A citizen scientist records a plant at BioBlitz. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.
What do sugar gliders, tawny frogmouths and blue-bearded bees have in common?
They’ll all be on the radar at Shellharbour’s annual BioBlitz — a two-day nature adventure inviting residents to swap their screens for the bush and uncover the hidden wildlife of Croom Reserve in Albion Park Rail.
Now in its third year, Shellharbour City Council is inviting people to be a “citizen scientist” during the fun, hands-on events from 7-8 November.
BioBlitz is all about exploring the outdoors, spotting plants and animals, and learning more about the biodiversity of the Shellharbour area.
Mayor Chris Homer said BioBlitz was a wonderful opportunity for the community to connect and discover more about Shellharbour’s environment.
“BioBlitz is a fun and active way to learn about our local ecosystem while contributing to real science,” Cr Homer said.
“If you’re looking for something new to try, or just want to enjoy the spring season, now’s your chance.
“Who knows, you might even discover a new hobby?”
Participants don’t need to be a scientist, but rather simply have a curiosity and love for nature.
This year, experts from the University of Wollongong, council staff and Illawarra ecologists will be there to guide participants through different sessions across the two days.
BioBlitz will begin on the Friday night with the Guided Spotlight Walk in search of nocturnal wildlife, led by University of Wollongong ecologists, such as Katarina Mikac.
Past spotlight walks have seen sugar gliders, an eastern-long necked turtle and tawny frogmouths in Croom Reserve, known as Illawarra Lowland Grassy Woodlands.
On the Saturday, a full day of events starts in the morning with the Bird Blitz, guided by experts from the Illawarra Birders, who will help participants learn more about Illawarra birds and identify and record as many species as possible.
It will be followed by Wildlife Watch, discovering the diversity of the nearby woodlands as participants seek to find species like Eastern dwarf tree frogs, blue-bearded bees and jacky dragons.
Joining the watch will be Carl Glaister from Carl’s Rainforest Experiences.
Finally, the afternoon will focus on plant life with Croom Blooms, before the BioBlitz wraps up with another Guided Spotlight Walk.
Participating in BioBlitz helps contribute to the scientific community’s understanding of Shellharbour’s ecosystem, while offering hands-on experience in biodiversity identification and data collection.
Last year, 83 people joined in the event and recorded 556 observations and identified 217 species using the iNaturalist app.
Due to exploring the bushland, participants are asked to wear protective clothing, shoes, sunscreen and a hat.
Book your free spot for 2025 BioBlitz@Croom on 7-8 November at John O’Dwyer Oval, Croom Reserve in Albion Park Rail. Spaces are limited.
For more information on Shellharbour City Council’s environmental initiatives visit the website.
