Victorian Nature Photography Group

1986 - 2018

The Victorian Nature Photography Group was founded in 1988 by Loris Peggie and Rob and Cynthia Watkins.  It was formed for those with a love of the natural world combined with an enthusiasm for its photography in a non-competitive spirit.  Over the years VNPG has attracted photographers and naturalists alike, some with skills in photography and some with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the natural world. Meetings enable knowledge and skills to be shared for the benefit of all.  Some of these members although enthusiastic are but beginners and others are masters of the genre. To date this mix has worked well and we have a harmonious and creative group of nature photographers.

Our club meets 3 times a year, holding an Autumn, Spring and Summer camp. The Autumn and Spring camps are usually 3-night events focussing often on fungi, orchids, wildflowers, landscapes, insects, birds and other natural phenomena of interest to the group.  Each camp has a focus with an invited guest speaker on some natural history topic.  Summer camps began by being 2-week camps but for the last 10 years have been for only 1-week and are now usually at high country venues like Mt Hotham and Falls Creek; in 2019 the group will meet at Mt. Baw Baw for the first time.

The club's membership  has fluctuated over time but has been around the 50 mark for the past few years. Rob and Cynthia Watkins have been life members since 1994 for their hard work in establishing our club and Rob's dedication to planning and running our regular week-long camps in the high country and alternate beach camp for many years.  Adrienne Meyer was given life membership  in 2016 for her long years as secretary and camp organiser. At Summer camps we have often invited members of Field Naturalist clubs as well as extended family members.

Creek, Mt Hotham, Porepunkah, Portland, Wilson's Promontory, Stuart Mill and Anglesea.

Our office bearers and committee members have ensured the successful planning and organisation of all our weekend and week camps as well as the organisation of guest speakers and field guides to ensure we find plenty of subject matter to photograph while away together. The Victorian Nature Photography Group continues to remain a non-competitive  club committed to pursuing knowledge  of the natural environment.