COMING EVENTS

THE GREAT AUSSIE BIRD COUNT – 20-26 October 2025 (National Bird Week)
Organised by Birdlife Australia, this citizen science project is one in which you may take part anywhere, anytime during that week. For more information and to register go to https://aussiebirdcount.org.au/
At a local level, we may celebrate by learning about small birds, their habitat, local garden projects and how to improve your own garden habitats. Find out why we are losing small birds and what we can do to help them survive. Come to the North Ryde School of Arts Community Hall, 201 Coxs Road, North Ryde, 2113 on Monday, 20 October 2025, 1:00pm - 2:30pm. Bev Debrincat will talk about The Habitat community nursery and garden in Ryde and two of the small bird habitat corridors with which she is involved. She will also have some local provenance native plants to sell ($4 each or 6 for $20 – bring cash on the day if you would like some plants for your garden.

PICNIC FOR NATURE – Sunday 7 December 2025 from 12 noon at the Field of Mars Visitor Centre
The Nature Conservation Council encourages groups to hold a Picnic For Nature event each year, and we decided to hold ours at the start of December to celebrate our achievements over the past year. As usual, we will begin with a barbecue-and-salad lunch, and members who actively supported the work of our Society will be recognised. There will be time for informal chat, a self-guided bushwalk if you wish, and afternoon tea before you leave. Family and friends all welcome!

WE TURN SIXTY!
The decision to form our Society was made at an informal meeting in September 1965, and we held our official Inaugural Meeting at the St Thomas church hall in Orient Street Gladesville on 16 February 1966. Nothing planned yet, but we intend to celebrate… watch this space!

PAST EVENTS

RHHFFPS BIRD WALKS Sunday 24 August
Walks, starting at the Field of Mars Visitor Centre, were led by Cathy Goswell of the Cumberland Bird Observers Club. These were well-attended and received by participants who all enjoyed the benefits of Cathy’s extensive knowledge.

RHHFFPS MUSIC ON MARS - Sunday 21 September

Our increasingly popular event featuring local talent was attended by over 130 who enjoyed the pleasant environment of the Field of Mars Reserve Visitor Centre with excellent weather. We also enjoyed the variety of performances. Organised by our Society, this followed successful concerts in 2023 and 2024.

The program included:
• Jazz Favourites with the Ryde Big Band
• Tibetan Group Dance choreographed by Sally Song
• Songs from the Centre with Nicole Debs
• Zither (guzheng) Melodies with Dora He
• the Greek-Australian Romiosini Ensemble and Choir, director Dimitri Fotiadis
Our audience enjoyed a surprise free dancing session with everyone joining in before we finished with afternoon tea. As happened in previous years, we received many congratulatory comments and positive feedback, so we hope to be awarded another grant for a similar event in 2026.
Thanks to Alfred Vincent who invited the artists who entertained us, and for these photos:

YARNKNIT RUG RAFFLE PRIZE

Donated once again by Holy Spirit Yarn Group, you could be the lucky winner when the raffle is drawn at the AGM in early 2026. The handmade article is suitable for both winter and summer use. Keep it yourself, give it to a family member or friend or donate to a worthy organisation. Funds raised support the Society and the organisations we support.
Tickets are available at the Visitors Centre or buy online by transfer to our Bendigo Bank account: RYDE HUNTERS HILL FLORA AND FAUNA PRESERVATION SOCIETY INC, BSB 633-000, Account number 190716589.
Include your name and “raffle” in the transaction description, and please email your contact details to rhhffps@gmail.com
One ticket for $2, Three tickets for $5

PRESIDENT’S NOTE -

The big news recently has been the announcement of the 2035 target for the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases from the baseline of the 2005 emissions. This target of between 62% and 70% is based on advice from the Climate Change Authority and is supported by a Net Zero Plan, along with blueprints for six major sectors of the economy outlining what needs to be done to get there and other spending measures totalling more than $8 billion to support the energy transition.
Environment groups and scientists have stated that the target is not adequate for achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and media comments by experts have stated that the mechanisms for achieving the announced targets are not likely to be adequate (The Conversation 19 September 2025).
To date, the government has heavily relied on two policies to bring emissions down. The first is the Capacity Investment Scheme, which underwrites renewable energy generation and storage projects. The second is he Safeguard Mechanism, which requires major industrial emitters to progressively lower their emissions.
Rod Sims (Enterprise Professor, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne) has stated (The Conversation 19 September 2025) that it is time to look at a carbon price. For two years from June 2012, Australia had a carbon price. It worked and markets funded lower-emission power sources over higher-emission ones.
It is clear that meeting the 2035 goal, even at the lower end, requires a serious policy step-up.
The Society will continue to work with other likeminded groups to press for more ambitious targets and implementation of more effective policy mechanisms to achieve the 2050 net zero target.
Frank Breen, President

About RHHFFPS

The Society has been active in local conservation issues since 1966 and is well networked with the broader conservation movement across NSW.

The Society's Constitution states its Aims and Objectives as:

a. The education of the members and the community, particularly in the local area, in nature conservation and protection of the environment;

b. To promote ecologically sustainable land use and development;

c. To promote nature conservation including an adequate system of national parks, wilderness areas, nature reserves, wildlife refuges and corridors and urban bushland reserves; adequate protection measures for native wildlife;

d. Achieving satisfactory measures to safeguard the environment from all forms of pollution to ensure clean air, clean water and a healthy environment;

e. To work for the permanent retention and conservation of all natural areas in the local district and an increase in the area set aside for nature conservation and

f. To undertake the management of the Field of Mars Reserve with Ryde City Council as a major conservation project

We have a regular newsletter Wallumetta which is issued six times a year which attempts to update members on both local environmental issues and issues of wider impact. Our volunteer members keep the Visitors Centre open each weekend. Please contact us if you have concerns about threats to our local natural areas and the precious native fauna which depend on our sensitive bushland areas and waterways.

History of The Ryde Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society

In the mid 1960s, with an increasing amount of waste needing disposal, Ryde Council looked to an expansion of the small tip in the Field of Mars Reserve. Council proposed to pipe Buffalo and Stranger's Creeks to facilitate a landfill area to a depth of up to 15m feet which could then be re-developed into playing fields. Local residents united to form the Anti-tip Action Group and lobbied to reverse Council's plans for a tip at the Field of Mars. The tip was moved to Porter's Creek which to this day still requires substantial funds to control the environmental damage arising from past use as a tipsite. With the Field of Mars saved the Society was established in January 1966.

In September 1966, Ryde Council advised the Society that it agreed to their proposal to development of the Field of Mars Reserve as a flora and fauna sanctuary. Hard work over following decades has seen restoration of old degraded areas of the Field of Mars and protection of the area as a Wildlife Refuge. A Visitors Centre was built and then the Environmental Education Centre which is visited by about 10,000 students each year.