Water features

Following my goal of investigating the fire trails between Port Macquarie and Lake Cathie, I chanced upon this short track.

It was a place where only water-loving trees and plants would live.

The track was not marked as a fire trail and soon ended in a large ‘puddle’ cum pool, clearly much loved by 4WDers. Its muddy depth was impossible to tell, and, not having my gumboots with me, I stopped short of wading through. Water lay either side, so going around was not possible.

But the mirror-imaged young paperbarks, standing slim in their gentle lagoon, were enough to keep my interest.

This seedling glowed with its young growth, a delicate touch of colour amongst the water grasses.

The grasses looked frail but were enough to support these intricate multi-level web constructions, catching the light to become ethereally beautiful.

I suspect the ‘grasses’ were fine reeds, looking at this close-up.

The banksias here were particularly spectacular, and I thought this golden marvel of colour and pattern would be the high point.

But just around the corner, in more sunlight, were several shrubs with stunning gold-tipped silky red additions, actually glistening.

As the world appears to be blowing itself up, to stay sane I have to focus on that closer to home, and look what it gives me!