation explores the ecology of the Naretha Bluebonnet, the harsh and beautiful landscapes it inhabits, and the plants and trees essential to its survival — and tells the story of a small, tough Australian battler that urgently needs our understanding, advocacy and help.

Plus:
Focus/ Boffins talk – Mike and Rachel Green will give a talk on the Spotted Bowerbird.