ISSN 0816-6463 SEGMENTS Volume 19 Number 2 Journal of the September 2003 Scientific Expedition Group

Chairman's Report 29th August 2003 In this issue Richard Willing 1 Chairman’s Report As SEG enters its 20th year it is with minutes from our monthly wide- great pleasure that I present my final ranging, exuberant meetings, but can Chairman's Report. It includes: Warren also swing a mattock or hike in the 3 Witjira Report Bonython's retirement as President; Gammons Ranges. Trent Porter, a the changing face of the SEG strong supporter for many years, has committee and their dedication; the excelled himself by handling the two most recent annual expeditions, catering and logistics for the last two 5 Bushwalking in the Munyaroo and Witjira; two new Life major expeditions. Phil Cole has been Middleback Ranges Members; the Gammon Ranges a constant source of useful information Scientific Project (GRASP); the and contacts with his many other Minnawarra Biodiversity Project commitments. Duncan MacKenzie, 7 Kids Corner (MBP); future events; Segments and now heavily involved in running the new web site. I welcome Mark Gluepot, helps run the Minnawarra 7 Editorial Pharaoh, our guest speaker. He is Project as well. Peter Bailey, a welcome curator of the Mawson Collection and addition to the committee, has just arranger of this fine venue for the edited the excellent Munyaroo report. meeting. John Hayes, continues his strong support for SEG by nominating as Warren Bonython, AO, is the Vice-chairman, a position he has held Foundation President of SEG. An in the past. Linda-Marie Hall returned eminent explorer, walker, writer and to Adelaide with a lot of energy, was ecologist, he has established many coopted onto the committee again, useful contacts for SEG and been an and has taken over the organizing the active committee member. Upon his GRASP trips. Sarah Telfer has retirement I acknowledge his overcome constraints of family and enormous contribution to this group. work to help us through the year. Bob Joc Schmiechen, a former committee Major, committed to his geological member, will talk briefly about interests, and Paul Wainwright, tied Warren's exploits later. Reluctant to up with erratic working hours, have sever our ties with Warren completely, both had difficulty attending meetings, the committee has decided to appoint despite their enthusiasm, and we him "President Emeritus", in addition thank them for their support. Since to him continuing as a Trustee of the living out of Adelaide for the past SEGments is the Scientific Expedition Foundation. three years it has been difficult for me authorised journal of the to network for SEG, so I have decided The Committee has a changing face. to retire as Chairman. By chance it SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION During the year Chris Wright left to coincides with Warren's departure, so GROUP INC. work overseas, leaving a huge gap in we two founding members step down the ranks. We wish him well. Among together. I shall maintain a strong PO Box 501 other things he has run the Gammon association with the SEG committee. Unley SA 5061 Ranges Project for more than 15 years, Alun Thomas, vice-chairman and as well as having much input to the editor, has nominated for the job of committee over this time. The tireless Chairman. I am sure that he will carry Graeme Oats, besides being Treasurer, on the traditions of SEG, but put his has also done much of the networking own stamp on its program. He has that I should have. John Love, our spent much time this year bringing secretary, is able to create plausible SEG into the 21st century on the internet. For the recent major expeditions I with long term plans for further acknowledge the generous financial expeditions. Future surveys of other I take this opportunity to commend support of our major sponsors: National and Conservation Parks will the enthusiasm and dedication of the Onesteel for Munyaroo; Arid Areas be considered. members of the committee. Each Water Catchment Board and WMC One of these is Munyaroo monthly meeting generates hours of Pty Ltd for Witjira. Both expeditions Conservation Park. Scientists of SA follow up work. Planning an were successful because of Museum are keen to return there to expedition involves many hours of sponsorship, collaboration between complete a survey of the western part meetings and work with the leaders. good scientists and experienced SEG of the park. If this can be arranged a This time is donated generously logistic support. return trip to Munyaroo will be working in a common cause with Expedition Munyaroo, on eastern organised next year, probably in dedication and good humour. This Eyre Peninsula in September 2002, Spring. has been so since SEG was founded took 28 SEG members and scientists The ongoing short expeditions, and I thank all who have helped in (mostly from SA Museum) and laid GRASP and Minnawarra will proceed this way. the groundwork to catalogue the as usual. plant and biodiversity with I am glad to report that the committee eight long-term sites established in In summary, SEG is in robust health, has approved Life Membership for the eastern half of the park, and a has performed creditably