Sunday 17 October 2021

Disappearing into the undergrowth

Karen, Donna, Niamh and Glenn crossing Dwyers Creek

Another stand of the leopard ground orchids popping up everywhere this Spring

Donna and Glenn

Bushfire damage

Photos courtesy of Gay and Karen

Bushwalkers took advantage of the eased COVID restrictions and fine weather by gathering to explore the forest around Fox Gully and Dwyers Creek Roads south of Moruya. The southern section of the walk passing through Moruya State Forest remains largely unburned and the gullies are still lush with vegetation. The bush trails are lined with mauve flowering mint bush (Prostanthera sp) and dotted with the pink flowers of black eyed susan (Tetratheca sp). We followed a lone goanna on our track until he caught wind of us and reluctantly climbed the nearest ironbark until we passed. We also found a long thicket of pink flowering boronia in full bloom.

The northern section of the walk heads into Deua National Park. This was burned during the fires and the old tracks are rapidly disappearing under regrowth. Yellow Bacon and egg flowers carpet the tracks and verges and the vegetation around the creeks is thicker than ever. We battled our way across Dwyers Creek and plunged through 4 metres stands of brush kurrajong (Commersonia sp) choking another little creek.

What with the hills, disappearing tracks, good company and loads of unexpected botanic gems, it was a fun adventurous day out.

Karen