Eleven of us, including leader Andy Arnold assisted by Roger Thomas, met at Cape Clear near the ‘lighthouse’. We headed to our first stop, the Illabarook Grasslands Flora Reserve. It was a very sunny day, perfect for finding the smaller species in the grassy paddock. Highlights we observed were Golden Moth Orchids, Common Rice Flower and Running Postman and a number of other species.
Our second stop, a short way down the road near Moonlight Road, was a reserve called Illabarook Rail Reserve, the site of the old railway station near the Illabarook Hall.
Highlights we observed here were Purple Wire-grass, Silver Banksia, Black Sheoke and Salmon Sun-orchid.
After Illabarook we headed up to the Dereel Hall for lunch in the sun.
Our first stop in the afternoon was down to the Rokewood Cemetery. There are two large, grassy paddocks at the entrance to the cemetery, and at the edge of the road reserve we found 94 Button Wrinklewort, a critically endangered species. We then drove up to the Dereel Bushland Reserve H26. This area has had some mining activity, but we still managed to find Nodding Greenhood-orchids.
ABN 23 918 778 150
Incorporation No A0044963D