FOGG member and keen internet surfer Kornelis Sietsma has passed on a fascinating site which I’m slowly exploring:
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=publisher%3A%22%5BMelbourne%5D+Field+Naturalists+Club+of+Victoria%22
A group in the USA has digitised all the early editions of the Victorian Field Naturalists Club newsletters, from 1892 onwards. There’s a lot of useful observations on the Grampians there, plus insights into the biodiversity of our State 110 years ago. The accounts are often long and chatty, so for this issue just an introduction.
May 1892 :
President: PROFESSOR W. BALDWIN SPENCER, M.A.
This Club was founded in 1880 for the purpose of affording observers and lovers of Natural History regular and frequent opportunities for discussing those special subjects in which they are mutually interested; for the Exhibition of Specimens ; and for promoting Observations in the Field by means of Excursions to various collecting grounds around the Metropolis.
There followed a list of invertebrata obtained during “the excursion to the Grampians”. Spiders, butterflies and beetles I gather. Ive passed it on to FOGGS insect expert to look at for next issue.
So far I haven’t been able to find who led the excursion or where they went, but I’ll keep digging. Next time wildflowers of the Grampians from 1919 I hope.
Also another still relevant note: In 1919 Wisons Prom was the State’s only National Park, and the Field Nats were its zealous protectors.
” In connection with the National Park, during the year the Government received applications to throw open this
proclaimed sanctuary for the preservation of the native fauna and flora for purposes of tin mining. A large and influential deputation (on which this Club was strongly represented) waited on the Minister of Mines to oppose this application, and their efforts were partially successful.”