in its last two of our long term supporters, John good start made on the vegetation. two annual expeditions where it Love, the Secretary for years, and This was the initial collaborated with scientific bodies in Trent Porter, expedition organizer survey for the area, particularly for biological surveys. There is the extraordinaire. ants and , and two new species possibility of similar future were identified. More birds were collaboration. The changing face of The Gammon Ranges Scientific added to the existing bird list, and the committee augurs well for the Project (GRASP) seems to develop reptiles and were longevity of this dynamic more each year. Under Chris Wright's documented from the trapping organization. steady hand a small party has program. This was a good location to travelled each quarter by car and foot work on the western myall- dry As I conclude my last Chairman's to service the equipment. A CDMA mallee associations between plants Report I hope you will indulge me telephone link is now established to and , and is a good training while I reflect on some happenings the pluviometers and the site is an ground for field techniques. It will over the past 19 years. SEG was born official weather recording station - lead to further work in the area. The in 1984 out of the SA Branch of look for Gammon Ranges in the excellent report was edited by Peter ANZSES, after severing our weekly rainfall report. Linda-Marie Bailey and Kingsley Turner. connection with the parent body, for Hall has stepped into the breach to which we had been running take over the organization of the Expedition Witjira 2003, held last July expeditions for several years. It was maintenance trips to the Gammons. was the most major collaboration with a small beginning for SEG, with one a scientific group that SEG had expedition that ran at a loss nearly The Minnawarra Biodiversity Project undertaken, involving 45 SEG sending us broke. Warren and I (MBP), established three years ago, members, scientists and officers of dipped into our pockets so that SEG has become a twice-yearly fixture on Department for Environment and could afford a mail-out to its the SEG calendar when areas of native Heritage and National Parks and members. Since then SEG has grown, scrub are studied in Spring and Wildlife SA. Based at Dalhousie become an incorporated body, Autumn for four days. We are gaining mound spring, the survey area attracted the SA Governor as its an insight into what happens to extended from the gibber plains near Patron, established a gift fund (the wildlife when grazing farm animals Blood Creek in the west to the Scientific Expedition Foundation), are excluded from the scrub. The next sandhills of the Simpson Desert in received various grants for scientific survey is in early October, with a the east. Feral date palms have projects and is financially stable. working bee on 28th September. clogged many of the mound springs, Expeditions have been organized to Volunteers are most welcome. so the scientific work was based the South East, Kangaroo Island, Eyre around water, vegetation, shading, Peninsula, Gammon Ranges and the Alun Thomas, editor of our quarterly and , as well Far North. Initially catering for the publication, SEGments, has excelled as rare rodent and searches. 15-25 year age group, mature adults himself by publishing it on-line this This was a collaboration to try to have been encouraged to "top up" year, significantly reducing printing establish a management plan for the numbers over the past decade. This and postage costs. He is to be palms. This collection of professionals has helped subsidize fees for young commended for finding interesting and amateurs, young and old, people. All ages share a remarkable articles and keeping this bulletin of worked with commendable harmony ability to get along well in the field activities current. Articles on a wide doing a lot of hard work such as with harmony, good humour and range of topics are welcome. hacking through reeds and palm cooperation. SEG has no paid trees, repairing fences, measuring employees and is entirely a volunteer, SEG now has its own website. Alun water properties from a boat, non-profit organization. Again, I Thomas followed up the suggestion counting fish while snorkelling, would like to pay tribute to all those to get an IT student to design a counting birds, checking "true believers" who have served on website for us, and it has worked very traps and preparing meals. Collation the committee or helped in other well. SEG may now be visited at of results has commenced, but will ways over the years. www.communitywebs.org/scientifi take some months. cexpeditiongroup where a wide range I am very proud to hand over the of information relating to past, present Future events. The value of an running of this robust organization and future activities can be found. In organization like SEG in providing to my successor. addition Alun has also organized a personnel keen to undertake field G SEG email address: work is becoming recognized. It is S 2 [email protected] hoped that cooperation with such E scientific bodies will provide SEG EXPEDITION WITJIRA 2003 A VERY PRELIMINARY REPORT Richard Willing

