Tuesday, September 9, 2014

West Australian Wildflower Trip - 4th Day Fitzgerald River & Ravensthorpe Area 12th Sept. 2014



A smorgasbord of things going on today, with visits to Fiztgerald River National Park and the Ravesthorpe area. Local wildflower specialist and author Helen Taylor will be with us on the bus to show us the local flora and other local sights. As well as the wildflowers there will be coastal scenes, a garden visit, farm sculptures and we visit the local wildflower art show where Angus will be the main judge and pick the winning entry. But first, it's off the local hardware and fishing tackle shop for a hot breakfast.
Today the flexibility of the tour will also be highlighted when Norma asks can she be dropped off back at the motel so as she can have some free time to relax enjoy some of the coastal attractions of Hopetoun.
We again spend the night at the Hopetun Motel.

 As it was a Friday, I have added some of the flora (in a slightly different format) seen today on my  Flora Friday in Oz  blog.



The video can only be watched on this page.


Click on photos to enlarge.




Port Hotel, Hopetoun WA, at dawn.    (6am)
From 5 Mile Beach, Hopetoun, the sun rises out of the Southern Ocean.

The sun rising out of the Southern Ocean, Hopetoun WA.

Barren Ranges emerging from the dawn mist.  (6am)


West Mount Barren.  Queelup  (Aboriginal Noongar name for this peak) 'place of the rock sheoak'.


Port Hotel and freesias, Hopetoun WA.

Ethel and West Mount Barren.

Fitzgerald River National Park.    There was a distinct difference in the plant species that grew above
and those that grew below the road.

View from Barrens Lookout towards Culham Inlet, Barrens Beach, Four Mile Beach and the Southern Ocean.

Regelia velutina  -  Barrens Regelia.

Regelia velutina  -  Barrens Regelia.

All white, what are they?   Sphenotoma dracophylloides? (left)

Hakea victoria   -  Royal Hakea.

Hakea victoria   -  Royal Hakea.

Not sure, but 1 of the 5 petals per flower is patterned.



Pink peas.

Is this Melaleuca pungens  -  Spiney Myrtle ?

Calytrix sp.  -  Starflower.

Pimelea physodes  -  Qualup Bell.  Not your 'normal'  Pimelea.
Pimelea physodes  -  Qualup Bell.  Not your 'normal'  Pimelea.


The 'WOW' and the 'what?'


Skink

Monitor lizard  (goanna).
Barrens Beach


Enjoying the sea breeze at Barrens Beach.


Barrens Beach


Helen Taylor shares her knowledge.


Interpretive signs at Barren Beach.



(Video)
Helen Taylor and her poem 'My Wildflower Country'.
(read along below)



My Wildflower Country by Helen Taylor  (Southern Scribes).




Sculptures at Barren Beach.

Petrophile, Dampiera and Goodenia ........... or Yellow, blue and white.


West Beach from Cave Point, Fitzgerald River National Park.

So many peas.  (all the same one)


Calothamnus pinifolius  -  Dense Clawflower.

Left, Boronia sp. (?)  and bright pink amongst Adenanthos cuneatus  -  Coastal Jugflower (the flat-leaved plant).


Pigface, but is it an introduced one?

Adenanthos sp.  -  Woolly Bush (left) and Conostylis sp.  -  Cottonheads.

Grevillea sp.

Another prickly pea.

Back to the bus.         West Beach from Cave Point, Fitzgerald River National Park.

Eucalyptus sp. (near car park).

Banksia speciosa  -  Showy Banksia.  (taken from bus)



Farm Gate Art, Ravensthorpe.


The truck was off it's chain, so everyone stood back.



Farm Gate Art, Ravensthorpe.

Farm Gate Art, Ravensthorpe.

Helen and her piano. I found a photo of the piano before it was 'restored'.   Farm Gate Art, Ravensthorpe.



Mr Angus (tickle the ivory) Stewart belts out 'Tip Toe, Through The Tulips, With Meeeeeee'.


Plants from road-side stops in Ravensphorp area.



Grevillea nudiflora   (no common name).

Clockwise from bottom left:  Wattle seed pods, not sure, Kunzea affinis, Verticordia sp..

I would say 2 species, but then again.

Isopogon sp.

Two peas not from the same pod.

But let's just throw in another one.


Not sure. Image on left shows colour better.

Dryandra sp.

It's been a while since I found a Trigger Plant.
Petrophile, Dampiera and Scaevola Goodenia.........or cream, blue and white.


Red Lechenaultia and not sure of others.

When you find out, let me know.

Synaphea sp.

Thelymitra sp.  -  Sun Orchid  (could be occidentalis)

Acacia glaucopterab  -  Flat Wattle


 Dunnart Art Gallery, Ravensthorpe.




Neil knows a winner when he sees one.  Wildflower Art Exhibition in the Dunnart Art Gallery, Ravensthorpe.

Wildflower Art Exhibition in the Dunnart Art Gallery, Ravensthorpe.

How cool is Laurie, he can take photos with one arm behind his back.

A sample of what we saw, on canvas.

Wildflower Art Exhibition in the Dunnart Art Gallery, Ravensthorpe.

Just half a size too small.   Wildflower Art Exhibition in the Dunnart Art Gallery, Ravensthorpe.

Rebooted for the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show is the the giant stiletto
 from the movie 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'.

Sheep, Voodoo Doll, Dream Doll, Ninja Bro. Some of the kid's entries (not the sheep).

Still Life.

Add caption


Farmgate Plants



They flower no matter what the season.

Welded Flora.  I like the Donkey Orchid.



'Royal Hakea' outside Ravensthorpe Police Station.


'Qualup Bell'    Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council Farm Gate Art Trail.

'Blue Boy'.  Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council Farm Gate Art Trail.

'Scarlet Banksia'   Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council Farm Gate Art Trail.

'Sun Orchid' ?  Lucky to be in a Protected Habitat.


Plants from the hilltop.



I can't get over how small some of the Trigger Plants are.

Was this Eucalyptus lehmannii  -  Bushy Yate ?

Eucalyptus sp.

Fruiting parts. Not sure, Casuarina, Isopogon? and Hakea.


Clockwise from left: Grevillea concinna  -  Red Combs, Elegant Grevillea., not sure,
 velvet bush (Lasiopetalum compactum ?) and not sure.

Banksia lemanniana  -  Yellow Lantern Banksia, pink flower with fruit and  Beaufortia orbifolia  -  Ravensthorpe Bottlebrush.

Not sure, Goodenia sp. and another pea.
Back to the Hopetoun Motel,


Helen Taylor, author of 'Emu Can't Fly' and 'The wind In My Face'.

A golden opportunity to find a meal before dark.

A pair of Sooty Oystercatchers patrol the waters edge.

Variegated Shore Crabs making the most of the last light.


The Barren Ranges at dusk.

Setting Sun



Sunset from Hopetoun Jetty.

West Mount Barren and Jetty.

Last Light.


End of Day 4

Scroll to bottom of page, click on 'Older Posts' to go to Day 5 (next day).


To go back to Day 1  click:  here.


Cameras:  Canon PowerShot SX10 IS and Sony DSC-W690.


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