OuR WORLD - Spring in the Grampians

The main from Hall's Gap to the Great Western Highway was

still closed after a rain-even at the beginning of the year that

washed away steep roads and bridges. To get home, we had to

take the dirt road to Rose's Gap and Mt.Zero. It looks rather

unprepossessing,

the bush was still fire-scarred but if you get out of the car and

look more closely,

you are bound to be surprised at what you can find. Pink heath

in bloom,

a gentle touch of yellow,

up close is a little beauty.

The much rarer white heath,

and in thick scrub, tiny white stars.

This looks like nothing much but if you enlarge it you will see

that all those bushes are actually in flower!

Little things with not only pretty flowers but also interesting

foliage.

This bush was a good 5' high, with pretty pea flowers.

Little things blooming literally underfoot,

and this pure white grevillea providing nectar for honeyeaters.

Behind it all, the backbone of these mountains towering up high.

If you are still interested, next week, there will be a second instalment.

All photos enlarge of course.

Come one, come all and show us what your world is made of! Click on the

Logo at right to enter a world of wonders or show us what is special in yours.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Desert Flowers, Parachilna Gorge

More photos of dry-land wildflowers from our recent trip.

I will do my best to add the names I can find tomorrow when

I am rested.

The very thorny but so pretty Solanum,

and a European interloper, the blue Pimpernel.

All photos enlarge as usual.

The Logo will open a world of flowers and give you a chance to

join in as well.

Thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. and his flower team.

MY WORLD ~ The Grampians, mainly Flora

All photos enlarge with a simple click.

The only reasonable shot I managed of this Corella,
note the extra long beak, the main difference between
him and his smaller cousin, the Little Corella which
has a short beak and is generally smaller.



Anyone for a fried egg?



Half inch long blue bells dancing in the breeze.



The stars of heaven have drifted down to earth.



Bouquet of gold on impossible looking stony ground.

Little wildflowers anyone would be proud of in their garden.

Bright orange glowing on this dark and rainy day,

and a three foot high bush of Rice Flowers.

There were dozens of wildflowers still in bloom.

The Grampians are a great drawcard in the springtime

for their veriety of wildflowers, koalas, kangaroos and

prolific bird life.

To see what the rest of the world looks like, just click the Logo.

Thanks to the MY WORLD team, we can learn so much about our world.

MY WORLD ~ The Grampians

Please enlarge to fully appreciate the details.

Last week on our way back from Melbourne we made
our over night stop at Halls Gap in the Grampians in
Victoria. I thought we were too late for the wildflowers,
but was I ever mistaken! The season was late this year
and we had a veritable feast.


View towards a small portion of the Grampians Nat.
Park from the main Western Highway.

On the right is apart of the Elephant's Hide. In the gap
you can just spy the plain beyond. Sorry about the
quality of the shots ... it was raining and this is shooting
directly into the morning light, what there was of it.



Everywhere in impossibly stony or dry sandy ground,
was an unbelievable diversity of flora. I shall post many
more in TODAY'S FLOWERS next Sunday.



The flowers came in all the colours of the rainbow.



These little stars of light shone between fallen Gum
leaves and were less than 1/4" in diameter.



We went on a reasonably level hiking trail to view the
Balconies. Although I managed the walk carrying my
camera, the case I had left in the car to ease my load
and naturally, snapping away at the flowers I ran out
of battery...now guess where the spare was...yup, you
guessed it, safely in the car.
Sorry, no shot of The Balconies.



This Crimson Rosella was feeding on the back lawn
of our Motel, there was an abundance of birdlife in the
early morning but also minimal light and 'raindrops
were falling on my head' as well as my camera.



Just a tantalising little piece of Mackenzie Falls,
a long stepped waterfall cascading down the gorge
with the main spectacular boiling torrent dropping
right into the river at its base.
I could have made it to the bottom and, although the
spirit was willing, without a crane to hoist me up, I
would still be there.



From one of the lookouts even in the rain you could
almost see forever.

Clicking on the Logo will take you on other hidden paths
around the world.

Sorry I am late in posting...it was so hot last night that
although my photos were marshalled, the starter motor

on my brain refuse to raise a spark.

Thanks to our gracious hosts who make this meme happen.