Draft:Ringwood Field Naturalists Club

The Ringwood Field Naturalists Club (RFNC) is an Australian regional scientific natural history society, dedicated to the study, appreciation and conservation of the natural environment. It is based in Ringwood in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Founded in 1961, the club has played a pivotal role in promoting environmental awareness and scientific enquiry within the community. The club continues to host meetings for people within the region to share and explore their interest in Australian Natural History.

The RFNC's club badge features the Australian golden whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis), framed by leaves and flowers of the cinnamon wattle (Acacia leprosa). The badge was designed by Jack Truscott, a local artist and foundation member of the RFNC.

History
The RFNC was established in 1961 at an inaugural meeting on 20 September of that year. The meeting was chaired by Jack Hyett and 32 members were present. The first office bearers and committee members included President Jack Hyett, Vice President L. Sebire, Secretary F. Flentje, Treasurer William (Bill) King and committee members E. Moore and Fred J. C. Rogers. The RFNC, particularly through the work of Rogers, was instrumental in having two reserves in the Ringwood area created to preserve local flora. One was Wombalano Park and the other a patch of remnant bushland opposite the Heathmont railway station. The later was officially named the FJC Rogers Reserve by the Ringwood Council in 1973 to honour Rogers' tireless efforts planning and maintaining the area.

Hyett, a broadcaster and amateur ornithologist, continued to support the club past the end of his presidency, receiving a lifetime membership to both the RFNC and the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria in 1971. In 1976 Australian mycologist Bruce A. Fuhrer was made a life member, having been the founder and president of the Ringwood Junior Field Naturalist Club for the entire 16 years of its existence. Other notable members include Gretna Margaret Weste.

Mission and activities
The RFNC provides a welcoming environment for people to meet other field naturalists and to learn, explore and share their interest in Australian natural history. The club achieves this through a variety of activities, including:

The club is a member of the South East Australian Naturalists Association and hosted the association's biannual naturalist club camps in spring 2017 and autumn 2024. The RFNC is also a member of the Australian Naturalists' Network and contributes species observations to biological surveys such LifeSearch, an annual week-long BioBlitz event in the Western Port Biosphere. The club has a long history of undertaking similar native wildlife photography projects, hosting screenings for the Native Plants Preservation Society's Photoflora competition in 1972.
 * Monthly meetings featuring guest speakers, members' photographs, exhibits and sightings of interest.
 * Monthly weekend excursions to explore the natural habitats, flora, and fauna of the region.
 * Weekend field trips in autumn and spring across Victoria, usually involving other regional field naturalist clubs, including the Peninsula Field Naturalists' Club and Field Naturalists Club of Victoria.
 * Field care days, such as tree planting and weed removal at local sites.

The RFNC has been a paying contributor to the Victorian National Parks Association since the 1960s.

Membership and governance
Membership in the RFNC is open to anyone with an interest in nature and a desire to learn and explore. The club is governed by a committee, elected annually by its members, who oversee the organisation's activities and initiatives. The RFNC has contributed to the Australian Natural History Medallion Trust Fund.

Publications
The RFNC produces a 6-monthly club newsletter, called The Whistler.

Prior to 2016, the newsletter was known as The Ringwood Field Naturalist, which ran from 1995 to 2015.