Coasts & Forests Tour, WA
Author: Jane Fountain, Brisbane Western Suburbs Branch
Published: Journal March 2020
Image above: Kingia australis flower stalks at Fernhook Falls, Deep River
I was looking forward to my first visit to the south-west corner of Western Australia for the 2019 ANPSA Conference, but I had to make a decision about which pre-conference tour to take and there were four to choose from! Being a tree and coast lover, I chose the ‘Coasts and Forests’ tour led by the very knowledgeable Bronwen and Greg Keighery. This five night tour went from Perth, south west to Busselton, along the coast to Cape Naturaliste, then south-east to Pemberton, the coast at Walpole and east to Albany. As we travelled the Swan coastal plain of windblown sand the white and pinks of wild Chamelaucium bushes beside the highway put us in the WA mood straight away.
Bronwen in her element
Peppermint Agonis flexuosa
Our first stop in the Yalgorup National Park took us back millions of years as we came to Lake Clifton with extensive areas of mounded thrombolites in the water. They are living communities of diverse micro-organisms and resemble the earliest forms of life on earth from up to 3,000 million years ago.
Nearby was a wealth of heathland in flower – brilliant yellow of Acacia and Hibbertia, striking large, deep purple flowers of Hovea and Hardenbergia, delicate curtains of Clematis, sprinklings of bright Kennedia coccinea and so many delightful flowers I didn’t know. The forest areas had trees that we would become familiar with – Peppermint Agonis flexuosa, and Tuart Eucalyptus gomphocephala and later a forest of Jarrah Eucalyptus marginata and Marri Corymbia calophylla with impressive Bull Banksia Banksia grandis.
Our overnight accommodation was quite grand and had a frontage to the Indian Ocean. Next morning we left Busselton to visit Cape Naturaliste on Geographe Bay – a reminder of the visit of French explorer Nicolas Baudin. The headland was covered in a wealth of closed heath such as Banksia sessilis var cordata, Flame Pea Chorizema, Spyridium, Pimelea, Spider orchids, Nodding Blue Lily Stypandra glauca to name a few, and we were all busy photographing, identifying and exclaiming as we do.
Banksia grandis flower at Whicher Scarp
Acacias and more
We travelled to nearby low hills of the Whicher Scarp which is identified as a biodiversity hotspot and for which the Keigherys had completed a significant floristic survey for the EPA. The open woodland revealed an extraordinary variety of flowering understorey plants. The overstorey was of Mountain Marri Corymbia haematoxylum, Woody pear Xylomelum occidentale with large dentated leaves, tall Banksia grandis, shiny leaved Kingia australis, and hemiparasitic Nuytsia floribunda, the WA Christmas Tree.
The abundant understorey showed off many colours – pinks, Hypocalymma angustifolium, Stylidium scandens, Pimelea ferruginea, Calytrix fraseri and Gompholobium confertum, and white Dasypogon, Stylidium piliferum, blue Patersonia babianoides, Dampiera linearis and dark purpley Hovea pungens and yellow Hibbertia rupicola, Conostylis setigera(?) Hakea amplexicaulis and Banksia attenuata amongst many others. What a feast of beautiful and interesting flora.
We finished the day near Pemberton at Forest Lodge Resort whose German owner/chef was out to impress us – which he did for two dinners and breakfasts!
Doing what we do best! Greg front and Shelley Gage centre at Cape Naturaliste
Next day we were off to a very different scene, into a forest of tall silvery-barked Karri Eucalyptus diversicolor surrounding a huge granite monolith (‘monadnock’) called Mount Chudalup. The gradually sloping walk up a wide path was hedged on both sides with 4m high undergrowth walls of green with bright, sweeping splashes of pale yellow Acacia urophylla and A. pentadenia and dark purple Hovea trisperma var. grandiflora with twining, coral Chorizema diversifolium, tea tree Taxandria parviceps, and yellow pea Eutaxia myrtifolia. Taking advantage of the path edges were many intriguing Leucopogon obovatus with their pointed leaves on a central stem, with many sporting pink flower spikes, and at their feet prostrate, bright yellow flowers of Hibbertia grossulariifolia, and also upright H. cuneiformis, with pale blue Orthrosanthus polystachyus(?) lily-like flowers. The path took us high and we left the trees and walked over sloping granite with deep moss gardens in and across every damp place. The day was appropriately cloudy and we could enjoy the miniature gardens of green velvety moss and pink Stylidium and Utricularia multifida on their fine stalks, the blue starry bulbs, Chamaescilla corymbosa surrounded by a shrubbery of Acacias and pink Verticordia plumosa, and Xanthorrhoea closer to the tree line.
Then off to the coast to see the amazing cliff line of crumbling rock from Tookulup Cliff Top Lookout along to Point D’Entrecasteaux as part of the National Park along the coast.
Here was another diversity of plants I knew nothing of! So many discoveries in a couple of days. Here were bright green low bushes kept trimmed by southern winds whipping over the cliff top, and even Banksia grandis had been kept to a metre or so. Acacia littorea was a mass of bright yellow with tiny triangle leaves; Scaevola crassifolia had strong, large, finely serrated leaves and pale blue flowers on upright stalks; Melaleuca systena was displaying its creamy brushes on stems densely covered with small leaves; massed branches of Hakea prostrata’s sharp holly leaves hid the fine, curved, cream stamens; the bright flower heads of White Spray Logania vaginalis surrounded by their dark green leaves were eye-catching, right beside a huge dense bush of Spyridium globulosum covered in oval leaves with furry cream flower heads; by contrast the many stemmed, silvery green, soft, fine leaved, Olearia axillaris stood upright; tucked amongst these robust shrubs were the fine stalks and leaves of Exocarpos odoratus, green with golden tips and Olax phyllanthi stood out with very different grey foliage of oval leaves cupped against each other along the low stems.
