Sunday 15 June 2008

Mt Wellington Fungi - 14th June 2008







Clavaria sp. - possibly C. corallinorosacea






Tentatively Russula lenkunya.



Sunday 8 June 2008

Mary Ann Bay Rocks

At the north end of Mary Ann Bay there is an outcropping of sedimentary rocks in conjunction with the dolerite which predominates along this section of coast. In the photo, the dolerite forms the headland behind, and contrasts quite starkly with the outcrop in front. Looking at the rock, I suspect it is metamorphosed. My Hobart geological map doesn't help. There are Permian deposits in various places; I suspect this is rock which has been overlaid by the dolerite, and is probably from the Malbina Formation which is present elsewhere on South Arm. This rock is fairly gritty, and somewhat bedded, but not like the usual undisturbed sandstones around Hobart.

Sedimentary/metamorphic outcrop in Mary Ann Bay, South Arm - 7th June 2008At the south end of the bay the Mary Ann Bay Sandstone has overlain the weathered surface of the older dolerite. However, I'm unclear how this outcropped sandstone at the north end relates to the dolerite and Mary Ann Bay Sandstone. I'm pretty sure the northern outcrop is NOT Mary Ann Bay Sandstone; the description is wrong and I'm sure they'd have mentioned this easy-access outcrop on the beach in writing about the incidence of it at the south end. Next time I must find this Mary Ann Bay Sandstone, which has attracted quite a lot of interest over the years.

Saturday 7 June 2008

South Arm, Arm End - 7th June 2008

Droughty Point and Ralphs Bay from Gellibrand Point at the end of South Arm - 7th June 2008
Today was a choice between Hartz Mountains and South Arm. The forecast was a bit ordinary, although it improved during the week, but in the end the day dawned damp, cloudy and drizzly in Huonville. The Keoghs Pimple weather station reported 99% humidity (clag) and an apparent temperature of -1.2° C. The weather in Huonville didn't promise any rapid improvement, so South Arm self-selected early. Sorry Peter! The walk around the end of South Arm (Arm End) starts at the very end of the road. You drive through South Arm and on to Opossum Bay, and then a little further until you reach a turning circle/parking area at the end of the road. It's labelled Arm End, but has also been known as the Gellibrand State Reserve.

Transmitter, White Rock Point, South Arm, Tasmania - 7th June 2008You either walk clockwise or anti-clockwise. The tracks are obvious inside the gate, so choose one and head off. The tracks are quite obvious to start with, but do disappear in places, or at least there are more than one choice. Basically you follow the coast all the way, and climb gradually up and down. There are tracks across the middle too, and if you wanted, the whole place is so open, you could just wander around wherever you liked. I recommend turning left, and heading for the obvious transmitter tower at White Rock Point. The tower here appears amongst other things to provide Taroona with some digital TV signals. The views from here of the cliffs south of Taroona are very good, as is the view of Mt Wellington usually (but not today!) The Shot Tower is very obvious. If you walk down beyond the radio mast, you can find some rocks just above sea level which are good to sit on. The views here are very good, and on a still day it is a very attractive place.


Unidentified deceased sea creature - possibly a Swimming Anemone?, Phlyctenactis tuberculosa - 7th June 2008From here you can follow the coast eastwards, and then northwards to descend to the beach on Mary Ann Bay. Walk along this beach, and then ascend through the trees at the far end. You could probably clamber around the rocks below the low cliffs, but there is easy walking at the higher level. Then keep walking north, and descend again to the beach with the ornate sculpted-sandstone headland.


Gellibrand Vault, Mary Ann Bay, South Arm - 7th June 2008The Gellibrand Vault is just south of this headland. You may notice it as you walk along the top, but if not, then walk a short way back along the beach and keep an eye out up the slopes. It is a little beset with landsliding dirt, and probably someone should look after it. Here lie several ancestors of the Gellibrand family, who donated this land to public ownership.


Inscription in memory of William Gellibrand on the Gellibrand Vault, South Arm - 7th June 2008The main inscription reads "In Respectful Memory of William Gellibrand Esquire J.P. the original grantee of South Arm. (and father of the first Attorney General of this Colony)...who died at Hobart Town 27th September 1840. Aged 75 Years. ...n illness of acute pain and suffering which he bore with Christian ...sion and resignation. His mortal remains lie in this vault beneath ...nder his own direction and superintendence. He was courteous and affable in his disposition, benevolent and generous in his character and of uncompromising integrity of purpose." His son, Joseph Tice Gellibrand, was the first Attorney-General of Tasmania.



Shells jammed together edgeways as cobbles, The Spit, South Arm - 7th June 2008Beyond here, it's a short climb and then a flat walk to the end of South Arm, where there is a view to the north of Droughty Point, and a fairly clear view up the Derwent to the Tasman Bridge, Mt Direction and even Selfs Point. From here there's a clear track back to the carpark around the eastern side of the Arm End. It's worth going down to the beach south of The Spit, which is very obvious as you head south. The easiest way is to keep walking until adjacent to the south end of the beach which runs south of The Spit, and follow the 4WD Track down the south side of the obvious fenceline. The track continues obviously back to the carpark past Shelly Beach. The shells on the Spit beach seem in many places to be "cobbled". That is they've been arrangec by the waves to stand on end in their thoudands (or maybe in their tens of thousands).

Sunday 1 June 2008

Lake Helios - 2002

I was talking to someone about Lake Helios and Mt Hyperion a little while ago. I managed to get some nice sunrise shots looking north when I was there, and I said I'd post them on the blog. Lake Helios is one of the most impressive places I've been. I had good weather, but the place must be awfully exposed in poor weather.

The photos are all scanned from prints. The film was Fujicolor 100. The third one is three prints put together obviously. It's too difficult to try to match them exactly, so you'll have to put up with the mismatched colour and contrast. Anyway, the view was superb.



Mt Ossa and Mt Pelion East from Lake Helios - 12th April 2002

Mt Ossa from Lake Helios - 12th April 2002
Thetis, Paddy's Nut, Ossa and Pelion East from Lake Helios - 12th April 2002

North West Bay River Fungus - 31st May 2008













Leotia lubrica: From Fuhrer (2005) - Fruit bodies to 50mm high with viscid stems. The fertile heads are roughly globose, or sometimes irregular...grows singly or in small colonies amongst leaf litter in wet forest and rainforest.



Chlorociboria sp.















Heterotextus sp. probably H. peziziformis, possibly H. miltinus.

Myrtle Gully Fungus Hunt - 31st May 2008 (3)
























Myrtle Gully Fungus Hunt - 31st May 2008 (2)


























Myrtle Gully Fungus Hunt - 31st May 2008 (1)

Myrtle Gully is reached via Old Farm Road. This leaves Strckland Avenue just behind the Cascade Brewery. Old Farm Road winds up the hill some way, and reaches a gate. Beyond the gate, various tracks are marked. You first head a short way up the Old Farm Track, and then take a left turn onto the Myrtle Gully Track. This track winds backwards and forwards across the creek, and appears to contain more species of fungi than most other places on Mt Wellington. This is both apparent on the ground, and by counts made.