A good sized group rocked up for FOBIF’s first walk for the year yesterday. Cool, breezy weather gradually merged to a warmer day as the group negotiated a route into Columbine Creek, a tributary of the Loddon and one of the region’s remoter areas.
Walkers in the valley: trees on the flat are markedly bigger than ones on the ridge, and relic stumps show that they were much bigger in the past.
This route starts with an easy descent over rough tracks, but ends with the sort of climb that reminds you that life wasn’t meant to be that easy. In between, the valley floor contains just enough tall timber to recall what this forest was like in its heyday.
Survivors: FOBIF walkers after a stiff walk up the Irishtown track to Fryers Ridge
Comfort zone: this couch in the Fryers Forest is one of the weirder signs of…er…cultural heritage
Hackelia suaveolens (Sweet Hounds-tongue) Check out https://castlemaineflora.org.au/pic/h/hacke/hasua.htm for more information.
Our thanks to Jan Hall and Helen Dewhurst for taking us into one of the most intriguing corners of the Fryers forest.
April’s walk is in the Gough’s Range state forest. See the walks page for details.
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
