Leaders:  Inta & Rogers Needham

Two full day outings were conducted to Snape Reserve which is located near Dimboola. Participants car pooled and convoys proceded the 44km from Little Desert Nature Lodge to Snape Reserve.

At Snape Reserve our groups were welcomed by Lindsay Smith and his wife Sue who are Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer of Snape Reserve Committee of Management respectively. Inside Brian’s Shed all members signed in and Lindsay was able to inform members of the history, management and features of the Reserve which is owned by Trust for Nature.

Two walks were taken in the morning. The first was west of Brian’s Shed beside a dry Black Box Swamp and further west through open woodland of Yellow Gum and Buloke. Bush birds such as Yellow and Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, White-browed Woodswallows, Red-rumped Parrots and on Sunday White-winged Trillers were seen.

Following morning tea, the second walk passed through an area of revegetation planted in 2003, to Racecourse Swamp (also dry) where Emus, Singing Honeyeaters and Restless Flycatchers were encountered as was an Eastern Brown Snake on Sunday.

Lunch was eaten outside Brian’s Shed where we could watch birds coming in to drink at a water point.

Then the groups travelled to the western end of the property and drove along Benjamin’s Track parking just beyond the junction with Bushby’s Track. Participants were free to explore this part of the property at their leisure. Spider orchids (Caladenia stricta) were seen along Bushby’s Track and birds such as Diamond Firetails, Jacky Winters, Red-capped Robins, Peaceful Doves and Brown Treecreepers were found near the dam and the mostly dry Casuarina Swamp. Some members were fortunate enough to see Mistletoebirds and Southern Scrub-robins on the flowering, Senna covered ridge to the east and south of Benjamin’s Track.

After a most enjoyable day members left Snape at approximately 3:15pm and travelled back to Little Desert Nature Lodge.

Our sincere thanks to Lindsay and Sue Smith for their company and assistance on both days and the Committee of Management for allowing our members to visit such an outstanding nature reserve