The aim of this project was to develop an online searchable collection of Indigenous plants and animals found on the Surf Coast and the Bellarine, suitable for community use.

The Wadawurrung communities have long cared for the wildlife in these areas and we acknowledge this nurturing and pay respects to past and present Indigenous people for their ongoing custodianship of the land.

Surf Coast Nature Search, created by Friends of Jan Juc and Angair came first. Then, in 2021, Friends of Ocean Grove Nature Reserve (FOGNR) added to it with Bellarine Nature Search. FOGNR thanks the Surf Coast team for their willingness to share information and cooperate in building the combined database, and to Boojum web design for their technical expertise and collaborative spirit. We are also grateful to knowledge experts from Bellarine Catchment Network, Bellarine Landcare Group and Geelong Field Naturalists who have ensured flora and fauna information is current and accurate.

For more detailed study of Bellarine wildlife we encourage use of iNaturalist.

Nature Search is a work in progress; it is not an exhaustive collection of all indigenous species and will be added to as resources permit and as ecosystems evolve.

The following references were used in the compilation of Nature Search:

• Atlas of Living Australia. CSIRO. viewed 20 October 2021. https://www.ala.org.au/
• Bellarine Catchment Network & Bellarine Landcare Group (2020). Coastal Plants of the Bellarine Peninsula
• Bellarine Catchment Network & Bellarine Landcare Group (2020). Inland Plants of the Bellarine Peninsula
• Bond.  S. (2019). The Small Ant-blue butterfly  Acrodipsas  myrmecophila (Waterhouse and Lyell, 1913) in the ACT. Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, ACT Government, Canberra
• Bull, M. (2014). Flora of Melbourne. Edition 4. Hyland House Publishing
• Butterfly Gardening website https://butterflyconservationsa.net.au/
• Churchill, S. (2008). Australian Bats. Jacana
• Cogger, H. (1992). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia
• Costermans, L. (1994). Trees of Victoria and Adjoining Areas. Costermans Pub.
• Cronin, L. (1991). Key Guide to Australian Mammals. Reed Books
• D’Abera, B. (1971). Butterflies of the Australian Region 
• eBird (2021). Web application and on-line database. Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Foster, E. and MacDonald, M. (1999). Orchids of the Anglesea District
• Foster, E. and MacDonald, M. (2009). Orchids of the Anglesea District. inverted Logic
• Friends of the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve History 1968-2016
• Hart, B. et al. The Birds of the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, in The Geelong Bird Report, 2005. Geelong Field Naturalists Club Inc.
• Hero, J. et al. (1991) Frogwatch Field Guide to Victorian Frogs. Dep. of Conservation & Environment
• MacDonald, M. (2009). Flowers of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet. ANGAIR
• Mayfield, E. (2006). Flora of the Otway Ranges. Volume 1. Linton Press
• Mayfield, E. (undated). Flora of the Otway Ranges. Volume 2. CSIRO Publishing
• Menkhorst, P. et al (2017). The Australian Bird Guide. CSIRO
• Morley, C. (2018). The Geelong Bird Report 2013-2016. Geelong Field Naturalists Club inc.
• Richardson, F. J., Richardson, R. G. and Shepherd, R.C.H (2016). Weeds of the South-East. Edition 3
• Robertson, P. & Coventry, A. (2019). Reptiles of Victoria - a Guide to Identification and Ecology. CSIRO
• Strachan, R. (ed). The Australian Museum Complete Book of Australian Mammals. Cornstalk.
• VicFlora (2016). Flora of Victoria. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, last accessed 07 Sep. 2016. viewed 20 October 2021 https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au
• Walsh, N.G. and Entwistle, T.J. (1994) Flora of Victoria Volume 2 Inkata Press
• Walsh, N.G. and Entwistle, T.J. (1996) Flora of Victoria Volume 3 Inkata Press
• Walsh, N.G. and Entwistle, T.J. (1999). Flora of Victoria Volume 4 Inkata Press
• White, M.D. (1989). The Flowers of Anglesea River Valley. Lutheran Publishing House
• White, M.D. (1990). Coastal Vegetation of Anglesea-Aireys Inlet Region. Lutheran Publishing House
• Wilson, S. & Swan, G. (2017). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia. Reed New Holland.

The top home page image of the beach Point Impossible is licensed and supplied by Lynden Smith.