Thursday 13 August, 2026
Photos courtesy of Rob, Amanda and Steve D. Walk report by Walk Leader Rob.
A small group of walkers, including a visitor, enjoyed a winter walk in the Monga National Park. Anticipating a cold start we were all rugged up but were soon shedding layers as the temperature rose to a very pleasant 20 degrees. The last time we did this walk the track was starting to get overgrown. The Park Service crews have been through and now the track is 3-4m wide.
What was impressive this time was that the wattles have grown very straight and tall (over 3m) and appear like a dense forest of trees rather than the short bushy shrubs we are used to seeing.
All along the track we saw impressive cabbage trees which dominate the understory especially in the shaded creeks.
While we saw many dead pinkwood trees killed in the 2020 fires, it was pleasing to see many pinkwoods are recovering well. Unfortunately Pennance Grove, a home to many pinkwood trees, was so badly burnt that other Eucalypt tree species now dominate the regrowth in that grove.
Lunch was had at the picnic area next to the Mongarlowe River. The large tree trunk in the picture shows how strong the water flow must have been to move that giant downstream. If you’re confused looking at the picture of the stream it is a mirror image produced by the vegetation lining the very still water creek waters.