Several sites in the running for biodiversity funding from the SR CMN Landscape Linkages Project contain high quality wetlands, as well as other high conservation value bush. So, as well as the significant wetlands set aside for conservation via the recent GBCMA-run Wetland Tender Project (2010-11), there are still large, high quality wetlands out there, owned by landholders keen to manage them sensitively and for future generations. One of these wetlands wis along a drainage line in a high rainfall, wet forest (Messmate, Blue Gum, Manna Gum) the other is the head of a gully system below ridges of Long-leaf Box and Broadleaf Peppermint. Both sites are in good condition, though Blackberries and Deer have made their presence felt.
As well as beautiful coral fern wetlands and old, majestic Messmate Stringybarks, we also found Long-nosed Bandicoot diggings at two of these sites – an added surprise.
Both sites are rich in biodiversity and each plays an important role connecting otherwise separated areas of native habitat- each site is part of an important biolink that connects the drier northern forests to the wetter eastern and southern forests around the margins of the Strathbogie Tableland.
- Site 1 is in the wetter south-east, Site 2 is in the drier north.
- Site 1. Swampy Riparian Woodland
- Site 1. Ferns and aquatic plants abound.
- Site 1. The Soft Treefern, Dicksonia antarctica.
- Site 1. Smooth frond-buts of the Soft Treefern, Dicksonia antarctica.
- The creek has cut down through granite boulders.
- Site 1. Moss hummocks are a distinctive characteristics in many wetlands.
- Red-fruited Saw-sedge (Gahnia sieberana) under Mountain Swamp Gum
- Site 1. Tell-tale Long-nosed Bandicoot digging.
- Site 1. Long-nosed Bandicot digging.
- Site 1. Mountain Swamp-gum forest, bordered by Messmate.
- Site 1. 2.5 m dbh Messmate Stringybark (E. obliqua)
- Site 1. A forest giant, Messmate Stringybark (E. obliqua)
- Site 1. Victorian Blue-gum (E. bicostata) forest
- Site 2. 1.5 m dbh Broad-leaf Peppermint (E. dives).
- Site 2. Occasionally Red Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha) pops up.
- Site 2. Blackberry infestations on the edge of this wetland.
- Site 2. Droppings of Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolur)
- Site 2. Sambar Deer wallow in a wetland.
- Scrambling Coral Fern among Tea-tree and Mountain Swamp Gum.
- Site 2. Scrambling Coral Fern hummocks (Gleichenia mycrophylla).
- Site 2. Long-nosed Bandicoot digging.
- Site 2. A cloud bank rolling in.































