Along tho Ginap Track 



by Vi< iok .Utons 



nt..Mr»ri.»n« i.» Aumof 



Although I was supposedly to 

 head homeward on the 6 September 

 1968, alter a North western tout ol 

 Victoria. I was tempted to make a 

 diversion. Whilst looking over my 

 mute maps on the ptevious nighi 



The fclisteffl end of Wvperfeld 

 National l'"k had always seemed so 

 i emote I torn Wongn Hut: hut the foad 

 home passed Yatto. the nearest place 

 name to this pari of the Park 



Temptation gave way to decision, 

 and ii was beside the railway line at 

 Yarto thai 1 parked the eatavan 



Beyond the concrete silo .md few 

 houses that was Yarto. lav the dark 

 fringe of Midlee cucalypts and the 

 low undulations of the sytid hills: and 

 so after a short hut "mates" dial 

 with some of the "locals". I took my 

 gear and headed across the grassy 

 paddocks towards the beckoning 

 Malice. 



Mediterranean turnip, as else 

 where in ihe Malice that year. WW 

 abundant There was plenty of Even- 

 ing Primrose and Hibhrriiu Xlrtt '« 

 was colonising the open area very 

 well. I stepped over a fence: the 

 tfrifcUg sand having led unly ■> couple 

 of inches of limber showing I 

 entered the Malice beading due west, 

 but had difficulty in maintaining t' 

 direct course, tor the tree* were quite 

 close together. I was about to return 

 when 1 came across a ploughed con- 

 tour tut tow which I followed, hoot- 

 ing my luels in deeply so as ant to 

 slip. Wallowa l A < iii M t iihimilnUa I . 

 washed the bush with a pale gold, 

 while the darker Hakeu Wattle (A. 

 haki'oidc\\ was seen less often. Grey 

 Mulga (A. hradnhoira) was still in 



254 



light bud. A While-eared Houcvoatu 

 was escorting me. calline al intervals 

 WbcD I had followed litis fuimw fn- 

 miiiiu hundreds of yards, il ran inm 

 ,i ()f( access track (The C.inap Tr:id 

 I («a|l*ed WW) running appro*! 

 ma'ch easl and west. T ambled aU: 

 this track m a westerly direction sr, . 

 iug many plants not seen in the 



eastern sectors of the patk. but not 



many huds al all. Afler a mile ft 

 two I about turned and headed b.xk 

 retracitii' tnv own. and Ihe ontv 

 human footprints visible. Inste.nl gj 



, iniini .done tbe contour farm* i 



followed this fire access track to 

 where it ended || the park maretn. 

 Here, standing amidst some fine 

 Dowering bushes of Dwatf Emu-bush 

 (EWMffUHtl uluhia) was a notice 

 which slated clearly that this vsas j 

 fire access tuck and not to be used 

 In an-, unauthorized vehicles. It w:s 

 the Citiap tiaek. Taking a careful 

 boring I noli -il that to find this Iran 

 from the Yarto Silo one has lo htau 

 generally Soulh West. 



Hack in the van I checked on rfl) 

 noted using Ros (.iarnel's book: am! 

 lalet, havinjl sent plants lo Ihr tV 

 barium, I was able lo complete HI) 

 plant-list A lovely puH.fi ot DWW 

 Hejth-rnyrlle iH.n-Acu CHUHflM 

 dense stands uf BKiomhush (.Vfr/u 

 ffttcn winnow), fink Purslane [Q& 

 aniinniii calypinttitl, I'vgmv Silt' 

 ray {ti.lipn turn /nyinariim). Pi* 

 Velvet-hush < /.<i/l'V'<'M'm<» hrhii\ 

 Knifed daisy ( finirlni cMdrW 

 Common Billy Button* '< 

 gkttktf), I angled Bun 4lW) H ''" 

 erliteetft} on the dunes, Pile Turpv |V 

 tine-bush (lleycrm h rifaMUliHl 



Vkl Nat Vol as 



