Tasmanian Field Naturalists’ Club 
EASTER CAMP-OUT, 1914 
(By CLIVE E. LORD, Hon. Secretary) 
The Tasmanian Field Naturalists' 
Club held its tenth annual Easter 
camp at the Schoutens during the 
recent holidays, and a record was 
established as regards the number 
of members attending. The local¬ 
ity of F revet net Peninsula has al¬ 
ways been a popular one for camping 
parties, and as soon as it was definitely 
decided to camp there again this year 
the committee felt quite justified in 
chartering from Messrs. Holyman Bros. 
Ltd. the coastal steamer Eoomeela, a 
vessel of some 300 tons, as it was esti¬ 
mated that about HO members would at¬ 
tend. But as (he date of departure drew 
near and the trip became more widely 
known, applications began to roll in, and 
the ladies’ section was soon over-applied 
for, and numerous intending members 
had to be refused admission owing to the 
number being limited. As the time drew 
-on it became apparent that the total 
membership would reach the utmost 
number that could be taken, namely, 100, 
and this proved to be the case, as the 
lisle had to be definitely closed some time 
before the date of departure. 
A private camping party of one hun¬ 
dred members is, it is believed, a record 
for Tasmania. It comprised manv club 
members and a fair proportion ot non¬ 
members. whilst two members of the 
staff of the Australian Museum, Sydney, 
Messrs- Charles Hedley and E. A. Briggs, 
came across especially to take part in 
the camp. 
The original intention was to have 
camped at Cole’s Bay, on the western 
side of the Peninsula, but owing to the 
wind being strong from the west, with 
every prospect of continuing, it was de¬ 
cider), during our voyage up the coast, to 
alter the site to Wineglass (or Thouin) 
Bay, on the outer or eastern shore, where 
the camp was sheltered from the wind, 
and escaped to a very large extent the 
rain and inclement weather that pre¬ 
vailed in the south-western and other 
portions of the State during Easter. As 
it was, the dredging operations had to be 
curtailed, and the fishing was affected, 
as the catches w r ere considerably below' 
the records of previous trips to this 
locality. 
Midnight on Thursday, A_pril 9, found 
100 members on board the Koomeela, and 
a few minutes Inter the vessel set out for 
the coast. Dutialley was reached about 
5 p.m„ and the anchor dropped in order 
to wait for daylight, so as to negotiate 
the East Bay Neck Canal, which we pass¬ 
ed through later with heavy rain fall¬ 
ing, and every prospect of a rainy day. 
However, as we went up the coast we 
drew out of the rain belt, but the wind 
freshened considerably, and some of the 
members experienced the discomforts of 
mal-de-mer, and consequently found the 
trip of rather long duration" Sc.houten 
Passage was passed through about 1 p.m., 
and the anchor lowered away in Wine¬ 
glass Bay shortly before 3 p.m. on Good 
Friday afternoon. 
•Wineglass, or Thouin, Bay is situated 
on the eastern side of Freyeinet Penin¬ 
sula, which, together with Schouten Is¬ 
land, is generally referred to as "The 
Schoutens." The peninsula from Cole’s 
Bay to the passage is about 12 miles 
long, and about four miles at its broad¬ 
est point, but in two places, namely, 
between Sleepy and Cole’s Bays, and 
again between Wineglass and Hazard 
Bays, the width is considerably contract¬ 
ed. and two low-lying necks formed, each 
being only a mile or so across- Schouten 
Island, which lies to the south, and 
somewhat resembles a miniature Austra¬ 
lia in outline, is very billy, and has an 
area of about 8,500 acres. The general 
character of the country is completely 
different from that which is mot with 
around Hobart. The greater portion of 
the district is very mountainous, but the 
chief characteristic is the granite peaks 
and boulders which abound everywhere. 
Their romantic outline and rich colour¬ 
ing, more especially when seen in con¬ 
junction with graceful groups of the 
Oyster Bay pine, form a type of scenery 
that cannot be portrayed by brush or 
camera, but. needs actual investigation 
in its natural grandeur for its unique 
charm to be understood and appreciated. 
The boats were at once lowered, and 
a start made to get the camp impedi- 
