The Clematis

Spring 2005 Issue No 65

BAIRNSDALE

POSTAGE

Victoria

3875 PAID

Quarterly Newsletter of theBairnsdale & District

Field Naturalists Club Inc A0006074C

20 1 BAIRNSDALE & DIST FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC. es are very narrow and roughened with tiny spines. The fertile fronds are A0006074C much longer, less divided and bear ‘combs’ which have pairs of pinnate List of Office Bearers for 2005 segments bearing sporangia in two rows. President: Pat McPherson ph. (03) 5152 2614 Secretary: Wendy Parker ph. (03) 5152 2615 Further along Six Mile Track we looked at the rare Nowa Nowa Treasurer: Margaret Regan ph. (03) 5156 2541 (Grevillea celata) which was just coming into flower. The area is its only occurrence in the whole wide world. It grows on red siliceous or pale gra- Correspondence to: nitic sands. It is a to 1.8m which produces root suckers and has el- The Secretary, liptic leaves to 44mm long with a hairy lower surface. Its flowers are red P.O. Box 563, or pink, shading to white or yellow. The white Common Heath was very BAIRNSDALE 3875 tall. There were many of Leafy Purple-flag (Patersonia glabrata), Web Site: www.eastgippsland.com/bdfnc so the area would look very pretty in spring. The last fungus we observed was the brilliant crimson woody pored bracket Pycnosporus coccinea, a General meetings take place at: common wood-destroyer. Native and introduced, soft and hard woods are Noweyung Centre, 84 Goold Street Bairnsdale attacked by this recycler. Many thanks again, James. 3rd. Friday of the month at 7.30pm sharp. No meeting June, July, August ☺ Committee meetings take place: Thursday of the previous week before the 3rd. Friday of the month at members homes except June, July, August when held on field excursions if required. . Group Co-ordinators: Botanic Group: James Turner Ph. (03) 5155 1258 Fauna Survey Group: Jenny Edwards Ph. (03) 5157 5556 G.L.O.G. Lynn Turner Ph. (03) 5155 1258 Bushwalking Group: Noel Williamson Ph. (03) 5152 1737 Newsletter Editor: Pauline Stewart Ph. (03) 5152 2135 80 Bengworden Rd. Bairnsdale.3875 email: [email protected]

All articles for Summer Clematis must be in by December 1st.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 1. To further the study of natural history in all its branches, promoted by periodical meetings, field excursions and other activities. 2. To observe and strengthen the laws for the preservation & protection of indigenous flora and fauna and habitat and important geological features. 3. To promote the formation and preservation of National and State Parks and Reserves.

