Being cooped up inside, either self-isolating or working from home, can make many of us feel anxious and stir-crazy. Research shows how good being out in nature is for our mental health, but it's important to listen to the current public health guidelines and stay home where required. If you have some natural spaces close to your home, we have created a ClimateWatch guideline for physical distancing:
Lorea is Latin for 'made of thongs' or 'long strips of leather'; referring to the long terete leaves of this species.
Also known as the Bootlace Oak. Small tree with distinctively deeply fissured, corky and rough bark. It can grow to about 6 m tall.
Leaves
Shiny, dark green needle like leaves are up to 40 cm long.
Flowers
Each bright orange to dull lemon-coloured flower is about 1.5 cm long but is grouped into a spectacular raceme up to 12 cm long.
For more than two decades, Earthwatch has worked in partnership with the corporate sector all over the world. ClimateWatch offers employee engagement and professional development opportunities for businesses, whilst supporting scientific research into Australia’s changing climate and other crucial environmental issues.
Join companies like QBE, AMP, Jetstar, and GSA architects in our popular Scientist for a Day program. This program is a team-building and learning day for organisations around climate change, phenology and sustainable living.
Scientist for a Day Program
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Employees participate in a guided walking tour of a Botanic Gardens nearby, accompanied by Earthwatch scientists and field staff
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Your team is introduced to climate change and phenology, and receive training on species identification and use of the free ClimateWatch app
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Through recorded observations, staff actively contribute to ClimateWatch’s database to help scientists understand the impacts of climate change on Australian plants and animals
Digital Volunteer Opportunities
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Participate in hackathon style events, solve data challenges that benefit nature
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Host your own virtual "Data Validation Blitz" using the collateral below
Become a ClimateWatch partner
There are a number of benefits to partnering with us:
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Access to employee engagement and professional development activities such as Scientist for a Day, expeditions and sustainability leadership programs
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Networking opportunities with other companies, nongovernmental organisations, scientists, and environmental stakeholders
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Direct support of scientific research focusing on understanding, predicting and mitigating the effects of climate change on Australia’s biodiversity
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if your business is interested in partnering, volunteering or participating in the Scientist for a Day Program.
Tuberous, perennial herb which grows from underground stems. 5 - 30 cm high.
Leaves
It has a broad, hairy basal leaf up to 25 cm long.
Flowers
The 30 - 40 mm diameter flowers are often solitary but up to four flowers may be borne on a slender stem about 30 cm high. It is a very distinctive species because of its bright yellow flowers which often have crimson spots.
Field Guide
Improve your identification skills. Download your Cowslip Orchid field guide here!
Black and white, with the pattern varying across its range. The back of its neck, upper tail and shoulders (on its wings) are white in males and grey in females, and (across most of Australia) the rest of its body is black. In south-eastern, central and south-western Australia, including Tasmania, its back and rump are entirely white. Its eye is red-brown. Young birds are usually grey rather than black and have dark eyes.
Distinctive feature
One toe faces backwards and three face forwards. It has a square-tipped tail.
This trail location is owned and accessed by the Cumberland Land Conservancy (CLC). Acquired in 2017 by the Commonwealth Government and gifted to Cumberland Land Conservancy the property "Marsdenia" in Llandilo covers 3.75 ha of high conservation bushland and is part of a key corridor between the Wianamatta Regional Park and the Wianamatta Nature Reserve.
This trail location is owned and accessed by the Cumberland Land Conservancy (CLC). Acquired in 2017 by the Commonwealth Government and gifted to Cumberland Land Conservancy the property "Thornbill" in Agnes Banks covers 2.2 ha of high conservation bushland and is part of a key corridor between Sydney University’s Richmond Campus and the Agnes Banks Nature Reserve.
This trail location is owned and accessed by the Cumberland Land Conservancy (CLC). Purchased by the Commonwealth Government and gifted to Cumberland Land Conservancy in early 2016. "Wallaroo" covers 38 ha in Mulgoa and protects Critically Endangered Cumberland Shale Hills Woodland, Cumberland Riverflat Eucalypt Forest and provides habitat/foraging for six species of endangered wildlife.
This trail location is owned and accessed by the Cumberland Land Conservancy (CLC). Donated by a corporate donor in early 2018, the Cumberland Land Conservancy property "Wombat" covers 4.5 ha of high conservation bushland, protects endangered Shale Sandstone Transition Forest and forms a key link between Blue Mountains National Park and Mulgoa Nature Reserve.
A type of sea squirt, an animal that forms large colonies as a dense mat over rocks which are highly visible at low tide.
Its shape is squat and globular. It has a thick leathery outer layer called a ‘tunic’ which is often covered with brown or green algae. Cylindrical in shape with 2 openings called siphons for inhaling and exhaling water and feeding.
Currawong Bush Park in the Yarra Valley gives you the opportunity to have a 'wilderness-like' experience and immerse yourself in nature not far from the city.
