Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony

14/06/2025

Feral Cat Management Workshop at Lilydale
https://www.facebook.com/share/1ERnXE5rRx/

Send a message to learn more

03/04/2025

Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony get together.
Join the Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony, Senator Peter Whish Wilson and Cecily Rosol MP at The Pier Hotel on Tuesday 15th of April at 5:30pm. Cecily will be speaking to what Tasmanian Greens are doing at a state level to address feral cats and their impact on wildlife.
Hope to see you there.

This event is open to Wildcare members. Please login to register or, we warmly welcome you to Join Wildcare if you are visiting our site. For help with logging in or joining Wildcare please contact our friendly team at [email protected] or call us on 0361654230.

28/01/2025

The next meeting of the Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony - 4th of February 2025.
Members are welcome to attend.
Please RSVP to [email protected]

This event is open to Wildcare members. Please login to register or, we warmly welcome you to Join Wildcare if you are visiting our site. For help with logging in or joining Wildcare please contact our friendly team at [email protected] or call us on 0361654230.

02/12/2024

Join us today where we will celebrating Coastcare Week.

02/12/2024

The next meeting of the Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony - 3rd of December 2024.
Members are welcome to attend.
Please RSVP to [email protected]

Members are invited to attend the FOLHPC Committee meeting on Tuesday 3 December 2024 2.00pm to 3.00pm, which is to be held at the Bass and Flinders Bowls Club 167 Low Head Road.

18/10/2024

🐕 Community Consultation - Dog Management Policy

George Town Council invites community members to view and comment on the revised Dog Management Policy. At Council, we recognise the importance of engaging and consulting with our community when implementing and reviewing our policies, strategies and plans, therefore we are seeking feedback regarding its content, purpose and direction.

Council is responsible for enforcing the Dog Control Act 2000 within the municipal area. This includes developing a Policy for responsible dog ownership, including the provision for declared exercise areas, enforcement of dog control, and the operation of a dog pound. The underlying principle of this Policy is that Council is committed to promoting responsible dog ownership.

The DRAFT Dog Management Policy is available via our website and a hard copy at the George Town Council Office on Anne Street.

The consultation period is now open and will close at 5pm on Thursday the 7th of November 2024.

Please provide your feedback and comments in writing via email at [email protected] or via post PO Box 161, George Town, TAS, 7253.

https://georgetown.tas.gov.au/dog-management-policy

03/10/2024

🐦 Discover the Amazing Birds of the Tamar Estuary with BirdLife Australia!

Join us at the kanamaluka / Tamar Discovery Day 2024 and explore the diverse species of birds that call the Tamar Estuary home – for at least part of the year in the case of migrants! Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or just a little twitchy, there’s plenty to learn and enjoy! 🦅

📚 Spotting Tips: Find out how you can identify birds in their natural habitat and discover ways to protect their environment.

Get hands-on with educational displays and talk with experts who can answer all your bird-related questions!

📅 When: 19 October
📍 Where: Seahorse World, Beauty Point

Tag a friend who loves birds and come along to discover the incredible birdlife of the Tamar Estuary with Birdlife Australia!

Book your FREE ticket here 👉 https://bit.ly/ktdiscoveryday

26/09/2024

The next meeting of the Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony - 1st of October 2024.
Members are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to [email protected]

Monday Member Spotlight 🔈Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony

Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony consists of communities and management authorities working together for the purpose of finding solutions for permanently protecting, support and sustain the Little Penguin colony at Low Head. The group works in the area of the Low Head Penguin Rookery on land of mixed tenure – partly Crown Land, Local Government and Private.

A recent survey of the nest boxes at Low Head revealed that more than 10% of the boxes were occupied. There are now more than 100 Little Penguin nest boxes installed at Low Head, thanks to the efforts of the local community, local businesses and schools. Read more here: https://www.facebook.com/FoLHPC/posts/pfbid0GrK18wF1LHxAuUEtXYnt7pP3H8Vw8fuNhZHu3ivsSduwDF2xVPXbcLM9S6FAAK1al

🌱 Group meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every second month, 2pm at the Bass n Flinders Bowls Club Low Head. All welcome. Please contact [email protected] for dates and further details.