2 19 Along Siberia Crossing Road (what an amazing name!) was the only patch RULES TO OBSERVE ON FIELD TRIPS: of Hairpin () in the whole forest. The whole 1. Excursions are cancelled on days of TOTAL FIRE BAN. patch was burnt maybe ten years ago, but seeds were released from the Members may proceed on the planned trip AT OWN RISK. cones and germinated and new grew. They are now very healthy 2. Participants to keep a visual on the car in front and behind. and proliferating and were covered in fresh cones. We searched for the 3. When making a turn, give signal, and stay at intersection until cup fungus (Banksiamyces macrocarpa) which appears to specifically following car has also turned. grow on the old discarded cones of the Hairpin Banksia. There were very 4. If separated from other cars, stop, and stay with your car. few cones on the ground, but we found one with the fungal fruiting bodies Other members will return to find you. quite shrivelled, so we were probably several months too late. Some-one spotted a pale yellow coral fungus pushing up from beneath the leaf litter. SUBSCRIPTION FEES A branch of the Mundic Creek crosses Siberia Crossing Track again mak- ing a damper environment with Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), Family membership $25 Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) and huge handsome plants of Single membership $15 Tall Saw-sedge (Gahnia clarkei). Ferns were Common ground-fern Mid-year fee (new members only) $ 7.50 (Calochlaena dubia) and Scrambling Coral-fern (Gleichenia microphylla). One small decaying branch was covered with a suite of fungi - some very beautiful small Thelephores (leather fungi) which were a purplish brown, Responsibility for the accuracy of information and opinions expressed in this paler beneath with a white rim below. There was a small dark brown newsletter rests with the author of the article. toadstool with a very long white stalk. A very unusual fungus was an As- comycete or cup fungus with little (3mm) white capsules each of which has a bladder inside which bursts through to discharge the spores. These were coated with a green alga. Just away from the creek a White Punk bracket fungus was attached high on a gum. Here was also a Narrow-leaf CONTENTS Geebung ( linearis) which is a tall shrub to 5m with deep red loose papery bark; and the Small Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea minor) with a Program - September to December 2005 5-6 tall fresh inflorescence of many flowers. Deptford - extract from “The Gap”1985 6 Mt. Sugarloaf 7-10 At the corner of Old Mill Road and Six Mile Road was the Silver Banksia Melwood to Bullumwaal 10-12 (). The Pink Beard-heath (Leucopogon ericoides) were Additional information - Water Plants 12 covered in pink buds. Two wattles (both very prickly) were Juniper Wat- Additional information - Bally Hooley 13 tle (Acacia ulicifolia) and the worst of the two, Spreading Wattle (A. gen- I saw a fairy - I DID! 13-14 istifolia). Both these wattles have their leaves modified to form sharp Oh my God! 15-16 spines. Those of the Juniper Wattle are up to 15mm long with the Spread- Colquhuon Forest 17-19 ing Wattle spines up to 50mm!! Wynne’s very sharp eyes discovered Peli- cans or Small Helmet Orchids (Corybas unguiculatus). Just as the rain started and without time to examine properly a Rough comb-fern (Schizaea asperula) was seen. These primitive ferns are not easily recog- nised as ferns; Their sterile fronds are forked several times and the branch-

18 3 CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS for meetings and field trips. COLQUHUON FOREST - 17 July 2005 Pat McPherson 5152 2614 by Margaret Regan Wendy Parker 5152 2615 Margaret Regan 5156 2541 A short way down Scriveners Road from Forestech TAFE College we Pauline Stewart 5152 2135 Mobile: 0419 522 137 found some plants of the Tall Greenhood (Pterostylis melagramma). As Jeremy Stewart 5153 0216 Mobile: 0419 384 240 well as a rosette of leaves this greenhood has leaves up the stem. The James Turner 5155 1258 flower stem can be up to 90cm high and bears from one to fifteen green Nina Wilkinson 5153 0216 and white flowers. As there had been around 80mm of rain nearby the Noel Williamson 5152 1737 preceding weekend there were some fungi around. There was a yellow and a white Amanita with caps about 8cm across; a Russula mariae which is a beautiful stocky gilled fungus with a pink cap and stem and white DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY FOR BUSH WALKS gills; and a tiny orange gilled fungus which grows associated with moss. Easy Flat, good firm track. A little further along the road were Nodding Greenhoods (P. nutans) and Moderately easy Mostly flat, track in good to fair condition the tiny upright neat green striped Trim Greenhoods (P. concinna). We Moderate May be undulating, track in good to fair condition turned onto Armstrongs Track where the Common Correa (Correa re- Mod. difficult May be some steep sections, track may be rough in flexa) was flowering. Amongst the shrubs with normal coloured red and places green tubular flowers was one where the flowers were cream. There was Difficult May have long steep sections, track may be non also pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa). The Track crosses Missis- existent at times sipi Creek and the walking track beside the creek. The vegetation along Walks vary in distance from 6 to 12 km. the creek was damper and several ferns grew here along with more fungi Contact the leader of the walk for a rating if it’s not included in the and mosses, liverworts and lichens which were lush after the rains. The program. overstorey was Blue Box (Eucalyptus bauerana). Bootlace Bush (Pimelea axiflora) showed its tiny white clusters of flowers all along the stem in the Please take note of safety procedures in your Bairnsdale & District axils of the leaves as the specific name suggests. Ferns were Maidenhair Field Naturalists Club Inc. ‘RISK MANAGEMENT POLICY’ (Adiantum); the tiny prostrate Necklace fern (Asplenium flabellifolium); booklet. Sickle Fern (Pellaea falcata); and Common rasp-fern (Doodia media) so- called for its harsh fronds. Quite a number of specimens of the Veined Helmet Orchid (Corybas diemenicus) were seen along the track. To find these tiny plants requires very sharp eyes. Attached to a log which it would be assisting to break down was a yellowy brown leather fungus showing concentric circles of growth. Another similar log sported a pale yellow pored bracket fungus. Other fungi were an Earth-star and an or- Please note this program could be subject to change. ange coral with very pointed branches. The Earth-stars appear as half- It is your responsibility to contact the co-ordinator of each field buried small puffballs. When ripe the outer coat splits in a star-like pat- trip to notify them of your intention to participate. The co- tern revealing the soft inner spore sac with an apical mouth. A Superb ordinator can then notify you if the trip has to be cancelled due to Lyrebird courting mound constructed of soil was just off the track. Al- adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances. ways calling was a White-throated Treecreeper and occasionally a Grey Evening committee meetings may not be required. Please check Shrike-thrush. before arriving. Sun. 30th. Bushwalk. 9.00 am Moderate

