Vol. XXVIII. 



1911 



1 Williamson, A Cycle Trip through East Gippsland. ji 



ridden over. I looked particularly for side tracks that might 

 lead one astray, but saw none. I am pleased now that I failed 

 to find the place the evening before, because, owing to the fine, 

 bright weather, I was able to get what I could not have got 

 with my hand camera on the previous dull evening — good 

 photographs of the palms. 



These specimens of Livistona australis, and three on the 

 Brodribb River, a few miles further north, are the only known 

 plants of the N.O. Palmae growing wild in Victoria, and are 

 unique in that they exist so far south and in such an isolated 

 position. They were discovered over 60 years ago by Baron 

 von Mueller under circumstances that remind us that that 

 world-famed botanist was, in the vigour of his manhood, an 

 intrepid explorer, fit to rank with Sturt and Franklin. His 

 solitary rambles through the unexplored wilds of Victoria must 

 have been attended with hardships and privations which we, 

 who follow beaten tracks, can scarcely realize ; but some of 

 us, especially those of us who were personally acquainted with 

 him, can realize the delight with which he would greet a plant 

 new to science, and the interest he would evince on the dis- 

 covery such as this was. These discoveries were to Mueller 

 a sufficient reward' in themselves for all his hard work. I must 

 say that I felt, when standing among those plants, and thinking 

 of the enthusiast who first saw them, that I was standing on 

 an historic spot. The thought also came to me that it would 

 be no more than was due to the discoverer if the place were 

 securely fenced and marked with a tablet as " Mueller's Park," 

 the palms being henceforth known as '' Mueller's Palms." 



I am sorry now that I did not spend more time, and thoroughly 

 explore the place, so as to be able to state with reasonable 

 accuracy the number of palms flourishing there. My im- 

 pression is that the number was limited to perhaps 40 specimens 

 within a space of 8 or 10 acres. They vary in height from 10 

 to 90 feet. Those about 20 feet high, one of which I photo- 

 graphed, are the most beautiful, while the tall ones shown in 

 the other photograph are brown and withered at the top, 

 probably owing to the absence of the shade enjoyed by the 

 smaller specimens. I looked for seeds and seedlings, but found 

 neither. 



Under the palms and tree-ferns, blackwoods and lilli-pillies, 

 the pretty little creek seemed to offer a delightful retreat where 

 one could recline and enjoy the cool shade, and wait quietly 

 for the birds to come about for identification. How sadly was 

 I disappointed, for I had scarcely unwrapped my lunch when 

 I was assailed by thousands of mosquitoes, and was con- 

 strained to bolt my food and get on the move to escape the 

 bloodthirsty females. 