Anthocercis littorea
Melaleuca systena at Cape D’Entrecasteaux
Hakea prostrata at Cape D’Entrecasteaux
Nestled amongst rocks were Phyllanthus calycinus(?) the oakleaved Chlorilaena quercifolia with little creamy cup flowers with long fringes, and brightly shining above the small, dark green, slightly fleshy leaves were heads of the four pointed petals of pink Boronia alata. In 2012 bushfires had raced across this cliff top leaving bare branched tortured trees above the green wind-rounded plants.
From wind-blown cliff-top and southern ocean, we travelled inland to the Gloucester National Park and the calm of the forest of great Karris Eucalyptus diversicolor. Massed tallest grey trunks stretched out from the paths and it was amazing that such a great number of trees could be supported to grow to such heights. Like a ferny floor, the 4 to 5 metre understorey was sprinkled with Bracken Pteridium esculentum; the tall yellow of Bossia aquifolium, mixed with blue-purple large flowered Hovea elliptica, pale yellow and ferny leafed Acacia pentadenia and tall Trymalium floribundum with large leaves and spikes of white flowers and with bright yellow Hibbertia cuneiformis scrambling by the path edge.
Boronia alata at Cape D’Entrecasteaux
Gloucester Tree Karri at Fire Lookout,
Gloucester National Park
The ‘Gloucester Tree’ was the centre of attention for most visitors and I felt rather sorry for it with the long metal spikes stuck into it so that people could climb with only these spikes to tread and hold on to until they reached the lookout 53m high. There is no passing so once on the way, you have to go right up if someone is behind you.
Another adventure and wonderful scenery awaited us on day four as we set off for Fernhook Falls where Deep River cascaded over vast rounded, jagged or scooped granite rocks with bordering undergrowth beside the substantial walkways, including steps to stay close to the descending river. Again we saw striking tall, spiky Hakea amplexicaulis, colourful pink/ orange Kennedia coccinea, white sparkly stamens of Hypocalymma cordifolium, tall, grass-tree-like Kingia australis with globular flower heads on thick stems at the top, white starry Crowea angustifolia var platyphylla and delicate pink Boronia sp.
Crowea angustifolia Fernook Falls, Deep River
Mount Frankland
Eucalyptus jacksonii Ancient Giant Red Tingle at Valley of the Giants
Xanthosia rotundifolia Southern Cross
Many of these and more were at the next stop, nearby Mount Frankland National Park where there was an opportunity to climb the steps and ladder to the top of another huge granite dome, Mount Frankland. Surrounded by a forest of smooth, light grey Karri and rough, redbrown barked Marri Corymbia calophylla and stringy barked Red Tingle Eucalyptus jacksonii and the understorey, the mountain drew us up the path and along the edge were more lovely discoveries. There was a most unusual flower shaped like a cross called Southern Cross Xanthosia rotundifolia, Donkey Orchid Diuris longifolia, Wedding Bush Diuris glaucus, pink Verticordia and Spider Orchids on long thin stems. In spite of a little rain, some of us made it to the top where we were nearly blown away under grey skies.
Diuris sp Donkey Orchid at Mount Frankland
Persoonia longifolia Snottygobble bark
The next surprise was a visit to the Swarbrick Art loop – interesting and varied art installations in the forest – on the way to Walpole. Some plants on the way were the ubiquitous small tree Persoonia longifolia, with the unfortunate name Snottygobble (named for its seeds) with wonderful flaky purpley bark; low growing pink flowered Thomasia grandiflora with flowers hanging under the rambling, fine branches and the scrambling vine of pink/orange pea flowers of Chorizema ilicifolium with its holly leaves.
Our fifth and last day held more varied experiences. An early start at the Nornalup Inlet Marine Park revealed glassy reflections in a shallow estuary and we boarded a barge to glide down the waterway to the sandhills near the entrance, while the tour leader Gary Muir gave us a most stunning talk on almost everything in a manner akin to Steve Irwin on steroids! Walking up the steep, high sand dune to look down to the ocean, we saw a huge bush of pink Boronia alata, some white flower heads on long stalked Stackhousia monogyna and a huge Banksia seminuda which is food for honey possums.
Nornalup Inlet
We then travelled on to the Valley of the Giants to walk high at canopy level and visited the Giant Red Tingle Tree E. jacksonii and marvelled at how a tree with only a fraction of its enormous base could still be alive. They really are extraordinary trees. A tiny light blue Dampiera hederacea and deeply ridged Allocasuarina decussata also caught my attention.
And the last delight of the day was at the coast – Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks. The herd of giant granite ‘elephants’ cooled their feet in the white sand and green water of the little bay – what a joy! Also delightful were the little slug like fruit of the Hakea sp. and the white, five petalled Anthocercis viscosa bright against the dark green, large, rounded leaves.
What an extraordinary tour – I could not have imagined such a wealth of flowers, wonderful trees, and all connected to a fascinating geology.
Anthocercis viscosa at Greens Pool
Gompholobium scabrum at Whicher Scarp
Fernhook Falls
Cape D’Entrecasteaux
Elephant herd! at Greens Pool