Flying-fox display board

It was a pretty last minute decision but for the first time in many years the Townsville Branch had a presence at the 2014 Ecofiesta in Queens’s Gardens. We decided it would be an excellent opportunity to present a display on flying-foxes: focussing on the positives, dispelling some of the myths and providing some accurate information on flying-fox behaviour, conservation needs and their importance to our environment. And of course showing just how beautiful these animals are!

Ready and waiting – the hanging photos were a real attraction.

Thanks to excellent support from City Council staff we had a stall with awning, a large table, and a very large display board. Fantastic! Dominique Thiriet, from NQ Wildlife Care, provided wonderful photographs of some of the bats she has had the privilege of caring for and Denise whisked them off to Officeworks for enlarging and laminating. Meanwhile my new printer was put to good use churning out  flyers, posters and leaflets, while others were sent for professional printing.

Not wanting to miss the chance to publicise other aspects of the Branch – what we do and where we go – it was back to Officeworks for more laminating and photo prints. Thank you to all our great photographers who were happy to allow their work to be on display. They attracted a lot of attention.

Browsing the literature

We had a steady stream of visitors and most of our membership forms and quite a lot of flying-fox literature and other hand-outs were taken. Others left their contact details for further information or deposited coins and notes in our donations box. Let’s hope a few more people are better informed about (and better disposed towards) our flying foresters. We now have enough material to mount a similar, or smaller, display elsewhere when the opportunity or need arises.

Thank you to Alison, Beth, Denise, Jackie, Jane, Mike and Nanette who all helped in different ways. And thanks to the weather gods who kept the rain away! Photos courtesy of Alison’s iPhone.

Townsville Branch activities display