August 25, 2013
Late August brings with it here in Queensland, usually bright clear sunny days and some of our best wildflower viewing.
Most of these flowers are very small so an eager eye is needed or a knowledgeable guide which is what I had today on the Bribie Island Wildflower Walk, one of many activities of this year’s Great Queensland Bushwalk.
Even though John Ward knew his stuff we still discovered minute orchids that had many pulling out reference books and magnifiers as they had never been seen by our leaders before in this area.
A site recently cleared of native shrubs and trees for the building of condos bordering Bribie Island’s national park was a mass of coloured wildflowers and contrasted fiercely with the heath lands on one side and tile roofed condos of development on the other.
For those that don’t know, Bribie Island is north of Brisbane, Queensland’s capital. Allow a 45 minute drive north from Brisbane airport via the Bruce Highway (M1/National Highway A1).
The island is connected to the mainland by bridge across Pumicestone Passage – its seagrass beds home to dugong and turtles. Wildlife is prolific both in and out of the water. With 86% of the island protected we should get to witness these shows for many years to come!
The biggest challenge for me was photographing the wildflowers in the wild with the wind, harsh light and shadows plus they are so small! But it was loads of fun and when next year’s Great Queensland Bushwalk dates are announced check them out – this is my fourth walk this year and all have been really worthwhile.
More Info
National Parks Association of Queensland Inc
The walk on Bribie Island today was organised by the Bribie Island Environmental Protection Association (BEIPA).
http://www.biepa.org/index.html
The unknown orchid is photographed, looked at via a magnifying glass, had it’s throat looked down and books mingled over. Finally a conclusion is reached everyone is happy with.
A cleared block ready for the building on condos is a mass of wildflowers.
Look closely, there are small but in a variety of colours that would envy any rainbow and each flower attracts each own range or insects and birds.
