5S Pitcher and Stickland, A Week at Marysville. [vi^'^xxxin 



Fine sprays of bloom and loliagv were l)rought (or the decora- 

 tion of our lodgings each evening. 



A briglit, clear, frosty morning greeted us on Tuesday, the 

 2()th. and after ha\-ing i)rocured a few young plants, before 

 breakfast, for taking back to our Melbourne gardens, we did 

 ample justice to our morning meal and then started on our 

 journey for fiie second time to Keppel Falls. At a spot about 

 lialf a mile along the Wood's Point road, after crossing the 

 bridge over tlie Steavenson Ri\'er at the north end of Marys- 

 \-ille, tourists and others cannot fail to observe a well-painted 

 notice board, indicating that it is the commencement of what 

 is known as the " Talbot Drive." whicli eventually leads to 

 the celebrated Keppel Falls, which are distant about jl miles. 

 The " Drive "is so named in honour of a former State Governor, 

 Sir Reginald TaIl)ot. For a mile in length and about 60 feet 

 in width it has been entirely cleared of all timl^er and scrub. 

 The track then lic-comes an ordinary tnit well cleared and fairly 

 level vehicular (jne, through one of the finest of our Victorian 

 forests. After continuing for half a mile along this track, 

 the Taggerty Ri\-er (whicli has l)een heard in the distance, witli 

 its murmurings and gurglings, as it travels o\-er its rocky bed) 

 is reached. A flock of (iang-Gang Cockatoos is seen, and their 

 distinct screechings heard : a wallaby is observed, too, jumjiing 

 into obscurity among the scrub, and the Harmonious Thrush, 

 with its beautiful song, made the tourists realize they were in 

 one of Nature's vast wild gardens. Where the track first 

 comes alongside, the river is about 12 yards in width — a beautiful 

 clear, white-foamed stream, ever flowing over its rock and 

 boulder-strewn comse. It continues in close proximity to the 

 track, alway^ in \ifw. and so makes additionally charming the 

 wliolc ol the remaining six miles of journey. Two stately 

 white -Mountain .\.sh trees. Eucalyptus rcg)i(ins (of which a photo- 

 graph is shown), one on either sicle of us. are passed as we enter 

 upon the jiortion ot the track kmAvn as " The Valley Beautiful " 

 — a title which but very inadecpiately describes the place. On 

 either side of the track tlnough tin- valley are largo, healthy 

 s})ecimens of the following ])lants in full bloom ; — The large- 

 flowering form ()[ the Woolly Tea-tree. Li'pt(>sf>iniiniii lanigcrum, 

 var. >^r(i)ulifl<>>'uiii. Molly-lea\ed and Long-lea\ed Lomatias. 

 L. Uicijolia. and A. loiii^lfollu. Native .Musk, the several Snow- 

 Bushes, Ohuiria slcUulatu. \ar. liralu. and other Olearias. 0. 

 myrsiiioidiS and \ar. cniln'sceus. the ("hristma-^-Hush. Native 

 Hazel, /'. (ipctahi. the I'rickh' ("oprosuia. CupnisiiKi Hillardicri. 

 .Nalixc -Mulbeiiy, Sand-lly [iu>li, /.icriii SuiilJiii. " iSanvalla," 

 Pilliisporum hicolor. Blanket-tree, (ioldeu Goodia, FIderberry 

 Ash. and others. These shrubs or small trees were never seen 

 by Us pre\-iously in such luxuriance of growth as here. The 