Expedition Witjira 2003 was held from undertaken to see if this would be main springs for four nights. Many 12-26th July 2003 with the camp based suitable to assess visitor impact. The house mice (Mus musculus) were near the Ranger's quarters close to the area of its growth appears to have caught and despatched, earning Dalhousie main spring in Witjira increased since the camping area Richard the title of "Dr Jekyll", but National Park in the Far North of moved away from the pool. significant numbers of natives such as South Australia. It was a major plague rat (Rattus villosissimus), collaboration between the Scientific Mound spring monitoring paucident (Planigale gilesi) Expedition Group (SEG), Department Travis Gotch spends much of his time and an attractive skink (Ctenotis for Environment and Heritage (DEH) in mound springs working towards saxitilis) were also trapped. and National Parks and Wildlife his PhD. He was in charge of mound Service (NPWS). The main objective spring monitoring and has Rare rodent monitoring was to conduct a biodiversity survey accumulated a large amount of raw KJ supervised the monitoring of the of the area, particularly the mound data needing time for analysis. Rare Rodent site on a gibber plain near springs, to observe any differences Invertebrate monitoring of the Mt Crispe, 30 km west of our camp. where feral date palms are invading Kingfisher complex included searching This had been set up by Rob Brandle the springs. Other objectives were to for invertebrates in the spring and tail, some years previously. 200 Elliot traps search for rare rodents, kowari and including cutting transects through set in a grid pattern caught stripe-faced moles and survey for feral the phragmites, sampling of the water (Sminthopsis macroura), fat- animals. and the benthic layer, setting pitfall tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis traps, malaise traps and pan traps for crassicaudata), Forrest mouse Background invertebrates, as well as counting fish (Leggadina forrestii), and a plains rat The Dalhousie Springs area has been numbers near and away from date (Pseudomys australis) - only the third a significant site of aboriginal culture palm roots. The traps showed a greater caught in the area in recent years. for a long period, both for living and diversity of invertebrates in melaleucas as a meeting and ceremonial place. than in date palm areas, and more fish Kowari search European discovery occurred in 1870, fed near melaleuca roots than date Rob Brandle and Stuart Pilman, and the first pastoral lease taken out palm roots. Biological Survey, DEH, set up lines in 1872. Early settlers planted date of Elliot traps 10km long on gibber palm seeds near some of the springs. Physical properties of mound springs pavement country east and west of More than a century later these have Michaela Birrell, Wetlands Officer, the camp searching for evidence of flourished and spread far beyond their DEH, was in charge of measuring kowari (Dasycercus byrnie). This initial distribution. This poses a physical properties of the mound endangered inhabitant of the east side problem for NPWS, as some springs springs. This was painstaking work of the Lake Eyre basin has not been are heavily infested and have stopped measuring, at different times of the found on the west side of the basin running. A credible management plan day, turbidity, dissolved oxygen since 1895, and maintains this record. is needed to deal with them in an content, pH, temperature, conductivity The search, though, was exciting for environmentally friendly fashion. and shading both in springs and down those who rode across country in the the tails. A large amount of number Oka research vehicle navigating by Scientific work crunching is necessary before final GPS. A large volume of data has been results are available. accumulated during this survey. It will Other animals obviously take a long time to process, Laboratory A few tracks of Ampurta (Dasycercus so final results will not be available Lynette Queale, DEH, the laboratory hillieri )were seen, with the distinctive for some months. What follows is a manager, set up the lab in a shed 5 toed pattern compared to the kowari brief review of the scientific methods complete with binocular microscopes 4. The strong wind and sand blasting used and trends where available. A and various weighing and measuring that occurred midway through the panel of SEG volunteers is preparing devices. Many SEG members were second week halted this program. to process the data. able to help in the sorting and Twenty four pits dug at four sites in identification of the many specimens the sand of the western Simpson Vegetation monitoring collected, and some have also Desert revealed tracks of the Marsupial