Ramblings: Rifle Range Road

Saturday, 1 October 2022

Rifle Range Road - 27 Sep 2022

Our walk today is one we have done on a number of previous times but it is usually a good walk with good views and and a decent distance with not too many hills.

We leave from the carpark where Rifle Range Road becomes Gellibrand Drive.

Today's forecast is for fine weather so it should be a good walk.

After an initial short walk along Gellibrand Drive we follow the Tandarra Track in between houses for about a kilometre. In this reasonably short part of the walk we enjoyed some orchid spotting.

Waxlip Orchid - Caladenia major - dark blue

Nodding Greenhood

Waxlip Orchid - Caladenia major - a lighter blue

Billy Button - Craspedia glauca (not an orchid)

Donkey Orchid - Diuris corymbosa

Pink Fingers - Caladenia catenata

Showy Parrot pea (also not an orchid)

The following examples were located by Val and were then spied through most of the tracks we followed.

Mayfly Orchid (Acianthus caudatus)

This tractor has lain in same spot for at least the last 8 years as it has featured in a number of our previous walks.

Heading ways from the orchid area and into some flat and somewhat wet underfoot walking.

After a longer than normal first part of today's walk we spent a pleasant time having morning tea on Mortimer Bay Beach Reserve.

A beautiful view of Mt Wellington.

Some more walking through a somewhat sodden landscape.

One of the last residents of an Emu Farm that we have passed on a number of occassions previously but it was looking a lot greener than before.

Spider Orchid.

Donkey orchids which were growing in profusion along the verge of Gellibrand Drive.

Heading back towards the water for the lunch spot.

I included the following sundews as Marilyn commented she would sooner look at these rather than the orchids and when you see a close up you can see the reason why.

Drosera peltata (maybe)