^j'^-^] Daley, Ai Wartook (Gyampians). 14I 



AT WARTOOK (GRAMPIANS). 



By Chas. Daley, B.A., F.L.S. 



(Read before the Field Naiuralisis' Club of Victoria, loth Nov., 1919.) 



On the pleasant, breezy morning of Thursday, 26th Septem- 

 ber, the Club members of the Grampians party, comprising 

 Messrs. C. Gabriel and H. Hughes, Miss Nethercote, three lady 

 friends, and the writer, keeping in view the supply of as varied 

 and plentiful a collection of wild-flowers as could be obtained, 

 and also being desirous of a change from the ordinary excursions 

 arranged for tourists, set out from " Bellfield " with the object 

 of visiting Wartook Reservoir, twelve miles distant. The 

 route is down the main road to the pretty picnic ground at 

 the foot of Mackay Peak, where the appropriately-named Stony 

 Creek issues brawling from the rocky and picturesque gorge, 

 Chautauqua Peak and Mount Difficult forming its northern 

 and north-western slopes. Using the services of a pack-horse, 

 the party was relieved of the necessity of carrying impedimenta 

 such as rugs, coats, and provisions. 



The track ^\'inds along the slope of Mount Difficult at a 

 varying height and distance above the creek, musically 

 splashing amid boulders and over cascades at the foot of the 

 weathered western slope of the range. Along this track the 

 vegetation is very luxuriant, many characteristic plants 

 occurring, including the Snow Myrtle, Lhotzkya genetylloides , 

 just bursting into bloom, the Grampians Fringe Myrtle, 

 Calythrix Sullivani, Thryptomene Mitchelliana, the delightfully 

 soft-blooming Acacia longifolia, var. mucronata, with the 

 aggressive Spike Acacia, A. oxycedriis, A. armata, A. diffusa, 

 A . stricta, and the fragrant A . myrtifolia in flower. Many other 

 leguminous plants in flower or bud are noticeable — Daviesias, 

 Dillwynias, Pultenjeas, and Flat Peas, with the Golden Goodia 

 and Indigofera aitstralis in full bloom. Tctratheca ciliata shows 

 on every side, whilst the Beard Heaths, the Twisted, Leii- 

 copogon glacialis, Snow, L. virgatiis, and Ruddy, L. ntfits, are 

 exceptionally fine. Baiiera sessiliftora occasionally displays a 

 wealth of colour amid a tangle of scrub plants on each side 

 of the track, the Epacrids being especially numerous. Orchids 

 were scarce, the season being late. Even Glossodia major 

 was absent. The Greenhoods, Pterostylis longifolia, P. con- 

 cinna, P. reflexa, with Diuris longifolia and D. macitlata, and 

 a single specimen of Caladenia Pater soni, were obtained. 



Crossing Epacris Creek about a hundred yards above the 

 diverging track to Splitters' Falls (whose waters we can plainly 

 hear far below), a narrow and steep bridle-track uphill turns 

 almost abruptly at right angles to the road. This is the way 

 to Wartook. Taking the ascent in easy stages over the loose 



