Field Naturalists Society of South Australia

The Field Naturalists Society of South Australia, Incorporated was founded in 1883 as a section of the Royal Society, and whose aims were to further the cause of the natural sciences in the colony. It was incorporated in 1959 and is still active. Membership is open to the public on application.

In 1880 Samuel Way, president of the Adelaide Philosophical Society, which had just recently been granted permission to use the title "Royal Society of South Australia", lamented the lack of a local equivalent of the recently formed Field Naturalists Club of Victoria for keen amateurs to further the cause of natural sciences.

The Association was formed as the "Field Naturalists' Section of the Royal Society of South Australia" (note apostrophe) on 14 November 1883, rules adopted and officers elected, many or most being members of the Royal Society: Chairman: Professor Ralph Tate; Vice-chairmen: Dr. H. T. Whittell, and Rev. (later Professor) Walter Howchin FGS.; Hon. Secretary: W. E. Pickells. The foundation committee consisted of Dr. W. L. Cleland, Dr. W. Haacke, J. G. O. Tepper, A. Molineux, W. H. Selway, jun., G. Collis, jun., H. Dean, and G. F. Hussey. Another founding member of long standing was W. H. Baker. The first outing was to the Government Farm, Belair, on 24 November 1883.

The Society owns a number of Nature Reserves, covered by Heritage Agreements:

...
Wikipedia