8 July 2011 Plant Identification on Mt Taylor

Map: Canberra 1:25000

Getting There

This walk was organised by me and conducted by Anne I'O as a private walk:

Friday 8 July - Plant Identification on Mt Taylor - S/E. With a desire to learn more about identifying trees and plants this year, Anne I'O has kindly agreed to give me a half day lesson. Hopefully this will be a precursor to a trip to the Brindabellas. "The more the merrier" she says. So watch this space for a date. Bring you guide books. Around 5km and 200m climb. Map: Canberra. Leader: John Evans - jevans@pcug.org.au, (h) 6288 7235. Transport: drive yourself.

3 of us met at the Colcuhoun St entrance to the Mt Taylor Nature Reserve.

Further Information

The Mt Taylor Parlcare group's website is at http://taylorparkcare.50webs.com/.

The best guide book I know for ACT trees is NPA's Field Guide to the Native Trees of the ACT Canberra 2nd edn 2007.

Photographs

You can access all photographs here.

Walk

Track map: thumbnails is active - click for a larger picture

Track

We did a short loop in the western part of the Mt Taylor Nature Reserve, between the Tuggeranong Parkway and the 132kV powerline, initially heading N along the old road alignment from Woden to a property. I'd never been in this area of the NR before, approaching closest a couple of Sundays ago on 26 Jun 11.

I thought we would look at trees, but we covered grasses and shrubs as well (with several birds thrown in). Anne is "Mrs Mt Taylor Land Care Group" (see web site here) and she has a love and knowledge of the area, backed up by years and years of care for the NR. In addition, I appreciated a 'heads down' walk, covering minimal distance with maximum enjoyment and learning. Head swimming with names by the end, but one has to start somewhere.

The identified list was - African Love Grass (Eragrostis curvula), Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus rossii), Broad leaved-Peppermint (Eucalyptus dives), Apple box (Euclayptus bridgesiana), Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana), Yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora), Red box (Eucalyptus polyanthemos), Native sarsaparilla-Purple coral pea (Hardenbergia violacea), Blackthorn (Bursaria spinosa), Native raspberry (Rubus parvifolius), Blakelys red gum (Euclayptus blakelyi), Urn heath (Melichrus urceolatus), Barbed wire grass (Cymbopogon refractus) and Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneum).

Huge thanks, Anne. Also to Phillip S who learns faster than I do.

Distance: 1.9km Climb: 100m. Time: 1.00 - 3.00pm.
Grading: S/E; E(5)

KMZ file for Google Earth/Maps: Plant Identification on Mt Taylor

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This page last updated 26Aug22