One consequence of the move has been a drop in our membership. However, we have not started to pick up new members from the western suburbs or even from the Homebush area yet. That will be our major push for the upcoming year. In 2006, FATS ran a food stall at Bunnings at Ashfield in an attempt to start to raise our image in the local area. We intend to conduct another day like this at Bunnings , and perhaps other suitable venues. Thanks to Alistair MacDougall and all the helpers for that day.

FATS was again involved with at Sydney Olympic Park were the auditory surveys for Green and Golden Bells Frogs.  We will be carrying out more of these surveys in November for all who would like to be involved.

Overall, our membership remains strong which means that the Society has been able to carry out many activities throughout the year. These include various community days and displays, public lectures and workshops, along with our usual services such as the Frog Rescue Service and the Frog HelpLine. The Society has offered a steady stream of field trips throughout the year and these are well patronized. In addition, FrogCall comes out six times a year and is our flag-bearer to the wider membership.

These many activities are not possible without the generous efforts of many people whom you all know well. Monica Wangmann is our editor of FrogCall and does a sterling job to get the magazine out on time. Robert Wall is out Field Trip co-ordinator and he has turned these activities into a very popular event for FATS members. Lothar Voigt is our Publicity and Display Officer. Lothar, as always commits a huge amount of time into this work and keeps FATS in the news and seen about town. But we also have those who work behind the scenes to keep the Society functional: Wendy Grimm, our Vice-President has also been acting as Secretary; Karen White our Treasurer and controller of the purse, Andrew Nelson maintains our membership lists and David Nelson looks after our web site (with help from Steve Weir). Robert Wall again organised a full program of field trips and Alistair MacDougal has been our Chairman for the past year. Without the help and time that these people put into FATS this organization could not operate in the way that it does and could not provide the services that it does. We are all very grateful to those who help out, including the volunteers who help on displays and at special functions. In this regard Punia Jeffery and Marion Anstis must be acknowledged as regular helpers of the Society.

This year FATS instigated the Frogographic Competition” and we had a lot of entries for the competition. We will maintain this as an annual event.

Also this year, FATS has decided to launch a students' grants scheme whereby students who are working on frog-related projects can seek some small financial assistance with equipment or travel costs for their work.

Finally, I invite all of you present to think about helping FATS to continue to function as an active Society. You can help by becoming a member of the executive (or even President) or help out with community days, mail-outs, etc. Please do not think that you have to be a frog “know-all” to be able to be involved, most of our executive members are normal people who enjoy FATS, frogs and simply being useful. 

Arthur White 3 8 2007.