Brilliant walk despite the weather

Our September FOBIF walk was led by local environmentalists, Elaine Bayes and Damien Cook, in the Chewton area off Dingo Park Road. Although the weather didn’t look promising, the rain held off and walkers enjoyed slowly wending their way through masses of Early Nancies and other flowering plants. The damp conditions made the fungi, moss and lichen look especially colourful.

Among the highlights was finding at least a dozen orchid species including several Castlemaine Spider-orchids Caladenia clavescens. Orchid expert, Geoff Neville, was able to give a detailed account of the pollination of these orchids.

Two Castlemaine Spider-orchids discovered during the walk.

: Ant nests

: Map lichen

: Early Nancies

: Plains froglets

: Aboriginal well

: Bracket fungi

Photos are by Win Jodell and Bronwyn Silver.

Thanks to Elaine and Damien for once again leading a terrific walk and sharing their extensive knowledge of plant life and the environmental history of this area of our Box-Ironbark forests.

The last walk for the year will be led by Alex Panelli in the Fryers Ranges.