DCP_3057.JPG 09:07
Heading off
Winterbourne Grid Reference 915.44 969.49
DCP_3057.JPG 09:07
Heading off
Winterbourne Grid Reference 915.44 969.49
DAY 14
Wallamarra Road to Spring Camp Creek exploratory walk, Sunday 1st June, 2003
Note - almost all of this walk is on the Enmore 1:25000- Serial Number 9236 - 1- S - plus a small portion on the Winterbourne 1:25000 map- Serial Number 9236-2-N
Summary of the Day 14 walk
This 19.4 km walk started a little before the proposed campsite at the old Melrose township, as we hadn't walked that section before.
Access is easy both ends, though, I think, not on a public road at the western end. It's a pleasant walk down to Melrose from the Wallamarra road, and the old townsite should be restored with plaques and an interpretative sign at least. It's an ideal site for a campsite tucked discreetly away on Graham McLennan's place- maybe at 929 982. The walk across the creek and up the hill is interesting, and the climb out of Postmans is trivial. After 45 minutes you hit a good firetrail, and this winds through some very beautiful tall forest for another hour. The open country is a shock, but after you pass the Finlaysons and the big dams on their place it becomes reasonable pleasant walking to the gorge edge. (We need to climb Blue Nobby Mountain- could be a gee whiz point).
The lunch point below is an expansive view- though I bet Blue Nobby's is better. The walk along the Dingoproof is interesting, and quite easy. Spring Camp Falls is lovely- really worth the walk on its own. An ideal spot for a honeymoon couple to spend an idyllic weekend.
Day 14 (E) = "Enmore 9236- 1 - S"
Cross Postmans Creek, climb to hit State Forest track at 916 999 - ASL 1170 2.50 2.50 2.00
(N on road- take left fork in road at (E) 916 005- ASL 1140 0.50 3.00 0.05
(Preferred) (N on road- take right fork in road at (E) 914 011 -ASL 1100 0.75 3.75 0.10
(W on road to Blue Nobby (E) 900 011-ASL 1070 1.50 5.25 0.20
(N on 4WD track to summit Blue Nobby Mountains (E) 908 026-ASL1183 3.00 8.25 1.15
(W from summit to hit 4WD track at (E) 899 022- ASL 1040 1.00 9.25 0.20
(N on 4WD track to gorge edge at (E) 900 044 -ASL 960 2.25 11.50 0.35
(W X-country to Spring Camp Creek (E)864 037-ASL 920 Camp 4.00 15.50 1.30 T 6.15
(Altern.to above; (N on road- take left fork in road at (E) 914 011 -ASL 1100 0.75 3.75 0.05
(N on road, then Xcountry, across creek and up to Mt Crow (E) 921 028 - ASL 1097 2.00 5.75 1.00
Around edge of gorge N then W to Spring Camp Creek (E)864 037-ASL 920 Camp 7.00 12.75 2.30 T 6.00
(the campsite is on land belonging to Tim Wright 6778 7133- positive attitude to track, OK for exploratory party, but not yet approached about hosting a campsite)
Access- 40 km Armidale via Dangarsleigh, Enmore, Blue Nobby and Brennans Rd
Party of David Lawrence, Don Hitchcock, Andrew Pearson and Mathew Milson. The plan was to position cars, then walk from the Wallamarra Road north to the old Melrose township site, and then across Postmans Creek, up the spur, across to "Blue Nobby", north to Salisbury Waters gorge edge, then along back to Spring Camp Falls.
