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It was just one of those magical spring days with plenty of sunshine to encourage our sun orchids to open when our large group of keen participants arrived at the Harvey St entrance to the heathy woodlands. With Margaret and Alison as leaders we split into two groups and for the next hour we explored this special area where so many orchids had been appearing following a fuel reduction burn in April 2023.

Although many species which had been flowering in late September had finished or were fading quickly, there were still many beautiful flowers to admire.

Great Sun Orchid

Great Sun Orchid

The most spectacular were the Great Sun Orchids, Thelymitra aristata, that were scattered in the area – certainly the highlight. Some of them, ranging up to almost 1metre in height, were greatly admired with some of our visitors viewing this species for their first time.

The colony of Large White Spider Orchids,Caladenia venusta, with hybrid flowers, C.venusta x tentaculata, was another highlight, and our visitors enjoyed the challenge of finding a hybrid flower in amongst the many Large White spider Orchid flowers.  

Large White Spider Orchid

Large White Spider Orchid

Caladenia hybrid

Caladenia hybrid

Lynn managed to catch the male Thynnine Wasp in action on one of the Large White Spider Orchid flowers.

Wasp in action

Wasp in action

The other parent, Eastern Mantis Orchid, Caladenia tentaculata, had already been observed on the side of the track and also was flowering close by.

Eastern Mantis Orchid

Eastern Mantis Orchid

There were many other orchids seen as we walked through the area. Red Beaks, Pyrorchis nigricans, Heart-lipped Spider Orchids, Caladenia cardiochila, Dusky Caladenia, C. fuscata, Pink Fingers, C. carnea, and some of the smaller Sun Orchids, Slender Sun Orchid, Thelymitra pauciflora, Rush-leaf Sun Orchid, T. juncifolia, and Salmon Sun Orchid, T. rubra, were some of the species ticked off on our lists.

Group in orchid territory

Group in orchid territory

Just when we had finished this part of the walk we were delighted to find Pink Sun Orchids, Thelymitra carnea, growing on the edge of the track. This is a rare orchid for our district and it was greatly admired.

Pink Sun Orchid

Pink Sun Orchid

Lynn taking a photo of the orchid hiding amongst the grasses

Lynn taking a photo of the orchid hiding amongst the grasses

We had morning tea near the ‘lookout’ overlooking the former Alcoa mine.

Morning Tea break

Morning Tea break

People enjoyed the opportunity to have a rest before heading off on the heathland track walk.

We started walking at Messmate Track and branched off on Strip Track that took us on a circuit walk down the hillside and eventually climbing upwards and finishing on Acacia Track which led us back to our starting point.

Circle of people on walk

Lines of walkers making their way along the narrow tracks

Lines of walkers making their way along the narrow tracks

There were plenty of flowers to admire as the area was very rich in flora biodiversity.  It was a little challenging in the warm weather but being less than 2km we all managed to complete the walk without too much effort.

It was such a delight to be in the field with so many interested people who thoroughly enjoyed what Anglesea had to offer at this time of the year.

Marg. MacDonald and Alison Watson
Photos Lynn Bunning, Gail Slykhuis, Kaye Traynor, Alison Watson, Marg MacDonald