11 met on Strathfield Station to take the 50 minute rise to Casula Station for our walk through Leacock Regional Park.
The park is part of the Cumberland Plain woodland, an endangered ecological community that houses the critically endangered Cumberland Plain land snail. The park is also one of the few places in NSW where you can see the rare tree species, blue box eucalyptus, as well as some of the oldest native and endemic trees in metropolitan Sydney.
After a short walk along the Georges River and a comfort stop we crossed the railway to take the 880m Bellbird walking track which meanders through dense forest up to Leacocks Lane for morning tea.
The track was true to its name – we heard the call of bell miners echoing through the trees and whipbirds often join the chorus.
We continued a short distance along the street, past All Saints Catholic School to walk by Glenfield Farm on our way to the western end of the park.
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We were kindly invited into the grounds to walk around the historic house and stables which date from circa 1817.
We persuaded a participant that we had further to go and we regrouped in the park
and descended wide wooden stairs to meet a wide concrete bike track along Glenfield creek, back to Casula station.
The bushland bordering the path was diverse with lots of birds flitting around.
At the station we crossed to the tables beside the river for lunch and then to Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre for a coffee and appreciation of their exhibitions.
Walkers: Ann D, David R, Dennis, John M, Lyndy, Marilyn, Nick B, Sue B, Sue K.
Led by Pauline T and Anne G
Photos: Pauline Words: Anne