Started at 9.13, GPS reading AMG 91560 96700. Gentle track down towards Melrose, the site of the old township- very pleasant walking on a clear track . Photo at 92191 98233 (gate about 250 metres from the old Melrose township). Reached township at 9.40, waypoint as we go through the dingo gate is 92358 98428
9258198352 (at 9.46am) Postmans Creek crossing, very little water, - bridge needed -Lomandra, Leptospermum polygalifolia, Verbena bonariensis, Urtica incisa. Bit of a steep pull getting onto the ridge, but only for a couple of minutes. Acacia filicifolia, Stringybark , Angophora floribunda
Rough-barked Apple Angophora floribunda A 20 X 15 m tree with contorted branches, coarse grey bark to the small branches, opposite leaves and ribbed fruits without a bud cap Stem: covered with rough bark to small (usually crooked) branches Leaves: Sucker leaves often sessile, stem-clasping and cordate, 10 X 5 cm. Adults leaves opposite, stalked, with distinctly parallel lateral veins, 7-12 X 1.5-2.5 cm, bright green Flowers: White, fragrant, profuse, late Winter to Summer Fruit: 8-10 mm diameter, ribbed, with no bud cap Habitat: Qld, Vic, NSW, OWRNPtf, DangF- usually on deep alluvial soils near watercourses, sometimes found on slopes Family: Myrtaceae Images: References: Beadle etal 1982
(Good stock feed, beautifully perfumed when in flower; don't camp under them - they often drop limbs unexpectedly- terrible firewood)
scattered woodland, number of tracks obviously made by miners, now all fallen in. 92696 98383 Top of first bit of ridge - another Exocarpus cupressiformes- not particularly good specimen- link to prevous photos
Cherry Ballart Exocarpus cupressiformis Form: A tree to 4 X 3 metres, with an erect, stout and spreading stem, and soft drooping branchlets . Leaves: alternate, reduced to minute scales Flowers: in spikes 3-6 mm long, tiny, in 5 segments, Fruit: an exocarp, with a bright red succulent stalk 5-6 mm in diameter holding a globular nut at the end. Habitat: NSW, Invergowrie, OWRNPt, WollF, BudRow, EnmA, in sites adjacent to mature Eucalypts - a hemiparasite Family: Santalaceae www.science.siu.edu/.../Santalaceae/ images/Exo.cup.frt.JPEG : www.science.siu.edu/.../images/ Exocarpos.cup.JPEG
Could be quite possible to walk around the ridge that Maurice Anker wants to do, and then drop down into Melrose, and climb back up the next day - only a little climb .
92718 98430 Photo up ridge - Banksia integrifolia and a dense stand of Oxylobium ilifolium - heaps of it in a south-facing steep gully
Honeysuckle Banksia integrifolia a large bushy banksia with short, blunt-tipped entire leaves, white underneath Form: An evergreen tree, 7 X 4m, occasionally much bigger Leaves: short, blunt-tipped usually entire, sometimes tip serrate, 5-10 X 1.5- 2 cm, prominently white underneath. Flowers: Yellow cylindrical spikes, 7-14 X 7 cm , Mar, Apr, May Habitat: NSW, Vic, Q, OWRNP, BudRow Family: Protaceae Images: References: Beadle etal 1984, Bodkin, 1986
Native Holly Oxylobium ilicifolium a spiny shrub to 1 m, with lobed leaves, often growing in clumps on steep southern slopes A shrub to 1.4 metres Leaves: are opposite, blades lobed and with a spine terminating each 2-4 cm lobe Flowers: in axillary or terminal racemes, corolla orange-yellow, standard about 8 mm across, in Spring Fruit: Pod 1 - 2 cm long, Habitat: Qld, Vic, NSW OWRNP, EnmA - Low fertility soils often growing in clumps on steep southern slopes Family: Fabaceae References: Beadle etal 1084, Blomberry 1973 Images: epanet.angelnco.com/.../ podolobiumilicifoliumbh.jpg
9.58 On ridge at local high point , 92733 98583 a perfectly good track on crest of ridge lots of Jacksonia scoparia (think we have a photo of it somewhere)
Native Broom Jacksonia scoparia A leafless grey-green shrub with cream to yellow- orange pea flowers in late Winter to Spring Form: A shrub to 3 X 1 metre, sometimes a small tree Leaves: reduced to scales - apparently leafless angular branchlets Flowers: long racemes of pea flowers each 5 -10 mm long, cream to orange-yellow Fruit: a 1 cm pod with 2 seeds Habitat: Widespread in New England- OWRNPt, ApsleyF, WollF, DangF, EnmA, , BudRow, GarG, especially in well-drained stony soils Family: Fabaceae Images: www.gu.edu.au/ins/lils/ webb/img2/9-36b.jpg
Continue walking up ridge- well covered with snow grass Poa sieberana (This is probably the most common grass in the undisturbed sections of the WWW. Grasses are hell to describe and key out, but this one is vary common and very distinctive.)
