Thursday 6 October 2016

Flowering cabbage tree palms

ANU Kioloa Research Campus strawbale building

Lunch on O’Hara Head overlooking Kioloa Bay

Lush gullies by Dangerboard Road

ANU does a really nice morning tea log

Photos by Helen and Karen M

It was perfect weather for a brisk 16 km walk as Mary led eleven members east along Bucks Road towards Kioloa beach. The forest rang with bird song and the winter rains have encouraged a profusion of wild flowers, even the cabbage palms were flowering.

We stopped for morning tea at a spot Mary joked she had especially set up with logs atop of rocks providing very comfortable seating.

Greeted by a friendly and well informed employee of ANU when we reached the research facility, he explained the history, current uses and ongoing maintenance issues of the establishment.

Lunch was at Kioloa beach on rocks overlooking an almost waveless, clear blue ocean. We then headed through more lush forest, up the slowly inclining Dangerboard Road. This unique name came about from the “Danger” board (sign) about 2 km from the sawmill where horses pulling the log trolleys were unhitched and the loaded trolleys rolled down the road to the mill using the gradient.

Thank you to Mary for a really enjoyable day.

Denise