After a series of very hot and humid days with night-time temperatures in the upper twenties (degrees Celsius) we decided that on a clear day the only option for a walk was to head to the pool at Cascades. We drove as far as we could, that left us with a walk of less than a few hundred meters down to the stream and the entrance to the forested gorge. It did not take us very long to push our way through the forest undergrowth and get to the open rocks at the top of the Cascades pool. After the well-distributed rain of the last weeks, the stream was running strongly but that did deter us from leaping (careful of the slippery rocks) into the clear water of the pool. On this occasion the weather was hot enough to ensure that for the first time we had everyone in the pool.
The Rare Emplectanthus dalzellii was flowering - this was another reason for visiting this area although the pool was the major draw-card. There were several plants twining up into the forest under-storey shrubs while displaying their flowers on axilliary peduncles to best effect.
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| Looking downstream at the Cascades pool |
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| Emplectanthus dalzellii |
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| Emplectanthus dalzellii |
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| A slightly damp group after our swim |
After enjoying a relaxed lunch at the side of the stream we slowly made our way out of the forest and up the hill to the vehicles. On the way we found a the last of the Erica cerinthoides in flower, a few Helichrysum allioides and Monsonia praemorsa.
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| Erica cerinthoides |
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| Helichrysum allioides |
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| Monsonia praemorsa |
Participants: Dorothy M, Gail B-W, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Mark G, Tracy T.
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