Events

This is a WAITING LIST for our Mycology courses. The exact date has not been set yet, but we do want to guage interest and also give priority to people who have been waiting longest. This online course will cover the fundamentals of mycology, identifying and cultivating fungi, human uses for fungi and land managment with fungi. The course will be available in modules for people who only want to take part of the course; everyone who attends any part of the course will have access to the pathways in mycology module. Classes will be live and recorded for people to re-watch later. There are limited placers and these prices are a one-time offer as it is the first time we are running the course. Discounted practical sessions in identification, cultivation and lab techniques will also be available depending on interest and COVID safety.  We are running the course  together with our partner organisation MYCOmmunity Applied Mycology (www.myco.org.au) which is a community group that does awareness-raising, training and research around fungi.   Mycology 101 - 12 hours, 6 weeks This course covers the fundamental aspects of mycology  Fundamentals of biology including cell structure and introduction to genetics and evolution Fungal diversity and different types of fungi How to identify fungi How fungi interact with other organisms and roles of fungi in the ecosystem Biosecurity including field hygiene and managing invasive species Guest speaker   Human uses for fungi and growing fungi - 8 hours, 4 weeks This course will cover human uses for fungi including Mushroom cultivation  Growing mushrooms at home and setting up your own lab Safe and ethical foraging Fungi in brewing Fungi in medicine Fungi in culture and history Emerging industries such as myco-materials   Fungal conservation, land-management and citizen science - 8 hours, 4 weeks This is a more advanced course focussing on fungi in the environment and how you can contribute as a citizen scientist Endangered fungi and fungal conservation How citizen scientists can contribute to fungal conservation How to survey fungi for scientific purposes Re-introducing fungi to the environment Biosecurity and invasive species management Fungi in land management and agriculture Using DNA technology DIY science and setting up your own lab   Pathways into mycology - 6 hours, 2 weeks This course includes a 2 hour online session and a 4 hour field trip. It includes: Further education pathways Getting jobs in land management and agriculture Starting your own business Getting involved in voluntary groups Field trip to Fed Uni horticulture department Edible mushrooms foray

This event is part of the Haddon Community Learning Centre's National Science Week activities: ‘Fungal Futures’ - partnering with ‘fungi’ for sustainable communities and healthy landscapes.   ONLINE TALK - What are fungi doing in our bushland   Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher   Fungi are important to keeping bushlands healthy. Yet many people rarely think about what fungi are doing. There are many different groups of fungi and and fungoid organisms like slime moulds and water moulds have different roles that interact with animals, plants and microbes. Whether fungi are seen as beneficial or detrimental often depends on the circumstances and point of view. This talk will lead you though the main roles of fungi in the landscape including roles as recyclers, benifical partners of plants like mycorrhiza, fungi as food. Problem fungi and why good hygine and biosecurity practices should be important for bushland management. There will be the basics of fungi conservation and an update of Tea-tree Fingers, Australia’s most threatened fungus.   Keynote Speaker: Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher is an ecologist who has a special interest in conservation of biodiversity, particularly the macrofungi and mosses. She has lived in Australia, New Zealand and Africa and is interested in these and similar landscapes around the world. She most enjoys spending time in bushland and working with community groups to help them understand the importance of fungi in maintaining ecosystem health. www.funfungiecology.com After Sapphire's talk there will be an introduciton to the Wild Fungi DNA project which is using citizen science and environmental DNA techniques to monitor fungi in the environment. Partner organisations include: Haddon Community Learning Centre Field Naturalists Club Ballarat MYCOmmunity Applied Mycology Fungi For Land

You'll learn about maintaining a sourdough starter culture, mixing and developing the dough, shaping and baking a loaf.  You will also get to enjoy a sourdough-inspired dinner as part of the workshop. What you will get to take home: A set of instructions for looking after your starter culture and a recipe for a basic sourdough loaf. A sourdough starter culture - Fermenting dough to take home to bake the following day  What to bring: A mixing bowl A measuring cup or jug A waterproof jar or container in which you'll take home the starter culture A tea towel Optional: A bread tin - this can help make it easier to shape loaves but is not necessary. Tickets $90 BOOK NOW - PLACES WILL BE STRICTLY LIMITED.

This session will be conducted online and will provide advice around selecting plants that are not only suited to the local environment but that are particularly adapted to the area. Planting trees, shrubs, fors and grasses that are found in your local area ensures they will thrive in the conditions. What are forbs? Join us to find out! Having local indibenous plants in your garden is good for the local fauna as well - for food, shelter and other things such as pollinatoin. Learn about the local plants that you can plant to attract birds and animals to your garden, or bush block.

Learn to forage for edible mushrooms safely. This workshop will focus on mushrooms that grow in pine forests and plantations. Afterwards we will have an informal walk to look for mushrooms. If you want to come on the walk, please wear weather appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes and bring a basket or box to carry your mushrooms in.

Join us for a fungi foray! Greg Boldiston has extensive experience in identifying mushrooms and runs regular mushroom walks in Mt Macedon. This foray will focus on identifying fungi in native forests and you will also learn to record them for conservation purposes using the iNat app. For this foray we will be meeting at the Haddon Community Learning Centre then travelling to some near by bushland. Please wear weather appropriate clothing and sturdy footwear.