It was a cool day, but there was weak sunshine to welcome the group of 11 ANGAIR members who joined us for the Nature Ramble on June 6.  This area of the Ironbark Basin is always a great one to walk, linking the heathy woodland vegetation with great coastal views.

There is always so much to see along the sides of the track and we were soon down on our knees to check out some of the smaller plants as Evelyn recorded the vegetation people were identifying.

Colonies of Mosquito Orchids Acianthus pusillus soon caught our eyes. Late flowering this year, they were just coming into bloom.

Climbing Sundews Drosera macrantha, although not in flower, were very beautiful with moisture glistening on the edges of the leaves.

The coastal views are just so spectacular and were greatly admired.

Back into the heathy woodland there were two treasures to share:-

A spectacular clump of Small-flowered Mat-rush Lomandra microphylla growing perilously in the middle of the track.

And small groups of delicate Banded Greenhoods Pterostylis sanguinea in amongst the more ‘hostile’ vegetation of sedges and other stiffer plants.

We identified 42 species of flora– a good start for a list for this particular area.

Margaret MacDonald