A 33 hectare urban forest created in the 1970’s from an old bluestone quarry
What a wonderful vision of the then Local Government Council to create this haven in what was then a very industrial suburb devoid of open space.
Only about 12 kilometres from the centre of Melbourne
The fate of the quarry was sealed when the digging hit an underground spring and the lake was formed.
Over the the four months of the Melbourne lockdown I have walked the trails of this urban forest.
Seen the changes as winter turned to spring and now as summer approaches.
The trees in blossom
The resident black swans with their cignets
The flock of Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos that came for winter and went back bush in the Spring. Unlike us terrestrial animals free to fly to and fro as they please.
The bird life by the lake is vibrant wattle birds, butcher birds all too quick for amateur wildlife photographer like me
But this little blue wren wasn’t shy and struck the perfect pose.
The hard bluestone walls that surround the lake loom large and bare the cracks from the many explosions that were used to extract the bluestone.
Those cracks now form handholds for climbers to practice their skills.
And in the rock faces there is the subtle marks of human presence
Mosaics of the birds in the park
And as the days got longer and warmer and summer is only an month or so away
The Blue Tongue Lizards come out to bask in the sun.
Walking in Newport Lakes and cycling on the Williamstown bay trail (posts here, here and here.) have made me appreciate my local space very much. How lucky I am to have access to these elements of nature in a big city.
After for months of lockdown in the City of Melbourne the restrictions that have kept Melbournians separate from the rural areas of the State will be lifted in a few days.
The Mighty Breva will roam again across the local countryside, on the coastal roads and over the windy mountain passes.
But before I sign off my local explorations
A pelican in flight a couple of evenings back down at the Koroit Creek estuary.
The second Melbourne, Australia lock down has just been implemented
After being in and out of lock downs in Spain and England and quarantine in a Melbourne Hotel, this second lockdown in Melbourne has finally anchored me.
Famous landmarks of the usually bustling city cast with an almost ghostly quietness
Even the usually bustling Victoria Market with its colourful displays of produce, like the life has been sucked out of its ancient stalls and sheds
No queuing four deep at my favourite stall
Chance meeting with someone I hadn’t seen for a while
Little is left to chance in the time of coronavirus
At the eastern end of the city
The Monuments, the Shrine of Remembrance and the Old Observatory along with Gardens and the floral clock stand alone
In the lanes and alleyways of the inner city
Usually vibrant
The graffiti almost mocks the quiet desolation
The next 6 weeks (the length of this lockdown) will be a time and thought of what has been and what will be.
Something different to share over the coming weeks.
The air was crispy cold as I headed out of the city and into the rural hinterland of Melbourne
As I passed over the Murchison Gap the rich green farming land was rolling out in front of me – a sight to see
The little back roads winding through the hills and farmland beckoning
But it was a holiday weekend and the roads were slowly filling, even the back roads were starting to bulge with caravans being towed by big SUVs. Post the Covid 19 lockdown I think all Melbournites were keen to get out of the city.
After the lovely tourist town of Marysville I was heading for the Black Spur only to hit a long line of traffic
A sign to Warburton a quick to the left and I was on a little road through the forest