20/08/2020 ….. Quajabin Peak to Pingeculling Nature Reserve (Road Trip 2020)

Nature Reserves, Pingeculling NR, Road Trip, Western Australian Orchids

After a night listening the nearby sheep bleating all night we awake to another beautiful sunny morning. We now take the time to explore the area below our camp for orchids.

Quajabin (County) Peak

Small flowered donkey orchid

(Diuris porrifolia)

Western wheatbelt donkey orchid

(Diuris brachyscapa)

Leaving Quajabin (County) Peak we head south to Yenyening Lakes. We hoped to explore the Nature Reserve however it seems to only cover the actual lakes themselves. A little bit along Qualandary Road just over the Avon River bridge we pull over to check out the roadside vegetation.

Yenyening Lakes

Purple-veined spider orchid, Purple-veined clown orchid

(Caladenia doutchiae)

Puppet orchid

(Caladenia incrassata)

Dancing spider orchid

(Caladenia discoidea)

Blue beard, Blue fairy orchid

(Pheladenia deformis)

Green spider orchid, Fringed mantis orchid

(Caladenia falcata)

Leaving the Yenyening lakes we head further along Qualandary Road. At the intersection with Boyagarra Road we pull into a gravel pit. Here we explore the vegetation for any orchids that may flower in this small island of nature in the middle of farmland.

Boyagarra Road

Frog greenhood

(Pterostylis sargentii)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

>>>> donkey orchid

(Diuris sp.)

It is now past 12 o’clock so we move on. looking for another location where we can have some lunch whilst exploring for orchids. We by-pass Brookton by heading south down Moorumbine Road. at another gravel pit in the middle of a bush block will pull up. Whilst eating lunch we explore the surrounding vegetation for orchids. We come across an old rubbish dump site and find some amazing old bottles.

Moorumbine Road

Little pink fairy

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

Frog greenhood

(Pterostylis sargnetii)

Small flowered donkey orchid

(Diuris porrifolia)

Western wheatbelt donkey orchid

(Diuris brachyscapa)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

After storing away our old bottles, we move into the Pingeculling Nature Reserve. We follow the track up a steep gravely slope then along bush tracks past sheoks and granite boulders. We then come across a fallen tree over the track. I get to use my Ryobi Chainsaw for it’s first real test. We then pull up on the track near a flat piece of granite and set up camp.

Pingeculling Nature Reserve

Little pink fairy

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

Western wheatbelt donkey orchid

(Diuris brachyscapa)

Banded greenhood

(Pterostylis vittata)

Blue beard

(Pheladenia deformis)

Lemon-scented sun orchid

(Thelymitra antennifera)

Little laughing leek orchid

(Prasophyllum gracile)

Primrose spider orchid

(Caladenia xantha)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Caladenia sp.

It is now nearly 4pm so we make tracks back to the camper and light the camp fire to get ready for dinner. I study the orchid books to uncover what we had found today. A fabulous day with so many orchids found.

19/08/2020 ….. Wandoo National Park to Quajabin Peak (Road Trip 2020)

National Parks, Road Trip, Wandoo NP, Western Australian Orchids

After our departure from Perth late yesterday afternoon, we awake to a beautiful morning in Wandoo National Park. After enjoying breakfast we go exploring the surrounding woodland for orchids, whilst allowing the camper to dry out from a damp evening.

Wandoo National Park

Common donkey orchid

(Diuris corymbosa)

Blue beard, blue fairy orchid

(Pheladenia deformis)

Little pink fairy, dwarf pink fairy

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Primrose spider orchid

(Caladenia xantha)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

Murdoch snail orchid

(Pterostylis ectypha)

Clubbed snail orchid

(Pterostylis glebosa)

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Banded greenhood

(Pterostylis vittata)

We then pack up our dry camper and move back to the highway to travel east. We don’t get far before another location to check out appears on the right. We take the track in and first stop along the drive in, then park up at the picnic area, before stopping along the track back to the highway. This proved a great spur of the moment stop.

