Saturday 14^th October 2017 morning and afternoon

Sunday 15^th October 2017 morning and afternoon

Leaders: Lynn and Neal Smith, Hazel and Alan Veevers

This walk is located about 3 km from the Little Desert Nature Lodge.  It follows an easy loop track for approximately 1km. Pamphlets are available from the box next to the information board at the start of the walk and numbered posts highlight various botanical and landscape features.  Four half-day excursions were done, two led by the Smiths and two by the Veevers’. We consider it a great introduction to the plants of the Little Desert region.

Flowering plants were plentiful but birds were in short supply. Leopard Orchids, Flame and Daphne Heaths greeted the participants at the beginning of the trail. The most visually spectacular display came from masses of Golden Pennants which formed a sea of yellow. Fringe Myrtle was also very colourful and attractive as were the many varieties of “pea plant” which caused much discussion in identification. An unusual find was a large patch of Damperia rosemarinifolia in varying shades of pink and white. Four types of orchid were flowering, including one sun orchid.

After completing the loop the group was taken across the road to an area which had been burnt about two years ago. Several different plant species including Inland Pigface, Mat Baeckea, Blunt Everlasting and Wheel Fruit were found there. The latter comes up after fire and has separate male and female plants.

The only birds identified were: Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, White-eared Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Superb Fairy-wren, Yellow Thornbill, Common Bronzewing and Striated Pardalote.

Two other creatures of interest were: Small Grey Dragon and Satin-green Forester Moth.

All the participants appeared to enjoy the walk and most were delighted by the abundance of flowering plants.

(See the following list of plant species recorded below. Not all were in flower)