In Australian places with a Mediterranean-type climate, Spring is “wildflower season”.
However, in virtually any patch of quasi-natural “bush” – most especially, where the soils are sandy and “poor” – at least some species will be flowering, whenever you visit.
Deep Creek National Park’s stringybark forest is one such place.
Both photos were taken during a “properly cold, properly wet” winter when the southern Fleurieu was showing no signs of “an early Spring”.
Plants will be visible in this series’ remaining posts; they will co-star In the very next one.
However, after the next post, all our ”Southern Fleurieu heroes” are neither flora nor fauna; plants are also present, but not as the centre of attention.
As you will see, “neither flora nor fauna” were the most visually arresting, surprising life forms we encountered in the stringybark forest on 20 June 2023.
Musical bonus
Keith Jarrett’s “Blossom” first reached most ears as the second cut on Belonging, the still-sublime 1974 debut album by the American pianist’s so-called “European quartet”.
Its other members were Scandinavians: saxophonist Jan Gabarek, double bassist Palle Danielsson and drummer Jon Christensen.
See and hear, here. This ballad performance runs for more than twelve minutes.
It contains not one superfluous second.
You will probably need to click the speaker icon…and you may wish to activate “full screen”.