Last Saturday 24 enthusiastic North Eastern Field Naturalists had a fascinating ramble through rainforest and riverbank vegetation to Harridge Falls. This walk, 5 km from Weldborough, began with an easy stroll down an old 4WD track off the highway, to the Weld River. A foot track then wended its way close to the river, downstream to the impressive falls.
Click an image for a great view
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- Weld River (RVE)
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- Harridge Falls with Field Nats above (RVE)
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- Field Nats at the top of Harridge Falls (PR)
The bush was dominated by huge buttressed Eucalypts towering over Myrtles with an understory of Sassafras, Musk, Stinkwood, Native Currant. Wattles and Heartberry. The area was rich in ferns with 12 different species being identified. Many different fungi, mosses and lichens were seen as well.
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- Rumohra adiantiformis (Leathery shield-fern) (LR)
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- Tmesipteris obliqua (Common fork fern) (AW)
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- Histiopteris incisa (Bat’s wing fern) (LR))
Ferns seen: Batwing Fern, Ruddy Ground Fern, Mother Shield Fern, Leathery Shield Fern, Hard Water Fern, Fishbone Fern, Bracken Fern, Silky Fan Fern, Fork Fern, Kangaroo Fern, FingerFern, Manfern.
The walk concluded with a short scramble back up to the highway, through the remains of an old mine and water race.
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- Lunch at Weld River (RVE)