Snippets From the South Coast - Plus the Snowy.

These were taken over a 4 day period on a 5 day trip to the south coast of New South Wales and then across to the Snowy Mountains high country. 

As we were going to be on the coast I was going to concentrate on sea weeds and the like, but instead of the 3 to 5 hours in the one spot as I usually do, travelling all day wouldn't allow this. Even when I did find a rock pool there wasn't the variety I was hoping for, this will have to wait for another day.

Native flowers were scarce,well at least until we reached the Snowy and even there they were in small numbers , so this post covers a more diverse group of subjects, locations and 'styles'(more of the whole plant, native, exotic and feral growing in the landscape) than I usually do. Also, not all plants are named as, well, I don't know what they are.

All the 'happy snaps' from this trip can be seen at 'Gumnuts and Other Stuff'.

Neptune's Necklace Hormosira banksii.
The only 'seaweed' I photographed.      At Mossy Point.

Lomandra sp. and Westringia fruticosa  - Coastal Rosemary,  growing out of the rock.
At Mossy Point.

I think this grass just growing out of the rock in the same location as above is native.
 Looks looks like a Poa sp.

Pelargonium australe  -  Native Storksbill, Native Geranium.
Narooma.

A wind-swept Allocasuarina/Casuarina sp. at Tarthra.

Araucaria heterophylla  -  Norfolk Island Pine.  Various Locations  This Pine can be found planted in most coastal towns in NSW.  I remember these trees from my childhood planted in beach towns with the square picket fence (usually painted white) around them.

Typical coastal thicket of (I think) Melaleuca sp.  Eden.

An exotic Pine planted at Narooma.

One of the dominant 'gum' trees seen on the south coast was Corymbia maculata (syn. Eucalyptus maculata)  -  Spotted Gum.  Narooma.  When I Googled the species most images of it were as 'floor-boards.

I think this bright yellow daisy is native.  Eden

Daucus carota  -  Queen Anne's Lace, Wild Carrot, Birds' Nest.
This garden escapee (feral) plant was seen growing along the road side in a lot of areas not far from the coast.   Moruya.

A very nice flower specimen of the feral Verbena (bonariensis ?) -  Purple Top.
Moruya.

The following 7 photos are garden plants taken in the little historic village of Central Tilba.

Lilium lancifolium (syn: Lilium tigrinum)  -   Tiger Lily.

Pelagonias (ivy-leaved geranium), climbing rose, hibiscus and native violets.

Climbing rose.

Hibiscus.

Alstroemeria psittacina   -  New Zealand Christmas Bell, Parrotlily, Parrot Flower, Red Parrot Beak, , Inca Lily.

Limonium perezii  -  Statice, Sea Lavender.

Marigolds.

 Amaryllis belladonna  -  Belladonna Lily, Naked Lady, Jersey Lily, March Lily.   Eden.

  Lomandra sp.
 Cooling reflection in 38C (100F) temperatures.   Rockton.

Slowly Disappearing.
Farmland skyline, Rock Flat Creek.

Grasses in sheep country,  Dalgety.

A collection (of 3) from the top and above the tree line of the Snowy Mountains.

left:     Chionogentias muelleriana subsp. alpestris  -  Mountain  Gentian, Snow Gentian.

middle:      Prasophyllum alpestre  -  Highland Leek-orchid.

t/r:      Pentachondra pumila  -  Carpet Heath

b/r:      Senecio sp.  -  Groundsel.

Clockwise from left:   Craspedia sp.  -  Billy-buttons.
Leucochrysum albicans subsp. alpinum  -  Alpine Sunray, Snow Daisies
Acaena novae-zelandia  -  Bidgee-widgee.
not sure

Eucalyptus sp.  -  Snow Gum.

Top left:   not sure
bottom left:      Prostanthera cuneata - Alpine Mint-bush.
middle:    Wahlenbergia sp.  -  Native Bluebell.
left:     Richea continentalis - Candle Heath.

Fantasticly coloured Eucalyptus sp. (could be Eucalyptus viminalis ?)  Berridale.

Lythrum salicaria  -  Purple Loosestrife.
Another feral,  Jinden.

FEATHERS, FUR and FANG.                 Some Of The Wildlife Seen Today.

Pacific Black Duck.

Grey Teal.

Royal Spoonbill.

Grey-headed Flying Fox  (fruit bat).

Large weevil.

Water Buffalo.
(I confess, they were from a zoo)

Sea Urchin.

Australian Fur Seals

Silver Gull.

Large Black Cormorant.

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater.

Goanna.

And it wasn't even Easter.

Spotted Mountain Grasshopper, Southern Pyrgomorph  (Monistria concinna).
This grasshopper is just as camouflaged on rock....................  

..............as it is in plants.
Spotted Mountain Grasshopper, Southern Pyrgomorph  (Monistria concinna).

Even when the semi-trailer came the other way she wasn't in a hurry to move.