4 17 any live cone shells, but I got a few empty ones, which are quite pretty. PROGRAM - SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2005 The sunsets here are amazing, and crowds of people flock to the sand dunes with their cameras each evening. SEPTEMBER Frid. 16th. General meeting 7.30pm Speaker: Bob Fisher “Working on the Just before Derby we came across a large goanna crossing the road. We Great Barrier Reef” watched him trying to dig his way into the bank on the far side of the road. Sun. 18th. Monthly excursion 9.00am (Bridge Club) Boole Poole What a beauty. Then, at the Boab prison tree near Derby, we saw a snake Contact: James Turner tail hanging out of one of its hollows. There is a sign warning you of the Sun. 25th. Bushwalk 9.00am (Bridge Club) Mitchelldale snakes that guard the tree. How would you like to be a prisoner? Contact: Wendy Parker Rated: Moderately difficult At Windjarna Gorge in the Kimberley we walked along the gorge looking at the Fresh Water Crocodiles which lined the sand bank. I counted 55 on OCTOBER the bank beside the main pool. I swam with these crocks 31 years ago 1st or 2nd. Metallic Sun Orchid count and Blond Bay (Subject to change) (and so did my kids) but I opted not to this time. Is this a sign of old age? Contact: James Turner Thurs 13th. Committee meeting 7.30pm at Pat McPherson’s home At Windham we came across a little Flying Fox which had come to grief .Frid 21st. General meeting. 7.30pm Speaker: Ruth Cross on the road. It was so badly injured that we had to put it down. A beauti- “Bees and Bee Keeping” ful little creature. I think it had been hit by a car. Sun. 23rd. Monthly excursion 9.00am (Bridge Club) to Freestone Creek or Murringower depending on the suitability of the Then there was a Dingo bitch wandering around the camps at the Devils season. Marbles. She was unperturbed by the many campers. She steered clear of Contact : James Turner the few dogs that were there even though they were tied up. Nobody Sun. 30th. Bushwalk 9.00am (Bridge Club) to Sandy Creek off Mt. seemed to feed her while we were there, but she was scrounging about Baldhead Road. and, no doubt, got a few chop bones etc. She disappeared among the Contact: Pauline Stewart rocks at about 9am each day. Rated : Moderate

