On Saturday November 9th 11 Field Natters turned up after an invitation organised by Claudia to the property of Feli and Alfred Buchinger on the slopes of Mt Arthur to explore the habitat around their land.

Led by Claudia and our hosts we  first walked up the old and rutted road that used to provide access to Patersonia, surrounded by Olearia lirata and phlogopappa in full bloom. Gradually, that gave way to Olearia argophylla, the musk daisy bush, as we went higher.

At a rocky gully a formerly picturesque stream had been gouged out by a massive flood two years before  revealing some interesting fossils for Lloyd to uncover. Gradually the new vegetation is covering the devastated landscape as the stream settles into its new course. The only orchid spotted was a colony of Pterostylis pedunculata (maroonhood).

(Click or tap the photos for a super view)

We climbed down off the road into the much damper rain forested gully and things got more interesting! There were no made tracks and we had to clamber over and around fallen trees but enjoyed the beautiful filtered sunlight coming through the dense foliage. Some sharp-eyed person found shells of two forest snail types- Anoglypta launcestonensis , top shaped and  uncommon being found only in the wet forests of NE Tasmania, and Caryodes dufresnii which is carnivorous.

Myrtles, Sassafras and Manferns dominated this lush area. On the lower side of huge fallen logs we found large patches of a brown resupinate fungus which most of us had not seen before. It resembled camel – coloured suede and provoked much speculation as to its identification. We had heard the Pink Robin calling and suddenly there he was, singing his heart out on a close branch. What a treat! A denizen of damp forests.

Back on the road again, a bright splash of orange/yellow had us all thinking it was a gorse plant till we got closer and identified Pultenaea juniperina. Then another devastated area, this time at human hands. Some years ago a huge area of land on the slopes was illegally cleared. After public outcry it was aerial seeded with Eucalyptus nitens which have not thrived, being too dense, and so a whole landscape has been lost and replaced by ugliness. The attractive shrub Zieria arborescensor Stinkwood as it is aptly named was thick along the edges of the “plantation”. From here we had a fine view of the peaks of Mt Arthur.

Back at the beautiful handmade home of Feli and Alfred we were treated to tea or coffee and a home baked Marble Cake. Thank you to Claudia for organising the day and to the Buchingers for their generous hospitality.