Latest News

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

These two superstars just released the first field guide to the plants of Millowl (Phillip Island)! Many have tried and not gone through with it but Mitch and Tegan @tegancarterillustration pulled it off with hard work and determination over 5 years, on their own time with only very limited grants for support. They have produced a beautiful guide, launched last weekend, incorporating stories from the community, respectful inclusions of Bunurong words and culture alongside the plant descriptions and illustrations of all the native/indigenous flora of the island. It’s for sale at Turn the Page bookshop in Cowes, with many of Tegan’s original artworks and prints on display and for sale in the library at Bernineit (Cowes cultural centre) as well. 🌱🍃🌿
#millowlphillipisland #plantguide #plantsofphillipisland
... See MoreSee Less

Comment on Facebook

The AdvertisingDept Pisra has copies for sale too! 👍

Fantastic guys. Big congrats!

One of our founding members and amazing writer Christine Grayden has written and produced this wonderful book aimed for Primary School Students and l am sure adults will enjoy it as well.
It is called “Minibeasts of Phillip Island Millowl. Land insects, spiders, molluscs and crustaceans” and features over 100 photos of local minibeasts taken by numerous local photographers. 36 pages, full colour, A4 portrait paperback.
It’s available at Turn the Page in Cowes for $19.99. Christine is donating part of the profits to the Penguin Foundation towards their climate change mitigation research.
Drop in the Turn the Page and grab a copy.
... See MoreSee Less

One of our founding members and amazing writer Christine Grayden has written and produced this wonderful book aimed for Primary School Students and l am sure adults will enjoy it as well. 
It is called “Minibeasts of Phillip Island Millowl. Land insects, spiders, molluscs and crustaceans” and features over 100 photos of local minibeasts taken by numerous local photographers. 36 pages, full colour, A4 portrait paperback. 
It’s available at Turn the Page in Cowes for $19.99. Christine is  donating part of the profits to the Penguin Foundation towards their climate change mitigation research.  
Drop in the Turn the Page and grab a copy.Image attachmentImage attachment

Comment on Facebook

Congratulations, Christine! Thank you for creating another beautiful book. I'll be heading to Turn the Page soon to get my copy. X

Congratulations, Christine Grayden! The book looks fabulous!

Congratulations Christine Grayden on this wonderful publication! Well done to the photographers from the Phillip Island Camera Club whose work is represented in the book.

Natalie Hodgkin Christie Edwards

Rod Lyon

Congratulations, Christine. I'm looking forward to calling into Turn The Page bookshop to buy your book next time I'm in Cowes. Thank you for donating part of the profits to the Penguin Foundation towards their climate change mitigation research.

View more comments

Have you seen any of these in your garden?

It's a great time of year as many of Australia's butterflies are on-the-wing. Although most butterflies do not stray too far from their natural habitat – as the plants they need are often limited to these areas – there are a number that visit gardens . Depending on where you live in Australia, and how close you are to their natural habitats, the number of butterflies you may see will vary.

Key:
1. Two-Spotted Line-Blue
2. Blue Triangle
3. Common Crow
4. Glasswing
5. Large Grass-Yellow
6. Blue Tiger
7. Yellow Albatross
8. Yellow Admiral
9. Southern Pearl-White
10. Evening Brown
11. Long-Tailed Pea-Blue
12. Dainty Swallowtail
13. Meadow Argus
14. Orchard Swallowtail
15. Saltbush Blue
16. Lemon Migrant
17. Common Brown
18. Australian Painted-Lady
19. Varied Eggfly
20. Cabbage White
21. Pencilled Blue
22. Splendid Ochre
23. Common Grass-Blue
24. Caper White
25. Plumbago Blue
26. Orange Palm-Dart
27. Red-Spotted Jezebel
28. Small Grass-Yellow
29. Monarch
30. Greenish Grass-Dart
... See MoreSee Less

Comment on Facebook

Have sighted a number of Dainty Swallowtail around my Lemon Cuquat and Mandarin trees. Tried to rescue one caterpillar inside away from birds. Am not sure what species the grape vine catterpillar and on my fushia bush caterpillar should have taken photo. My Buddliia bush is often alive with insects. White Cabbage moth. several types of tiny butterflies about the size of o5 cent piece. Also a small isightings of Bogong Moth. Another one Grey about a 10 cent kpiece size. but only witnessed the underside on my window. I never use insecticides. I live in Canberra.

With perfect weather conditions, we had a most successful Sunday morning of weeding within the foreshore reserve along the firetrail at Red Rocks, removing many large bags of weeds - mainly blue periwinkle, plus a number of large thistles in flower, several pittosporums, lots of forget-me-nots and some borage.
We also collected litter around the carpark and pathways to the beach - we were pleasantly surprised how little rubbish there was!
Finally, a small group of us enjoyed the chance to sit in the shade and catch up over morning tea.

😀 We really appreciate our volunteers giving up their time for this important conservation work - many hands make light work!
Next working bee in on 3 March - Clean Up Australia Day litter collection (Red Rocks)
... See MoreSee Less

With perfect weather conditions, we had a most successful Sunday morning of weeding within the foreshore reserve along the firetrail at Red Rocks, removing many large bags of weeds - mainly blue periwinkle, plus a number of large thistles in flower, several pittosporums, lots of forget-me-nots and some borage. 
We also collected litter around the carpark and pathways to the beach - we were pleasantly surprised how little rubbish there was!
Finally, a small group of us enjoyed the chance to sit in the shade and catch up over morning tea.