As we departed Kakadu National Park (20 kms from Pine Creek) we NOVEMBER came across a huge buffalo. We stopped to take a photo. He looked up- Thurs 10th. Planning meeting and Committee meeting 7.30pm at Wendy set: with his head up and his ears back so we cleared off before he Parker’s home. charged. They are quite unpredictable and can do a lot of damage Frid. 18th. General meeting 7.30pm Speaker: Allison Oates . “Vegetation Mapping in Victoria”. At Paluma (north of Townseville) before sunrise we saw two huge satel- Sun. 20th. Monthly excursion 9.00am (Bridge Club) to Tulloch Ard Rd. lites about 15 minutes apart. As the space shuttle had blasted off the day Snowy River National Park before we wondered if this sighting was the shuttle and the space station Contact: James Turner before docking. Anyone know? Sun. 27th. Bushwalk 9.00am (Bridge Club) to Hospital Creek Rd Near Moonie (Queensland) at 4am I saw four meteorites in 2 minutes. Nowa Nowa area. One streaked right across the sky with a large tail of light. Then I saw 5 Contact: Pauline Stewart more, one of which was throwing out light like a sparkler. These are some Rated: Moderate of my Oh My Gods.

16 5 DECEMBER Oh my God! 2-3-4-5th. Camp-out to Horseyard Flat, Moroka River area. by Barbara Mills Contact: James Turner

Thurs. 8th. B-B-Q 6.00pm followed by committee meeting at Marg We stopped for a cuppa on the Nullarbor. Someone had dropped a cap on Regan’s home. BYO meat and salad and/or dessert to share. the ground which my partner Ray picked up. Inside was the most beauti- Frid. 16th. Annual General Meeting 7.30pm Members slides ful little gecko. He looked as though he had been painted; a Barking Please bring a plate for supper Gecko. After taking quick photos of the poor little sod we placed him, and

his hat, out in the grass, I hope he is still there. Forward notice for:

JANUARY No committee or general meeting in January 6-7-8-9th. Camp-out to Native Dog Flat Contact: James Turner 22nd. Monthly excursion to Marlo Plains FEBRUARY 3-4-5th. Camp-out to Bogong High Plains, camping at Buckety Plains Contact: James Turner

DEPTFORD - EXTRACT FROM “THE GAP”, Special Edition 1985 The remote small village of Deptford began in the 1860’s, after gold was found above the Boggy Creek junction with the Nicholson River in 1854. At its peak the population had grown to around 3,000. Today, a drive of 22 miles from Bairnsdale brings us to this very popular picnic area surrounded by a rough rugged terrain, very popular with bush walkers, fossickers and picnickers. Pub Gully - as we cross the bridge to the B-B-Q area one thinks what is there to see, it all seems over-grown with blackberries, it abounds with bird life and is so peaceful. Walking down-stream to the right on the hill-side we find the cemetery, the fig tree and red hot polkers blooming in late summer, winding our way past the old stone chimney of Broomes boarding house. We cross to Piggery Point where the water still runs through the tunnel put in to turn the river so the men could work this gold rich point. Around the hillside one can find the pack track, overgrown but quite visible, used to bring in supplies by horse and wheel-barrow before the road came. Between Pub Gully and Broomes fireplace there seems to be the most evidence of After escaping the horrific weather and destruction in Perth in July we a village. We know Pub gully must have been where the pub was, but have no trundled on to the 80 mile beach on the West coast. What a wonderful clues to the position of the school or church and from photos we know they exist- ed, not the grand building of today, only bark sides and roof with wooden shutters place. The tide races out until you can just see it in the distance. I collect- on windows and split paling fencing. ed shells on the beach each morning. You had to be careful not to pick up