Denise Noack has studied Dalhousie volunteered to help with data entry Mole ( Notoryctes typhlops) in 3 of vegetation for years while gathering back in Adelaide. them, probably the first report of this data for her PhD. She coordinated the Jenny Bourne, Outback Scientific mammal in this area. mapping of five springs affected by Officer, DEH, and a veteran of Queale set up a mist net on a couple date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) in previous SEG trips, was responsible of nights and caught one bat the Kingfisher mound spring complex, for coordinating data collection and (Vespadalus finlaysoni) and a tawny finding 120 mother palms and 650 specimen labelling. frogmouth! offshoots. As an estimated 20% of the 108 springs in the complex have monitoring at mound Bird surveys problems with date palms this springs Surveys of the regular trapping sites represents an enormous problem Kelli-Jo Kovac (KJ), environmental for 20 minutes at the Kingfisher and Vegetation in the B1 and B2 springs scientist with WMC, Roxby Downs, other springs took place as well as was also measured. assisted by Richard Willing, set 135 opportunistic sightings in thee area. Mapping of Eleocarus geniculata, a Elliot traps along the Kingfisher Among those sighted were: Crow, 3 spike-rush, near the main pool was complex, B1 and B2, and Dalhousie Raven, Welcome swallow, Bustard, Black kite, Wedge-tailed benthic layer. The usual physical matching of personnel for scientific eagle, Rufous night heron, Singing properties were estimated as well as projects to those of personal honeyeater, Spiny cheeked HE, a bathymetric survey to assess the requirements created some minor Zebra finch, Variegated wren, shape and depth of the pool. Grab difficulties the whole operation Crested pigeon, Galah, Black duck, samples of the benthic layer had worked with harmony. SEG Pink eared duck, Aust grebe. many sieving mud on the shore. members at times worked harder Elliot traps caught Rattus than they had anticipated, and there A complete bird list will be villosissimus and Planigale gilesi, were other times of waiting around published with the final report. while Denise mapped an increase in because of hitches in the scientific spike-rush. program. There was never a Total grazing pressure management complaint, even when the promised Brendan Lay and John Maconochie, day off was fractured into assorted Rangelands, DWLBC, were in charge Monitoring of feral animals hours when some people could catch of this ongoing project, starting with An ongoing aerial monitoring of up on washing and bathing. As I repairing some exclosure areas feral animals was timed to coincide watched people having breakfast which Brendan had set up a couple with the expedition. The plane, and making lunches in time for a of decades ago. With the release of flown at 100 knots at 250 feet altitude 7.15am departure I was proud that the rabbit calicivirus a few years ago in a grid pattern by Robin Young, the operation was running like a the rabbit population in the area had contained Scott Jennings and John well-oiled machine. decreased to such an extent that Pitt observing an area of ground there was a great regeneration of beneath each wing equivalent to 5 Special thanks are due to Trent Porter native vegetation even outside the sq km each 97 seconds - periods of who, once again, provided culinary exclosures. There was still great concentration! A couple of delights far beyond expectations. considerable grazing pressure from expeditioners were chosen by ballot Most said it was the best they had feral camels, donkeys and horses, and joined the flights. Plenty of feral ever eaten while in camp. His daily particularly for 25 km around Purni camels and donkeys were sighted organization of food and help for Bore in the western Simpson Desert. giving an indication that there is still the cooks ensured that all ran considerable grazing pressure in the smoothly. Visitor impact park despite reduction in rabbit Congratulations to everybody - SEG Travis, Michaela and Denise spent numbers. members, scientific and NPWS staff several long days at the main pool - for being so resilient, monitoring ofr visitor impact, accommodating and hard-working. providing boating in the desert for Overview It ensured the success of a combined many. Those who saw it years ago This has been the most ambitious operation whose importance will remembered an island in the centre collaboration with a scientific survey become even more obvious with of the main pool. This has now undertaken by SEG. The array of time. disappeared, probably because of scientists and NPWS staff (19) almost the disturbance of swimming by matched the number of SEG S G visitors, and the diminution of the members (26). Although the E

