I also acknowledge the volunteers who helped committee members in collecting donations from residents and visitors.

In particular I have to thank family and friends as well as the Marulan Lions Club and the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council and our local police again supported this important fundraiser.

2GN and the Goulburn Post have proved themselves community-minded through their continued support of our efforts.

On the day, we raised $4357, which will go toward the purchase of a tonometre, a piece of equipment that measures the pressure in a patient’s eye.

If you would like to join us to help us provide much-needed equipment for our hospital, please call in and have a chat with the staff in BDCU Alliance’s new premises in Auburn Street (next to Belmore Park).

If I have forgotten anyone, please accept that we could not do what we do without you. 

I thank you again and salute your generosity and hope you will continue to support us as we raise money for our hospital.

The Goulburn Field Naturalists Society would like to commend to readers of the Goulburn Post the latest report by CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology on the state of the climate.

Members of the Society, at their recent bi-monthly meeting, considered the report ‘State of the climate 2016’ and viewed three short videos illustrating aspects of the report.

The full report may be read at csiro.au/en/state-of-the-climate.

As the introduction to the report states, “The Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO play an important role in monitoring analysing and communicating observed changes in Australia's climate.

“This fourth, biennial ‘State of the Climate’ report draws on the latest monitoring, science and projection information to describe variability and changes in Australia's climate, and how it is likely to change in the future.

“Observations and climate modelling paint a consistent picture of ongoing, long-term climate change interacting with underlying natural variability.”

The report provoked a lot of discussion at the meeting, with Society members talking about changes they had noticed in the flowering times of various native plant species, as well as changes in the breeding and abundance or distribution of some native animals.

Albeit anecdotal information, but thought-provoking nevertheless.

We encourage others to read the report and join our discussions. New members and guests are always welcome.

We meet every two months at the Goulburn Workers Club. Call 0428 271 213 for details of the next meeting.

As a regular user of the reently constructed Wollondilly Walking Track (the council has done a good job), I am concerned at the hemlock (a noxious weed) and other “greenery” on the river bank.

Would it be possible to get rid of this as soon as possible, as it is a harbour for snakes in the summer months as well as being an eyesore.

Christmas offers the perfect opportunity to step away from technology and practise the art of hand-writing a greeting card, letter or gift tag with children.

If you have children or teenagers, encourage them to practise their handwriting this Christmas.

Whether it’s a letter to Santa or a grandparent’s greeting card, taking the time to pick up a pen and write by hand helps take children away from the keyboard and allows them to express themselves.