6 15 to be someone walking about with a torch. Some time later I realized that MT SUGARLOAF - 22 May 2005 the ‘torch’ was still going up and down at the edge of the rainforest. This by Margaret Regan was no person wandering about. I went out to investigate. As I watched, the flashing light rose to the canopy, stayed there a moment and flashed its Club members met at the start of Eleven Mile Rd in Sarsfield. Our first way down again. A fairy. A real fairy. I watched this little Tinkerbell for stop was just up the road in very dry forest. Being almost winter, very about half an hour as it pulsated its bright light around our camp. It was little was flowering. One Blue Pincushion (Brunonia australis) car- so bright that it trailed a tail of glow behind it. No, not a fairy, but a fire- ried its bright blue flower head. In the flower bud a cup-shaped indusium fly. It could have been a fairy though. Finally it vanished. surrounds the style and stigma, and the pollen is shed into it before the flower opens. As the flower opens the style elongates and the growing After I got home I did some research. The firefly is a carnivorous beetle stigma then pushes the pollen out from the indusium. This kind of struc- of the Lanpyridae family. They have little lanterns on the underside of the ture is only otherwise found in the Goodeniaceae (Fan-flowers etc) in abdomen. The light is created by an enzyme (luciferase) which reacts with which family the Blue Pincushion is sometimes placed. Does this cause a other chemicals in the insect’s body to produce light energy. It is probably lot of self pollination? A Nodding Greenhood (Pterostylis nutans) and a used to attract members of the opposite sex. Mosquito Orchid (Acianthus exsertus) were also seen. Although it was so dry there were a few fungal fruiting bodies. One poor tree was being at- The next day we drove up 18kms. of windy narrow road to Paluma, a tacked by borers with the evidence of frass, and a pale brown gilled brack- small town in the rainforest with only 20 permanent residents. Again, we et fungus was also tapping into the trunk digesting the wood. Two gilled were looking for the Riflebird. We walked up the steps to the lookout toadstools were seen - one had a 3cm fawn cap with darker markings, then, through the rainforest and along the road to the end of the town. I white gills and a 4cm white stem; the other had a mustard-coloured flat was taking a rest in the shade just outside the school when I looked up to cap and a scaly stalk. There were also some small brown puffballs - al- see a Dingo bitch, who was obviously feeding pups, come trotting up the ways fun to puff and help along the process of spore dispersal! A large road. She stopped a few feet from me before wondering away and sitting deer skull was discovered. Was this of a Sambar Deer? We were very down to have a scratch. Well, I thought, it is a National Park. Although entertained by over six Scarlet Robins who came quite close to check us we saw many birds there was no sign of a Riflebird. out, and of course, gave us a really good chance to see them as well. Most people had never seen so many together before. We also heard Spotted After walking back to the van we went for a well deserved cuppa at the Pardalote, Grey Fantail, White-eared Honeyeater and Grey Shrike-thrush. café. Sitting outside we were talking to the owner when who should arrive at the bird feeder but a female Riflebird. She stayed there feeding on ba- We made several stops along this road. A few shrubs of Long-flower nana for a few minutes. Then her partner arrived. What a beautiful bird Beard-heath (Leucopogon juniperinus) showed their white tubular flowers with his black feathers and electric blue front. So we finally got to see a with the bearded throats. There was a smooth leathery fungus - a frilly Riflebird up close. I took a few photos before he decided to leave. We cup of brown grading out to white and pale beneath. At one spot there never did see him displaying, but, just seeing him up close was enough. was a small isolated sandstone escarpment of about 1m high. The rock Perhaps next time he will dance for us (or his lady love). was very lumpy. In the soil trapped by the rock grew Mosquito Orchids and Rock fern (Cheilanthes austrotenuifolia). This Rock fern is wide- The café owner said that they often see fireflies. I looked in the forest for spread and the most common species in Victoria. The Rock ferns have hours that night but there was not a sign of a fairy. Perhaps I will be lucky features which allow them to survive dry conditions. Their fronds are enough to see another one one day. small and finely divided with inrolled margins and protective hairs and scales. When water stressed, the leaves shrivel and die, but when moisture ☺ is again available new fronds are produced from the underground rhizome.

