Issue No. 121 Spring 2019
Executive 2019
President Pat McPherson (03)5152 2614 [email protected] Vice President Jen Wilkinson 040 854 5648 [email protected] Secretary Pat McPherson (03)5152 2614 Treasurer Margaret Regan (03)5156 2541 Ordinary members and Coordinators Botanic Group James Turner (03)5155 1258 [email protected] Bushwalking Group Noel Williamson 0457 291 869 [email protected] Junior Field Naturalists Group Vicki Fraser 0417 586 856 [email protected] Newsletter Editor Pauline Stewart (03)5152 1606 [email protected] Website Administrator Bushwalkers at Bullumwaal Jen Wilkinson 040 854 5648
CONTENTS Programme September to December 2019 3 September 2019 Bullumwaal 4-5 Bushwalk at Sarsfield 6 Colquhoun Forest 7-9 Wairewa - Mottle Range 10-13 Bushwalk at Bullumwaal 14-15
The Clematis Page 2
CORRESPONDENCE TO: The Secretary, P.O. Box 563, Bairnsdale 3875 www.bairnsdalefieldnaturalists.com.au The Clematis is supported by the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning
MEETINGS FIELD TRIPS General meetings take place at: It is your responsibility to contact the coordinator of each field trip The Noweyung Centre to notify them of intention to participate. 84 Goold Street, Bairnsdale as per program at 7.30pm sharp The coordinator will notify you if the trip has to be cancelled due to Committee meetings take place at: adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances. members homes as per program at 4.00pm Please take note of safety procedures in your THE CLEMATIS Bairnsdale & District Field Naturalists Club Inc. Responsibility for the accuracy of information ‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ booklet. and opinions expressed in this newsletter This can be downloaded from our web site. rests with the author of the article. All articles for Summer Clematis must be sent to the Newsletter Editor by 1st December 2019. RULES TO OBSERVE DURING FIELD TRIPS 1. Excursions are cancelled on days of TOTAL FIRE BAN. SUBSCRIPTION FEES 2019 2. Participants to keep a visual on the car in front and behind. Single membership $30 3. When making a turn, give signal, and stay at intersection Family membership $45 until following car has also turned. Mid-year fee (new members only) $15 4. If separated from other cars, stop, and stay with your car. Subscriptions can be paid to the Treasurer at meetings or Other members will return to find you. excursions or by EFT or cheque by downloading a Membership 5. The Car Pooling Cost Calculator is used to assist drivers and Application form from our web site: car pool passengers to share fuel costs. www.bairnsdalefieldnaturalists.com.au
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Walks vary in distance from 8 to 14 km. 1. To further the awareness and study of all branches of natural history within the Easy: Flat, good firm track. East Gippsland community through field excursions, Moderately easy: Mostly flat, track in good to fair regular surveys, specialist guest speakers and condition. publications. Moderate: May be undulating, track in good to fair 2. To observe and strengthen the laws for the condition. preservation and protection of indigenous flora, Moderately Difficult: May be some steep sections, fauna, habitat and important geological features. track may be rough in places. Difficult: May have long steep sections, track may be 3. To promote the formation and preservation of non- existent at times. National and State Parks and Reserves.
4. To collaborate with other groups and agencies Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not with similar environmental interest. included in the program.
LIBRARY INFORMATION - ask a committee member If you would like to borrow a book. • Books are generally borrowed for one month - CONTACTS for Field Trips however you can write on the sign-out sheet if James Turner: 5155 1258 m. 0427 290 838 you wish to have it longer. • Should any library materials need maintenance, Noel Williamson m. 0457 291 869 please make a committee member aware of same. Vicki Fraser: m. 0417 586 856 • If you wish to recommend a book, this can be done by writing a short recommendation Kath Tisdale: 5134 1674 for the Clematis. This information could be from our library books or from other books that you believe our library could look at purchasing. Page 3 Issue 121
PROGRAMME July to December 2019
Date Activity Time Meeting Place Destination Subject/Rated Leader/Speaker
SEPTEMBER
Sun 1st Junior Group TBA TBA TBA
Thurs 12th Comm. 4.00pm Pat McPherson’s Meeting home (if required) Frid 20th Gen. meeting 7.30pm Noweyung Centre Raptors Chris Cope
Sun 22nd Excursion 9.00am Bridge Club Freestone Creek James Turner
Sat 28th Metallic Orchid 10.00am Blond Bay James Turner count
Sun 29th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club Buchan Reserve Easy Noel William- 9.30am Red Knob son
OCTOBER
Sun 6th Junior Group TBA TBA TBA TBA
Thurs 10th Comm. meeting 4.00pm Pauline Stewart’s home
Frid 18th Annual General 7.30pm Noweyung Centre Bring along a Meeting plate for supper
Sun 20th Excursion 8.30am Bridge Club South Gippsland Kath Tisdale sharp
NOVEMBER
Sun 3rd Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club Melwood– Chinese Moderately easy Noel William- Diggings son Sun 3rd Junior Excur- TBA TBA TBA sion
Thurs 7th Comm. 4.00pm Pat McPherson’s Meeting home
Frid 15th Gen. meeting 7.30pm Noweyung Centre East Gippsland Ken Russell Birds
Sun 17th Excursion 9.00am Bridge Club Dargo area James Turner
Sun 24th Bushwalk 9.00am Bridge Club Lonely Bay Easy Noel William- son DECEMBER
Sun 1st Junior Excur- TBA TBA TBA sion
Thurs 5th Comm. 4.00pm Margaret Regan’s Meeting home
Frid 13th Christmas 7.30pm Noweyung Centre Bring photos on USB Breakup and plate for supper The Clematis Page 4
EXCURSION TO BULLUMWAAL - 23 June 2019 By Margaret Regan
The road north from Bairnsdale to Bullumwaal passes beside Boggy Creek, and we made our first stop by its side, not far from Bullumwaal. It was decided that eucalypts around were Gippsland Peppermint (Eucalyptus croajingolensis) with fibrous bark, narrow bluish grey leaves and 11-20 stalked buds; the larger (to 60m) Mountain Grey Gum (E. cypellocarpa) which has smooth grey bark, narrow dark green leaves and elongated buds with flattened stalks in clusters of 7 or less; and Apple-topped Box (E. angophoroides) with box bark (short fibres), narrow green leaves and rounded fruits with exserted valves in clusters of 7. Birds here were Laughing Kookaburra, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater and Australian Wood Duck.