Snow Grass Poa sieberana very common, 15- 80 cm erect fine-leaved tussock grass
Leaves: blades distinctly green, smooth to scabrous Habitat: Qld, Vic, Tas, NSW, OWRNPApsleyF, DangF, WollF, BudRow, EnmA, MooF, GarG, Threlf Family: Poaceae References: Wheeler etal , 1982 Images:
and also first Casuarina torulosa (you'd taken a good photo somewhere else, and Lorrainne has a couple)
10.12, just passed Hibbertia obtusifolia- first one seen today .
Guinea Flower Hibbertia obtusifolia A low grey shrub to 60 cm. The stems are somewhat woody, brown, and covered in short hairs. Leaves are grey-green, alternate/sometimes whorled, with the widest part about 2/3 of the way along the blade. Main stem leaves 10-30 X 2-10 mm, with smaller leaves on axillary shoots. Flowers are bright golden-yellow solitary, more or less stalkless, terminal on short axillary branches, and 20- 50 mm across. In the centre are 30-40 stamens encircling the carpels.Though flowers are most profuse in late winter and spring, some appear in other seasons too. The fruit is a follicle opening from the top. Habitat (96684 90362) is scrubland and open forest, on sandy soils. Some good Images can be found at
life.csu.edu.au/herb/images/ hibbertia/hibbobtu922l.JPG http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/717332712442/001_2.jpg
10.20 - local high point - very smooth very easy walking, sighted mob of kangaroos - Eastern Greys - also Melichrus urceolatus
Urn Heath Melichrus urceolatus A shrub to 1.5 m high. Leaves are more or less stalkless, crowded, lanceolate, 10-25 X 2-6 mm, with a sharp point. Flowers are alone in the leaf-axils, with tiny overlapping bracts at the base, a 5-7 mm silkyy calyx, and greenish white to cream petals, joined in a tubular base 4-5 mm long, and spreading at the top into lobes 2-3 mm long. Flowers can be found at any time of the year. Fruit is nearly globular, fleshy, greenish brown, usually lighter at apex, and 3-6 mm diameter. Habitat: sandy soils in woodlands and forests NSW, OWRNPApsleyF, WollF, BudRow, EnmA, GarG Family: Epacridaceae
Image: http://www.anbg.gov.au/images/photo_cd/717332712442/029_2.jpg
92413 99295 (10.24) - standing on road at leading up ridge bearing about south-east , goes down ridge. This road definitely needs exploring - it may actually connect across to the ridge to the east of this ridge which parallels Postmans Creek, and leads down as an alternative out of Blue Mountain Creek
92283 99390 Photo Eucalyptuc saligna
Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus saligna A magnificent forest tree, up to 50 metres or more in height, often with a small amount of rough bark at the base, and then very smooth, blue-grey trunk and branches. The juvenile leaves are narrow- lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, undulate, with blades 3-6 X 2-3 cm. The adult leaf-blades are 10-12 X 1.5-3 cm, deep green and concave on the upper surface, with a much paler undersurface with a projecting midvein. The lateral veins are conspicuouly parallel. Buds are usually in clusters of 7-11, with a the floral tube about as long as the conical bud-cap, which often has a projecting beak. Flowers appear in late Summer. The fruit is conical to bell-shaped, 6-7 X 6-7 mm, more or less stalkles, sometimes covered with a blue waxy bloom, sometimes green ; the valves vary from just above the rim level to strongly exserted, usually conspicuously out-curved. The preferred habitat (94072 87549) is in forests on moist fertile soils, sometimes as an emergent in rainforests.