GRASP PROJECT

.Trips are planned in the near future as follows: October 17 to 21, pre-trip meeting in September 2003 This trip will focus on the rainfall data collection, but will include other projects of interest, such as Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby watch January - long weekend, pre-trip meeting December 2003/ January 2004 (Linton Johnston, Kent Wilson) April - Easter weekend, pre-trip meeting March 2004 (Peter Love, Christine Arnold) All GRASP Leaders will be invited to the Annual GRASP leaders meeting early next year and trip leaders will be expected to attend the pre-trip meetings for the trips they are leading. For any more details on any of these please contact Linda-Marie Hall. Email: [email protected]

4 Bushwalking the Middleback Ranges Trent Porter This Bushwalk was part of the Expedition Munyaroo

Day 1 here we missed the right track, pleasant valley and crossing the saddle Tuesday 1st. October 2002 apparently obscured by sheep. gave us a great view of the remains of Although we quickly realized the Iron Queen and Iron Baron (amazing At 5.30 the eyes suddenly snapped mistake, we felt we had to continue how much had just disappeared open and the ears registered the now in case our water dumper had made entirely) and the signal tower, away familiar pre-dawn song of the White the same error. Fooled again- no water in the distance, where our water was fronted Honeyeater from the nest in so a quick sprint across country to have been left..and it was, to our the bush next door. Last day of our through rocky outcrops and pretty relief!! time at Munyaroo - lots to do -all that thick mallee for several kilometres Our well camouflaged camp was packing up---Move, Move, Move. As until the correct track appeared. Ray's quickly established under a large usual, everyone went to work, eating worry lines at last flattened a bit when myall tree and rest was commenced breakfast with one hand and packing heaps and heaps of water containers only to be interrupted by the dust with the other. By 8.45 the whole loomed up in the saltbush through the clouded approach of a miner's vehicle encampment was on the truck and gathering dusk. We wearily made a at very high speed, the driver ready to go. Graeme Oats gathered camp in a grove of mallee trees from evidently having spotted our colourful Ray Hickman, Kevin Burrett and me, which we were carefully watched by water drums left under a tree by the and stuffed us and our packs into his a group very curious Pt. Lincoln roadside. He jumped out to inspect Daihatsu (very squeezy) to begin our parrots. They must have thought we the drums but as we all approached next three days of bushwalking the were nuts but we thought it was great to say G'day he leapt back into the Middleback Ranges. lying under the stars spotting satellites vehicle and made a hasty exit -amazing just how many are up there. backwards doing at least 30-40 km.-? Our start point on the plain gave us a Didn't think we smelled that bad! He good view of what appeared to be a DAY 2 came back again just before dark for mysterious ruined castle on the flank Wednesday 2nd October 2002 another look but by that time we had of Mt. Middleback and we could not moved the drums away and he didn't resist the temptation to investigate but A red sky in the morning promises, spot us so he's probably still as we approached it disappeared. Just it's said, a hot day to come but wondering. Gathering clouds shows what perspective and a bit of conditions were quite pleasant as we prompted Kevin and I to rig a tarp mirage can do! As we climbed, the packed up and headed off towards over our sleeping bags for the night view to the east across the plains the very prominent Iron Warrior in but wind and rain eventually broke toward Munyaroo became more and the distance. With some km of salt through and quite some dampness more spectacular until after bush and low shrub country traversed ensued. surmounting many false crests, we I suddenly noticed that the vegetation reached the summit. What a change was quite different- quandongs?- no!- DAY 3 of aspect! The landscape to the west sandalwood trees- groves of them Thursday 3nd October 2002 was completely excavated away by mostly bearing a good load of fruit- mining activity and giant trucks and How were all these missed by the early Ray smiled triumphantly as he excavators roaring through the dust tree pullers ?- it gave an idea of how emerged, warm and dry, from the cosy ....a contrast to the calm wilderness thick they might have been before the tent he had struggled to carry over all we had just climbed through. harvesting began. Not far into this the countryside but it didn't take long After attacking the lunch box we well vegetated country, a fence line to dry things in the morning sun before moved on down the north eastern side crossed our path at right angles and wandering the 1 km or so to the Iron of the mountain and then turned north the contrast could not have been Baron Township. There it was--- through sparse mallee and Triodia greater - one side quite lush and the GONE! Nothing left but a few toward Cook's Gap. The country other almost barren! I think maybe remaining bits of garden and gradually changed to fairly dense someone was overgrazing. All the flowering street trees along the shrubland then small eucalypt forest while, the wind had been rising and, deserted main street. giving way to more open Callitris as we turned north to follow the (almost park-like) until we came upon railway tracks of the mining operation, John Love's Prado appeared at the the ruins of the old "Highlands" it became a head-on gale. It must have head of a cloud of dust as we walked property. This was really worth looked quite funny with us all bent back to camp and we loaded the gear exploring and gave a sense of the fierce forward at a 45 deg. angle at least into the wagon and headed back to struggle the early settlers must have trying to make some progress---very Middleback Station for a much had to just survive, let alone prosper. tiring! What a slog! We escaped for a anticipated shower and proper tucker All that obvious hard work over years- little while to eat lunch near a dry then abandoned! waterfall then continued. S G Our next task was to find the water The afternoon brought us out at the dump left previously by Graeme but head of a long, ungrazed and very E

