The weather conditions were very pleasant on Saturday, December 9 when 38 members of Friends of Eastern Otways and ANGAIR came along to the Moggs Creek Picnic Ground for our annual end of year celebration.

Our numbers were swelled by Emma, Jack, Katrina and Aaron (with their two girls Etta and Sunny) from Parks Vic, and Rani from DELWP (with her husband Doug and their two children Callum and Sienna).

We were thrilled to have two international visitors who were staying in the Anglesea district at that time – Anna from Germany and Pat a botanist from London. Pat was just so keen to discover as much as she could about the Australian flora, and Chris Morrissey acted as an invaluable guide in the field.

About 12 members joined us for the circuit walk around Moggs Creek at 10am where as usual we heard a variety of bird calls and observed a number of plant species flowering. The highlights of the walk were perhaps a male Gang-gang Cockatoo that greeted us in the picnic ground, and a group of Tall Cinnamon Bell orchids tucked in behind one of the Ironbark trees.

Male Gang-gang Cockatoo with its distinctive red head and crest devouring Acacia seeds

Pat from London was enthralled by the Cinnamon Bell orchids

And so was Etta who shared the viewing with her mum Katrina and dad Aaron

Unlike in December 2016 we had no obstacles in our way as Parks Vic rangers had cleared the sides of the track in readiness for our walk.

It is always pleasant to stop on the small wooden bridges and survey the ferns and vegetation that grow along the Creek. It was great to see water there that would be welcomed by the birds during the summer months.

 
Marg, Kim, Gavin and Anna (our visitor from Germany) enjoyed resting along the track.

Back at the picnic ground our numbers had certainly increased and the BBQ was well underway.

Jack from Parks Vic and Ross Murray had everything under control

And Ross Davey also proved adept at cooking the sausages

Although we had underestimated the number of people who came along there was still plenty of food for people to enjoy

And a pleasant environment with pleasant company

A few words of thank-you’s reflecting on the year’s activities for both groups and congratulations on another successful year of conservation activities.

Margaret MacDonald