Northern Suburbs Branch 22nd September 2021
We started the morning with a short walk to the lookout located on the highest point in Trigonometric Park in Duncraig. This is the second highest point in the City of Joondalup, the highest being the top of Blue Mountain Park, which we visited in July 2018. From the lookout we had 360 degree views taking in Rottnest Island, Fremantle Harbour, Perth city, “the Hills” and suburbs to the north.
Our guide for the day, Terry Wilson, the convenor of the local friends group, told us that fortunately the area which now makes up the 2.5 ha park was considered too rocky for housing when the surrounding area was cleared and subdivided by the R&I Bank about 30 years ago. The limestone which caps the sands of the Spearwood Dune System, is either exposed at the surface or is covered by a thin layer of sand. The vegetation was dominated by tall shrubs including Parrot Bush, Basket Bush, Chenille Honey myrtle and several Acacia species. Some of the plants spotted in the intermediate layer included Coastal beard heath, One-sided bottlebrush and Limestone Trymalium. After we left the lookout and continued on the path, we spotted Donkey Orchids and Pink Fairy Orchids on either side of the path. We also stopped to demonstrate how to make “bush soap” from the green seeds of Acacia cyclops – a first for quite a few.
Our second natural area for the morning was Glenbar Park which contains soils of the Cottesloe complex and therefore a very different plant community. To start with, we had stands of Jarrah and Tuarts with lesser numbers of other eucalypts and Western Sheoak. The tall shrubs included Dwarf Sheoaks, Green and Grey Stinkwood, Marno, Grevillea vestita, and Harsh Hakea. Closer to the ground there were many Milkmaids, Morning irises, Purple tassels, Granny bonnets, Prickly conostylis, Yellow buttercups with scattered bushes of Synaphea sp., Bloodroot, Prince-of-Wales feathers, Native Violets, False Boronia, and a few Devil’s Pins along with cowslip, donkey, and two species of white spider orchids. Among the climbers we saw pink sundews and many Fringed Lilies.
About a dozen bird species were recorded, all being common species. A few butterflies, probably Australian Painted Lady, were spotted. The only reptile recorded was a recently killed bobtail. There were a number of diggings which were probably made by Quenda but no animals were seen. The skeleton of what was probably a rat was found. We finished our walk spot on 10.00am. Golly, I am glad we started at 8.00am as it was already 24 degrees.
Don Poynton