2
IFFA Spring wildflower walk at Mount Cottrell | |
21 October 2007 | |
On Sunday there was an Indigenous Flora & Fauna Association (IFFA) tour of Mulla Mulla Grasslands (Bush’s Paddock) & Mt Cottrell in association with Pinkerton Landcare & Environment Group, followed by lunch on Mt Cottrell. Wildflowers |
|
Above:
Pussytails (Ptilotus spathulatus) |
|
White-browed Woodswallows Straw-necked Ibis |
|
Views from the summit of Mt Cottrell are spectacular, especially so as this volcanic cone stands alone in the middle of a large volcanic plain. The neighbouring cones are low in comparison, offering no interruption to the panoramic views. The You Yangs stood out to the south in the midst of the flat plains while Mounts Macedon, Gisborne, Bullengarook & Blackwood towered above the surrounding ranges to the north. Even container ships lying at anchorage in the bay were clearly visible, awaiting berths at the container terminals. The summit was dry & rocky, but even here the native bluebells (Wahlenbergia) flourished among the rocks; masses of blue star-shaped flowers waving in the wind among the dark broken basalt & withered grasses. On the exposed northern summit could be seen several clumps of Stipa scabra in flower. Mt Cottrell has a unique place in the history of Victoria. The first blood shed in Victoria between the white settlers & the local aboriginal peoples occurred on the slopes of Mt Cottrell. Possession of this land was not relinquished lightly. Lying among the basalt boulders was a tiny scraping tool. The whiteness of the quartzite artefact contrasted brightly against the dark basalt, an enduring reminder of these first inhabitants of the area. |
Lunch at summit of Mt Cottrell |
As we descended from the summit we were treated to the sight of a small mob of kangaroos. These live on & around the slopes of Mt Cottrell, making a living despite the drought & lack of tree cover. Their presence demonstrates the ability of these animals to survive both in drought & in cleared farmland. Areas such as Mt Cottrell are important as they provide a haven in which native wildlife can survive in a sea of encroaching subdivision & increasing housing development. Daryl Akers |