🌱Group info here: https://www.landcaretas.org.au/23976

19/09/2024

Join us in Westbury to discover how feral cats affect local wildlife, biodiversity and agriculture.

This community info session will share knowledge from experienced people working with feral cats in the state. We will take an in-depth look at the impacts of feral cats on livestock and discuss strategies and management tools to mitigate these impacts, and also explore how the community can be involved.

It would be great to see a mix of Landcarers, private property owners, community groups and local organisations join us.

🐈 For more info & to RSVP, follow this link: https://www.landcaretas.org.au/feral_cat_info_meander

29/08/2024

Winter breeding season for penguins at Low Head?

A recent survey of the nest boxes at Low Head revealed that more than 10% of the boxes were occupied. There are now more than 100 Little Penguin nest boxes installed at Low Head, thanks to the efforts of the local community, local businesses and schools. The most recent check in mid-July showed evidence for extensive activities within the colony, with nest boxes occupied by penguins, and wide spread penguin splash around the colony. Clearly, this is a very active colony, despite it being mid-Winter. Over the last few years, we have greater numbers of penguins undertaking Winter breeding. Studies at Phillip Island suggest these are older penguins making these efforts - the older birds have commenced breeding on the basis of their experience and 'judgement' that there is sufficient food available for them and their chicks during the late Winter/early Spring period ahead of the more typical Spring/Summer breeding season. Further nest box checks over the coming months will allow us to assess the scale of Winter breeding ahead of the onset of the Spring/Summer breeding season at Low Head.

The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service are actively involved in the monitoring and surveying of the Low Head Little Penguins, providing support and approval, for the project.

Pic - Little Penguin in nest box at Low Head, July 2024 - © Eric J Woehler
BirdLife Tasmania
Wildcare Tasmania
George Town Council
Tamar NRM
NRM North
Landcare Tasmania

23/08/2024

🐈 Caring for Cats Program 🐈

George Town Council is pleased to announce the commencement of our “Caring for Cats Program” a FREE Cat Desexing and Microchipping Pilot Program for residents of the George Town Municipality.

It is a requirement under the Tasmanian Government Cat Management Act 2009 that owners must ensure that their cats, over the age of 4 months are de-sexed and microchipped.

For more information and to submit a expression of interest please click on the below link.

https://georgetown.tas.gov.au/caring-for-cats

05/08/2024

MORE NEST BOXES FOR LOW HEAD’S LITTLE PENGUINS

Members of the Friends of Low Head Penguin Colony have been busy during winter when another 43 marine ply nest boxes were installed at Low Head. The Group received funding from the Premier’s Discretionary Fund (with assistance from Hon. Nick Duigan MLC and Hon. Lara Alexander, MLA), and a Community Assistance Grant from the George Town Council. The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service were also actively involved in the process, providing support and approval, for the project.

Marine ply was purchased and students from Star of the Sea Catholic College and Port Dalrymple School assembled the nest boxes after they had been cut to the well-used pattern by Longs Building & Joinery of George Town. The Group’s efforts were assisted by two George Town Council staff who cut away the African Boxthorn to allow for the placement of the nest boxes under the screening vegetation.

There are now more than 100 nest boxes on site, thanks to the efforts of the Group over several years. Research at Phillip Island in Victoria has shown that penguins using these nest boxes have higher breeding success than natural burrows. Following the devastating dog attacks in 2017/18 in which many penguins were killed, the installation of the nest boxes provides the colony with the greatest recovery possible. A check of the new boxes just a few days later showed that they had already been visited by penguins – highlighting the value of the project to the colony.

A check of the existing nest boxes at the same time showed that the penguins ashore in nest boxes were near the end of their annual moult. Penguins moult after their breeding season, and the moult takes around 20 days for the new feathers to grow and replace the old feathers. This summer, moulting penguins were present in their burrows at Low Head from early January until mid-April.

Wildcare Tasmania
Landcare Tasmania
Tamar NRM
BirdLife Tasmania
NRM North