Just up the road was the tiny township of Bullumwaal, where we were met by enthusiastic amateur historian Phil Large, who lives in Bullumwaal and is fascinated with its gold mining history. He took us to various sites where there are still remains from the mining and to the remains of one of the cemeteries. Bullumwaal is located on Boggy Creek, 29 km north of Bairnsdale. Gold was found in Boggy Creek in 1857. With the discovery of reefs in the mid-1860s, a large number of mines were established. During the main gold mining period, up to 4000 people may have lived in the area, including 600 Chinese. Bullumwaal’s greatest days were from around 1890 to 1914. The township had several hotels, a school, post office, shops, cafes, churches, cemeteries, a blacksmith, a Mechanics Institute, a brass band, a cricket team and a rifle club. Transport from Bairnsdale was mostly by coach with horses or bullock drays. In the early days theroad from Bairnsdale was so shocking that it could take 7 days to get to Bullumwaal. Most of the miners walked, pushing a wheelbarrow.
Our first visit was to the well overgrown cemetery, across the road from the present hall. We found only 3 graves visible. One was of James Hood from Scotland, who died in 1861, and another was that of Hugh and Annie Waite and their two daughters. Above the cemetery was the rusted remains of a boiler from the Sons of Freedom mine which was still working in the 1930s. The boiler was surrounded by Sickle fern (Pellaea falcata) with erect, somewhat leathery fronds with stalked pinnae which are often shed. (Does this fern like the iron that would be leaching from the rusting boiler??) An overhead tree was the beautiful tall pale-trunked Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) which mostly grows near watercourses. It has long narrow leaves and buds usually in 3s. There were the small shrubs, pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa); and the broom-like shrub Pale-fruit Ballart (Exocarpus strictus) which has tiny scale leaves, in bud. We saw many deer scats and browsing damage. During the day we found many fungal fruiting bodies. Here was the unusual green-capped Green Skinhead (Dermocybe austroveneta) with yellow gills and a cream stalk.
Just north and on Perserverence Track we saw the outlines of two houses, a brick well and the rusted remains of a water tank. There was more Sickle fern, but also Mother shield-fern (Polystichum proliferum) whose mature 2-pinnate Old boiler from the Sons of Freedom mine Pauline Stewart fronds often produce buds at their tips. These buds can form a new plant if in contact with the soil. We found two gilled fungi here. One had a bluish cap and cinnamon gills, and the other, was all fawn with the gills running down the stalk. There was also a fawn coral fungus, a mustard-coloured puffball and an earthstar. The earthstar is also a puffball, but it has two layers, the outer of which splits to a star shape and exposes the inner puffball. Spores are discharged from a puffball through an apical pore.
We walked downstream along the waterless Boggy Creek. Apparently, the creek hasn’t run for 4 years. However, Fishbone water-fern (Blechnum nudum) was still surviving. It has separate barren and central fertile fronds. A huge fallen tree across the creek was supporting a colony of pretty Golden Jelly-bells (Heterotextus multinus) whose bell-shaped fruiting bodies only grow to 10mm across. Some of the Field Nats climbed up the steep bank of the creek to see the opening to the Champion Mine.
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Back at the Bullumwaal hall, we lunched around the fire pit, where we were attended by a cheeky family of Kookaburras, one of which attempted to steal Di’s meal. We then moved on to the Bullumwaal-Tabberabbera Road and stopped at Merrijig Creek. The creek was lined with the gorgeous Manna Gum, but also Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera), a tall shrub whose dark green leaves have deeply impressed veins and the tiny flowers are in large clusters. Here one fungus was a stout fawn bolete with an 8cm cap. Boletes are mushroom shaped, but the gills are replaced by pores on the underside of the cap, inside of which the spores are borne. A gilled fungus was a species of Lichenomphalia. They are tiny, with funnel-shaped caps to 15mm. They are called lichenised fungi, as their mycelia have an association with a single-celled green alga. Amongst the fallen bark of a Manna Gum was a whole forest of tiny cream bell-shaped Mycena. We continued along the same road until Sandy Creek. Here a riverside tree (to 20m) was Kanooka or Water Gum (Tristaniopsis laurina) with glossy dark green leaves and ribbony pale brown bark. It is in the same family Myrtaceae as the eucalypts and tea-trees. It has yellow flowers with 5 petals and bundles of stamens, and later domed capsules with 3 valves. There was the shrub Long-leaf or River Lomatia Lomatia( myricoides) with long narrow serrated leaves and thin woody fruits. Again we saw Hazel Pomaderris, but also the smaller shrub Bootlace Bush (Pimelea axiflora) with buds. It has opposite narrow leaves and the flowers are borne in the axils of the leaves. The thin brown bark peels without breaking. This tough fibrous bark was used as string by indigenous people and early settlers. References on the history of Bullumwaal from the Bairnsdale Library: Fairweather, Keith McD (1986): Bedrock. Lots of historical information about the gold mining and the town, with many photos. Hardwidge, J., Websdale, N. and Barraclough, L. (1985). Bullumwaal – Some Memories. Many photos. Many thanks to Pauline for organizing the excursion and introducing us to Phil Large, a passionate fountain of knowledge about Bullumwaal.
