Discover Tantawangalo’s biodiversity and history at Life in our Cemeteries event

Bega Valley Shire Council and the Atlas of Life invite the community to Tantawangalo Cemetery on Saturday 21 June from 11am to 3pm for the next ‘Life in our Cemeteries’ event.

Tantawangalo cemetery.

10 June 2025

Bega Valley Shire Council and the Atlas of Life invite the community to Tantawangalo Cemetery on Saturday 21 June from 11am to 3pm for the next ‘Life in our Cemeteries’ event.

This popular event gives participants an opportunity to explore the unique flora, fauna and history of the Tantawangalo area through expert-led Walk and Talk sessions and engaging lunchtime talks.

Council’s Environmental Management Officer, Erin Moon said the event highlights the biodiversity that quietly thrives in these unique spaces.

“Tantawangalo Cemetery is home to remnant Lowland Grassy Woodland, a Threatened Ecological Community that offers a glimpse into what the natural environment may have looked like before widespread clearing,” Ms Moon said.

“As part of the event, participants will explore the vegetation community with botanist Jackie Miles and uncover the hidden stories of the site with historian Fiona Firth. Deb Taylor will also lead a walk and talk on the resident invertebrates.”

Following the walks, two lunchtime talks will take a deeper dive into conservation and the personal passion driving environmental protection.

Professor Philip Gibbons of the Australian National University’s Fenner School of Environment and Society will discuss the science of habitat hollows and the vital role of old trees in supporting wildlife.

“Many of Australia’s native reptiles, birds and mammals need tree hollows to survive,” Professor Gibbons said.

“When I discovered in the 1990s that hollows typically form in trees over 200 years old, it became clear to me that hollow-bearing trees are irreplaceable.”

Chris Allen, from the Koala Action Network will share his experience with forest conservation in the late 1980s and 1990s, including work with the Tantawangalo Catchment Protection Association to learn about and help conserve koalas in the Tantawangalo and Yurammie Forests.

A light lunch will be provided and participants are encouraged to document what they discover on the iNaturalist app, which helps identify the plants, insects and animals observed during the event.

For more information and to register, visit the event booking page.

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