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19th Ave New York, NY 95822, USA

Walk – Ironbark Drive and Zig-Zag Track through heathlands

In perfect walking weather – calm, dry, cool with dappled sunlight, 17 walkers completed a figure of eight walk in the Aireys Inlet area.

This involved two separate circuits. The first was around Ironbark Drive, starting with a short steep walk up Loves track from the Distillery Creek Rd end to the start of Ironbark Drive.

Group at start of walk on Loves Track
Group at start of walk on Loves Track

 Group at start of ironbark Drive
Group at start of ironbark Drive

Those people who had binoculars saw a number of Crescent Honeyeaters obviously feeding on the flowering Ironbarks.

Ironbark Drive
Walking amongst the Ironbarks on Ironbark Drive

 Due to recent rains the fungi was ever-present, attracting a lot of camera shots.

Fungus

Fungus

 

Morning tea was back at the Distillery Creek Picnic ground, where a Bassian Thrush was seen over near the small dam.

Morning tea
Enjoying morning tea amongst the Ironbarks. Flowers were strewn on the picnic tables and on the ground.

 

A pleasant walk along the Currawong Falls Track followed.


Ray and Ross pose beside one of the interpretive signs on the Currawong Falls track

 The second circuit involved taking a feeder track, then crossing Distillery Creek Rd, later starting up the nearby “Tip track” , leading off to a zig-zag path that gradually climbed towards Teds Track extension. This path was notable for it’s fields of red heath mixed with a virtual lawn of healthy grasstrees and some pale yellow Sweet Wattle.

Zig-zag track
Climbing the zig-zag track

Red Heath
Field of red heath

Heath and wattle
Red Heath and Sweet Wattle intermingled

 A welcome lunch was enjoyed on top of the highest point, with views of the sea, Aireys Inlet and the nearby hills


A perfect spot for lunch with great extensive views.

Descending down towards the cars along Snakey Gully Track, the red heath display was dazzling, mixed again with even more Sweet Wattle. These tracks are worth repeating in early spring when the red/pale yellow flowers mixed with the green of the grasstrees are even more spectacular.

In contrast with the pale Sweet Wattle, the bright yellow flowers of the Spreading Wattle were just starting to appear.

Spreading Wattle
Spreading Wattle, one of the special flowers of the area

Joe Bolza