Saturday 5 September – Bird Walk – Campbells Creek Trail

Our program of events kicks off with a guided bird walk along Campbells Creek Trail starting at Lewis Drive (next to the Salvage Yard) at 9:00am. The Trail is now home to a diverse mix of birds.

Following the walk, everyone is invited to a free morning tea kindly donated by The Good Op Shop, and there will also be a pop-up plant sale by Newstead Natives, who specialise in bird-friendly habitat plants.

The walk is free and there is no need to book – you can find further details on the Connecting Country website here.

ALL WELCOME!

Sunday 6 September – Nature Journaling and Sticky Beak Property Tour – Moonlight Flat

This event offers the opportunity to visit a local property that is in the process of being restored for bird habitat, and you can spend some time with local artist Jane Rusden learning the art of nature journaling (no experience necessary). The nature journaling session commences at 9:30am for around 2 hours, followed by the Sticky Beak Tour starting at 11:30am.

This event is also free and there is no need to book – further details are here.

Thursday 10 September – In the Company of Birds –Castlemaine Goods Shed 

This very special event brings together nature, art and conversation, followed by an immersive soundscape experience with Nature Art Soundscapes.

Join Kirsty Costa, host of Weekend Birder podcast, award-winning nature artist Kate Gorringe-Smith, and our very own beloved local artist Jane Rusden in conversation as they share stories about the birds that inspire, connect and shape their lives.

This is a paid event with profits going towards Connecting Country’s restoration projects. The ticket price also includes dinner from local restaurant Melody, specialising in delicious Middle Eastern cuisine.

More details and a link to book tickets can be found here.

Friday 11 September – Impact of Litter on Birds –  Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club Talk 

Hannah Farone from Federation University will discuss her research into the impact of litter on bird behaviour and survival. Start time 7:30pm; address Castlemaine Uniting Church Hall, 24 Lyttleton St, Castlemaine.

No bookings required.

Acknowledgment of Country

BirdLife Castlemaine acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which the Feathery Festival will take place, the Dja Dja Wurrung people, and we pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We recognise and are grateful for the immense contribution of Indigenous people to the knowledge and conservation of Australia’s birds.