Drivng back from the Gloucester district a few weeks ago, I passed above the very steep and narrow, very special gully near Dungog where a remnant rainforest of giant trees like figs and stinging trees and white cedars stand tall and proud amidst a dense jungle of vines competing for the light.
I am always freshly struck by the sight of this small pocket of grandeur, a reminder of how so much of the country around here must have been like once.
This time, however, my eye caught unusual splashes of white high up in a native fig. It was some distance downhill before I could pull over and walk back.
Thanks to the magic of my zoom lens, I could be sure that they were King Orchids (Dendrobium speciosum, var. hillii) Hundreds of feet up, several fat clumps of them had colonised in forks of the trunk, clinging on with their fleshy fingers as they climbed along the broad branches. A staghorn shared their treehouse.
These spectacular sprays of white were even more so because they were here in this special, natural place – no gardener had placed them there.
At the time, my orphaned clumps of the same orchid had been still in bud, my place being so much higher in altitude.
Now, their turn has come.
Grounded, they are closer to me and I can see their colour range from cream to white, the dab of yellow in each throat, and the tiny maroon ‘freckles’ that lead to it. And I can smell them — honeysweet like wattle, but with an edge of musk.
They are part of the view from my outdoor loo, which will tell you partly why it was designed deliberately door-less.
Hi Gaye,
Good to hear from you – with such kindred appreciation of nature as always. I’ll be on the lookout there for that pigeon from now on.
Hello Sharyn,
Like you, I am always awe-struck when I pass that special pocket of preserved rainforest on the way to Dungog. Just imagine what species of plants survive in that magnificent gully, and just imagine what plantlife and animal habitat was destroyed as the surrounding hillsides were indiscriminately cleared by our forefathers. I saw a Wompoo Pigeon there about 12 months ago, the first one I have seen in the Hunter Valley – what a treat that was.
Cheers
Gaye
I can just see you admiring the wall and drumming your heels against the dunny seat to that tune Trev – or are you strumming?
Hi Sharyn, you never fail to amaze! I’ve never taken my camera to the dunny…ever! But I will now. At least I’ll get a photo of my latest dry stone wall…” I am a dry-stone-waller..I love to dry stone wall….If I’m not dry stone walling I have no fun at all….” Oh shut up Trev.
But DWG, you’ve read my book –there are no people here to peep. And the wallabies don’t care.
Absolutely breathtaking!! Only words to describe such beauty in the wild!!!! Now for the doorless loo….even with orchids..I might have to give a second thought!!! Wonderful post!! DWG
Hello Fleur,
I bet the wildflowers are wonderful over your way in Esperance too!
Hi Sharyn, just a stunning post! Isn’t spring wonderful, with all the new life and beauty around us? It just fills us with hope and delight!