A half-glass walk to Quambie Point

It has been reported to me, by an orchid expert that a guru in the matter of orchids had found a very unusual greenhood at Quambie Point (the Mallacoota brochure spells it Quamby in text, but every other reference in the brochure and everywhere else is to Quambie) in August of a recent year.  Never having been to that part of Croajingolong NP that seemed like a good catalyst for doing so.

Here is a copy of the relevant extract from a 1:50k topo map.

We drove to the locked gate at the start of the track to Quambie Point.  As we got past the gate I mentioned to Frances that the notes in the tourist brochure included the words "moderate slopes": she opined I could have mentioned that a tad earlier (such as before leaving home).  After returning I grabbed a few heights and distances off the map and created a profile.

It does overemphasise the steepness but I would say "bloody steep" was a better pair of words,  Here is the final drop down towards the inlet - specifically Top Lake.

 As we headed up the first climb I commented that a "glass half full person" would enjoy this as it meant we had some downhill on the return.  Frances  commented that a "glass half-empty person" would reflect on the precipice we had just come down.  With hindsight I think I line up in the latter camp!

At some point before we got to the turnoff to Campshot Point we found a very nice Caladenia catenata beside the track.  This is the first finger orchid we've found this year.

It is unusual to find a single orchid but that seemed to be the situation until we found 5 more white jobbies in the middle of the track.  Obviously the track isn't much used.

When we got to the bottom of the second steep section the vegetation seemed to change to a much damper habitat.  Very soon we found

1. Mosquitoes, and
2. Greenhoods.

The greenhoods were again in the middle of the track.  These were Pterostylis grandiflora.

Shortly after came some P. nutans.

Getting nearly to the bottom of the third cliff the track transformed into a turning circle.  So the glass half-full view is that at least we didn't have to go right down to the water.  Among the many P nutans we noticed this emerging flower and got excited that it might be our target,  Unfortunately our expert has advised that it's just another P nutans yet to get its full strength.

At one point in the walk we came across a fallen sapling.  It was obvious that a caterpillar had been touring the premises and weakened the trunk.  In the image the track; the sawdust (aka caterpillar crap) left behind; and the hole through which the egg had been inserted are visible.

The walk was enhanced by the calls of several species of Honeyeaters (Red Wattlebird; Yellow-faced; White-naped; Crescent and - surprisingly - Scarlet) feeding in the canopy.  Some of the blossom had fallen on the track.

Also on the track were several samples of fox poop.   Interestingly near the start of the track they all appeared old and dried out while towards the water the seemed much fresher.  Possibly the reynardine lower down hasn't munched a bait yet?

Going back was as glass half-empty as we had thought, but we made it!