Northern Strzelecki Heathlands 



by JfAN G M. UK'MTH 



EteHWJn Longford and Willung 

 |hc heathlands of Ihc G.ppsland 

 , (Jipj meet the BfiSI l«»w thrust of 

 k . m foothills ot I he Strzclcckt 

 HmgeA Tlw hc:ithlands .-ire divided 

 [|bfl g slfeam by the increasing height 

 til' the ridge. Westward from that 

 po ini it becomes two stream.s, one 

 (lowing south along the coast and 

 0lK ilowiny along the base ol the 

 northern foothills Until it lade C*V 

 fn the- plains west of rraralgon. 



What we might call the souther. 

 ..iKain in fairly well known, although 

 I know ii only here and there. I he 

 northern stream whteh we in the 

 l,,i,ohe Valley know well, seems to 

 he little known to others, although 

 none of our heathlands is more 

 colourful or interesting. Only frag- 

 ments remain unspoiled, and al- 

 ihough there are four small wild- 

 flGJWjr sanetuancs Iherv is no national 

 paik or other large reserve lb protect 



s.nnple ot what is there. I housands 

 of acres of pines have blotted out 

 the wildflowers except in bioken 

 patches and one large area neat 

 Chersum Road (Rosedale South), 

 the best part of which is also 

 threatened. 'I he Latrobe Valley 

 I \ ( id now hoping to obtain a 

 large reserve in what remains. Most, 

 -ossibk all. the species known in the 

 Rosedale South hcaihlands, grow 

 there, although not in such colourful 

 abundance. 



This northern stream u bounded 

 on the north by the red gUW plains 

 of the Latrobe Valley, and on the 

 south it washes up the lowei foothills 

 • a <fv Str/eleckis. Witlioul giving B 



complete tccoid ol all plants, the 

 following notes give some idea of the 

 flora. 



The commonest eucalypt.s are /. 

 nitidu (cast of Rosedale South only, 

 so far as I know ). i. radium, t . vimi- 

 nalix, t. tlivrv, i; ahiiquo. & v'o/>- 

 oulca, H hridgt'siana. Ii. conthieniu. 

 and / ccplnilihiirpa (mainly to the 

 east), while the commonest Acacias 

 are A. ox\(cdrii\, A. diflttt.ii, A. \vrti- 

 cilltita. A. borryt i plinln. A. miu ro- 

 nutu. with A. iniulwllii at Providence 

 Ponds. 



U'pioxprmtum niyr\hmidf\ forms a 

 lower storey over most of these heath- 

 lands, with patches ot t pltvlin>idc< 

 anil /, iniiipaintmi. Iluough these is 

 a bright interweaving of l.cttt upo^oti 

 srttoidei, vhiiahts, l:pturi.\ im> 

 pfHUQ, Acrolmli,- ■.crritltita A. pros- 

 iron* . leuoiluxti pilmti and Hihhc riu, 

 .\rru hi. all abundant and widespread 

 I here ate large, often pure, stands o! 

 Bunksia strain. :md B. nuir^mitu 

 grows over the whole area, Wedding 

 Bush Uiicinoc.trptn jrfjtf/«ftlttj and 

 Red C'orrea U . rcflcM, ) are also 

 widespread though commoner in some 

 parts than others. 



There are patches ut Dotted Heath- 

 myrtle (7 hriplomenc nUirantho) M 

 far west as Dutson Downs although 

 it is most abundant on Sperm Whale 

 Head (Lakes National Park). I he 

 Mora ot (he Lakes Park has been 

 fully iccorded by Mr Fred Baiton. 

 for vears the park ranger, and almost 

 all heathland species known there 

 extend westward thtough Loch Sport 

 at least as lar as the Dutsan Downs 

 area, when- however Bmoidu one- 



March 1971 



71 