Plants: Blechnum nudum Fishbone water-fern Epacris impressa Common Heath Eucalyptus angophoroides Apple-topped Box E. croajingolensis Gippsland Peppermint
E. cypellocarpa Mountain Grey Gum E. viminalis Manna Gum Exocarpus strictus Pale-fruit Ballart Lomatia myricoides Long-leaf or River Lomatia Pellaea falcata Sickle fern Pimelea axiflora Bootlace Bush Polystichum proliferum Mother shield-fern Pomaderris aspera Hazel Pomaderris Tristaniopsis laurina Kanooka or Water Gum Boggy Creek Photo by Pauline Stewart Birds:
Australian Wood Duck Laughing Kookaburra Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
Named Fungi: Dermocybe austroveneta Green Skinhead Heterotextus multinus Golden Jelly-bells Lichenomphalia sp. Belly Buttons or Navels
Earth Star Mycena sp. Photo by Dianne Weir Earth Star Cheeky Kookaburras Photo by Dianne Laws
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BUSHWALK AT SARSFIELD 30th June 2019
By Pauline Stewart
This month’s walk was programmed as taking place in the Fairy Dell area but on reconnaissance the week before it was deemed just a bit too demanding so a walk in the forests of Sarsfield was substituted. The day was well attended with a contingent from Orbost swelling numbers. Parking at the junction of Costers Road just in from the Great Alpine Road we set off north along Fiddlers Boundary Track. This was a very sandy stretch and was well inhabited by wombats whose many huge burrows in the easily dug soil were seen. Some early winter orchids were in abundance in places. Large Mosquito-orchid Acianthus exsertus and Small Mosquito-orchid Acianthus pusillus, Trim Greenhood Pterostylis concinna, Nodding Greenhood Pterostylis nutans, Cobra Greenhood Pterostylis grandiflora and Autumn Wasp Orchids Chiloglottis curviclavia were seen flowering; also patches of other orchid leaves possibly the Common Bird-orchid which may flower from late September. A pair of Scarlet Robins were observed perched on the fence-line of a farm on the opposite side of the track. Also seen were Jacky Winter, Wood Ducks, Kookaburras, Crimson Rosellas and Pied Currawongs.
The Sunshine Wattle Acacia terminalis were just finishing for the season and had lost their golden glow. However, we did see the gold of Yellow Robins coming in to take a closer look at who was in their patch. Saw Banksia Banksia serrata was growing in some areas as was Spike Wattle Acacia oxycedrus and Juniper Wattle Acacia ulicifolia. The occasional Grey Guinea-flower Hibbertia obtusifolia put out a showy flower or two. A Rufous Fantail was heard, and Eastern Spinebills were seen busily flitting around the forest and also heard by their very long drawn out calls.
After lunch we headed northwest along a seldom used vehicle trackCastle passing Hill Road, a load Bleak of Hillwhat looked like dumped Photo asbestos; by James furth Turnerer along the track was lined with the orchid species seen previously plus a good-sized patch of Helmet Orchid leaves. The track turned into a narrow bridle path with a beautiful view of the undulating forested countryside. One solitary Fringed Helmet–orchid (Corybas fimbriatus) was found flowering in a damp area beside the dry Chinamen’s Creek. The path ended up on Eleven Mile Road which we walked along before turning west onto Stony Creek Road. At the junction of Stony Creek Road and Costers Road the group split up with one weary group taking the shorter route back to the cars. Both roads ended up back at the cars. The group had walked about 12 kilometres at a steady pace plus plenty of stops to take in the beauty of the bush.
Thank you Noel for a lovely day out.
Plants :
Autumn Wasp Orchid Chiloglottis curviclavia Cobra Greenhood Pterostylis grandiflora Grey Guinea-flower Hibbertia obtusifolia Juniper Wattle Acacia ulicifolia Large Mosquito-orchid Acianthus exsertus Snow daisies on the Pinnacles Photo by Jen Wilkinson Nodding Greenhood Pterostylis nutans Small Mosquito-orchid Acianthus pusillus Sunshine Wattle Acacia terminalis Spike Wattle Acacia oxycedrus Trim Greenhood Pterostylis concinna
Birds
Crimson Rosella Eastern Spinebill Jacky Winter Laughing Kookaburra Pied Currawong Rufous Fantail Scarlet Robin Wood Duck Yellow Robin Bushwalkers standing beside a large Mountain Grey Gum Photo by Pauline Stewart Page 7 Issue 121
EXCURSION TO COLQUHOUN FOREST - Sunday 21st July 2019 By Jen Wilkinson It was a windy but mild winter’s day when we gathered at Forest Tech to begin exploring favourite haunts in Colquhoun Forest. Clouds of dust were blowing off Bruce's Road as we headed north to our first stop opposite the Sewerage treatment ponds. Thankfully it was more sheltered the further we walked into the bush. Not far down the track we found numerous Trim Greenhoods (Pterostylis concinna) easily identifiable by their forked tongue, and a few Large Mosquito-orchid (Acianthus exsertus) and the more widespread Small Mosquito-orchid (A. pusillus). These orchids like the surrounding plants were showing signs of moisture stress which is to be expected after the extended dry period experienced in East Gippsland and while flowers were generally smaller and more scattered than usual, this made them all the more special. The good news though, was that damage to the understory vegetation by feral deer was not as destructive as many other places in East Gippsland although you could see that most low shrubs and ground covers had been eaten a bit and some branches were broken. Pretty patches of Common Heath brightened the bush with the pink form far out-numbering the white-flowering form (Epacris impressa). We also saw the diminutive hibbertia (Hibbertia aspera subsp. aspera) whose wiry stems sprawl over everything in its path, a few Grey Guinea-flower (Hibbertia obtusifolia) in bud, and smaller than usual flowers of Showy Violet (Viola betonicifolia), Lanky Buttons (Leptorhynchos nitidulis) and pink Slender Bottle-daisy (Lagenophora gracilis). While I was marvelling at the graceful beauty of the Narrow-leaf Geebung just bursting bud (Persoonia linearis), most members were huddled down examining more orchids, this time patches of healthy Cobra Greenhood (Pterostylis grandiflora), Nodding Greenhoods (P. nutans) and Spurred Helmet-orchid (Corybas aconitiflorus). Orchid leaves spotted included a Sun-orchid (Thelymitra sp) and Onion-orchid (Microtis) and under the She-oaks were Waxlip leaves (Glossodia major). Hopefully rains will fall soon to ensure flowering. Looking upwards, trees creating the shaded conditions for these ground-dwelling beauties were mainly White Stringybark (Eucalyptus globoidea) and Apple Box (E. angophoroides) with a scattering of Blue Box (E. baueriana) and Blue Gum (E.globulus subsp. pseudoglobulus). Further along the track is a spectacular patch of Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis) the trunks of which were almost 30 cm in diameter, larger than elephants’ legs, and the pendulous foliage swayed in the breeze as did the similar thread-like foliage on a couple of Cherry Ballart (Exocarpus cupressiformis). The rough bark on both these trees is a favourite rubbing place for sambar but thankfully we saw only a couple of patches de-barked by deer rubbing. Flowering wattles stand out like glowing beacons in the bush particularly in winter and as well as the ubiquitous Sallow Wattle (Acacia longifolia) we identified Spreading Wattle (A. genistifolia), Juniper Wattle (A. ulicifolia) and Sweet Wattle (A. suaveolens). The Sunshine Wattle (A. terminalis) had finished flowering but close to the road we did see a few rogue *Cootamundra Wattle trees (A. baileyana), probably garden escapes. The yellow cones of Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) were also easy to spot in the bush, but the Woolly Grevillea (Grevillea lanigera) down the track was not in flower this time. All these shrubs are quite distinctive and easier to identify than the multitude of pea-flowering shrubs we see later in the season.
Of course, attention was also focused on fungi, from gorgeous little spindly stemmed Mycena species to cushion-like forms of Boletus species identified by the porous flesh beneath rather than gills. Other fungi observed were Pencil Shaving fungi (Podoscypha petalodes) amazingly reminiscent of pencil shavings, Parasol Fungi (Macrolepiota sp.) again, so like minute parasols, and Sulphur Cap (Hygrocybe astatogala) and no surprises, it has sulphur-coloured caps. Also having beautifully descriptive common names were Rainbow Fungus (Trametes versicolor) with their leathery skirts displaying concentric zones of varying shades of brown and blue, Scarlet Bracket Fungi (Pycnoporus coccineus), White Punk (Laetiporus portentosus) the tough long-lived shelf fungus seen on tree trunks, Cup Fungi (Plectania sp.), Puff ball Vascellum( pratense), Fairy Stool (Coltricia cinnamomea) having a central dimple in the top of the cap, and Spectacular Rust Gill (Gymnopilus pampeanus), a smooth rusty cap fungi which is usually found colonising the base of tree trunks. Continuing from Bruce's Road into Quarry Road the vegetation changed a bit to include Ironbark (Eucalyptus tricarpa) and down in the gullies among patches of Blue Oliveberry (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) were Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera) and Snowy Daisy-bush ?? (Olearia lirata) both in bud. At our stop at the granite quarry adjacent to Mississippi Creek there weren't many flowers to be found but we did have a surprise find - a large rusty boiler hidden not far off the track. Quarrying by the Coate Brothers in 1904 initially involved hand drilling and blasting out the 5+ ton granite blocks and transporting them via tram trucks to Lakes Entrance for stabilising the man-made entrance. The information panels at the quarry site explain that by 1920 the polished granite was in demand for Melbourne buildings and quarry work was made easier by the use of steam-powered jackhammers and cranes. We assume the boiler was a relic from the steam engine used for this operation. One of the few flowers we saw near the quarry site was Veined Helmet-orchid (Corybas dimenicus) and we found more at our lunch stop down at Log Crossing. From Log Crossing we drove back up Uncles Road, over Old Colquhoun Road and into Siberia Crossing Road to the patch of Hairpin Banksia (Banksia spinulosa). Usually at this time of year these banksias are humming with bees and honeyeaters but there were very few flowers, no doubt a result of the prolonged dryness, and the Crimson Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) nearby looked even more drought affected. Insects were scarce as is typical of winter, but Andrew did identify two insects in transition, Rain moth chrysalis and Cup moth cocoons which were more gumnut-shaped than cup-shaped and better known for their colourful spitfire caterpillar stage. The Clematis Page 8
Continuing along Siberia Crossing Road the large patch of Saw Banksia (B. serrata) wasn't in flower and we were saddened to see so many dead and dying trees. There are many causes for die-back but it's likely the reason for this banksia dieback was drought- related. It was a relief to descend into the dampness of the gullies further east and while there was no running water, the Tall Saw-sedge (Gahnia clarkei) and Pouched Coral Fern (Gleichenia dicarpa) gave the appearance of lushness beneath towering stands of Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), more Blue Oliveberry and Messmate (Eucalyptus obliqua), an easily identifiable stringybark by the oblique form of its leaf. What a great day in this natural wonderland - thanks to all who made it enjoyable.
Spreading Wattle Acacia genistifolia Juniper Wattle Acacia ulicifolia Photo by Jen Wilkinson Photo by Andrew Bould
Crimson Rosella Photo by Ken Russell
Silver Banksia Banksia marginata Photo by Andrew Bould Pied Currawong Photo by Ken Russell Page 9 Issue 121
Plants: Fungi list from Andrew Bould: Apple Box (Eucalyptus angophoroides) Cup Fungi (Plectania sp.) Parasol Fungi (Macrolepiota sp.) Black She-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis) Blue Box (Eucalyptus baueriana) Pencil Shaving fungi (Podoscypha petalodes) Puff ball (Vascellum pratense) Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus subsp. pseudoglobulus) Blue Oliveberry (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) Rainbow Fungus (Trametes versicolor) Cherry Ballart (Exocarpus cupressiformis) Scarlet Bracket Fungi (Pycnoporus coccineus) Cobra Greenhood (Pterostylis grandiflora) Sulphur Cap (Hygrocybe astatogala) White Punk (Laetiporus portentosus) Common Heath (Epacris impressa) Spectacular Rust Gill (Gymnopilus pampeanus) Crimson Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) Grey Guinea– flower (Hibbertia obtusifolia) - in bud Insect cocoons from Andrew Bould Hairpin Banksia (Banksia spinulosa) Cup moth species cocoons Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera) in bud Rain moth chrysalis
Hibbertia aspera subsp. aspera Ironbark (Eucalyptus tricarpa) Juniper Wattle (Acacia ulicifolia) Shiny buttons (Leptorhynchos nitidulis) Bird list -29 species from Len Axen: Large Mosquito- orchid (Acianthus exsertus) Australian King Parrot Messmate (Eucalyptus obliqua) Australian Magpie Narrow-leaf Geebung (Persoonia linearis) Australian Raven Nodding Greenhood (Pterostylis nutans) Australian Shelduck Pouched Coral Fern (Gleichenia dicarpa) Australian Wood Duck Sallow Wattle (Acacia longifolia) Brown-headed Honeyeater Saw Banksia (Banksia serrata) Brown Thornbill Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa) Crimson Rosella Shiny Buttons (Leptorhynchos nidulus) Eastern Spinebill Showy Violet (Viola betonicifolia) Eastern Yellow Robin Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) Gang-gang Cockatoo Slender Bottle Daisy (Lagenophora gracilis) Golden Whistler Small Mosquito-orchid (Acianthus pusillus) Grey Fantail Snowy Daisy-bush (Olearia lirata) in bud Grey Shrike-thrush Spreading Wattle (Acacia genistifolia) Laughing Kookaburra Spurred Helmet-orchid (Corybas aconitiflorus) Lewin's Honeyeater Sweet Wattle (Acacia suaveolens) Musk Lorikeet Tall Saw-sedge (Gahnia clarkei) Pied Currawong Trim Greenhood (Pterostylis concinna) Red Wattlebird Veined Helmet-orchid (Corybas dimenicus) Satin Bowerbird White Stringybark (Eucalyptus globoidea) Spotted Pardalote Superb Fairy-wren Leaves only: Superb Lyrebird Sun-orchid (Thelymitra sp.) Tree Martin Onion–orchid (Microtissp.) White-browed Scrubwren Waxlip (Glossodia sp.) White-eared Honeyeater White-throated Treecreeper Introduced: Wonga Pigeon Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana) Introduced: Common Blackbird
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EXCURSION - BEYOND WAIREWA - MOTTLE RANGE - 18 August 2019 By Margaret Regan We left the Princes Hwy and travelled north along Wairewa Road. Our first pause was at Junction Creek near the headwatersof Hospital Creek. Trees surrounding the rainforest gully along the creek were Mountain Grey Gum (E. cypellocarpa) with smooth grey gum and elongated buds with 2-3 ribs in clusters of 7 or less; River Peppermint (E. elata) with bark which is dark and fibrous below and smooth white and ribbony above, and long narrow peppermint-scented leaves; and the distinctive Red Ironbark (Eucalyptus tricarpa) with dark deeply fissured bark and here pale pink flowers in 3s. [The rings of stamens from eucalypt flowers were the tutus on May Gibbs’ gumnut babies!] Along the creek was Lillypilly (Syzygium smithii) with smooth greyish bark, opposite glossy dark green ovate leaves, cream flowers and later pink berries; and Kanooka or Water Gum (Tristaniopsis laurina) which has ribbony pale brown bark, alternate dark green leaves and yellow flowers. All the trees noted are in the family Myrtaceae where all the species are woody, evergreen, contain essential oils and have flower parts in multiples of 4 or 5. Shrubs were Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera) whose large leaves have deeply impressed veins; yellow Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata) with thin ovate leaves; cream Bootlace Bush (Pimelea axiflora); and the rather rare white – pink Sandfly Zieria (Zieria smithii) which has smooth narrow trifoliate leaves and branchlets roughened with glands. Does Sandfly Zieria attract sandflies? The more common species of Zieria is Stinkwood and it has an offensive odour Being a rainforest, there were several species of vine. The most vigorous was Sweet Sarsaparilla, Lawyer Vine or Wait-a-While (Smilax australis) whose prickly stems can grow to 7m. The glossy ovate leaves have 5 prominent longitudinal veins. The other two were white and pink Wonga-vine (Pandorea pandorana) whose leaves have 3-9 leaflets and the gorgeous tubular flowers have purple stripes in the hairy tube; and the uncommon Pearl Vine (Sarcopetalum harveyanum) which has large dark green glossy ovate leaves. In Victoria it is only found east of Lakes Entrance. Some of the trees were being attacked by the semi-parasite red Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema pendulum) which has its flowers in groups of 3 on a common stalk. There were orchids!! These were all greenhoods – the tiny erect neat Trim (Pterostylis concinna); Nodding (P. nutans) which has the whole flower bent over; and the erect Maroonhood (P. pedunculata) whose flower parts are dark reddish brown at their tips. There were also ferns – the larger Gristle-fern (Blechnum cartilagineum) whose rough barren and fertile fronds are similar; a Small rasp-fern (Doodia caudata) whose rough frond had a red rachis, and the sori containing the sporangia are long and narrow; and a tiny prostrate Asplenium sp. whose frond has many rounded pinnae. We saw deer footprints in the creek bed. A melodious bird was a Golden Whistler. Just uphill from Junction Creek in a drier area, again with Red Ironbark, were the first two wattles we had stopped for, although there were many flowering along the roads. These were our Australian plant emblem, Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) which grows to 8m with leathery broad phyllodes with one main vein and large racemes of bright flowerheads; and Varnish Wattle (A. verniciflua) (4m) whose green multi-veined leaves are often shiny and sticky. A new orchid here was Granite Greenhood (Pterostylis tunstallii) with up to 8 flowers on a stem. The flowers had the lateral sepals held down and the ovate labellum was brown with a darker central stripe. Another new greenhood was Cobra Greenhood (P. grandiflora) whose single large flower has erect lateral sepals and the petaloid part of the hood (dorsal sepal fused with the two petals) is reddish-brown. There were also Trim and Nodding Greenhoods. There were the flat heart-shaped leaves of the two species of mosquito-orchid, but flowering had finished. There was the small shrub Grey Guinea-flower (Hibbertia obtusifolia) with many yellow flowers; the bright prostrate twining Purple Coral-pea (Hardenbergia violacea); Nodding Blue Lily (Stypandra glauca) whose flowers have bearded staminal filaments; and the tiny subshrub White Marianth (Rhytidosporum Myrtle Wattle Acacia myrtifolia Photo by Dianne Laws procumbens).
Now on to Mottle Range Road and after we passed a recently logged coupe we saw new wattles. These were Myrtle Wattle (A. myrtifolia) (2m) whose leathery phyllodes have raised margins; mostly finished Sunshine Wattle (A. terminalis) (5m) with bipinnate foliage and globular heads of flowers in racemes; Sweet Wattle (A. suaveolens) (2m) with thick narrow phyllodes; and Sallow Wattle (A. longifolia) (8m) with multi-veined phyllodes and flowers in axillary spikes. Sallow Wattle was the commonest wattle for the day. A new shrub was purple Rough Mint-bush (Prostathera denticulata) whose leaves and stems have glands, which when crushed produce a strong perfume. Exotic members of this family Lamiaceae are Lavender, Thyme and Rosemary. Small shrubs were a new guinea-flower, Rough Guinea-flower (Hibbertia aspera) with hairy leaves and stems; Shrubby Platysace (Platysace lanceolata) which has an umbrella-shaped inflorescence of flowers which start as pink buds and open to white flowers; and Creamy Candles (Stackhousia monogyna). Two plants were in the family Goodeniaceae, whose irregular flowers have a cup in the top of the female style in which the male pollen is deposited before the flower opens. The stigma grows out from the cup, pushing out the pollen and presumably preventing self-pollination. The two species in this family were the small erect Blue Dampiera (Dampiera stricta) whose petals have rusty hairs beneath; and purple Hairy Fan-flower (Scaevola ramosissima), a straggling herb with hairy leaves. There was pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa); and in the iris family Iridaceae was Leafy Purple-flag (Patersonia glabrata), a stout tufted perennial herb with linear leaves and regular 3-petalled flowers in terminal clusters enclosed in two large papery bracts. Two tiny plants were the carnivorous Tall Sundew (Drosera peltata subsp. auriculata); and white Thyme Spurge (Phyllanthus hirtellus) with ovate leaves and male and female flowers on different plants. Page 11 Issue 121
On the corner of Mottle Range Road and Monument Track (name??) was a huge Red Ironbark with a White Punk fungus fruiting ona burl halfway up the trunk. Burls are formed by a tree when its trunk is invaded by some parasitising organism. Did the White Punk cause this large burl? White Punk (Laetiporus portentosus) is a woody bracket fungus which causes white heart-rot of eucalypts. Its spores are formed in pores on the lower surface. Dry smouldering brackets were reported to have been used by indigenous people to transport fire. The very tall (to 25m) wattle here was Red Wattle (Acacia silvestris) with bipinnate foliage with glands at the base of the each pair of pinnae and 1-3 in between. Three relatively uncommon shrubs here were white Three-veined Cassinia (Cassinia trinerva) which has large leaves with one central nerve and two obvious near marginal nerves; white Wallaby-bush (Beyeria lasiocarpa) with narrow leaves which are whitish beneath, separate male and female flowers, and bristly hairy fruits; and brownish Shrubby Velvet-bush (Lasiopetalum macrophyllum) whose leaves, stems and sepals are covered with rusty-brown star-shaped hairs. “Lasio” is Greek for “shaggy, hairy”. The orchid seen here was Maroonhood and there was some rock-fern (Cheilanthes sp.) which is adapted to dry conditions.
A little further down Monument Track was the reason for naming the range we were traversing Mottle Range, and our reason for being there. Here is a stand of Spotted Gum (Corymbia maculata), the only plants in Victoria; although the species is found along the coast in NSW and Queensland. The trees are very tall (to 45m) with mostly incredibly straight trunks with mottled bark, and dimples in the trunks of the older trees. The stalked fruit are urn-shaped. Some of the trees may be 300 years old. They are protected in the Mottle Range Flora Reserve. Another tree was Silvertop Ash (Eucalyptus sieberi), again tall with a straight trunk, but with dark fissured bark below smooth white branches in the small crown. Again we found Purple Coral-pea, Grey Guinea-flower and Blue Dampiera. New plants for the day were the two small shrubs Common Correa (Correa reflexa) with its red and green tubular flowers; and Pink-bells (Tetratheca ciliata) whose flower stalks are glandular-hairy; and the herb purple Showy Violet (Viola betonicifolia) with a basal tuft of arrow-shaped leaves.
Further down Monument Road we were beneath the beautiful white-trunked Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis). The vine white Wombat Berry (Eustrephus latifolius) with orange berries was clambering over the vegetation. The berries open to reveal black seeds. In Victoria, it is only found east of the Mitchell River, but it also grows in NSW, Queensland, PNG and New Caledonia. Maybe it isn’t called Wombat Berry outside Australia!! We found purplish Veined Helmet-orchid (Corybas diemenicus) with a single flat ovate leaf and the veins of the single round flower are obvious. There were two fungal fruiting bodies. One was the mushroom-shaped spine fungus Sweet Tooth, Wood Hedgehog or Hedgehog Mushroom (Hydnum repandum). Its spores are produced on spines which hang down from the underside of the cap. The cap is light yellow and young specimens are edible. The other fungus, happily digesting a log, was the pretty Rainbow Fungus (Trametes versicolor) whose spores are produced in pores in the cream undersurface of the bracket. The top of the bracket has concentric rings of different browns and creams. One of the brackets was providing a substrate for the growth of a green alga.
Near the end of Monument Track were more greenhoods – Maroonhood, Nodding Greenhood and an unidentified multi-flowered greenhood. We climbed Stringers Knob for afternoon tea. A plaque at the site suggested that Bob Stringer (a timber cutter) was the first white person at the Knob in 1937. It has an amazing old fire tower. It was built in 1941 after the devastating 1939 bushfires, by Clem Heather. The standard towers were constructed with four wooden poles set up like a windmill stand, with ladders built to a cabin at the top. Clem Heather was asked by the Divisional Forester of East Gippsland to experiment with a single pole tower. As there were no trees in the area tall enough, the single pole was erected using two logs. There is a Red Ironbark log on the bottom with a Yellow Stringybark log on top, with the two spliced together. The sapwood of both trees was removed and the logs were bolted together with four steel braces. The pole was trimmed and tapered to the top to support the observation cabin. The fire spotter’s cabin is 28m above ground, with 360o views. The structure was pulled upright by a 35hp tractor with block and tackle, and secured with six cable guys. A concrete base holds 3m of the pole in position. There is no ladder, only bridge spikes and some wire to catch you if you fell backwards. The cabin had a 2m sway!! The tower operated until the 1960s and is the only one of its kind in Victoria. The Stringers Knob tower overlooks the Orbost flats and the coastline from Marlo to Lake Tyers. In other directions, it covers the Snowy River valley as far asGelantipy, Mt Deddick and part of the Nowa Nowa district. Maybe this is the monument after which the road is named??
Our last foray was along the Buchan Orbost Road where a new wattle was Narrow-leaf Wattle (Acacia mucronata) which has long narrow phyllodes and round flowerheads in spikes. The flowerheads are well separated on the axis of the spike. There was again the small shrub Hop Goodenia. Ferns were Gristle-fern; and one most of us had never seen before. It was the very delicate small Lacy wedge-fern (Lindsaea microphylla). It is easily missed among other vegetation, and has mostly been found on disturbed sites. We found it on the roadside bank cut by a grader. Its yellow-green fronds (to 50cm) are bipinnate to tripinnate with tiny wedge-shaped pinnules. The spores are borne along the outer edges of the pinnules. Here was also Bushy Clubmoss (Lycopodium deuterodensum) with many finished clubs at the tips of the branchlets. Bushy Clubmoss resembles a toy tree, with many branchlets covered with tiny leaves flattened against the branchlets. Again we heard a Superb Lyrebird calling. Reference: For Stringer’s Knob tower: The Gap (1966). A school magazine produced by the teachers of the Bairnsdale Inspectorate in the interest of education. It is full of fascinating historical stories of the region. Thanks to James for a lovely day, to Kath for the bird sightings or hearings and to Di for the fungal IDs.
The Clematis Page 12
Granite Greenhood Pterostylis tunstallii Photos by Dianne Weir
Eastern Whipbird Photo by Ken Russell Page 13 Issue 121
Plants: Stackhousia monogyna Creamy Candles Acacia longifolia Sallow Wattle Stypandra glauca Nodding Blue Lily A. mucronata Narrow-leaf Wattle Syzygium smithii Lillypilly A. myrtifolia Myrtle Wattle Tetratheca ciliata Pink-bells A. pycnantha Golden Wattle Tristaniopsis laurina Kanooka or Water Gum A. silvestris Red Wattle Viola betonicifolia Showy Violet A. suaveolens Sweet Wattle Zieria smithii Sandfly Zieria A. terminalis Sunshine Wattle A. verniciflua Varnish Wattle Birds: Amyema pendulum Drooping Mistletoe Australian Shelduck Asplenium sp. White-necked or Pacific Heron Beyeria lasiocarpa Wallaby-bush Fantail Cuckoo Blechnum cartilagineum Gristle-fern Laughing Kookaburra Cassinia trinerva Three-veined Cassinia Superb Lyrebird (imitating other birds) Cheilanthes sp. a rock-fern Red Wattlebird Correa reflexa Common Correa Eastern Whipbird Corybas diemenicus Veined Helmet-orchid Golden Whistler Corymbia maculata Spotted Gum Grey Fantail Dampiera stricta Blue Dampiera Willie Wagtail Doodia caudata Small rasp-fern Forest Raven Drosera peltata subsp. auriculata Tall Sundew Epacris impressa Common Heath Fungi: Eucalyptus cypellocarpa Mountain Grey Gum Hydnum repandum Sweet Tooth, Wood Hedgehog or Hedgehog Mushroom E. elata River Peppermint Laetiporus portentosus White Punk E. sieberi Silvertop Ash Trametes versicolor Rainbow Fungus E. tricarpa Red Ironbark
E. viminalis Manna Gum Eustrephus latifolius Wombat Berry Goodenia ovata Hop Goodenia Hardenbergia violacea Purple Coral-pea Hibbertia aspera Rough Guinea-flower H. obtusifolia Grey Guinea-flower Lasiopetalum macrophyllum Shrubby Velvet-bush Lindsaea microphylla Lacy wedge-fern Lycopodium deuterodensum Bushy Clubmoss Pandorea pandorana Wonga-vine Patersonia glabrata Leafy Purple-flag Phyllanthus hirtellus Thyme Spurge Pimelea axiflora Bootlace Bush Platysace lanceolata Shrubby Platysace Pomaderris aspera Hazel Pomaderris Prostanthera denticulata Rough Mint-bush Pterostylis concinna Trim Greenhood P. grandiflora Cobra Greenhood P. nutans Nodding Greenhood P. pedunculata Maroonhood P. tunstallii Granite Greenhood Rhytidosporum procumbens White Marianth Sarcopetalum harveyanum Pearl Vine Scaevola ramosissima Hairy Fan-flower Smilax australis Sweet Sarsaparilla, Lawyer Vine or Wait-a-While The Clematis Page 14
th BUSHWALK AT BULLUMWAAL - 25 August 2019 By Pauline Stewart
After parking the cars at the Bullumwaal Hall, the bushwalkers headed off past the oldest of the two Bullumwaal cemeteries which is set on the side of a hill and now reverting to bushland; up the steady incline of the Bullumwaal – Tabberabbera Road then left, along the Burnett’s Ridge Road. Although there almost no plants flowering other than little individual specimens of Hardenergia violacea and Epacris impressa , we were lucky to find a good-sized patch of Hairy Boronia Boronia pilosa that was in flower.
Walking along we could see evidence of the gold mining days with occasional vertical mine shafts of varying depths where members were able to gaze down into them being careful not to get too close to the edges. Continuing onto Jackies Dream Road there were a few quite steep, undulating sections to traverse but taking our time and at our own pace everyone managed. At mid-day a log was found to sit on to enjoy our lunch in the peace and stillness of the bush. Time to move on we then continued the walk going down the steep gradient of Perseverence Track which inclined all the way back to the township of Bullumwaal. The thought crossed our minds as to how the old gold miners managed to walk the six to seven-kilometre trip from home to get up and down these roads on probably a daily basis carrying their heavy work tools.
As we had made pretty good time on the walk we decided to try another much shorter track before heading home. Driving back along Bullumwaal Road we parked at the start of an unnamed track and walking in following the line of Boggy Creek. Here the vegetation couldn’t be more different than up on the ridges where we had just been with taller, larger trees and dense undergrowth. A very few Nodding Greenhood and Maroonhoods were found and an interesting Fawn Vegetable Caterpillar fungus was growing in the centre of the track. This parasitic fungus grows underground from within the larva of a moth and entirely fills the body with its mycelium while still retaining its outer shape of a caterpillar. Native to the forests of eastern Australia it can be found under mature wattles such as Silver Wattle or Black Wattle. The fruiting body which appears above ground between April and September is about 8 cm high with a blunt- ended creamy-brown, fawn club.
A lovely day out in the bush. Thank you Noel.
Plant list from Audrey Van den Berg:
Acacia paradoxa Hedge Wattle A. dealbata Silver Wattle A. melanoxylon Blackwood A. pycnantha Golden Wattle A. obliquinerva Mountain Hickory Boronia pilosa Hairy Boronia Epacris impressa Common Heath Hakea eriantha Tree Hakea Hardenbergia violacea Native Sarsaparilla Hovea linearis Common Hovea Leptomeria aphylla Leafless Currant-bush Pterostylis nutans Nodding Greenhood P. pedunculata Maroonhood
Introduced: Erica lusitanica
Old cemetery at Bullumwaal PS Page 15 Issue 121
Fawn Vegetable Caterpillar fungus Cordyceps hawkesii PS
Maroonhood Pterostylis pedunculata PS
Hairy Boronia Boronia pilosa PS
Common Hovea Hovea linearis PS The Newsletter of the Bairnsdale & District
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