Forum 2023
THECA follows Queensland Health Covid-19 directives for all events and activities.
To check the current status of Covid-19 directives from Queensland Health, visit: https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19.
What we do
THECA is involved in a wide range of environmental and community activities, from regular drop-in morning teas, to bushcare and other conservation activities. THECA could not exist without the contribution of many volunteers as well as the committee members. They are involved in, for example, bushcare, children’s activities, workshops and field trips, special projects, birdwalks.
See our Events Diary for times and dates of meetings, activities and working bees. For more information on any of our activities, please contact us.
Brisbane's Wild West Calendar
Every year THECA, with support from local environmental groups Moggill Creek Catchment Group (MCCG) and the Rural Environment Planning Association (REPA), publishes a calendar that displays photographs by local photgraphers, of native fauna and flora of the western suburbs of Brisbane. Around May each year, we call for photographic submissions for Brisbane’s Wild West Calendar. Anyone is welcome to send in submissions for consideration.
Library Catalogue 2022
Borrowing privileges are for THECA members.
Bushcare
Bushcare is a core activity for THECA and we actively support several groups working in Mt Coot-tha Forest. Volunteers are a key part of these programs and all volunteers are welcome! Please contact THECA office for any questions.
All these bushcare activities are supported by Brisbane City Council’s Habitat Brisbane program.
See Events Diary for bushcare working bee dates.
See our list of bushcare groups.
Children's and Family Activities
Activities are based at The Hut, generally during school holidays. They are led by experienced teachers, and include both indoor and outdoor hands-on activities.
Spotlighting walks for families are also held from time to time, starting at The Hut and at other natural areas in the western suburbs.
See the Events Diary for scheduled children and family activities.
Theca Monthly Meetings
Our monthly meetings are light hearted get-togethers.
Where: The Hut, 47 Fleming Road, Chapel Hill
When: 7pm, 4th Wednesday (February - November).
- Please join us for refreshments and networking from 7:00 pm.
- Meetings commence at 7:30 pm. Presentations usually run for about an hour including questions, with refreshments and informal discussions afterwards.
- All members and non-member visitors are welcome.
- We try to include an outline of each THECA Talk in the subsequent THECA News. Please let us know if you'd be happy to do an occasional write-up for us.
See Events Diary for general meeting dates and details.
Workshops
Workshops: Workshops are held regularly to address certain issues and for members to gain more insight and skills about certain topics.
See the Events Diary for Scheduled Upcoming Workshops.
See articles on Past Workshops.
See articles on Future Workshops.
Birdwalks
THECA monthly birdwalks are an easy way to see something of the wonderful variety of bird-life around Brisbane. Everyone is welcome!
If you need convincing about the joy of urban birdwatching check out the recent Catalyst program on ABC https://iview.abc.net.au/show/catalyst/series/23/video/SC2102H001S00
Click for the 2024 list of walks THECA_Birdwalks_2024_v3.pdf
Nickie Westcott is the main contact on 0418 354 709 if the weather looks uncertain.
- A two hour walk, suitable for all ages and experience.
- Usually on the Saturday of the last full weekend of the month (Jan - Nov).
- Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Cost: $1/person for THECA members; $2/person for non-members.
See Events Diary for details of upcoming bird walks.
See Birdwalk Sightings list.
See Katie's October 14th, 2023 Big Day (Cornell Lab - October Big Day) write-up with Chris' photos.
Special Projects
THECA has been involved in a number of special projects over the years. In 2015, three workshops for those involved in the land management field are planned to focus on the significance, management and conservation of scarred trees and very old (veteran) trees which have wide-ranging cultural and ecological significance.
Nightwalks
Family nightwalks are held regularly throughout the year at various locations to view our urban and bushland night creatures in a relaxed manner.
On the November 2014 Nightwalk at Gold Creek several possums, two snakes and a range of birds were seen as well as insects and spiders.
At our February 2015 walk, we saw lots of possums near The Hut. THECA member Vanessa Gorecki showed us how to identify microbats using a mobile phone app that converts their high frequency calls into visual recordings.
More recently (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) we have been monitoring night pollinators (and spiders) using THECA's Lepi-LED and/ or Geoff Monteith's entomological equipment.Thank you to Jessa Thurman, Christian Perrin and Ethan Yeoman for contributing to these eveings as well as other entomologists/ ecologists who attend.
Most sightings are uploaded to iNaturalist under the Mount Coot-Tha and Surrounds Project
These events are also written up in our Quarterly Newsletters. The digital versions are under the PUBLICATIONS tab.
See our Nightwalks sightings list.
See Events Diary for upcoming nightwalks.
Mt Coot-tha WWII excursion
World War II Walk on Mt. Coot-tha
The Walking Tour of WWII sites in JC Slaughter Falls and Hoop Pine Picnic areas went off without a hitch on September 28th, 2021. Sixteen participants were led by amateur historian, Allan Tonks and learned fascinating facts about the impacts the US Forces had on these areas. For instance, we saw inscriptions of the servicemen who built the culverts at the entrance to JC Slaughter Falls picnic area in 1943; the 1943 concrete slab which supported the mine assembly plant – now a picnic shelter; a chapel which is thought was built in the 1940s but maybe was not; the last structure remaining on the mountain which housed the mine detonators. Participants had to imagine the structures at the Hoop Pine picnic area which housed 200 US defence personnel and included a galley (dining room); heads (bathroom facilities), officer quarters; a small hospital; practise firing range and even a baseball diamond. They are all gone now as the area was landscaped after the war.
Photos and text courtesy of Greg Siepen
For more information on World War II follow these links:
Click here for more information
Allan Tonks showing participants a shelter which was used to store detonators during World War II.
Looking at the servicemen's inscriptions on the culvert they constructed during World War II (near J.C. Slaughter Falls)
Outdoor chapel, estimated to be built in the 1940s.
See Events Diary for scheduled upcoming field trips.
See articles on Recent Field Trips.
See articles on Future Field Trips.
Community Forum
Every 12-18 months THECA organizes a community Forum to examine significant environmental issues. Since 2001, 12 Forums have been held covering a variety of topics from protecting our waterways to fire management in bushlands and attracting an average of 100 participants.
COMMUNITY FORUM BOOKLETS
