Wind farm, Cape Portland, November 2023

Wind farm outing 11th November, 2023

Report by Claudia Bohme

On a glorious day in November our club was privileged to visit the picturesquely located wind farm at Cape Portland in the far North East of Tasmania. I would like to begin this account of a memorable day by thanking the Aboriginal custodians of the land and of course the management of Woolnorth Renewable Energy for welcoming us. Our trusted local guide and organizer for the day was Dig Probert who knows this place like the palm of his hand. Our warm felt thanks go out to him as well.

(Click on the photos for full impact)

Time-line and highlights for the day

  • 10 o’clock meeting at control building.
  • 11.30 crossed over the Little Musselroe River and parked the non-off-road cars in the adjacent paddock and car pooled in more robust 4×4 drives or walked.
  • Dominating the fringes of the river area, wafting of flowering tea trees like locally abundant Kunzea, (Kunzea ambigua ), the heady scent permeated the wonderfully fresh air. Also yellow bottle brush (Melaleuca pallida, formerly known as Callistemon pallidus) and Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa) and Southern grass tree (Xanthorrhoea australis) . It felt so good to be out and about in nature !
  • Carpooling into a couple 4×4 vehicles to cross the low-lying paddocks, evidence of underground water through large patches of ferns and plants mainly found in such areas, paper bark tea tree (Melaleuca ericifolia).
  • Through the paddocks, interspersed with saggs and sedges, here and there we found small delights, we enjoyed the many Sun orchids (Thelymitra aristata), Grassland paper daisies (Leucochrysum albicans), Milkmaids (Burchardia umbellata) and cheerful stands of the White flag iris (Diplarena moraea).
  • After much Ah ! and Oh ! at nature’s delights which made progress slow, but so enjoyable, we arrived at the superbly wild and scenically spectacular beach. Eating lunch we enjoyed the marine scenery with clear visibility of Mt. Munro on Cape Barren Island and Mt. Strzelecki on Flinders Island.
  • Grey saltbush with its companion flies (millions of them) really !! Sea rocket, (Cakile maritima) pelicans overhead, beautiful shells and sand polished pebbles.
  • Retracing our way back we discovered some fresh water crayfish burrow entrances surrounded by conical towering piles of mud.
  • A mountain dragon let us admire him close up, sunning himself at the base of a sagg.
  • Cheery look of the Tall Yellow Eye (Xyris operculata)
  • On two other locations at the eastern-most end of the Windfarm spectacular clumps of the Long Purple Flag ( Patersonia occidentalis) and the Short Purple Flag Iris (Patersonia fragilis) and the intricate and intriguing forked sundew (Drosera binata) and the more common Tall Sundew (Drosera auriculata) .
  • Nearly stepping on a white lipped snake about 25 cm long and marvelling at the romantic display of two blue tongue lizards, oblivious of our presence
  • Phew, what a day it was! Thank you to everyone involved!

Claudia Bohme