14 7 Further up the road were Cobra Greenhoods (Pterostylis grandiflora). Additional information for BALLY HOOLEY - The flower starts off being very slim and upright and as it matures, the 17 April 2005 galea (hood formed by dorsal sepal and petals) widens and the flower by Margaret Regan overarches. The leaves of the cream-flowered Common Correa (Correa reflexa) were drooping with the drought. Some plants of Dusky Coral-pea (Kennedia rubicunda) draped across the ground. There were some minute Heard on ABC Radio. Information from Parks Victoria on the origin of pale orange toadstools whose caps were only 5mm across. A White Punk the name of the Bally Hooley Road. (Laetiporus portentosus) which is a wood destroying fungus sometimes seen high on the side of eucalypt trunks was found on the soil and had ob- The story is that a gentleman called Euan McCrae, whose family had a viously been enjoyed by some insect or animal. The White Punk is a very property at Murrindal, was droving some cattle from Murrindal to the large bracket fungus. The specific name ‘portentosus’ means monstrous Snowy River. For some reason the cattle scattered, presumably in the vi- and the fungus can grow up to 70cm across. Apparently the aborigines cinity of where the road now runs. In later relating the incident, Euan used the fungus to carry fire. Once lit, it smoulders, but when blown on it McCrae was supposed to have said: “They bally hooley got away!!”. will glow and grass may be ignited. When the fruiting body falls it may be eaten by beetle larvae. (Information from Tom May, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne in “Nature” Winter 2005.) I saw a fairy –I DID. by Barbara Mills On Deep Creek Road on the top of a ridge were many bushes of the Com- mon Correa with both cream and red flowers and leaves all curled and dry. On the 26th of July, my partner Ray and I camped for the night at Henrietta On Firebreak Track we stopped to admire a view over to Mt Taylor. Here Park in the rainforest. We were hunting for the Victoria’s Riflebird was Saloop (Einardia hastata), a prostrate saltbush with older green and ptiloris victoriae which we knew was here in the national park. It had younger red leaves. Why is it that many young leaves in many different been raining and the forest was dripping wet as we followed the walking plant families (including ferns) have red young leaves? Is the red pigment path. Suddenly we could hear our bird, and, for a few moments saw him somehow protective? in the canopy. Beautiful black with iridescent blue below his neck. Alt- hough he kept calling we only got a glimpse of him during the afternoon. Along Engineers Road past Rouch Rd was a steep embankment with Rusty Bush-pea (Pultenaea hispidula), a soft shrub about 1m high, which While talking to other campers they asked us if we had seen the Rat- is rare here. It was droopy too, like much of the vegetation. There was kangaroo hypsiprymnodon moschatus. The man cut up an apple and threw Hairy Fan-flower (Scaevola ramosissima) with its large mauve flowers it at the edge of the rainforest near their tent. We waited - and waited. and also a gorgeous deep pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa). Finally there was movement and a Green Catbird ailuroedus crassirostris Some beautiful gilled fungi had velvet chestnut 7cm arched caps with hopped out, stuffed its beak with apple and disappeared again. We waited cream scaly stalks. In an area obviously below a spring a deep burgundy again. Just as I was about to give up there was another movement and crust covered the surface of the soil - this we assumed was an alga. there, just outside the dense greenery, hopped a brown shape. Yes, a Musky Rat-kangaroo. He (or she) was a rich dark brown with short tail We lunched at the corner of Outer Circle and Engineers Road in a Wet and rounded ears. He sat there for a couple of minutes eating apple. Then Forest at Brown’s Saddle. In that area beneath huge Mountain Grey Gums he faded away into the undergrowth. The catbird was back. I didn’t get (Eucalyptus cypellocarpa) was Blue Oliveberry (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) another look at the Musky Rat-kangaroo, but what a sighting; I was and the ferns, Soft tree-fern (Dicksonia antarctica), Gristle-fern thrilled. (Blechnum cartilagineum) and Common ground-fern (Calochlaena du- That night, as I was preparing tea, I looked out and could see what I took