The caterpillar (larva) is initially dark in colour with broad yellow-orange bands running across its body, and two rows of black spines running down its back. Its head is black and smooth. As it matures its body becomes blue-black. Just before becoming a pupa it turns dark green with orange-yellow blotches on its back and some small scattered pale blue-and-white spots. The butterfly (adult) has black wings covered with white-grey patches, and red-and-blue patches on its hindwing. The back edge of its hindwing is scalloped and the tip of its body is yellow.
Size
Caterpillar up to 4 cm long; Butterfly wingspan about 7 cm.
East Point Reserve is a special place for the people of Darwin and is one of the most popular recreation areas for both locals and visitors. Rich in history and biodiversity, East Point is easy to access and has an abundance of facilities and attractions for everyone.
A dark grey to black bird with a yellow-tipped red bill, red frontal shield, red legs, and white undertails. Hatchlings are also black with red frontal shield, juveniles have green legs, green horn or black coloured bill, generally paler.
Size
35-40 cm (from head to tail)
This frog goes by several common names: Eastern Banjo Frog, Eastern Pobblebonk Frog and Southern Bullfrog. The first two are based on its distinctive 'bonk' call which sounds similar to the string of a banjo being plucked.
Its back ranges from grey, to olive-green, dark brown or black, with dark marbling or flecks. It has a pale yellow stripe running from under its eye to its arm, a dark band above this, and may also have a pale stripe running down its back. Its sides commonly have a purple or bronze sheen, mottled with black. Its belly is white and sometimes mottled with grey. Its back is warty and rough but its belly is smooth.
Distinctive feature
A prominent gland on the outer side of its hind leg (its shin) and a fleshy lump at the base of each hind foot.
Mottled grey with some yellow tones. There are paired pale blotches along the spine. A grey/brown stripe is found behind the eye to the ear. The underside is also grey with darker circles. Often seen with its mouth open which is yellow in colour. It has a spiny body and tail particularly on the side of the body.
Size
Up to 67 cm long.
One of Australia’s most iconic and abundant species, the Eastern Grey Kangaroo is a large marsupial with light grey woolly coloured fur, a darker face, and a long, muscular tail that is dark at the distal third.
Droppings are unevenly round and around 1-3cm in diameter.
Size
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is sexually dimorphic with males significantly larger than females. Males with body length up to 130cm; tail up to 100cm; weight up to 60kg. Females with body length up to 100cm; tail up to 85cm; weight up to 40kg.
The adult male is a distinctive glossy black tinged with iridescent blue and green all over, including its long tail, and it has a striking red eye. The female is glossy brown with white spots on top, and buff-cream underneath with many fine black bars running across its belly. The top of its head is black or brown with pale streaks, and its tail is brown with white bars running across it. A young bird looks like an adult female but has buff barring on its wings and generally much more buff colouring.
The top of the adult male's head is grey-black, extending in a line down either side of its white breast. Its throat is also white, with a rufous patch in the centre. Its wings and lower back are dark metallic grey and its upper back and underneath are buff. In flight, its white outer tail feathers are visible. The female has similar but duller colouring. A young bird has less distinct markings with dark olive on top of its head, a white chin and throat and a cinnamon chest and belly.
Distinctive feature
It has a very long, fine beak that curves downward.
It has a grey back and head, and bright-yellow underparts. Southern birds have an olive-yellow rump, while birds in northern Australia have a brighter yellow rump. Its throat is off-white and when seen in flight, it has a pale bar on its wings. Its bill is black. Young birds are rufous-brown with paler streaks.
Size
13 – 17 cm long, the males are slightly larger
Ecolinc is one of six Department of Education and Training, science and mathematics specialist centres situated in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Ecolinc provides environmental science programs for F-12 students and professional learning for teachers.
Details of all Ecolinc programs may be found on the Ecolinc website.
Elephant snails are a type of semi-rare solitary marine snail (mollusc) and look like a black slug with a small white, shield-like shell on their backs.
Size
70 - 150 mm
A deciduous tree, usually 12 – 20 m high when planted in parks and gardens but can reach about 40 m high in its natural environment.
Its low, wide-spreading and rounded canopy is usually 10 – 18 m wide. Its trunk is typically short, with ridged dark grey to black bark.
Leaves
Dark green and oval to rectangular in shape with 3 – 7 rounded lobes on either side. They are 7.5 – 12.5 cm long and have a very short stem. They are pale blue-green underneath and turn tan to brown in autumn, before falling from the tree in late winter.
Flowers
Tiny, green to pale yellow, hanging in slim, cylindrical clusters (known as catkins).
Bright yellow and black bands across its abdomen, with a pair of black spots and a black triangle on each yellow band. It has yellow legs, black antennae and two pairs of transparent wings. Nests are commonly built underground with only their small entrance holes visible, which are about 2 - 3 cm across.
Size
1.2 – 1.5 cm long (worker); 2 cm long (queen)
