78 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



disposal. These few days came to us immediately after Christmas, 

 and a short survey of the railway map soon decided us upon 

 spending them at North Mirboo, firstly, because we had never 

 been there before, and secondly, to ascertain if the district would 

 justify future visits. 



North Mirboo is situated some 20 miles south of Morwell, 

 which itself is 89 miles from Melbourne, on the main Gippsland 

 railway line. The morning of Friday, 28th December, saw us at 

 the station in ample time to catch the 7.50 train, by which also 

 some members of the Croajingolong party were travelling, so that 

 we had the pleasure of their company for a little over 3 hours. 

 Parting regretfully from them at Morwell, we stay here for 20 

 minutes, resuming our seats in a train composed of several trucks, 

 and one carriage, in which, the carriage, not the trucks, all the 

 passengers had to be accommodated, and although the '* all " was 

 not a great number, still it was sufficiently so to render the 

 journey by n ; means so agreeable as it might have been, the 

 warm weather rendering the inside atmosphere exceedingly close 

 and unpleasant. However, a little over an hour's travelling brings 

 us to our destination, and, upon alighting, the first question we 

 ask ourselves is. Does the appearance of the country meet our 

 approval and expectations ? which we answer in the affirmative ; 

 and, our second, Which is the best of the three hotel the places 

 supports for us to bestow our patronage upon ? The station- 

 master being appealed to, and, having fairly enough declined to 

 express an opinion, as he might by so doing give ojffence to the 

 proprietors of the two he did not recommend, the toss up of a 

 penny decided us to give a trial to the nearest, the Commercial, 

 and we had no reason to regret the result of our toss-up, as the 

 accommodation we received, although not luxurious, possessed 

 the merits of wholesomeness and cleanliness. 



Having secured rooms, partaken of some needful refreshment, 

 and indulged in that universal soother — a pipe — we entered into 

 friendly converse with the landlord as to the road we should lake 

 for our afternoon's walk, and, having ascertained that there were 

 several leading from the township, we selected the one locally 

 known as the Coast-road. North Mirboo, we may here remark, 

 consists, as do so many other railway townships, of one principal 

 street facing the station, and owes its prosperity to its extensive 

 timber trade. The good timber is, of course, being rapidly 

 worked out, and then North Mirboo will have to look to other 

 resources which will, no doubt, be found in produce and stock, 

 for both of which the country is admirably adapted. Along this 

 road, which rises gently for a considerable distance, we proceed 

 about three miles, but were much disappointed and disgusted in 

 noticing how great a quantity of the timber had been killed, 

 thereby also destroymg the many beautiful ferns and fern gullies 



