A burrowscope is a custom-made, portable camera and screen that Friends of Maatsuyker Island (FOMI) have been using to check the presence and status of burrow-nesting seabirds. FOMI has undertaken biannual monitoring of Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) on the largest unharvested colony in the world (Maatsuyker Island) since 2013 (NB: pre-fledging chicks are harvested at […]
Article by Penni Rockliff, photos by Marina Campbell Before I went to Maatsuyker Island I thought of it as one of those magical fairy-tale places. After going I think of it in exactly the same way. Located about 10kms off the southern coast of Tasmania – ‘Maat’ is buffeted by the Roaring Forties and home […]
Our fabulous team of 9 – Penny, Suzie, Georgie, Karen, Gary, Davey, David, Sheryl and Min – included 3 newbies and 1 returning to Maat after 7 years. We also had our experienced members to lead the three areas of work – building maintenance, shearwater monitoring and weed control. Our team grew to 11 […]
Catch up on the latest FOMI news in our September 2020 newsletter. Recent working bees New door for Quarters 2 Pennicott Foundation donation Maatsuyker Through Our Eyes Shearwaters Lighthouse restoration works Thank you FOMI members Jill Mooney and Ailsa Fergusson for compiling this edition, and to the contributors for your wonderful stories. FOMI Newsletter No. […]
The FOMI Annual Dinner and AGM will be held on Thursday 24 September 2020 at the Derwent Sailing Squadron (23 Marieville Esplanade, Sandy Bay). Dinner can be ordered at the venue from 5.30 pm. The AGM will commence at 7.00 pm. Following the AGM, FOMI’s Ron Fehlberg will present a short talk on the Maatsuyker […]
The Friends of Maatsuyker Island, Wildcare Inc. (FOMI) runs occasional boat trips to Maatsuyker Island to provide support to the Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service (PWS) Volunteer Caretakers and the island operations. Boat landings are only carried out in late summer/autumn to avoid the key seal breeding period and are permitted by PWS. One day […]
Visit FOMI’s exhibition, showcasing some of the creativity inspired by the wonders of Maatsuyker Island, at the Rosny Library during September On display is information about FOMI along with snippets of Maatsuyker history. Learn more about Robert Huckson who designed the Maatsuyker lightstation and several houses in Bellerive, where he died 1902. We also have […]
Diane Masters extends an invitation to all FOMI friends to her upcoming exhibition ‘our island home’ at Handmark (77 Salamanca Place, Hobart). We are all looking forward to this exhibition of Di’s work inspired by her time as caretaker, with husband David, on Maatsuyker Island from September 2018 to March 2019. Exhibition open 6 Sept – […]
The Friends of Maatsuyker Island (FOMI) AGM will be held on Thursday 26 September 2019 at 7:00pm at the Derwent Sailing Squadron (23 Marieville Esplanade, Sandy Bay, Hobart). Dinner can be ordered from 5:30pm at the venue. All Wildcare members (or anyone interested in joining Wildcare) are invited and will be most welcome. Please RSVP […]
Maatsuyker Island Caretaker Program Editor’s note June 2020: Applications for the Maatsuyker Island Volunteer Caretaker Program have closed and placements filled until September 2022. The next round of placements will be advertised in June/July 2021 and will be advertised on the Parks and Wildlife Service and Wildcare websites. Applications are now being sought from […]