October 29 – November 3, 2023, Baw Baw region, Victoria

The 15^th Australian Bryophyte workshop will be organised by the Australian Bryological Network and take place from Sunday, October 29 to Friday, November 3 in the Baw Baw region of Victoria.

The workshop will consist mainly of fieldwork during the days, looking for and collecting bryophytes and lichens. This year we will have a larger than ever contingent of lichenologists. In the evenings there will be some presentations and there will be ample time for socialising with fellow bryologists. We will also try to organise some microscopes (dissecting and compound) for identification. For people who are starting out in bryology (or lichenology), there will be plenty of expertise around to help out.

Accommodation

The workshop will be held at Carringal Scout Camp:

 Carringal Scout Camp
 655 Telbit Road
 Tyers Junction

We will be using the bunk accommodation, which, from the photo on the website, actually looks pretty decent. There are also some smaller rooms available. Again from the photo on the website, it looks like beds have fitted sheets and pillows (we will confirm that); all other bedding will have to be brought by participants themselves.

Food

There is no catering available at Carringal Scout Camp or nearby, but Carringal Scout Camp has a fully equipped kitchen, so we will cook for ourselves and pick up everything we need on our way up in Moe.

Getting there

Carringal Scout Camp is situated approximately 9 km from the township of Erica at the junction of the Eastern, Middle and Western Tyers Rivers in the foothills of the Baw Baw Range.

People travelling by car need to leave the Princess Highway (M1) at Moe and take the Moe–Rawson Road (C366) to Erica. We might be able to transport international and interstate participants from Melbourne if they arrive in Melbourne the day before or arrive at Melbourne Airport early on the Sunday morning. Otherwise, people arriving at Melbourne Airport can take the Skybus service to Southern Cross Station (AU$ 22 single fare, AU$ 36 return). From Southern Cross Station there is a V/Line train service to Moe that runs 4–6 times a day and takes about two hours (AU$ 10 each way). We can arrange pick-up from Moe Railway Station.

Cost and registration

The fee for the workshop will be AU$ 500. This includes accommodation, meals, insurance and transport during the workshop. People who make their own way to the workshop and share their vehicle for transport during the workshop will be compensated for the latter.

The Australian Bryological Network provides a discount on the registration fee to a select number of students who wish to attend the workshop. To be eligible you will need to give proof of your enrollment and a presentation of your research, either as a poster or as a talk.

To register for the workshop, please fill out the registration form at https://forms.office.com/r/GmnrZ9kHGM. Please register by August 31st. Late registrations will be admitted only if spots are still available. We ask that Australian participants pay half of the registration fee, $AU 250, at the time of registration. International participants can pay the full amount when they arrive at the workshop. If, for unforeseen reasons, you need to cancel, the paid amount will be returned in full if cancellation occurs before September 30th.

Excursion sites

Possible excursion sites include:

Baw Baw Plateau

Baw Baw Plateau was too much of a detour twenty years ago, but now there is a direct route to it, so this time it will be on the program. From Mt Baw Baw Village car park there are several short walks, all through slightly different vegetation types. The vegetation around Mt Baw Baw Village is dominated by Snow Gum with an understorey of Mueller’s Bush-pea (Pultenaea muelleri), Alpine Pepper (Tasmannia xerophila subsp. Xerophila) and Dusty Daisy-bush (Olearia phlogopappa). Alpine bog vegetation, dominated by thick spongy beds of Sphagnum are often found in depressions. There are some very cold streams along the ski trails.

South Face Road

South Face Road is the road that leads from the Thompson Valley Road near Rawson in the east and connects with the Mt Baw Baw Tourist Road a few kilometers below Mt Baw Baw Village. It is a logging road and areas along this road have been logged extensively. Regeneration programs are evident and different stages of Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) dominated forest can be found along the track. There are numerous interesting embankments, gullies and pockets of Myrtle Beech (Nothofagus cunninghamia) dominated rainforest.

Mount Erica

There are a few areas we can visit on Mt Erica.

Mountain Monarchs walk leads through wet sclerophyll forest dominated by Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans). The understorey includes Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata), Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) and tree ferns.

Beech Gully nature trail is a board walk that winds through a pocket of high-altitude cool temperate rainforest, consisting of Myrtle Beech (Nothofagus cunninghamii) and scattered Eucalyptus regnans, Acacia dealbata and Atherosperma moschatum.

The Mushroom Rocks walk is along a section of the Australian Alps Walking Track. The track leads to giant granite tors. It then winds through open Snow Gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) forest with grassy undergrowth.

Mount St Gwinear

From Mt St Gwinear car park a cross-country ski track leads to the summit of Mt St Gwinear. A walking track to a viewing platform, c. 600 m from the car park connects to the ski trail somewhat below the summit, so a round trip is possible. The walking track first leads to subalpine heathland with many scattered rocks and then to Snow Gum woodland. The ski trail also leads through subalpine heatland and Snow Gum woodland and has many moss beds along the track. The final walk to the summit again leads through subalpine heathland and provides great views over the mountain range.

Walhalla Historic Area

Walhalla once was one of Australia’s richest goldmining towns and, at its peak in the late 1800s home to about 4,000 residents. Today there are only about 35 permanent residents, but there are lots of holiday houses and it is a major tourism area.

The Old Steele Bridge Walking Track follows an old tramway track through wet sclerophyll forest with an understorey of Bedfordia lanceolata and tree ferns. Twenty years ago, we found Tetraphidopsis pusilla here.

People who would like to see some drier vegetation and a different suite of bryophytes and lichens can also choose to take the Cricket Ground Track, which is a steep walk through dry sclerophyll forest from the village to the famous Walhalla Cricket Ground.

Further enquiries

If you have any further enquiries regarding the workshop please do not hesitate to ask Niels (Niels.Klazenga@rbg.vic.gov.au) and/or Nimal (Nimal.Karunajeewa@rbg.vic.gov.au).