ISN’T THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FUNNY Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, 5 the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe. MINNAWARRA BIODIVERSITY PROJECT SPRING SURVEY OCTOBER 2003

Dates of the next survey:

Working bee on pitfalls Sunday 28th September. Volunteers needed and welcome. Come early and enjoy the scenery while re-establishing the sites. Bring all you require for a BBQ lunch.

Traps opened Thursday 2nd October and closed again on Monday 6th November (Labour Day).

The survey is conducted in the Heritage Area scrub on Minnawarra farm near Myponga. The aim of the surveys is an attempt to assess the long-term effect of exclusion of grazing stock. There are eight sites scattered through the 117 Ha of scrub. Each has a line of permanent pit-fall traps. As well, Elliott and cage traps are set near each line. A vegetation survey and bird counts are done, as well as trapping invertebrates. An Anabat bat-detector will be set running at night. The results will be entered into the SA Biological Survey. Common trappings in the past have been bush rats, swamp rats, , different frogs and various and skinks. The wild flowers are usually spectacular in the spring.

SEG is a volunteer, non-profit organization that aims to encourage an awareness of the natural environment. Young people and adults are welcome, especially as these dates are within school and university vacations. Places are still available on this next survey. Attendance can be for one or several days. There is plenty of camping space around a large shed (with heater and electricity). A small marquee may be erected for those without a tent. Cooking facilities are provided, and there is access to toilet facilities in the farmhouse 100 metres away. A small charge of $10 per family is made, but you will need to provide your own food.

For information, registration of interest and how to find us: ring: 8558 6381; mobile 0408 807 517; fax 8558 6212; email [email protected]

Richard Willing Chairman, SEG and Coordinator Minnawarra Biodiversity Project

S G

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6 KidsThis time the hidden Corner words are taken from the Witjira Report. They are hidden in all directions. Can you find them all?

