Journal of the Australian Native Plants Society Canberra region (Inc)
Molonglo Gorge Walk
By Peter Chandler
June 2023
On a cool and windy morning nine WWalkers gathered under the Allocasuarina leuhmannii trees in the Molonglo Gorge carpark and started walking the trail that heads upstream through the gorge. Vegetation was initially dominated by Dodonaea viscosa, Kunzea ericoides, Bursaria spinosa and Pomaderris angustifolia.
As we progressed there were lots of Chrysocephalum semipapposum — flowers still visible, though past their prime. Going further into the gorge we encountered Brachyscome rigidula in full flower (photo below), flowering Cassinia species (C. longifolia, C. quinquefaria) and flowering heaths Styphelia (Astroloma) humifusum — photo below, Styphelia triflora). One lone Convolvulus angustissimus was in flower just before we arrived at our lunch spot. We enjoyed lunch at the Blue Tiles picnic area and then retraced our steps back to the carpark.
There were impressive views all along the gorge, with evidence of the huge river flows in the last wet years left behind in the form of massive piles of tree trunks above the current riverbanks. These provided backdrops to the trees along the gorge, mostly Eucalyptus species (E. bridgesiana, E. dives, E. macrorhyncha, E. rossii), Exocarpos cupressiformis and the very distinctive Callitris endlicheri.
Congratulations to the octagenarians amongst us for dealing with a rough walking track, and for providing inspiration for the ‘young’ members of the party.
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