Excursion 13: Anakie Gorge

Leader: Deirdre Murphy
Facilitators: Brad Ferrier and members of the Friends of Brisbane Ranges (FoBR)

Five Friends of Brisbane Ranges representatives included Colin, Wendy and Owen Cook, Debra and James The Anakie Gorge walk is a linear walk that follows Stony Creek upstream. Many birds were heard as it was a clear, warm morning and perfect for visitors to the Park. The gorge provides sheltered niche habitat for plants like the Velvet Daisy Bush and animals like a curious Eastern Grey Kangaroo who looked in on us. Participants could clearly see the rock walls of the gorge where the folded and uplifted sedimentary rocks of the Rowsley fault were on display. The walk featured the disused pipes and tunnels constructed in the 1870s through solid rock to bring water from the Lower Stony Creek Reservoir to Geelong.

Friends of Brisbane Ranges members provided participants with information about current and future projects including the phascogale nest box program. Members talked about threats to grass trees from Phytophthora, how the 2006 fire shaped vegetation growth in the gorge and the constructive relationship with Parks Victoria.

The freedom to walk at one’s own pace meant that people who wanted to walk slow or fast could do so turning back in order to meet up again at the end of the session. It was a great day for a walk and the option of rock hopping over many of the dry-creek crossing was fun to do. There was lots to learn along the way from facilitators and the informative Park signage.