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The South Australian Naturalist 
EXCURSION TO GANDY’S GULLY, MAY 24, 1924— 
A party, under the leadership of Mr. J. A. Hogan, went by tram 
on May 24, 1924, to Gandy’s Gully. As they climbed the steep 
ascent of Stonyfell, a magnificent view of hill and. plain was 
gradually unrolled. The streets and buildings of the city, picked 
out with gardens and parks, and partly obscured by a thin veil 
of smoke, spread out like a vast canvas, with the gleaming waters 
of the gulf as a fitting background. The two reservoirs to the 
north sparkled in the afternoon sun, and even the distant blue 
ridges of the Hummocks could be discerned in the hazy distance. 
In the foreground the rich browms, royal blues, and glowing reds 
of the vineyards, and the sombre grey-greens of the olive yards 
formed a pleasing contrast to the sober-colored roofs of the dwell- 
ings and the cellars. The white cottages of the Old Folks’ Home, 
the frowning walls of the Boys’ Reformatory, and the towers of 
Rostrevor added an effective touch to the scene.’ The party were 
conducted by Messrs. Ifould and Crompton to the site of the 
vast quarry, and admired the regular stratification of the precipi- 
tous face, which is about 260 ft. in height. Several workmen 
near the top were prising out with crowbars huge boulders, which 
thundered down with a deafening crash — an operation witnessed 
with interest, mingled wdth a tinge of regret. Some perfect quartz 
crystals wxre observed, with the true crystalline form — a six-sided 
prism, surmounted by a hexagonal pyramid. Alany which were 
obtained are now in the Adelaide Museum. The members were 
gratified to observe how Nature is repairing the devastation 
wrought by man. The floor on which they were standing had 
been the stony base of an open cut. It was now almost hidden 
by a luxuriant growth of native bush, which was also climbing 
the steep walls. The botanists were soon busy collecting speci- 
mens. The blooms were unusually early. White, scarlet, and 
pink Epacris decorated the hillsides. These plants are in blossom 
from May until December. The delicate mingled brown and yel- 
low of the Platylobium obtusangulum (wild ivy) was also in 
evidence, and even the shy Tetratheca pilosa (black-eyed 
Susan) was putting forth its dainty amethyst-tinted petals. 
Astroloma (fringed stars), Styphelia (hard leaved), Pimelea 
spathulata (rice flower), Isopogon, known as “blackfellows’ 
combs” and Ixodia, with its white blossoms, were also in evi- 
dence. Some of the gums, too, were in flower, including Eucalyp- 
tus cosviophylla (scrub gum), and E. odorata (peppermint). 
EXCURSION TO PORT WILLUNGA FOREST, JUNE 9, 
1924. — Members went to Port Willunga on Monday, June 9th, 
under the guidance of Dr. R, H. Pulleine and Mr. W. J. Kimber. 