Mount Observation

Little pink fairy

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Frog greenhood

(Pterostylis sargentii)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Small flowered donkey orchid

(Diuris porrifolia)

Blue beard

(Pheladenia deformis)

Common spider orchid

(Caladenia varians)

Clubbed spider orchid. Long-clubbed spider orchid

(Caladenia longiclavata)

Big clubbed spider orchid

(caladenia magniclavata)

Bird Orchid

(Pterostylis barbata)

Silky blue orchid

(Cyanicula sericea)

It is now past 1pm so we make tracks to York. Here we have a wonderful pub lunch before heading south. Just before reaching Beverley we check out St Paul’s church at Edwards Crossing. A beautiful old church in the middle of nowhere it seems. Next we pass through Beverley without stopping and turn east a Mount Kokeby. Another amazing historic build is found in Bally Bally. The old town hall was an impressive sight.We had chosen Quajabin Peak as a possible overnight stay. Not much on offer but we set up camp anyway, before I climb the Peak for a birds eye view of the surrounding farmland. Unfortunatley the peak is ravaged by erosion. At the top of the peak I found a Rufous greenhood type orchid in bud. Nothing else located.

It was a great day checking out the Wandoo National park. Finding 17 orchid species was a bonus.

14/08/2020 ….. Weira Reserve to Danberrin Hill (Road Trip 2020)

Billyacatting Hill NR, Nature Reserves, Other Reserves, Road Trip, Weira Reserve, Western Australian Orchids

Another leisurely morning, where we have breakfast and pack up the campers, before heading off exploring the reserve, with Deb this time. We check out the breakaway as we did yesterday, then make our way back to the campsite for the walk trail to the gnamma hole.

Weira Reserve

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Glistening spider orchid

(Caladenia incensum)

Caladenia dimidia X Caladenia incensum

Dainty blue orchid

(Cyanicula amplexans)

Chameleon spider orchid

(Caladenia dimidia)

Green-veined shell orchid

(Pterostylis scabra)

We arrived at the gnamma hole , however it was a weed infested area so we quickly trekked back to the campers to move on. No photos taken. The next stop on the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail was Site 19, a place called Wattoning Historical Site. Here we first took time to have lunch before finding a place to check for orchids. Nothing discovered so we move on.

We then backtracked, stopping to take photos of Cleomine, a wind driven tribute to a local racehorse, then an old grain silo relocated to Mukinbudin, before arriving at Site 20 – Mangowine Homestead. This historical location was once an inn where travellers to the goldfields rested up. It was an interesting stop but alas still no orchids.

We then decided to visit site 21, Billyacatting Hill, before reaching Nungarin, as we plan to camp south of the town. We did not wish to backtrack North tomorrow.

Billyacatting Nature Reserve

Ant orchid, Clown orchid, Man orchid, Jack-in-the-Box

(Caladenia roei)

Yellow granite donkey orchid

(Diuris hazeliae)

Jug orchid, Recurved shell orchid, Antelope orchid, Bull orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Mallee banded greenhood

(Pterostylis arbuscula)

Drooping spider orchid

(Caladenia radialis)

Green-veined shell orchid

(Pterostylis scabra)

Pink candy orchid

(Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea)

Blue beard

(Pheladenia deformis)

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Rufous greenhood complex orchid

(Pterostylis sp.)

Leaving Billyacatting Rock we backtrack to the Nungarin North Road and head south. Bypassing Nungarin, we find our planned location, Danberrin Hill. The campground was already occupied by a group of people, however as it was getting late we decided to pull up and setcamp. Over the next hour or so more people turn up and we are completely surrounded by a church group who set up a big campfire. We are serenaded with gospel singing, however we provide late night entertainment for them as well. An interesting night to finish off a great day exploring. 12 species located, plus 1 possible hybrid and an emerging rufous type greenhood.

13/08/2020 ….. Elachbutting Rock to Weira Reserve (Road Trip 2020)

Nature Reserves, Other Reserves, Road Trip, Sandford Rocks NR, Weira Reserve, Western Australian Orchids, Westonia Common

We awake to a beautiful sunny day, have a leisurely breakfast and finally break camp around 10am. Before leaving Elachbutting Rock we check out the stone lined well.

Heading south we pass Yanneymooning Nature Reserve, not stopping this time, then turned east onto Morrison Road, which takes us through Chiddarcooping Nature Reserve. Further south we finally reach Sandford Rocks Nature Reserve which is Site 16 on the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail. We stop at the north eastern section of the reserve and have a look around finding some orchids before moving down to the actual visitors area of the park. It is a great walk around the rock where we find a good selection of orchids.

Sandford Rocks Nature Reserve