Hepburn Springs

Two hours drive from Melbourne, Hepburn Springs is commonly known as the "Spa Resort".  If you wander into the mining-damaged hills surrounding the resort, you will find a surprising variety of native plants amongst the blackberries and gorse that have returned to their original habitat.

a hundred years ago these hills were stripped of their timber .. now the bush returns two "Wall flowers", Diurus_orientis, marked the springs walking track we disturb a blue tongue lizard as we walk past
this tiny pea flower scrambled over the grassy track edge and once again, we find the Bird orchid on the moist southern slopes of the hills around the Springs the gold miners left no rock unturned as they scoured every creek in the district
mine shafts cover the hills .. so .. be careful where you step at the blow hole unknown miners blasted a hole between the narrow neck of land on a creek bend the pink Tetratheca splashed its colour over the rocky ground left scoured by mining

These pictures were taken in October 2001