A rare Regent Skipper butterfly, which has moth-like characteristics, popped in for a quick clubhouse visit before settling in to its new habitat on the golf course.

The Maleny Golf Club has partnered successfully with Sunshine Coast Council on an exciting project to create a haven for rare and endangered species of butterfly such as the Regent Skipper and Australian Fratillary within the hinterland.

President Dr Max Whitten said the golf club gratefully acknowledged council’s financial support for the butterfly project which had also provided an opportunity for Maleny High School students to be involved in a practical environmental rehabilitation endeavour.

“What has been reported so far is the start of a journey to create suitable habitats for many of Australia’s butterfly
fauna and other interesting insects,” Dr Whitten said.

“Our aim is to engage the wider community, especially the local schools, to understand, appreciate and conserve our native fauna.”

Dr Whitten said this philosophy of wider engagement extended further to an appreciation of the stars and planets in the southern sky.

“Hence, our ongoing collaboration with the Brisbane Astronomical Society to establish a “Dark Sky Park” on the
Maleny Golf Course.

The BAS is now using our facilities of an evening and invites the public to attend events on
suitable evenings.”

Golf club member Stuart Patterson is creating and attaching special plaques to label the paddock trees on the golf course.

Most native ‘paddock’ trees on the golf course serve as hosts to one or more butterfly species.

In recognition of this the Club has started a project labelling these trees.

The next phase will be the addition of  a small plaque linking each tree to its related butterfly species.

For example, this bumpy ash is the host plant for the Orchard Swallowtail butterfly.

To learn more about the Butterfly Project CLICK HERE.