Trentham And The Wombat State Forest

One of the closest parks to Melbourne, the Wombat State Forest and the surrounding areas is cut by the deep gorges of the Lerdederg River.  Once ravaged by gold miners this area has recovered its isolation.  You must prepare for strenuous steep climbs if you wish to investigate all corners of this bushland.

The Trentham falls is a geological oddity with its larva filled valley Caladenia orchids come in a variety of colours .. this one has a pale green tinge popularly called "milk maids" these delicate white flowers scatter over the forest floor
once the gold miners built these water channels around every contour on every hill to carry the water from Shaw's lake to the diggings Shaw's lake held the water for extensive gold sluicing of the hills above Golden Point the grey spongy lichen covers the areas of ground stripped by the gold miners
beside the road grew a small cluster of the unique bearded orchids this showy yellow pea is easily identified by its blunt fleshy leaves the guide book suggested that this Kunzea was out of place .. and it was the only plant growing beside the road to O'Brien's crossing

These pictures were taken in November 2001