A Wingan Adventure

 As the weather was pleasant and we felt like exploring a nearby area which we hadn't previously visited we decided to go to Wingan Inlet on 17 September.  Here is the route we took.  According to Google maps this is 85.6 km and should take 1:39, depending on traffic.  We felt it unlikely there would be any traffic issues once we turned off the Princes Highway

The road from the Highway to the campground was 35 km, with occasional distances painted on the trunks of trees.  The road was in quite good condition so I trundled along at about 80kph.  I noticed a marker for the Wingan Link Track and thought that if it was open it would cut off quite a bit of distance.

This water trough was a nice touch at the campground.  Presumably it is gravity fed from a creek somewhere.  A sign did say not potable.

We decided to take a walk to the beach (and once we got there, along the beach).  The walk was rather good, with omly a few bits of timber across it to be inconvenient.

As we walked along close to the water we were surprised to see a bloke fishing in the Inlet.  He seemed surprised to see us as well!  At the end of the track we had a good view out to the Skerries.

They were well endowed with seals!

Also a few Black-faced Cormorants - arrowed.  (Later I noticed a lot of Silver Gulls and Cormorants roosting on the rocks, but didn't take a photo.)

While looking out the fisherman came past us.  He chatted for a while - probably hadn't had anyone to talk to for a few days!  He had been working in the ski fields. but that job had run out so he was off to his next work, in Melbourne.  He was headed to the mouth of the Inlet where he had caught some Salmon on the Saturday.

This is Rame Head.  The walking track goes over the ridge on the inland side.  It was named by Cook as it resembled a feature on Plymouth Harbour.  From Google Earth it appears to be 71m high - but looks a fair bit more than that.

Some of the rocks at the end of the beach.

There were a lot of empty shells washed up at the end of the beach and some live shells on the rocks.  The arrow points to a large, live, Triton just in the water.  The iNaturalist system has identified the shell as Charonia lampas (Knobbed Triton Snail).

There were a lot of Oysters and Sea Anemones on the rocks visible as low(ish) tide.

A cache of washed up, and largely broken, shells.

A selection of shells laid out below a notice.  This would probably piss-off Parks as the shells had been moved from where the ocean had dumped them.

I have submitted this to iNaturalist which as frequently happens proposed an African species.  It is some form of everlasting but I can't sort out which!  The iNaturalist system has confirmed Coronidium elatum White paper daisy.

This puzzled us as the flowers were the colour of Indigophora but appeared to be growing on a vine rather than a shrub.  There I unravelled the vine a little and there were Indigphora leaves.

Back at the picnic area I spoke to some people about the Wingan Link Track.  They assured me it was open and the crossing of the river was on a big concrete bridge!  Here is the view from the middle of the Bridge, looking upstream.

The blue line in this shows the route back along the Link Track.  The red dashes show roughly the way we came.  The green dashes are the Link Track itself.  It took 22 minutes for that section.  According t Google Maps the way back was 81.6km (so saved 4km) but would take 1:36 (adding 7 minutes).  It was certainly slower driving on the track: 40-50kph as it was rather narrow with lots of blind corners: also a lot of fallen branches which made loud bangs on the underside of the car.  West Wingan Rd is the go when we return!

A stroll along the Chip track

In exploring possible sites for future group walks we went to the Chip track on 14 September 2023.  The last time I walked here the track was flooded, but as will be shown below the River has opened! 

I begin the core of the post with the flowers seen, as that was the main purpose of the outing.

The most obvious blossom was of Leptospermum laevigatum.  Surprisingly, that is not shown in "Wildflowers of the Wilderness Coast" but it is the only game in town (or in fact, out of town in the dunes).  Confirmed on iNaturalist.

One of the larger shrubs - possibly advanced to 'tree' status!  

Zooming in to show the density of blossom.  It was interesting that there were no fruits on the plants.

Kennedia rubicunda is still evident but less obvious now than in the 2 Summers after the fore.

Goodenia ovata

Lomandra longifolia

Leucopogon parviflora

This is a lignum Muehlenbeckia adpressa after ID on iNaturalist.

Senecio linearifolius: the specific name means "linear leaves" so is obviously a better ID than a species with a name meaning "pinnate leaves".  That is despite but the Plant app and Joy's book suggesting S. pinnatifolius as the only groundsel in dune country.

After assistance from observers on iNaturalist and referral to "Bush Beauties" this is Caladenia latifolia 'Pink Fairies'.

Banksia integrifolia

Carpobrotus rossii (Pigface).  Another species has leaves that are round in cross section rather than triangular as in this case.

A second orchid!  Pterostylis curta (note twisted labellum).

Melaleuca armillaris.

The banks of the Betka estuary.  Note the huge amount of dead eel-grass left behind as the water has gone.  No wonder there have been lots of swans in the area!

Still a few swans (out of frame) but at least 200 Eurasian Coots.

Wader tracks on the beach.

And here is a wader - Hooded Plover.   It did a mild threat-display which may mean they are starting to nest nearby, so I retreated.

A second Hoodie.  Neither of them were flagged.

A ladybird Harmonia conformis, the Large Spotted Ladybird.

The beach: one more person in 2.5km!

U3A field trip to "Track opposite Pony Club"

 The attached map shows the location of this walk. marked with green dots, and - to give context - how far along we made it in about 75 minutes (point A!).

Here are the observers getting down to work! 

Here is the list of species recorded on this site, both today and on our recce trip.  The first image is a melange of the flowers beside the track.  I commented on the walk that I thought this the best flowering season we have had at this site.  In view of the very dry season I felt this was (you should excuse the anthropomorphism) the plants seizing the last chance to produce seed rather reflecting good weather

There were several species of Acacia seen on the walk.  (My download for the District as a whole from iNaturalist includes 10 wattles.)  This one is A. oxycedrus.  Many of the other wattles have finished flowering.

The download includes representatives of 77 families.  The Family with the greatest number of subordinate taxa (species and subspecies) is the orchid family with 38 taxa.  Acacia is part of the Family Fabaceae together with a group of taxa in which the flowers show 'keels' and are commonly known as 'peas' as the group includes the green pea vegetable.   The next image is one of the commonest peas in the District Dillwynnia sericea.

The general nature of the vegetation here could be considered a heath, so it is not surprising to find the Common Heath, Epacris impressa here.  The pink form of this species is Victoria's floral emblem but most of those evident of the walk were white, with a few pink and red.

Pimelea linifolia

Another pea: Platylobium parviflorum.  This was once known as P. formosum, but that taxon has been split into several different taxa and is no longer accepted.

Another pea! Pultanaea hispidula.

A very common plant without the flamboyance of the peas.  The most noticeable feature of Xanthosia pilosa is the very lobed leaves covered with hairs (pilosa means hairy).  The yellow flowers can be difficult to pick out,