lOO Daley, Alpine Gippsland. [vd.'^^xxxiii 



white gum, a little red gum, and peppermint in the valleys. 

 Wonga Pigeons repeatedly flew across the track, this fine bird 

 frequenting the new foliage on the fire-blackened gums. Eight 

 miles along he track I was tempted by the sign, " Water," on 

 a tree, to descend into one of the valleys, where a well had 

 been sunk and a pump erected. Although the distance was 

 not great, it took half an hour to get back on the track. 



Towards " Gee's Junction " a granite formation occurs, with 

 a slight change in the flora. " Gee's," i6 miles from Stockdale, 

 was the only sign of habitation along the road. I found that 

 the owner was away, leaving the accommodation open ' to all 

 and sundry who passed. I called for a drink of water, and a 

 carrier who was camped there wanted me to stay ; but I 

 decided to push on past Cobannah Creek to Bulgoback, five 

 miles further on. This creek had a good flow of water, and 

 its fern-clad banks and dense vegetation, with the Silver Wattle 

 marking its course from the mountains with the outpoured 

 lavish gold of spring, made a picture of delight. Past 

 Cobannah Creek, fern and musk, wattle, trailers, with gums 

 towering above the verdure, were features of the road. Budgee 

 Budgee, an old alluvial diggings, was passed, tunnels showing 

 where the workings, now overgrown, had once been. 



Darkness had fallen when I reached the top of the very 

 steep descent to Hardy's Hotel at Bulgoback, where I stayed 

 for the night. The morning was typical of spring. The air 

 was balmy ; the dew on the grass and flowers ; birds were 

 singing gaily, and the sun's rays were genially but not un- 

 pleasantly warm. Bulgoback is a pretty spot on a shady creek. 

 It is well wooded, a fine forest of mountain ash being in the 

 vicinity. From here to Dargo rabbits were very numerous. 

 A few miles farther on granite again outcropped in succession 

 to the Ordovician. I passed a log hut on the road with the 



legend, " State School No. ," on it. It was used by 



some rabbit-trappers as a sleeping-place. At a farm on the 

 road, where I stopped for a few minutes, a man was skinning 

 some kangaroos recently shot. At the request of some 

 interested persons the protection given to kangaroos had been 

 suspended for a month, and, under certain restrictions, to guard 

 against indiscriminate slaughter, property-owners could shoot 

 the animals. The result was that over i,ooo skins were sent 

 to Melbourne for the month, and the request for further 

 suspension of protection was refused. In conversation with 

 several persons, I found there was a difference of opinion in 

 regard to the damage caused by kangaroos. It was said the 

 opportunity was taken to get rid of a number of skins which 

 otherwise could not legally have been disposed of. As there is 

 such ^ large area of unused and undeveloped forest country. 



