Feb.,-] 

 1913 J 



AuDAs, The Victorian GrampianSi 151 



to provide themselves with food supplies, as there is no 

 accommodation to be obtained at either of these places. The 

 journey must be accomplished either on foot or horseback, 

 and a bridle track leads ihe tourist up the Stony Creek valley, 

 then along" a sideling' from which a good view of the " Epacris 

 Falls," situated on a tine creek known as the (julf Stream, 

 may be obtained. Water of crystal purity flows permanently 

 in this stream, and its banks are graced by many line King 

 Ferns, Osynunda barbara. In this vicinity, as the name indi- 

 cates, the Epacris, or native heath, blooms in prolihc beauty, 

 and for a longer period than is known elsewhere. The 

 corolla-tube of the Hower-spike seems to here attain a much 

 greater development, and the flowers may be obtained in 

 pink, white, and red. One may also frequently And double- 

 flowering specimens. On a saddle between the hills here- 

 abouts will be seen a forest of hue eucalyptus, principally 

 E. obliqua, Messmate, and E. macrorrhyncha, Stringybark, 

 the trees in many cases towering 70 or 80 feet before 

 branching. 



At the summit of this range a large porphyry dyke forma- 

 tion protrudes through the sandstone, and 1 noted that 

 wherever the porphyry was met with timber attained greater 

 size. From this eminence is seen a flne view of the Victoria 

 Valley, stretching away southward for many miles, with the 

 picturesque Serra Range rising tier upon tier above it. This 

 lovely valley, tucked away in the mountains, and almost 

 uninhabited, should prove an ideal site for reservation as a 

 National I'ark. When descending the Wartook side of the 

 range, on a peak of Mount Difficult, a comprehensive view 

 of the famous Wonderland country may be obtained, also of 

 Mount William and Mount Rosea, further on. In this vicinity 

 a strange-looking plant abounds. It is known locally as 

 Wild ( iooseberry, but is really Lcptumcria apliylla, a Santa- 

 laceous shrub belonging to the same family as the Wild 

 Cherry. It is quite leal less, but bears abundant crops of 

 edible berries, which are relished locally as a dessert and arc 

 also made into jam. l'"rom this point forward primeval forest 

 must be penetrated before the banks of Lake Wartook are 

 reached. It is a flne artiflcial lake which has been formed by 

 building a huge bank between the mountains, and is therefore 

 picturesc[uely situated, being surrounded by lovely vegetation 

 and studded by several islands. The bank is about three- 

 quarters of a mile in length, and a caretaker lives in a cottage 

 at the further end. He and the forest ranger are probably 

 the only residents of this end of the Victoria X'alley, so that 

 native animals are not disturbed in their haunts. Kangaroos 

 and introduced deer thrive among the hills, while flocks of 

 emus may frequently be seen. 



In the course of another two miles we came upon two of 



