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Tag: trees

Winter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (final in series: the “Cazneaux Tree”)

Published August 12, 2024 by Pelidoug

Winter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (final in series: the “Cazneaux Tree”)

 

 

Venerable and majestic as it is, the pictured river red gum is neither the tallest, nor most massive, nor oldest example of the Australian mainland’s most widely distributed and most widely-loved eucalypt species.

The pictured tree, however was “the hero” in the most famous photograph ever taken of Eucalyptus camaldulensis.

87 years ago one of the most influential Australian photographers saw this tree, standing on a sparsely vegetated plateau, with Wilpena Pound’s flanks behind it.

The tree has stood there for at least several centuries; “the Pound” is circa 800 million years older.

Harold Cazneaux (aka “H.P. Cazneaux”) captioned his 1937 tree portrait, The Spirit of Endurance.

read moreWinter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (final in series: the “Cazneaux Tree”)
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Winter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#6 in series: the “floor”)

Published July 24, 2024 by Pelidoug

Winter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#6 in series: the “floor”)

 

 

Conifers and eucalypts both tend to be domineering – they are particularly adept at excluding other kinds of trees.

In the Flinders Ranges, however, one sometimes sees “pines” and “gum trees” thriving, surprisingly near to each other.

read moreWinter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#6 in series: the “floor”)
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Winter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#5 in series: river red gum’s “skin”)

Published July 24, 2024 by Pelidoug

Winter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#5 in series: river red gum’s “skin”)

 

 

 

At 8.56 am we were just beginning to walk away from Wilpena Creek, and uphill, towards the “lip” of the actual Wilpena Pound.

As is true of many Eucalyptus species, river red gums are forever-engaged in a cycle of growing and shedding their bark and leaves.

read moreWinter light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#5 in series: river red gum’s “skin”)
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Winter Light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#4 in series: fully-qualified survivor)

Published July 22, 2024 by Pelidoug

Winter Light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#4 in series: fully-qualified survivor)

 

 

Clearly evident: this tree is no youngster, it has not merely seen fire and rain, and is still alive, probably some centuries on from the relevant seed’s germination.

Commonly known as the river red gum, Eucalyptus camaldulensis is the most widely-distributed of any eucalyptus species; it is almost-proverbially hardy/“enduring”.

River red gums are the “gum tree” best-beloved by Australian members of Homo sapiens.

In 21st century Australia, this “iconic” species is in big trouble.

read moreWinter Light, Flinders Ranges, 05/06/2023 (#4 in series: fully-qualified survivor)
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MacDonnell Ranges (#4 in single-image series: “ghost” who photosynthesises)

Published September 27, 2023 by Pelidoug

MacDonnell Ranges (#4 in single-image series: “ghost” who photosynthesises)

Above,  you are looking at an uncommonly old, very large example of an “iconic” Australian tree: Corymbia aparrerinja, commonly known as ghost gum.

This particular tree, near Trephina Gorge, circa one hour east of Alice Springs, is billed as the largest living ghost gum.

Close by, is a smaller but more elegant ghost gum; the “powdered” hand in #3 of this series was my beloved’s, immediately after she had gently rubbed that tree’s trunk.

For many thousands of years, Central Australia’s first humans have been putting ghost gum bark’s white powder to ceremonial use…

read moreMacDonnell Ranges (#4 in single-image series: “ghost” who photosynthesises)
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Stringybark forest (#1 in “Deep Creek” single-image teaser series)

Published July 27, 2023 by Pelidoug

Stringybark forest (#1 in “Deep Creek” single-image teaser series)

 

 

Deep Creek Conservation Park is circa 110 kilometres south of Adelaide – 90 minutes driving time, almost all of it on good roads.

One of South Australia’s better kept “secrets” includes SA’s best remaining (tiny) remnant of a once relatively common but now very rare type of forest, spectacular coastline, lovely bushland, wildflowers, many birds, and lots of ‘roos,

And that’s not all…

read moreStringybark forest (#1 in “Deep Creek” single-image teaser series)
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Tree “skin” & “grass tree” flower spike (#1 in SA/NT “outback” single image teaser series)

Published June 26, 2023 by Pelidoug

Tree “skin” & “grass tree” flower spike (#1 in SA/NT “outback” single image teaser series)

 

 

 

Northern South Australia and the south of the Northern Territory are deservedly celebrated for their vast, “cinematic” landscapes.

Any visitor can hardly fail to be in awe of the big skies, the far-distant horizons, and the extravagantly colourful, harsh/glorious, obviously-ancient terrain.

Too many visitors, however, fail to pay attention to what’s literally right in front of them, or just behind, or immediately above them.

The “small” view – of whatever is within “touching distance” – is almost always at least as rewarding as is any “sweeping plains and rugged mountain ranges” perspective.

read moreTree “skin” & “grass tree” flower spike (#1 in SA/NT “outback” single image teaser series)
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