Vol. XXVIII. 

 iqii 



I WiLLi.AMsoN, A Cycle Trip through East Gippsland. j\ 



these, there are the maize fields on one side and on the other 

 side the river, hned with its tangle of A.cacia melanoxylon, 

 Eugenia Smithii, Samhucns xanthocarpa, Myrsine variabilis, and 

 now and then Eucalyptus boiryoides, with their attendant para- 

 sites and climbers, Lyonsia, Vitis, Smilax, and Clematis, 



Along the river banks tall willows, Salix alba, give the river 

 an additional beauty. In many places these quite hide from 

 view the water of the river. A steamer was manoeuvring just 

 below the bridge, and I could not get a sight of it till I went down 

 the bank to the water's edge. The planting of these trees is 

 a good idea, both for the sake of ornament and from an 

 economic point of view. The roots must aid materially in 

 resisting erosion of the banks. I was interested in the maize 

 cribs — open structures of wood and wire-netting, in which last 

 season's cobs are stored pending a higher price. In almost 

 every paddock one of the buildings was to be seen, and in many 

 cases they were nearly full of cobs. One, which Mr. Rowe 

 informed me was considered the largest in the Commonwealth, 

 measured 450 feet long, 7 feet wide inside, and was filled to the 

 height of 10 feet with cobs. The value of the whole Mr. Rowe 

 worked out as £1,300, at the present low price of maize. 



On Saturday, the 31st, I cycled to Mario, at the mouth of 

 the river. This is a watering-place on the fern-covered sand 

 hummocks, and has a hotel and a couple of boarding-houses. 

 I was two days too soon to see all Orbost, or a great part of 

 it, disporting itself on the beach and holding regatta and sports 

 on New Year's Day. One cannot reach the sea-beach without 

 a boat, for the ocean has thrown up a sand ridge which stretches 

 for miles along parallel to the coast, and shuts out the ocean 

 beach even from view, though, of course, one can hear the 

 roar of the waves. Round Mario, Mahogany Gum, Eucalyptus 

 boiryoides, is the prevailing timber tree. Stunted Messmate, 

 E. obliqua, and Banksia serrata form a dense forest on the 

 fern-clad hummocks. 



From Mahogany Gum good crops of honey are obtained, as 

 I learned from a young beekeeper whom I interviewed. His 

 apiary of standard hives, nicely painted and arranged, his tidily 

 kept bee-yard, and well-filled though small honey-house, 

 showed him to be an up-to-date apiarist. Several other 

 apiaries are to be seen at Orbost. The local chemist is an 

 enthusiastic beekeeper, but I had not the good fortune to find 

 him at home when I called. 



I was aware that about 10 miles east of Mario, on the 

 Cabbage-tree Creek, was to be seen a unique patch of vegeta- 

 tion known as " The Palms," so I made inquiries. I met with 

 little encouragement from those from whom I inquired until I 

 interviewed the landlord of the hotel. I started off under his 



