Twenty walkers braved the threat of thunderstorms, meeting at the end of Mallawa Rd Duffys Forest. Just prior to the briefing, a family of kangaroos hopped by reminding us of the much loved TV program SKIPPY which was produced here in Duffys Forest at the now heritage listed 'Waratah Park’ years ago. We walked down a fairly eroded short cut track to the Long Track past the distinctive feature of a gnarled Angophora costata and an ominous sighting of a blue shovel propped up near the eroded track. Could the track get so bad that we needed to be dug out?
Regrouping at the Cowan Trackhead before continuing on the Long Track........and circumnavigating the large puddles from the previous rain
We arrived at 'Peach Trees', gazing down on a houseboat far below on Cowan Creek and enjoyed morning tea.
Back on the Long Track, we then turned off on the Cowan Track.
All twenty walkers at the Cowan Trackhead......very kindly taken by Jane who was walking with another group
We looked in at the Spirits Rock Aboriginal Engraving Site and before long arrived at our lunch spot looking right down Cowan Creek to Apple Tree Bay. A passing bike rider provided some interest when he showed us the whereabouts of Geocache box, put in place by NPWS and Geocaching.com
Our home run from here was back along the Cowan Track to the Long Track returning to the cars via the Perimeter Track. A Praying Mantis Mantodea was sighted on the Long Track
There were an abundance of flowers on the Long and Cowan Tracks.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
1. Appleberry Billardiera scandens 2.Goodenia Goodenia bellidifolia 3. Flannel Flower Actinotus helianthi 4. Leptospermun Leptospermum arachnoides
5. Pultenaea Pultenaea stipularis 6. Carrot Tops Platysace linearifolia 7. Christmas Bell Blandfordia nobolis 8. Heath Milkwort/Match Heads Comesperma ericinum
9. Conospermum Conospermum longifolium 10. Pink Spider Flower Grevillea sericia 11. Blueberry Ash Elaeocarpus reticulatus
Fringed Lily Thysanotus multiflorus Cymbidium suave Sydney/Native Rose Boronia serrulata
Gathering under the unusual pink flowers of a Bluberry Ash at Terrey Hills with our takeaway coffees, milk shakes and ice cream, we celebrated our lucky day (Friday 13th) without a drop of rain or a rumble of thunder!!
Sue S and Deidre led eighteen walkers: Helen A, Wendy C, Polly, Elaine E, Annette Ell, Ros and John, Mary, Martin, Celia, Kas, Hazel, Bert, Sheila, Wendy P, Vreni, Pauline and visitor, Cleona.
Thank you to First Aider, Mary and Tail End Charlie, Kas!
Words by Sue S
Photos by Wendy C (1, 29, 31), Sue S (2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12, 14-25, 30 and flower identification), Pauline (4, 7), Deidre (6, 11), Jane (8 on Deidre's phone), Hazel (13, 26-28 and flower identification)
........and a postscript from today's walk
Bananas were definitely the morning tea de jour!