Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc.
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RINGWOOD FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB Inc.
SEANA Spring Weekend – Healesville – 18-19 October 2008
Excursion to Rainforest Gallery and Mt Donna Buang – Saturday pm
Twelve intrepid adventurers set off from Badger Creek
Hall for an afternoon exploring the wilderness of the Great Dividing Range.
We travelled via Don Road to Launching Place and then along the Warburton
Highway. This gave us a spectacular view of the high country as we
approached Warburton. We turned left onto the road to Donna Buang and
wound our way uphill until we reached the carpark at Cement Creek.
An acknowledgement of the traditional owners of this country was made at
the commencement of the walk. We then ventured out along the skywalk
and into the rainforest canopy where we could appreciate the size and age
of the Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) and the Myrtle Beech (Nothofagus
cunninghamii) from a vantage point 50 meters above the ground.
Bird life was scarce and we entered the boardwalk down a flight of steps
that everyone negotiated successfully. Here we examined the various
species of ferns and bryophytes growing on trees and the forest floor.
Species identified included:
Ferns
Hard Water Fern Blechnum wattsii
Ray Water Fern Blechnum fluviatile
Kangaroo Fern Phymatodes diversifolium
Finger Fern Grammitis billardieri
Common Filmy Fern Hymenophyllum cupressiforme
Mosses
Cyathophorum bulbosum
Bryum billardieri
Dicranoloma menziesii
Weymouthia mollis
Liverworts
Hymenophyton flabellatum
Although water was flowing in the Cement Creek the dryness of the area was noticeable and this had had some effect on the diversity of the vegetation.
We completed the circuit and climbed back up the stairs to the cars, where some people took the opportunity of having refreshments. We then proceeded to the summit of Mt Donna Buang. Several people climbed the tower for 360 degree views of the surrounding ranges. Members of a large biker group who were there kindly pointed out some of the landmarks.
Since this was the excursion that travelled farthest from base, time was short and all too soon we had to return to the cars for the homeward trip. We stopped briefly at Ben Cairn to note the differences in plant species and as we drove through Don Gap we admired the Tetratheca ciliata in flower on the bank beside the road. We arrived back at the hall in good time for the evening programme.
Thanks to David for acting as the “tail-end Charlie” and Ruth for providing a list of the identifications.
Judith V Cooke
Leader
Ferns
Hard Water Fern Blechnum wattsii
Ray Water Fern Blechnum fluviatile
Kangaroo Fern Phymatodes diversifolium
Finger Fern Grammitis billardieri
Common Filmy Fern Hymenophyllum cupressiforme
Mosses
Cyathophorum bulbosum
Bryum billardieri
Dicranoloma menziesii
Weymouthia mollis
Liverworts
Hymenophyton flabellatum
Although water was flowing in the Cement Creek the dryness of the area was noticeable and this had had some effect on the diversity of the vegetation.
We completed the circuit and climbed back up the stairs to the cars, where some people took the opportunity of having refreshments. We then proceeded to the summit of Mt Donna Buang. Several people climbed the tower for 360 degree views of the surrounding ranges. Members of a large biker group who were there kindly pointed out some of the landmarks.
Since this was the excursion that travelled farthest from base, time was short and all too soon we had to return to the cars for the homeward trip. We stopped briefly at Ben Cairn to note the differences in plant species and as we drove through Don Gap we admired the Tetratheca ciliata in flower on the bank beside the road. We arrived back at the hall in good time for the evening programme.
Thanks to David for acting as the “tail-end Charlie” and Ruth for providing a list of the identifications.
Judith V Cooke
Leader