Come to an Event
Events
Get involved in the fight against habitat loss. Contribute to our shared understanding of Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area. Our citizen science mornings are timed for, and reflect on, the six seasons of the Middle Yarra Timelines calendar of the Wurrundjeri. Our Seeds & Weeds Days prioritise the current needs of our nursery and Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area. All events are about connecting with like-minded people, and sharing.
Come to one or more of our current and upcoming events and be part of the solution.
To get early-bird news, from as little as $10 you may like to sign up as a Friends member HERE and tick the ‘I’d like to be advised about volunteering opportunities‘ box.
All on-ground events at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area are subject to change.
See below for our cancellation policy and attendance guidelines for all participants.
Our event coordinators look forward to your understanding, co-operation and support. We’re excited to be inviting you to our events!
Middle Yarra Timelines calendar of the Wurrundjeri
Seeds & Weeds Day
Event co-ordinator: Rich
Your help is valued. No experience is required.
Work and learn alongside the regular group members. Tasks vary, according to the season, the priorities for our nursery and Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area. Most seed collection occurs over the warmer months, with weed management a year round activity.
For further details about what to expect on the day, where to meet and what to bring, please email Rich.
Upcoming dates:
- August and September 2026. Seeds & Weeds Days are postponed within YNCA. Those on Rich’s distribution list should check for an email sent to them on 18/08/2026.
- Sunday 11/10/26 | 9.15am – 4.00pm
- Sunday 08/11/26 | 9.15am – 4.00pm
- Sunday 13/12/26 | 9.15am – 4.00pm
- Sunday 10/01/27 | 9.15am – 4.00pm
All sessions: an earlier finish time can be arranged with Rich. Please just let him know so he can best plan the day. Most people stay on for a BYO late lunch around 2pm and then resume in the afternoon.
NB. We encourage all volunteers to stay home if unwell. Please bring a face mask (we may need to car-pool 4WDs) and hand sanitiser.
Could this be you? Lending a hand to plant habitat in YNCA.
Red-fruit Saw-sedge, Gahnia sieberiana
Citizen science program. Incorporating:
– Bird and Frog surveys (morning and afternoon)
– Flora, Fungi & Frog surveys (morning)
– Twilight Walks
– Special events with guest hosts
Co-led by: Sue, Bruce and a team of fabulous volunteers
“I enjoy the camaraderie of people who join our outings in a natural bushland environment where there is always something new to discover and learn.” Ron
Our events are purposeful. With no prior experience required, you’ll be contributing important information to what’s known about Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area. You don’t need to be able to identify birds, frogs, other fauna, plants or fungi in order to participate. All eyes and ears contribute!
We use Birdata for our bird surveys, FrogID for frog surveys and iNaturalist for other species. FeralSCAN is used to record invasive species. Learn or share identification skills whilst spending time with like-minded people.
Surveys and Walks are scheduled in different habitat types within Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area. Our gently paced walks are approximately 2 km for Flora, Fungi & Frog surveys and up to 5 km for Bird & Frog surveys and Twilight Walks.
The tracks are mostly flat, but they are uneven and can be slippery when wet. We may encounter short, uphill sections or sections on rock that’s a little unstable under your feet.
There are rarely facilities at the sites we survey (eg there are no buildings, toilets, seats etc).
Registration is essential. Please click on the link below.
You will be redirected to our registration page on Eventbrite. Registrations close 24 hours prior to an event.
- August and September 2026. Our citizen science events are postponed within YNCA. Registered participants should check for an email sent to them by Sue on 14/08/2026.
- Wednesday 07/10/2026. MORNING Bird & Frog survey | More details and register HERE
- Wednesday 14/10/2026. Flora & Frog Survey | More details and register HERE
- Friday 16/10/2026. AFTERNOON Bird & Frog survey | More details and register HERE
Coming up… keep watching for details
- Date TBC in November. Twilight Walk | By invitation. Open to regular citizen science participants aged 5 years+
- Friday 20/11/2026. MORNING Bird & Frog survey
- Wednesday 25/11/2026. AFTERNOON Bird & Frog survey
- Wednesday 09/12/2026. MORNING Bird & Frog survey
- Wednesday 16/12/2026. Flora & Frog Survey.
Reporting back – what are we seeing?
The bird species we’ve recorded, and in which season/s*, are listed below. The plant, fungi and other fauna species we’ve recorded are listed HERE. Can you help verify some of our IDs with your iNaturalist log-in? The frog species we’ve recorded are shown in the chart to the right.
*Events are scheduled in the six seasons of the Middle Yarra Timelines Calendar of the Wurundjeri
^We are carpooling. Not suitable for children where families don’t have a 4WD or AWD with high clearance
**Not suitable for children aged 0-4 years.
High summer bird survey in the Reserve. Image: S.Tardif
Eastern Shrike-tit, Falcunculus frontatus. NB. previously known as Crested Shrike-tit
Pale Swamp Everlasting, Coronidium gunnianum
Frog species recorded in each season during FoHH citizen science surveys 14 Sept 2020 – 14 Feb 2026 incl
Symposium webinar and Art Exhibition launch
Celebrating 50 years of Victoria’s endemic faunal emblems being proclaimed.
On 16 October 2021 we hosted our FREE Symposium webinar, where we shared the challenges and successes of threatened species conservation as it relates to our Victorian faunal emblems.
Available for you to view 24/7: re-visit whenever you’d like :)
On our radar.
Keep watching for new event listings, or take advantage of the early-bird notice Members receive, from just $10 p/a. You can join up HERE.
Where practicable, citizen science dates are aligned with dates that celebrate volunteering and the natural world, including:
- March. Insect Bioblitz
- Apr, Aug, Oct, Nov. The peak months for frog surveys. If we miss other months, we try not to miss these!
- April-August. Our citizen science flora surveys extend to fungi. This is peak fungi survey season.
- May. National Volunteer Week, the anniversary of the Friends forming (23/05/1989)
- June-August. Winter is the peak time for platypus sightings in SE Australia.
- September. Biodiversity Month
- October. Aussie Bird Count
- November. FrogID Week.
Extreme weather cancellation policy | COVID, colds and flu requirements
ALL Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area (YNCA) events are automatically cancelled on days of severe or extreme weather, including Total Fire Ban days, thunderstorms or expected wind GUSTS exceeding 50 kmh. Please don’t assume you will be contacted. Please CHECK the YARRA GLEN weather before leaving home. NOTE that Melbourne’s forecast is quite different. If there’s a yellow ‘View the current warnings for Victoria’ link, click on that too.
We recommend: DOWNLOAD the VicEmergency app and register.
To help keep our volunteers, community and staff well, please stay home if you are at all unwell, or showing symptoms of COVID, colds and flu eg sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever etc.
NB. event co-ordinators reserve the right to cancel or postpone events for reasons other than those listed above. Where possible, pre-registered participants will receive a text/ phone call/ email if we cancel an event. Note, this can occur early on the morning of the event.
Keep coming back…
New events are routinely added, and all events can be subject to change due to extreme weather events or changes in current health advice. We thank you for your support. Keep watching.
