On a cold winter’s night on 11 June 2003 a group of 20 people gathered in West Hobart to mark the official launch of Wildcare’s newest volunteer group, the Friends of Maatsuyker Island (FOMI). Fast forward 20 years, on another cold night, a group of 40 people gathered at the Maritime Museum in Hobart to […]
by Penni Rockliff Maatsuyker Island, located off the coast of southern Tasmania, is a place of awe-inspiring natural beauty, fascinating cultural heritage and I reckon a whole lot of magic. The most significant modern cultural heritage site on the island is the lighthouse, which was built in 1891 and operated until 1996. Alongside are the […]
Invitation to celebrate the Friends of Maatsuyker Island Wildcare Inc. (FOMI) 20 Years FOMI is celebrating its 20th birthday in 2023! Come and visit our exhibition, showcasing FOMI’s achievements to care and protect Maatsuyker Island’s natural and historic values, at the Maritime Museum of Tasmania (16 Argyle St, Hobart). The exhibition is open to the […]
Three of Wildcare’s Island Groups are combining forces to set up a major fundraiser to support conservation work on Tasman, Maatsuyker and Deal Islands. You can support by purchasing a book of 10 raffle tickets and be in with a chance to win some great prizes! The raffle will be drawn at the Australian […]
The Friends of Maatsuyker Island (FOMI) Annual Dinner and AGM is on Thursday 8 September 2022 at the Fern Tree Tavern (680 Huon Road, Fern Tree). Guests are invited to arrive from 5.30 pm to order meals for 6.00 pm dinner. The AGM will commence at 7.00 pm. This year’s guest speaker is Professor Greg […]
Great outcomes for FOMIs Wildcare Tasmania weed control and shearwater monitoring 2021-2022 season have been achieved thanks to the terrific support over the past five years from the Pennicott Foundation www.pennicottfoundation.org.au. This commitment and support from Robert Pennicott and the Pennicott Foundation has provided a significant boost to these programs. The Weed Control program is […]
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. […]