Feb..] 

 '9»7 J 



Excursion from Croydon lo Belgrave. 149 



marks. Fine specimens of the Messmate, Eucalyptus obliqua, 

 and Narrow-leaved Peppermint, E. aniygdalina, are growing 

 in the vicinity of the shelter-shed. After luncheon we started 

 on the track to Olinda, distant about 2|- miles ; this was com- 

 paratively easy — along the crest of the range. For the first 

 few hundred yards we passed through a dense growth of the 

 Common Musk-tree, Olearia [Aster] argophylla, several acres 

 in extent, interspersed with which are specimens of the' Blanket- 

 wood, Senecio Bedfordi, Hazel, Poinaderris apetala, and Cotton- 

 wood, Cassinia aculeata. Some very fine Blackwood trees. 

 Acacia melanoxylon, up to 60 feet in height, are to be seen 

 about here, also the Long-leaved Box, Eucalyptus elceophora, 

 and the Giant Gum, . E. regnans. In the broad depression 

 between Mount Dandenong and Olinda there evidently existed 

 in former days one of the finest forests of large timber trees 

 in these ranges, now represented by huge dead trunks and 

 stumps, though here and there a live specimen still exists 

 upwards of 200 feet in height. Some fine patches of tall 

 young saplings of the Giant Gum are coming on, stimulated 

 by the deep chocolate soil, but, being on private property, it 

 is doubtful if they will be allowed to reach the maturity of 

 the former inhabitants of this locality. Under the shade of 

 the saplings large numbers of the Prickly Shield Fern, Aspidium 

 aculeatum, were just unfolding their hair of bronze-coloured 

 young fronds. Near Olinda gooci views of Bayswater, far 

 below us, were obtained. The Tall Rice-flower, Pimelea 

 ligustrina, and the Cheese-wood, or Banyalla, Pittospormn 

 bicolor, were now added to our collections. Olinda possesses 

 a well-designed direction board, from which the tourist may 

 learn the distances to various beauty spots. We now followed 

 the newly-graded road towards Sassafras (2 miles), looking 

 down into the valley of Perrins Creek on our left. This creek 

 joins the Sassafras Creek near South Sassafras, and is con- 

 sidered one of the finest in the district. The head of Sassafras 

 Creek, situated in a beautiful bower of foliage, was crossed 

 just before reaching the township, and on the corner of the 

 Mechanics' Institute is another direction board with distances 

 to various places. Fine views are obtained almost anywhere 

 along the road, especially at the junction of the Crescent road 

 with the main road. The track to Sherbrooke Falls was entered 

 not far from the Church of England. It was in parts very 

 damp; tniC as most of the party were traversing it for the 

 first time, they did not mind the discomfort, and greatly 

 enjoyed the scene as they passed along Ihrough groves of tree- 

 ferns, shrubs, &c. It crosses and re-crosses the stream, which 

 eventually becomes the Monbulk Creek, several times. One of 

 the largest plants of the Silk-pod Creeper. Lyonsia straminea, 



