A quick session today as other commitments call. My focus is once again to make some more usable tracks. My intention is to get things to the point where I can walk to most areas throughout the reserve without have to hack or climb my way there.
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Just like the last few weeks, my first step is to clear the track besides the monstera on the upper level. From the photo, it still looks unusable, but after personally walking this section, it is a great track with a relatively gentle walkable slope and handholds where necessary. I suspect it was previously used as a track until the monstera grew over it. |
After this section is a bit of a track down to the Gahnia…
I hummed and hawed at this point though as I don’t want to encourage people to trample the Gahnia at the bottom. I have an alternative in mind so I have left this for now. It was interesting to find a swamp lilly and observe the native olive (I believe…) which the currawong has been loving so much.
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My intention is to let the track cross the creek before the Gahnia stretch and then go along the south bank to second fall before crossing back over to the north side.
I was happy to see the regrowth going well on the south side at Second fall. There is quite a few small native trees that I am happy to see. Elderberry panax, Blueberry ash, Sweet laurel, Hairy clerodendrum, Cheese tree and native olive off the top of my head. You can see a few of these in this photo:
On the northern side of second fall, things are also going well. It looks messy but most of the competing species are meant to be there with the exception of the fishbone fern. I have previously pruned back the fishbone fern rather than fully remove it as it is a precarious location and I have concerns about erosion. I believe it was the way to go but of course, it will always be there until I treat it more fully. That is hard as the location is quite tricky to access.
Looking up from Second fall to First fall, the scenery is quite delightful. I have a personal goal that I will one day be able to take this photo without thinking about the weeds that need to be removed.
In previous years I had cleared a track from Site A to Second fall. Even though it has largely been reclaimed, I can still see the results from the progress that was made as trees, ferns and some grasses popped up wherever I cleared and are still going strong.
It’s as clear as mud but in this photo I can see numerous native species that have also started growing since it was previously cleared.
I got to work with the time I had left and achieved what I was hoping for. A clear track upto the turn going to Site A. This will be a good starting place to work from.
Next Saturday, weather permitting, I will continue to push on with the tracks so I can access all areas that need to be worked on.