Images (not very good) : www.anbg.gov.au/.../images/ eucalyptus-saligna-small1.jpg www.fpc.wa.gov.au/seed/ products_eucalypt_sawlog_species.htm
92062 99485 Photo down road, picking up Blue gums, Messmate E. obliqua
Messmate Eucalyptus obliqua A big (to 60 X 30 metres) shaggy tree, with roughbark all over, deeply enclosed valves in barrel-shaped fruit and big leathery oblique leaves Bark: Dark brown coarsely fibrous to slightly stringy to the small branches Leaves: alternate, simple. Juvenile leaves 6-8 X 3-4 cm; adult leaves stalked, often very oblique at the base, dark green, 10-16 X 2-3 cm, with lateeral veins at an angle of 20-30 degrees Flowers: 7-flowered, caps much shorter than the hypanthium, flowers late summer Fruit: Enclosed valves; stalked to almost sessile; ovate to barrel-shaped, 7-9 X 8-9 mm; disc deeply depressed Habitat: Qld, Vic, Tas, SA, NSW OWRNP, BudRow Usually in tall moist forests on good soils Family: Myrtaceae
Images: References: Beadle etal 1982
(Note: this was the first Eucalypt named, by the French botanist L'Heritier, in Tasmania. It's an excellent source of timber, and the common name comes from its habit of "Messmating" with other species- it seldom forms pure stands)
91879 99422Met on a T (XXX Add Waypoint) a good bush road coming down from North, we turned right (north)
91949 00062 (Matts Gully) Photo of very beautiful gully looking down into it, with wet sclerophyll forest, and understory of ferns, with Dicksonia antarctica prominent
Road continues on - beautiful walking, on a good grade, with great ferns bordering the road
92120 000335 (11.05) Hit the top to find a cool breeze, back in pure stringybark, dense understory of Acacia filicifolia, ferns on disturbed edge of road, misty environment
91867 000697 (11.10) T-junction in road, heading NE- SW - morning tea.
11.27 Travelled right on road for about 200 metres- returned - looked wrong - back SW
917?? 005?? Big stand of Cassinia leptocephala (dead now- link to previous photo)
91615 00549 (11.37) T-junction - road apparently continues around the mountain, so we took the turn to the right
91384 01095 Gate in Dingo Fence. Signs "Collecting of Firewood Prohibited", "Oxley Wild Rivers National Park" and "1080 Wild Dog Poison Laid On This Property" The first bit of walking on the open land was a shock- it had been fairly recently cleared, and look awful
Passing survey marks on this road- is this a public road??
90064 01134 Arrived at "Blue Nobby" Knocked on the door - no one home - belongs to the Finlaysons.
89846 01333 Photograph of wallaroo and dam- actually two very big dams on a tributary of Owens Creek below "Blue Nobby"
(Don- there's good stuff about wallaroos on http://www.australianstamp.com/Coin-web/feature/nature/commwall.htm)
Passed through gate on BN-
89847 01868 Photo -being mobbed by group of well-bred "Waler" horses.
The name 'Waler' is derived from the term 'New South Waler', a horse bred in New South Wales, and Australia's first colony. It was coined as a term for colonial bred horses used both in Australia and as remounts for the British Army in India. Rajahs also bought Walers for military and recreational use such as polo. Walers, through the flourishing remount trade, were sold to India from the 1840's to the 1940's and were supplied to the Australian Army for the Boer War and World War I, where their feats of endurance and courage became legendary. More… http://www.ozehorses.com/australianhorses/WALER.shtml
Since leaving the above location, walking in fine granite with small tors- very pleasant walking conditions on good property roads
90030 02874 (12.43) Photo of much more undulating country on as we near the edge of the gorge. Beginning to enter area of bigger granite tors - mostly cleared- Angophora floribunda. Acacia filicifolia, Leptospermum sp, E. viminalis?