😀 We really appreciate our volunteers giving up their time for this important conservation work - many hands make light work!
Next working bee in on 3 March - Clean Up Australia Day litter collection (Red Rocks)Image attachment

Comment on Facebook

Thank you!

Tonie Chene Rose Moore

Thanks so much for your wonderful work - so very much appreciated! X

I ♥️volunteers

March 3 - if the weather is fine, Red Rocks is a beautiful place to do some clean up work.

Yea. Bruno and Sue!

View more comments

Here is what happened at our first working bee for 2024 at Scenic Estate Reserve!
Many thanks to the 7 volunteers - John and Karen Eddy, Carmen Bush, Jan Fleming, Ineke Humprhries and Phil Wright and Meg Anderson who tackled major infestations of weeds from a number of persistent patches across the reserve - north of the wetland, south of the power lines, on both sides of the main boardwalk and at the northern end of the reserve.
Volunteers removed hundreds of thistles - both young rosettes and mature plants in flower and seeding - carefully removing and bagging the flower and seed heads to fill 5 large bags.
An infestation of ox-tongue thistles at the car park entrance were removed and hundreds of stinkwort plants from 'stinkwort flats'.
We also picked up litter found along the way!
After 2 hours of labour, we met at the northernmost picnic shelter for a welcome sit in the shade while chatting over morning tea!
Well done to all.
We look forward to seeing you at FOSER's annual Clean Up Australia Day litter collection on Sunday 3 March! Hope you can make it!
... See MoreSee Less

Comment on Facebook

Fantastic work guys!

Never seen someone so happy to be alongside a scotch thistle. Thanks for your great work. Volunteers are awesome.

Some of these volunteers have been doing this hands on work for DECADES! Love them all.

Federal decision stopped Victoria’s offshore wind strategy in its tracks | 7.30 ... See MoreSee Less

Video image

Photos from BirdLife Australia's post ... See MoreSee Less

On Saturday, 6 January 2024, Phillip Island Conservation Society, PICS, hosted, their annual morning sessions of #AnimalsofOz, at Olive Justice Place in Chapel Street Cowes. A simple holiday event has now become an annual Tradition.
This mobile wildlife education program is fun, interactive, educational, and captivate the attention of both youngsters and adults, alike. It is a great way of keeping the audience immersed with nature as they hear stories of each animal’s habitat and threats they face as they meet some of our most precious native animals up close and personal.
Seven native animals are individually introduced as the presenter shows the audience the special features of each creature. Like Cookie, the Kookaburra who can’t fly because of an old wing injury acquired after escaping the clutches of a wondering cat. Or Stumpy, the Blue Tongue Lizard who lives under logs in the back yard with his ‘five wives’ and their twenty-one eggs. Do you know why these lizards have a blue tongue?
There’s Tawny the Frogmouth who can look like a part of a tree when perched on a branch or stump. He is not an owl but like owls is nocturnal. Tawny has a clever way of catching insects just by keeping still and opening his mouth. The final animal that is presented adds drama and a warning of caution as Snappy, the five-foot Crocodile, is brought out. The children are instructed to gently touch Snappy on his back and tummy to feel the difference in skin types, but not to touch his mouth.
PICS has proudly hosted this event since 2012 and is grateful to be supported and funded by the #basscoastshire Bass Coast Shire Council. Most of the 52 Adults and 56 children were either local or related to locals with whom they were enjoying the holiday atmosphere.
... See MoreSee Less

On Saturday, 6 January 2024, Phillip Island Conservation Society, PICS, hosted, their annual morning sessions of #AnimalsofOz, at Olive Justice Place in Chapel Street Cowes.  A simple holiday event has now become an annual Tradition.
This mobile wildlife education program is fun, interactive, educational, and captivate the attention of both youngsters and adults, alike.  It is a great way of keeping the audience immersed with nature as they hear stories of each animal’s habitat and threats they face as they meet some of our most precious native animals up close and personal.
Seven native animals are individually introduced as the presenter shows the audience the special features of each creature.  Like Cookie, the Kookaburra  who can’t fly because of an old wing injury acquired after escaping the clutches of a wondering cat.  Or Stumpy, the Blue Tongue Lizard who lives under logs in the back yard with his ‘five wives’ and their twenty-one eggs.  Do you know why these lizards have a blue tongue?
There’s Tawny the Frogmouth who can look like a part of a tree when perched on a branch or stump.  He is not an owl but like owls is nocturnal. Tawny has a clever way of catching insects just by keeping still and opening his mouth.   The final animal that is presented adds drama and a warning of caution as Snappy, the five-foot Crocodile, is brought out.  The children are instructed to gently touch Snappy on his back and tummy to feel the difference in skin types, but not to touch his mouth.
PICS has proudly hosted this event since 2012 and is grateful to be supported and funded by the #basscoastshire Bass Coast Shire Council.  Most of the 52 Adults and 56 children were either local or related to locals with whom they were enjoying the holiday atmosphere.

Comment on Facebook

From the first session I arranged for PICS with the owner Lee Webley way back then, her professional approach and deep love and respect for the wildlife in her care, and Australian wildlife generally, were clearly on display for everyone to see. Animals of Oz just keeps on giving, and the public keep loving them because they maintain the standards Lee was and is so passionate about. You can find out more about them, and the various presentations they offer, here: animalsofoz.com.au/

Load more
Menu