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FNCV Fungi Group

The Kingdom of Fungi is often referred to as the 'Forgotten Flora' or 'The Hidden Kingdom'. These terms greatly undervalue the important role fungi play in our environment. Imagine a world void of fungi. In such a world fallen trees, dead, leaves, animal carcasses, and all other spent waste organic matter would litter the planet. Thankfully the invisible activity of fungi, with some aid from other decomposers, all this waste material is recycled. Fungi also form important symbiotic relationships with most plants and some animals, without which their competitive advantage would be greatly reduced.

The aim of the FNCV Fungi Group is to make the Fungi Kingdom more visible by widening people's knowledge of fungi in the field. We do this in the following ways:-

    • Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month. We discuss ways of identifying various species of fungi, and we also have guest speakers presenting their latest work in the field of mycology.
    • We conduct forays to various locations within easy driving distance from Melbourne. The forays are attended by people of various ages and experience, and each foray is led by an experienced guide. After each foray, we review, identify and document what we have found.
    • We also produce The Fungi CD, which contains a lot of information about fungi, and also features a pictorial key to assist in the identification of fungi. This CD has over 1000 images of fungi.
    • We also participate with the Fungimap project run by the National Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, in recording the location where various 'target' species are found. This important project is used to document Australia's fungal biota.

Fungi Group Activities

  • Meetings are held at the FNCV clubrooms at 8.00 pm on the date notified.
  • Non-members attending excursions are required to pay $5.00 to cover insurance costs.
  • Details of excursions are to be found in Field Nats News.

May

Sun 5th - Fungi Group
Fungal Foray - 10.30 am. Cathedral Range State Park (MEL Edition 37 Map X 910 T9). Meet at Ned's Gully car park. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Mon 6th - Fungi Group
Meeting - Fungi in the Wombat State Forest. Speaker: John Walter - John describes himself as a 'Mycetophile'.

Sun 12th - Fungi Group
Fungal Foray - 10.30 am. Noojee - Tooronga Falls circuit. (Melways Ed 37 map X928 B5) (VIC ROADS 81 B7). Meet at Toorongo Falls car park Toorongo Falls Road (turn off 2.5km east of Noojee). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Thurs 23rd - Mon 27th - Fungi Group
Fungimap Conference, Rawson. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

June

Sun 2nd - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray- 10.30am, Greens Bush - Baldry Crossing Mornington Peninsula (MEL Edition 37. 254 G6). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Mon 3rd - Fungi Group.
Meeting - Storm clouds gathering over our forests and rural landscapes, a report card for the Victorian flora.Speaker: David Cameron. Senior Botanist with the newly created Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 9th - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray- 10.30am, Bunyip State Park, Gembrook, Mortimer picnic ground, off the Gembrook - Tonimbuk Road (MEL Edition 37 Page 14 R12). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 16th - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray- 10.30am, Woodlands Historic Park (MEL edition 37 178 C6) WHP 101. Entrance off Somerton Rd. Meet first car park. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 23rd - Fungi & Juniors' Group.
Fungal Foray- 10.30am, Mt Macedon Ranges National Park - Sanatorium Lake Meet at Sanitorium Lake Picnic Ground (Melway Ed 37 Map X909 G/H 10 more detail in VICROADS Ed 8 Map 60 B 7/8). Drive north uphill on Mt Macedon Road C322 through the town; near top of hill do not turn left on C328 to Camels Hump and Memorial Cross; about 100 m further on C322 turn right on to Barringo Road (first section may be called Lions Head Rd). Picnic Ground is about 1.5 km along Barringo Rd. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 30th - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray-10.30am, Anglesea district. See FNN for further details. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

July

Mon 1st - Fungi Group.
Meeting - Molecules in Mushrooms. Speaker: Bill Leithead. Bill is a retired Organic Chemistry lecturer and a member of the Fungi group. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 7th - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray-10.30am, Blackwood Car park at Garden of St Earth, Jack Cann Reserve, Simmons Reef Road, (MEL Edition 37 X909 E11). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 14th - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray - 10.30am, Upper Yarra Reservoir, Reefton. (MEL Ed 37 X 912 U2,VIC ROADS Ed 8. 80 G4). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 21st - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray -10.30am, Bunyip State Park, Gembrook, Mortimer picnic ground, off the Gembrook - Tonimbuk Road, (MEL Edition 37 Page 14 R12). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Sun 28th - Fungi Group.
Fungal Foray -10.30am, Greens Bush - Baldry Crossing Mornington Peninsula, (MEL Edition 37. 254 G6). Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

August

Mon 5th - Fungi Group.
Meeting - Fungi - an arborist's perspective. Speaker: Alannah Matheson, Arborist, Yarra Ranges Council. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

September

Mon 2nd - Fungi Group.
Meeting - Members night. Mini conference. Contact: Virgil Hubregtse.

Go to Fungus of the Month to see what is around at the moment.

Find out about the activties of Fungi Group members here: Fungal Foray Reports.

Gallery of members' photographs.

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Tel 03 9877 9860
Fax 03 9877 9862
email admin@fncv.org.au

Last updated May 2013