8 13 the Bairnsdale Historical Society. bia). Gristle-fern is the only Blechnum where the fertile and vegetative fronds are similar. It can also grow in quite dry conditions. Along Outer North of Bullumwaal township we saw the entrance to another mine dug Circle was Sweet Holygrass (Hierochloe redolens), a grass perfumed like into the hillside along the edge of Boggy Creek. This may have been the incense and called Holygrass as it was reputed to have been laid in earlier Champion Tunnel. times in churches to suppress the smell of unwashed bodies! A Superb Lyrebird mound was seen as was Wonga Pigeon and Crimson Rosella. In Gold mining information from “Bullumwaal - Some Memories” by Jean this damper environment some interesting fungi were found. One was the Hardwidge, Norma Websdale and Linda Barraclough and “Bedrock” by very unusual Common Prettymouth (Calostoma fuscum). This is a puff- Keith MD Fairweather. ball with a stem composed of strands of gelatinised tissue. The puff-ball has a cap which falls off when the fungus is mature revealing a round thin- Thank you James. walled ball with a decorated opening. An inner white sac below this ☺ mouth contains the spores. Another was Brick-caps (Hypholoma sublater- itium) which are quite red and when tiny their domed caps have white flecks near the edge and a black rim. The caps grow to about 10cm and Additional information for WATER PLANTS - flatten. The gills are a luminescent-looking yellow green. The stalks have flecks at their bases. Yet another smaller gilled fungus we called the But- 20 February 2005 ter Fungus as it was just that colour. The 7cm cap was gelatinous and the by Margaret Regan gills ran partly down the stem. From “Nature” Winter 2005. Further up the road looking up to Brown’s Peak were magnificent old Naomi Pierce (Harvard University) is unravelling the intriguing mutualis- Gippsland Peppermints (Eucalyptus croajingolensis), one of which would tic relationship between Imperial Blue swallowtail butterflies (Jalmenus have been over 30m high. This huge tree had Dodder-laurel (Cassytha evagoras) and the workers of several species of Iridomyrmex ants. The sp.) growing way up into its crown. The Dodder-laurel is semiparasitic. It ants protect the butterfly larvae from various predators and parasites; in is green and can photosynthesise producing its own organic nutrients. return the ants obtain a reliable source of nutrients produced by the cater- When the seed first germinates a number of roots are produced. The pillars. The adult butterflies are attracted by the pheromones (chemical emerging stem then circles until it makes contact with a host. Once the signals) released by the ants. Females use the pheromones to indicate young seedling has penetrated the water-carrying system of the host, its which plants they should lay their eggs on, since the protective ants will own roots are no longer needed and they shrivel away. The Dodder-laurel find the caterpillars more quickly if the ants are already on the plant. then takes all its water and salts from the host, but is unable to tap into the Males use the ant pheromones to locate egg-laying females, or pupae with sugar carrying system of the host. Beneath were Blanket Leaf (Bedfordia soon-to-emerge females. Mark Elgar (University of Melbourne) and Nao- arborescens) which was named after the 6th Duke of Bedford who was a mi Pierce also noticed large numbers of orb-weaving spiders around the patron of botany and author of a history of wheat; Stinkwood (Zieria arbo- pupal clusters of the Imperial Blues. Butterflies are frequently caught in rescens), a large shrub with trifoliate leaves and clusters of small white the spiders’ webs. They discovered that the spiders must also be attracted flowers; Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata), a shrub with glossy by the ant pheromones, knowing that there will be a larger source of prey green leaves and smooth red branchlets; Musk Daisy-bush (Olearia argo- butterflies on plants frequented by the ants. They will more frequently phylla) which is the largest Daisy-bush in the Victoria; Tree build their webs in plants with ants than those same plants without ants. () and Soft tree-fern. We hushed to hear the different calls of a Superb Lyrebird and also those of the Gang Gang Cockatoo and Lew- ☺ in’s Honeyeater. On the track up to Mt Sugarloaf was the tall mountain

