Otways

Fungi And Invertebrates At Triplet Falls

Jade Craven · March 10, 2017 · Leave a Comment

In the previous post, I shared photos of the moss and lichen I saw while doing a quick hike of Triplet Falls. We were rushed and didn’t see as much animal and plant life as we could have. I think we did pretty good considering it was busy and it was a tough hike.

We did find a good range of fungi. You needed a really good eye, though. You got the typical Otways species growing on logs and on trees. We were fortunate to find tiny specimens though when sitting down or looking for insects.

I’ve put a hold on learning about fungi, due to time commitments. Still keen on documenting and exploring the Otways as much as I can. 😀

Moss and Lichen At Triplet Falls

Jade Craven · February 23, 2017 · Leave a Comment

I love Triplet Falls. I had hiked here with Carolyn early in 2016 and just fell in love with the area. At that time, we were mostly birdwatching and I was getting thoroughly distracted by the invertebrates. It wasn’t until later in the year when I became enamored with moss and lichen.

Yes, I get really strong emotions over plants and animals. I’m a nerd.

On this trip, I was here with my nephew. I was on a trip with my parents and we’d gotten lost looking for the californian redwoods. We stopped here to rest and mum suggested that Seth and I do the walk while she and dad rested in the carpark.

I rushed the walk as I didn’t feel comfortable doing an activity without them. (My anxiety brain was playing up this trip.) Sethy LOVED it though. There was a lot of fungi and invertebrates and we had a lot of fun just looking at them. We even found a live black otway snail and later, Sethy found a shell. Bucket list achieved!

As it was the school holidays, the walk was quite busy but not to the point where it was annoying. It meant a bit of a wait to get a photo of us in front of the waterfalls.

This post mostly deals with the moss and lichen I saw. The shots were rushed. I could have easily spent a couple of hours here getting artistic shots and experimenting with the lighting and background. There are so many other waterfalls in the immediate area. I could spend a trip to Apollo Bay just exploring this little section in depth.

Accidental Fog In The Otways

Jade Craven · February 15, 2016 · Leave a Comment

This took place during our January trip to Apollo Bay

We were on our way to Maits Rest. It had been a bit of a yucky morning so we waited until the weather cleared to go exploring. We were admiring the fog amongst the rainforest when we saw this view.

Damn!

My photos do not do it justice. We were in the middle of the summer holidays and the fog was like this.Mum immediately asked to pull over, and we joined a group of people who were having brunch at the location.

One of the things I love about Apollo Bay is how the fog meets the hills, especially when you are at the main beach. It makes for such beautiful photography. I had no idea just how amazing it could be from the other side.

Fog In The Otways

Jade Craven · February 14, 2016 · Leave a Comment

We were on our way back from Apollo Bay. We had gone the backway – via Lorne and Winchelsea. The weather was abysmal but it was fine, we were going home.

We were half way back when we saw the fog. The deeper we got, the heavier it got. It was amazing. These photos don’t do it justice.

We waited for the first possible opportunity to stop the car and got out to walk up a side road to get photos. I probably could have done a better job but had never had an opportunity like this before. Glenn would have loved it.

The fog lasted a while, which made for a very fun ride. You couldn’t wipe the smile off of both of my parents faces. I love the Otways. Always full of surprises

Walking Madsens Track at Melba Gully

Jade Craven · January 25, 2016 · Leave a Comment

This trip took place on 17 Jan.

I love the Otways. It’s beyond love. If I had the means, I’d be exploring every little facet of it every change I got. Each area is slightly different. It almost feels magical.

I guess I have a spiritual connection to the region. Which is why I was really excited when my friend, Carolyn, suggested we explore Melba Gully as part of our Otways birding trip.

We ended up walking the 1.5km long Madsens Track, which is supposed to take 40 minutes. Of course, I was with a bunch of nature nerds so we took almost and hour and a half. I loved it so much, I would love to take mum here.

The sign at the start. One thing I love about the Otways, and many national parks I go to, is that they have very clear signs.

A tree that had fallen over a small creek. I could have easily spent hours doing this one walk. Glenn would have loved it. The photography opportunities are phenomenal.

A new fern growing.

I was surprised to see what looked like farmland about half way through the walk. It felt so secluded, so away from society, that it took awhile to acknowledge it.

Anne’s Cascades

It’s hard to find much information about Anne’s Cascades. They are beautiful, and I regret not spending more time here. There are better places for waterfall photography in the Otways, if that is your thing.

Big Tree

The big tree was one of the oldest trees, having stood here for over 300 years. Sadly, it fell a couple of years ago. It’s sad but even when it was fallen, you could appreciate it’s majesty.

Fungi

The fungi here is just amazing. I could visit here every 2 weeks if it was feasible, just to see the changes in the fungi. The photos below were taken in the middle of summer!

It is a beautiful place to visit. If you had to choose between this and Maits Rest, I would say go with the latter. However both areas are beautiful and compliment each other nicely.

I believe it’s a walk that should be savoured and not rushed. So many people rush the Great Ocean Road and miss the hidden beauty that can only be seen if you take your time.

For more tips about this walk, check out: