Author talk – Leon Costermans

On Sunday 21 July, at 2pm, the Cranbourne Friends are proud to present an Author talk by noted Australian botanist and Australian tree expert, Leon Costermans, in the Auditorium, Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.

Leon Costermans has presented workshop sessions and led plant observation walking tours at Cranbourne over many years.

Here Leon Costermans will talk about the area west of the Frankston coastline, which has some quite varied geology, which creates differences in landform characteristics and soils. In particular, there are several types of sand, each of which influences the types of naturally-occurring plants it supports. The talk will select several locations to illustrate such variations; it will be based on the much more extensive treatment in the 2022 publication: Stories beneath our feet: exploring the geology and landscapes of Victoria and surrounds, which will be available for sale on the day.

This book, by Leon Costermans and Fons VandenBerg, explains the geological origins of southeastern Australia, and is attractively illustrated with over 1870 high quality photos, digital images, maps and diagrams. It doesn’t assume any prior geological knowledge, but is written to appeal to land managers, teachers and senior students of environmental subjects, outdoor educators, ecologists, naturalists, tour-group leaders and travellers. It looks at the influence that geological factors have on the natural vegetation, land utilisation and ecosystems.

Please register and join us to find out more about the origins of the landscapes of Melbourne and Victoria, particularly the areas of Cranbourne, Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Afternoon tea will follow.