12 9 form of the Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) and lots of Superb Lyrebird (Potamogeton sp.) in the water and masses of the bright green Common scratchings. Just below Sugarloaf was a forest of Rough tree-fern ground-fern (Calochlaena dubia) along the edge. Fungi were Russula (Cyathea australis) which were tall and had very slender trunks; Scram- mariae, a beautiful deep pink topped gilled fungus with pale pink stem bling coral-fern (Gleichenia microphylla) which has dichotomous branch- and white to cream gills; a 13cm Lepiota which has a fawn cap with dark ing and is often found along banks; and Fish-bone water-fern (Blechnum brown flecks and a button top; and a pale yellow coral. There were also nudum) which has smaller narrower fertile fronds growing upright from some mid-brown tiny gilled fungi where the cap had a paler rim and the the centre of the plant and often forms a small trunk. There was a log with outlines of the gills could be seen through the top of the cap. There was chocolate brown 5cm capped toadstools all along it and a 10cm capped plenty of evidence of the Superb Lyrebird by its scratchings and we heard Russula mariae. Russula mariae is a chunky toadstool with a pink or red Superb Fairy Wren and Grey Fantail. cap and stalk and white gills. The stalks of this genus break like chalk. A local lyrebird charmed us with the calls of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Along Cox Road we found Hazel Pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera) leaves Grey Shrike-thrush, Eastern Whipbird, Pilotbird, Crimson Rosella and whose upper surface had a very thick layer of Sooty Mould (so it’s not Pied Currawong. Even when the conditions are incredibly dry and its al- only in our gardens)! However along the veins were tiny white structures most winter, James still manages to find plenty of interesting flora and we took to be the egg cases of some invertebrate. A small Manuka fauna. ☺ (Leptospermum scoparium) plant along a tiny creek had leaves which were infested with bright red insect galls. On the soil was a yellow puff- ball which had broken to reveal a mass of dark brown spores. On a small MELWOOD to BULLUMWAAL - 19 June 2005 log was a small white thin and soft bracket fungus. The spore undersur- by Margaret Regan face was wrinkled like the leather fungus Phlebia.

Along the Peahill Road at Melwood we were shown a beautifully crafted Off the Bullumwaal - Tabberabbera Road we saw the Beehive Gold Mine. stone well of over a metre in diameter. The well has long since filled with A mullock heap had formed a very large isthmus with steep sides pushed debris from the surrounding forest. Maybe it was built by miners who out from the side of the hill. Several old pieces of the iron equipment still were in the area searching for gold. Further along this road we found lay about, including an old boiler from a steam engine. Further along the three koalas in quite a small area. Were these animals that had been trans- walking track were the remains of water races which had become eroded ported from Raymond Island last year because the large numbers of koalas and were now quite large. Bullumwaal, about 30km north of Bairnsdale, on the island was destroying their habitat and food source? was the centre of the gold mining industry in the lake district. The name is an aboriginal name meaning ‘two spears’. It grew up in 1870s and was at Even further along we came to the Chinese gold diggings. Massive its peak in 1880s and 1890s. At its peak 4000 people lived and worked amounts of stone has been moved to construct several deep channels. A around Bullumwaal. The gullies and water courses for kilometres around water race must have been dug to bring water from Boggy Creek to the the town were worked by fossickers. The town has grown up around Bog- area. Apparently the water was then directed through the channels which gy Creek. The Beehive Mine was found by two prospectors and a compa- had hessian bags stretched across them to trap the gold. In this area the ny was formed in 1883. It was the principal mine in the area with many gold is fine and scattered and nuggets were infrequent. On the side of a lodes and shafts as deep as 180m. The Beehive Mine battery was con- fallen log from which the bark had been removed were several round flat structed in 1890s in German Gully, first with five heads and this was later white silken discs which we took to be spider’s egg cases. increased to ten. The Gully was dammed to conserve water. The sur- rounding hills were denuded of Red Box (Eucalyptus polyanthemos) and In the Mount Alfred State Forest we stopped at the corner of Stony Creek Yertchuk or Prickly Stringybark (E.consideniana) to fuel the boilers of the and McComas Road where pink Common Heath (Epacris impressa) was battery. After the mine finally closed in 1913, the battery was moved to flowering. There was a large pool in the creek with Pondweed

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