An expedition through time

A good group braved the chill to walk along Forest Creek yesterday. Led by Marie Jones, the walk started at the Monster Meeting site and walked north along the track to Expedition Pass Reservoir (through Castlemaine Diggings NHP). Pauses were taken along the way to hear about the rich history of the track from Marie, including the mammoth work undertaken by Golden Point Landcare over many years managing weed control and revegetation.

Frances briefs the group on changes to the creek since colonisation. Photo: Asha Bannon

Frances Cincotta shared her knowledge of native plants and spoke of the changes to the area since colonisation. Sightings of hybridised Silver/Cootamundra Wattle sparked conversations on the importance of planting species which are indigenous to the area, so we don’t lose what is unique to our Box-Ironbark Forests.

We were treated to an array of birdlife along the way, including Gray Fantails, Striated and Yellow Thornbills, and Golden and Rufous Whistlers. And one didn’t have to look far off the path to spot fungi – including some growing in a pile of horse manure.

A big thanks to Marie and Frances, as well as to Christine for leading the return walkers back to the Monster Meeting site.

To give an idea of how things have changed, check out the photos below. Here’s the Res in 1878:

Expedition Pass in 1878, ten years after the construction of the reservoir. The stripped land tells a story…

And here’s that hill today:

Walkers on the dam, May 2024. Photo: Joy Clusker