To mark its 100^th anniversary, the Club will hold several events throughout 2024, commencing with a public launch of the anniversary at Tomato Lake, Kewdale, on 7 April 2024.

Displays – Talks – Walks – Historic Films

Activities for Junior Nats and Children

Bring a Picnic Morning Tea or Lunch or Buy from the on-site Café

Please extend an invite to past members.

WA Naturalists’ Club Centenary Event

                                                        PROGRAMME

   ALL MORNING (9.00AM – 12.00PM)

• WA Naturalists’ Club – Historic Films, Displays, Books, Kids Corner
• Angela Rossen – Wetland Biodiversity Educator
• Tessa’s Reptiles – Reptile Relocator
• Catherine Baudains – Environmental and Sustainability Educator, Save Our Snake-Necked Turtle
• City of Belmont

GUIDED WALKS

             9.15am & 11.15am

 WELCOME, LAUNCH OF CENTENARY & TALKS

           10.30am – 11.00am

Why Tomato Lake? Tomato Lake is the site of just one of the Club’s many achievements over the last 100 years. In 1974 the Club instigated a massive cleanup of Tomato Lake for its 50^th anniversary conservation project. The lake had become infested with a thick mat of the introduced aquatic fern Salvinia molesta, a category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act, which covered the entire lake. The weed was preventing waterbirds from using the lake and the long-necked turtles from coming to the surface to breathe. Club members, the local community and the Belmont Shire Council (now City of Belmont) joined together and by manually removing the weed, the lake became a haven for wildlife. Tomato Lake is now a refuge for the turtles and numerous bird species as well as its surrounds being a very popular spot for recreation.

Members of WA Naturalist Club tackle Salvinia in Tomato Swamp, Belmont (1974)

Photo: Penny Hussey.

1974 video  available after the event on You tube  https://studio.youtube.com/video/8oO4gD_cx_E/edit