L E T A R B E T R E V N I I X WORD LIST Q L K C A B T U O F K S G S M EXPEDITION PROBLEM N L Z G R O D E N T I T P E R WITJIRA INVERTEBRATE W S C I E N T I F I C R L E N REPORT WETLANDS D N S Q O R A S H H I B B F O DALHOUSIE FISH A G W Y O D A T A N O B G E I FERAL MELALEUCA PALMS LABORATORY L Z Z P M M H K G R I Y F R T KOWARI OUTBACK H A E Z S T Z S P G Y F I A I VEGETATION VERTEBRATE O R J T W I T J I R A K S L D PARK RODENT U S D N A L T E W C O O H I E DATA GIBBER S E M E L A L E U C A W C Q P DATE I D A T E P A L M S P A R K X SPRINGS MOUND E F X D N U O M W W J R Y E E SCIENTIFIC P Y R O T A R O B A L I J G N X D G J V E G E T A T I O N E

EDITORIAL

As you will shave seen from the leading article in this issue the face of the Scientific Expedition Group has changed with the retirement to President Emeritus of Warren Bonython, the elevation of Richard Willing to President and my appointment to the position of Chairman. SEG has been ably served by Warren and Richard and their elevation will leave a hole in the Committee which will be hard to fill. Richard’s swansong, in effect, has been Expedition Witjira which was a huge success. It has built strong relationship between SEG and the relevant government departments and they can see a role for us assisting with biodiversity surveys in other parks in South Australia. With proper planning ahead SEG should be able to fulfil its aims of providing adventurous science to young people while providing material benefit to the community. The immediate effect of the change of leadership is that now that I am Chairman I would like someone to take over the position of Editor and in the longer term someone to take over the job of Website Manager. Neither of these jobs are particularly onerous. Please contact me if you are prepared to assist with either of these positions. The next Minnawarra Biodiversity Survey is coming up at the end of the month. I encourage all members that can to assist. I apologise for the lateness of getting out this issue of SEGments and the uneven layout. This is mainly due to the page layout software I have been using failing and I have had to prepare SEGments from the beginning using a different program. I think this is called character building. ALUN THOMAS 7 SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION GROUP The Scientific Expedition Group came into being at a public meeting on 21st August 1984. Membership is open to any persons, family or organisation interested in the following aims: The promotion and running of expeditions of a scientific, cultural and adventurous nature. The furthering of knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the natural environment. Promotion of the values and philosophy of wilderness. Enabling people to learn the skills required for planning and running expeditions, and to develop sound field techniques. Members will receive regular information on S E G activities and expeditions SUBSCRIPTIONS (Including GST) Working adult member ------$16.50 Pensioner student or unemployed ------$11.00 Family membership ------$22.00 Organisation membership ------$22.00 ------APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL Name...... Address ...... Telephone (H) ...... (W) ...... Email ...... Details of scientific, cultural, adventuring or other relevant skill or interests you may be prepared to share with the group: ...... Applications should be addressed to : The Hon. Secretary Scientific Expedition Group Inc. P.O. Box 501 Unley S.A. 5061 ------Patron: Her Excellency, the Honourable Marjorie Jackson-Nelson, AC, CVO, MBE, Governor of South Australia COMMITTEE

President Emeritus C. Warren Bonython AO Phone Fax Email President Dr Richard Willing 8558 6381 8558 6212 [email protected] Mobile 0408 807 517

Chairman Alun Thomas 8296 9453 8223 2588 [email protected] Vice-Chairman John Hayes 8234 6017 [email protected] Hon. Secretary John Love 8379 1172 [email protected] Hon. Treasurer Graeme Oats 8278 3179 8278 5577 [email protected] Committee: Phil Cole 8390 0250 8303 9555 [email protected] Duncan MacKenzie 8332 1204 8364 5527 [email protected] Peter Bailey 8370 2464 [email protected] Trent Porter 8278 9078 [email protected] Linda-Marie Hall 8204 9117 [email protected]

Editor Alun Thomas 8296 9453 8223 2588 [email protected] Address:23 Rutland Ave. Brighton S.A. 5048 SEG WEBSITE www.communitywebs.org/scientificexpeditiongroup

SEG EMAIL ADDRESS [email protected]