iTe'l Pitcher and Stickland, A Week at MavysviUe. 57 



.\lthough heavy showers fell again early on Monday morning, 

 we decided to visit a spot known as " Bald Hill," whence, the 

 tourists' plan stated, a very fine view could be obtained. TJiis 

 spot we found was most easily reached with certainty by 

 following the Narbethong road back a distance of 2^ miles. 

 This we did, and noticed beautiful displays of the flowering 

 plants pre\'iously mentioned at different spots by the wayside, 

 which reminded us of some of the Grampian natural flower 

 gardens. A notice board indicated where we should turn in 

 and reach Bald Hill at a further distance of about 2|- miles. 

 The track thither was marked by blazed trees. Nothing un- 

 common in flowering plants was noticed, excepting the very 

 large flowering forms of the beautiful purple Native Violet, 

 V . hetonicifolia, which was scattered about over the ranges 

 here. When Bald Hill w^as reached, and we sauntered along 

 to the extreme end of the ridge, there appeared quite a 

 magnificent garden or carpet of what looked like Marguerites. 

 These proved to be plants of the Tall Native Daisy, Bnichycome 

 diversifolia. They were about six to twelve inches in height, 

 with white and yellow flowers i| inches across, and at the time 

 of day, about 2 j).m., they were fully out, making a glorious 

 show of bloom. They covered quite an acre of ground. These 

 plants were interspersed, here and there, with dwarfed speci- 

 mens of the Snowy Bush-Heath, Leiicopogon virgatus, and 

 young, rich red-coloured foliage springing from the bases of 

 various sapling gums that had previously been cut down. 

 From the Bald Hill we obtained one of the finest views of 

 moimtain scenery we had yet enjoyed. The Cathedral Range 

 was seen from a different aspect to that from Keppel's Look-out, 

 and all the various peaks included in it showed out in bold 

 grandeur. The valley of the Acheron River and the adjacent 

 mountain ranges could be traced right around from the Marys - 

 ville road on the south to the west and north, the view extending 

 to the Strathbogie Ranges. This constituted a wonderfully 

 beautiful panorama worth travelhng a long journey to see. 

 After admiring the scene for some time, we returned through 

 the forest, mainly composed of Messmate and Narrow-leaved 

 Peppermint, and collected good specimens of the Purple Coral 

 Pea, " Billy Buttons," Pink Fingers Drchid, Caladenia carnea, 

 Spider Orchid, C. Patcrsoni, Hop Goodenia, Goodenia ovata, 

 Australian Indigo, and others en route. On returning to Marys- 

 ville, about i| miles out, and near Wilkes Oeek, we pass through 

 another of the nimierous wild-flower gardens, made up of 

 masses of the different plants jireviously mentioned, all in 

 combination and in fu]l bloom. Ilie colour effect was ever 

 so much increased l)y the rich brilliant red tips of the young 

 eucalyptus foliage springing up among the flowering plants. 



