38 



riNs, rictoria's Catherine Rk'cr 



rVict. Nat. 



L v<:i. ~a 



ment our diet «vef the four days with ix dozen delicious rainhow 

 trout, most of which were ahout one pound in weight. 



The vegetation in the gullies in the area forming the headwaters 

 of the Catherine River is of the luxuriant rainforest type which is 

 common in the mountainous country south of the Great Dividing- 

 Range. On the lower slopes of Mount Despair there is a mignirlcent 

 stand of virgin Alpine Ash {Eucalyptus dclcgatoisis) which looks 

 not unlike parts of the Fitzroy Gardens in Melhourne, having no 

 undergrowth other than grass. The fern gullies contain the usual 

 rainforest birds, and in them may he heard the varied mimicrv of 



Mount Buffalo from Danriongarialv Station. 



the Lvrehird accompanied by the resounding crack of the Eastern 

 Whiphird and the calls of various others such as the Golden 

 Whistler, the Pilot Bird and the ever friendly Yellow Rohin. 

 Lower down the river the treeferns give place to trees — acacias 

 and correas — any many hushes. The predominant eucalypt in the 

 valley is the Manna Gum (E. viminalis ) some specimens of which 

 attain a height of nearly 250 feet, although in the large swamps 

 lying on the extensive river flats the Swamp Gum (E. ovaia ) holds 

 its own. 



