in ovidcuw hi a has*h flow extruded 



million veais ago. tooling ol 



lava caused cracks winch divided itiu 



lOek UllD closc'lv tilling columns, 



umiiiU hexagonal is cu>s\ section 

 About one million \cars ago .in up 

 III l look place, totming flic Hogong 

 High Plains, fi>llo\\ed In dcmnlauon 



and erosion. "Raised Castle- is oik 



ot thC low remaining, examples o1 

 columnar jointed basalt in llux aica. 



On our way hack down to \li 

 HcauU we had a little nmc to spate, 

 su we made our way on tool up the 

 track to the heautitul Fainter C reck 

 Kills, which aie almost completely 

 hidden In trcelciiis Along die steep 

 and rugged path we found Hird 

 Orchids [CMtofhttiS eiimmi, and 5W 

 unusual greenhood that so iniiiyucd 

 Dick Morrison and lorn S.mli |bpJ 

 they later went back to photograph 

 it land were Caught in heavy rain and 

 had to negotiate the return trip along 

 the trail m semi-d:iikness! i , There 

 were very few cuchids 10 be seen 

 throughout this trip. 



Our next day was disappointing 

 The coach look us a lony jour ncv 

 lo Mount llotham Mimnm, hui as 

 we reached there Ihe whole area 

 became enveloped with cloud, which 

 made visibility impossible and sluing 

 cold winds nude us rather uncom- 

 fortable: Most ot us stayed in the 

 coach to eat lunch, hut tho.se who 

 braved IfM icy hlnsls tound m'Iiic sen 



uucreyUby ptooi Wb, wTtfi 3tonw 



Citimx m llovver, and aero ol £ i ->- 

 miu.i three forms of fVmir'Vo occur 

 in the Ihtgongx: t ioMc/'iim< anil lis 

 v.iru-fv hltifolta -ire hn|h widespread 

 nn the High Plains, while < HVf- 

 coptiyfiti is found along creek banks 

 on the High Plains with occasional 

 occurrences down to 4.0011 lect. These 

 targe white Silver Daisies and Silky 

 Daisies, often tntei>pcrsed with the 

 vivid orange Billy Buttons (Ci aspeilm 

 uni fhn,), were in such profusion that 



thev gave us natural gardens n,,. 



wee unforgettably 



NcM day's planned trip jeioxs . 

 Ihe Oruro Road had to he abandon^ 

 because .>l I lie hc,,\\ tain and report, 

 ol snow over lh.it way. but I he ftjh I 

 stitute.l tup to I ,ke Hume was K , f-I I 

 compensation because it proved ig I 

 be a wonderful day for hiro- 

 vvaichmg We p.issed through tit 

 ■ •hi'., and along Ihe Kicwa Kiv 

 valley. At Ketgunvah the obvintt, 

 i.clniess ol bird lile demanded u stop, 

 which proved to be a lengths one, 

 as there was so much to sec. Dumth) 

 n.uVM.n, ,i prominent membti ol Dy 

 Bud Olvservers' Dub, was excited lu 

 sec her til si Dollat Hud. which, 

 though not uiicoiiuiHin m the north 

 easl id Victoiia. is rarely seen in tin 

 coastal djs.ii tcts. Through the glasse* 

 we could clearly sec the silvery blue 

 l- uilus on die wings thai give it ih 

 cornmon name, and noted the tvpcji 

 flttjht pattern that justifies it- \.(hu 

 natueot Roller In a swampy paddock 

 While .,nd Straw-necked Ibrs wetc 

 teeding. and uihct water lurdv 



observed wore gpoonbilta v&ti\ 



herons and black ducks, while othci 

 birds seen mdhded galahs. magpie-, 

 while-plumed lioncyvaicr\, and srver.il 

 sfeeies of p. units, among litem 

 t asteru Koscll is and grass parrots 

 At S.aidv Creek there were hlack 



>wans with evjtnets. musk duckv 

 black ducks. crested gTCbC .»J 

 plover. On reueJunj' I nke Hume «v 

 were able to ha*v a barbecue lunch 

 as ihe weather had ele«rnd Miftt- 

 Lifiitly. Later we made a stop to ll-Or 

 a closer look at <i number of Fair* 

 Marlins anvl a few Welcome S.Val 

 tows, in spue of <n<>re rain Further 

 ;itong pelicans were- seen pvrehevi m&l 

 in dead UCes near the shore 



On leaving 1 jllangaii., «c tflAtJb 

 a stop near a sw^mp to ohserv; 

 more birds, mchidinc N.inkeeri Nitfit 

 Heron, white cockatoos comior»t»is, 



252 



V^t Nat Vol 38 



