Sometimes you just forget that there are pretty cool things right in your backyard. In Spring, the Angelsea Heath is one of them. Within fifteen minutes from our house, we're smack bang in a huge forest, complete with kangaroos, wildflowers, grass trees, mud tracks, walking trails and solitude - that is, if the dirt bikers aren't out on the weekend, but hey, who can begrudge people having fun in the relative wilderness that stretches over 7,000 hectares?
If ever we're feeling a little restless on the weekend, we go for a drive in dear Buttercup. Every drive in this nearly fifty year old car is an adventure. This time we took the boards, though the wind picked up and the surf wasn't great. We ended up having more fun exploring tracks and observing the many varieties of wildflowers that grace the area at this time of the year.
One of our favourites is the grass tree, formally known as 'black boys'. Xanthorrhoea are iconic in the Australian bush, a perennial plant with very groovy tall flowering spikes. They can be stimulated to grow with fire and attract insects and birds alike. We have two in our garden, but they take forever to grow. One of ours just flowered recently which was amazing to see after ten years of being in the ground! We'd transplanted it so it must have liked the better spot we put it in.
One new track took us up to the lookout which allows a view of the old decommissioned Alcoa powerplant. They have cleaned it up now, but they are still debating about what to do with it. The Eden Project from the UK were proposing to turn the site into a similiar kind of thing, which would have been absolutely amazing, but there was too much local resistance to it and concern the local infrastructure couldn't take it in an already tourist area. I think it would have been amazing - if you've been to the Eden Project in the UK, you'd know what I mean. Truly visionary. On another note, I loved this leaf shaped seat, and would love to make one overlooking our small lake in our garden. Note to self.
What's in your backyard? Is it wildflower season or is the snow coming in? Have you been on any local travel adventures lately?
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It's such a nice part of the world; the sound of tyres crunching on the tracks and the lack of others...Splendid indeed @riverflows.
Oh nice description - I can hear that gravel crunch now! The s3 was quite loud and we wondered why - the vents were open haha. We were saying how an old car like that doesn't let you forget you are actually driving, unlike a more modern car.. and that was a nice thing.
Yes, for sure the old cars provide much more feed back. My favourite vehicle was a 1982 V8 F100 pickup I had. Loved it! It gave feedback for sure, but it was simply divine!
My backyard ,. it takes a 40 minute walk to get there ,...
Winter is coming soon ,... and any local travel adventure i did to ,.. drove a line bus from 1979 , illegally , for 40km up to the place i am ,.. during the dark hours ,.. for it makes a great place to live in ;-)
Wow that's absolutely stunning!!!! Will that lake freeze over?
Does water freeze at minus 20c ? .... ;-)
If the snow will let me , ill picture it frozen up to one day .
Temp is below 5c at night already , but today it's 8c and sunny :-)
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
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Xanthorrhoea sound quite mysterious and in that sense, epitomize everything I love about Australian wildlife. I love biomes that take forever to mature because then eventually, they become ancient, dwarfing human perception of time to something closer to the age of our universe.
I am happy to see you out and about, it encourages me to do the same. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures, allowing me to travel, not in my backyard, but from my living room.
I love this kind of post because they help strengthen the community, keep it up!
They do sound mysterious don't they - I love the way it rolls of the tongue. They're SO ancient and I think those kind of plants do remind us of our place in time - and of dinosaurs haha. Are you locked down or just not going anywhere?
I've been going to Montreal al lot, going back for the holidays.
I'm also supposed to go to a cabin on the 26th, thanks to my friend Ken and his lovely nephew.
But honestly, I went swimming in the ocean right here more times, than in 10 years!
beautiful backyard you have, this place looks so peaceful. you have clicked nice photograph by your mobile.
Thanks so much
Wow it's such a beautiful place. I'm impressed by the black boys 😁.
Oh yes, funny - not a very politically correct term so they called them 'grass trees' instead.
I know but the name 'black boys' sounds more attractive to me. I love to name things by funny names. My dog's name is Meow Meow. 😁
Ahhh, Spring and a ramble about....
You got it - it's super lovely.
Wow so you've got that in your backyard eh...
Noice.
Well, it's kinda in yours as well, when you are allowed out..
Yeah but that's more like...a few blocks away for me, whereas its right in your backyard!
But soon...soon...want to go to Halls gap again- actually anywhere really, even Bega...NOPE I did NOT say that out loud! Wipe that from your ears. I do NOT want to got to Bega! (Well I kind do), to see dad and to cruise around to some of the most gorgeous spots along the coast that I haven't been to for years- except for Tathra, been there a few times in the past few years...
damm. i Live in such an urban place, that it is impossible to find something like this near around. all that amazing landscape and not a single person. Such a nice feeling watching this pictures...
We are super lucky - I can't imagine living in a place without space and nature.
My backyard ain't as interesting as yours, but then again when you say Australia, to me it seems like every backyard is interesting and full of nature and life. Love the photos. 😊😊😊
Beautiful pictures @riverflows
Exploring in nature really is a boone to a weary heart. Shame about the surfing but it looks like you had a great day nonetheless.
This information really piqued my interest, and has inspird the seeds of a poem in my mind. It's amazing how some plants have adapted to survive such extreme conditions, burning away only to rise up from ashes like a phoenix from the fire.
Anyway, before I go off on one 😉😂 nice to read about your adventures in the bush.
P.s. all that's in my back yard is nettles and weeds... still plenty of stuff for soup in the spring.
Bu-bubuuuuuuuttercup! My backyard (current) is the coast, the sea, and that slight smell of salt. Spring is here, so we are having rain on and off during the week, but other than that it's all good; temperatures are going up and can already feel the longer days.
It's weird here. Everything is still green and the leaf hasn't fallen from the trees as mich as usually during this time of the year. Waiting for those colors.