90162 03320 Gate in Dingo proof fence, 1.60 metres, foot netting then close jointed Ringlock, heavy steel gate over a bedlog to prevent dingoes digging under, with a very secure latch. Also stand-off electic wire. (entering OWRNP)
89897 04294 (1.04 Lunch Stop) Mel-Spring3 Waypoint averaged A good viewpoint on edge of gorge- Photo - can see the heart of the New England (also known by cartoon addicts as "The Mickey Mouse Ears" )
Left 1.43
89827 04294 Solanum - weed of waste spaces
Forest Nightshade Solanum prinophyllum A 50 cm annual herb with 5- X 3-5 cm deeply lobed leaves, 10 mm prickles on all but the petals, lilac-blue 10-15 mm bell flower and a 15-20 mm green or purple berry. Leaves are are elliptical, 5-8 X 3-5 cm, deeply lobed, with the lobes themselves toothed or lobed, and with 5-10 mm prickles and scattered, minute hairs on the blade. Flowers are in loose clusters, usually 1-6 flowered (usually 2-3 flowers on common stalk), lilac to blue, bell-shaped, 10-15 cm long, with 5 equal stamens, and the distinctive feature of prickles on the calyx. Fruit is a 15-20 mm green or purple berry. Habitat: Margins of Rainforest and forests generally. Family: Solanaceae Images: none on Web, June 2003
889713 04199 (Photo?) Senecio - leaves deeply divided to near midrib, total length of each leaf 3 cm withs several lobes, flower pedunculate, involucre cylindrical with several layers of bracts, about 12 ligular florets in each head, each floret petal 1 cm , , lanceolate-broad lanceolate, blunt-tipped , disc florets about 1 mm (Don- This is probably one of the subspecies of Senecio lautus- there are three different ssp. in OWRNP- will refer it to UNE)
89618 04067 Gate just before Owens Creek (go back into John Westons place) Very steep crossing Crossing Owens Creek -Bursaria spinosa (do we have a picture of this, Don?) - Lomandra- Melaleuca bracteata- Lept. polygalifolia. Continuing on the inside of the fence, we noticed from here that the foot-netting had been tied on the inside- the wrong side- and dogs had obviously been getting under
Blackthorn Bursaria spinosa Big spiky 3 X 3 metre green shrub with oblanceolate 1-4 cm leaves and fruit cases like tiny brown purses Stem: branched, spiny, often covered in black mould Leaves: alternate, 1-4 X 0.5 - 1.2 cm, oblanceolate, bright green Flowers: in big 10-25 cm clusters at the end of branches, each flower 1 mm sepals falling before the flower opens, and then 5 white spreading petals, 4-6 mm long. Fruit: is brown, kidney-shaped, 6-8 mm wide, thin-walled flattened capsule, with 2 compartments.psule Habitat: forests or river flats , NSW, Arding, GU, OWRNPt, WollF, DangF, GarG, Threlf Family: Pittosporaceae Images: References: Beadle etal 1982; Wrigley and Fagg, 1979
89254 04209 Photo (panorama?) also Photo, Specimen of Stringybark
Broadleaved Stringybark Eucalyptus caliginosa Tree to 30 X 15 metres, stringybark to the small branches, very common especially on ridgetops, 7-15 flowered, 6-8 mm fruit,valves just exserted/enclosed
Stem: covered with grey stringybark to all but the smallest branches Leaves: adult leaves lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 6-14 X 2.3.5 cm Flowers: 7-15 flowers in Winter, bud cap conical, about as long as the hypanthium Fruit: valves enclosed to slightly exserted, 6-8 mm in diameter, crowded, disc flat or convex, 1-2 mm across Habitat: Qld, NSW, OWRNPt, WollF, ApsleyF, DangF, EnmA, BudRow, GarG, Threlf - very common on ridges and hilltops Family: Myrtaceae Images: References: Beadle etal 1982
(the common stringybark on hilltops in pastoral New England)
88826 04203 Gate in Dingo Fence
88415 04173 End of new dingo fence - road parallelling fence for much of this stretch. Looking back to new road clearly - service road
87648 03841 Red Bellied Black Snake Don - this is from the following website - it squares with
| Photo: C & D Frith Australian Tropical Reptiles & Frogs | Red-Bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyricus) …1 This is one of eastern Australia’s best known larger poisonous snakes. …2 Although its venom is not lethal it should be treated as such and a bite should be treated seriously. …3 There is no record of |
| any human ever having died from the bite of a Red-Bellied Black Snake. | |
| Markings: …1 The common name originates from the slightly pinkish colour of its ventral (underside), scales and the first row of its lateral (topside) scales. …2 It is jet black in colour with a paler brownish snout. …3 The underside of the tail is bla | |
| ckish …4 It is not aggressive and is not eager to cause a disturbance and attack. When it is provoked, it will recoil into its striking stance as a threat but will try to escape at the first opportunity. …5 It is a diurnal snake that is usually associat | |
| ed with streams and water bodies. …6 When not hunting or basking it may be found beneath timber, under rocks or down holes and burrows. …7 Adults average a length of 1.5 meters but healthy specimens can reach 2.5meters. …8 Young hatch from membranous s | |
| acs and are laid in clutches of 12 to 20. |