Snail

25/08/2020 ….. Meelon to Mornington (Road Trip 2020)

Dwellingup SF, Meelon NR, Nature Reserves, Road Trip, State Forest, Western Australian Orchids

Thankyou to Megan for allowing us to camp on her Meelon property for a couple nights. It was great to catch-up with family and friends. Finally being able to visit my dear old mum in her nursing after all the COVID-19 lockdowns, was extra special. We say our goodbyes to little Harley and start our homeward journey, albeit in a very roundabout fashion, which is the way we like it. 🙂

Meelon Nature Reserve

Common bee orchid

(Diuris decrementa)

Meelon Nature Reserve proved to be very wet and weedy however some orchids found, so a good start to the day. We now back-track a few hundred metres and turn down Burnside Road. This road side stop proves to be fruitful.

Burnside Road

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Crowded banded greenhood

(Pterostylis atrosanguinea)

The Crowded banded greenhoods were a new find for us, so it was a perfect random stop. However it is time to move on, so we venture to the South West Hwy and head down to Yarloop. From here we head west looking for suitable habitat to checkout, however we are not very successful. So we head back through Cookernup to cross the highway and head to Lake Brockman, where we have lunch at the caravan park which overlooks the Logue Brook dam. After enjoying lunch on the verandah with a friendly 28 parrot for company we go for a walk around the camping ground.

Lake Brockman Tourist Park

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Small banded greenhood

(Pterostylis orbiculata)

Little pink fairies

Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Slender snail orchid

(Pterostylis crispula)

Bird orchid

(Pterostylis barbata)

What a great variety of orchids found at the campground. The Small banded greenhood is another new orchid for us. We decide to move on toward Hoffman Mill where we plan to camp the night. Unfortunately the campground is closed so we decide to check out the walk trail that crosses the creek, to see if we can find anything new.

Hoffmans Mill

Slender snail orchid

(Pterostylis crispula

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Banded greenhood

(Pterostylis vittata)

Walk trail finished, however only Pterostylis orchids found. As we can’t camp here we head off looking for somewhere to stay in the middle of the State forest. Heading towards Collie we finally find a track leading into the bush. This track leads into a loop where we decide to pull up and set up camp.

Mornington

Little pink fairies

(Caladenia reptans subsp.reptans)

After setting up the camper and getting a campfire ready to light, we check out the inner loop of our camping area. We find a few little pink fairies but do not venture much further as we will check out this location in the morning. We were distracted by the rumbling sound that just started out of the blue and did not stop for hours. It turned out to be the conveyor belt leading to Worsley Alumina Refinery.

23/08/2020 ….. Highbury State Forest to Meelon (Road Trip 2020)

Highbury SF, Road Trip, State Forest, Western Australian Orchids

We wake up to another beautiful morning in the forest. After breakfast we pack up the camper and head back along the track. Before leaving the state forest though we have one more exploration.

Highbury State Forest

Small flowered donkey orchid

(Diuris porrifolia)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Dark banded greenhood

(Pterostylis sanguinea)

Primrose spider orchid

(Caladenia xantha)

Little pink fairies

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Lemon-scented sun orchid

(Thelymitra antennifera)

Pterostylis sp.

Mosquito orchid

(Cyrtostylis robusta)

Dancing spider orchid

(Caladenia discoidea)

Blue beard

(Pheladenia deformis)

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

In my little black book I recorded finding 2 wispy complex spider orchids and 2 greenhoods, however whilst making this post I am now unsure so I only posted one of each. Please let me know your thoughts on if there is 1 or 2 types.

Ok so now we move onward to our next location. Piesseville is one of our favourite locations as we regularly find numerous species of orchids. Let us hope this visit proves successful.

Piesseville-Tarwonga Road

Blue beard

(Pheladenia defromis)

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Joseph’s spider orchid

(Caladenia polychroma)

Small flowered donkey orchid

(Diuris porrifolia)

Green spider orchid

(Caladenia falcata)

Chapman’s spider orchid

(Caladenia chapmanii)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

?? banded greenhood

(Pterostylis sp.)

Banded greenhood

(Pterostylis vittata)

Well as usual the Piesseville location did not disappoint, however we must move on. We head back to the Albany Highway and head north to Williams, where we turn west towards Quindanning. Our next stop is in a patch of bush along the Pinjarra – Williams Road where we have found orchids on previous visits.

Pinjarra-Williams Road

Silky blue orchid

(Cyanicula sericea)

Dark banded greenhood

(Pterostylis sanguinea)

??? donkey orchid

(Diuris sp.)

Banded greenhood

(Pterostylis vittata)

Leaping spider orchid

(Caladenia macrostylis)

Little pink fairies

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Slender snail orchid

(Pterostylis crispula)

Common spider orchid

(Caladenia varians)

It is nearly 3.30 in the afternoon so we had better move on, so that we will arrive at our overnight destination before sunset. We head north to Marradong then westwards to Dwellingup. No time to stop in either location as we move on to Meelon, where we will stay at the property of Megan, our niece. This will be our home for a few nights as we take the time to catch-up with relatives.

Sunset over the dam at Meelon – Megan’s place

22/08/2020 ….. Montague State Forest to Highbury State Forest (Road Trip 2020)

Foxes Lair, Highbury SF, Montague SF, Other Reserves, Road Trip, State Forest, Western Australian Orchids

Where better to wake up than in the middle of a forest!! After eating breakfast, listening to all the birds chirping and chittering, we pack up the camper before exploring our surroundings, for an hour or so.

Montague State Forest

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

Slender snail orchid

(Pterostylis crispula)

Small flowered donkey orchid

(Diuris porrifolia)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Little pink fairies

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Banded greenhood

(Pterostylis vittata)

Frog greenhood

(Pterostylis sargentii)

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Rosette

Clubbed spider orchid

(Caladenia longiclavata)

We finally get back on the road around midday and head to Narrogin to obtain some supplies. We will lunch at our next orchid hunting location, which is on the outskirts of town.

Common donkey orchid

(Diuris corymbosa)

Jug orchid

(Pterostylis recurva)

Little pink fairies

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Banded greenhood

(Pterostylis vittata)

Dark banded greenhood

(Pterostylis sanguinea)

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Blue beard

(Pheladenia deformis)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

Primrose spider orchid

(Caladenia xantha)

Small flowered donkey orchid

(Diuris porrifolia)

Cupped banded greenhood

(Pterostylis concava)

Hairy stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Frog greenhood

(Pterostylis sargentii)

After spending a few hours walking the trails around Foxes Lair we make a move as we need to find another secluded overnight stop, as our planned stop at the Highbury Tavern could not go ahead as it was closed. We turn off the highway on Highbury Road West passing Highbury Nature Reserve and reach Warren Rd. Turn south or keep going west? West it is. Reaching Tarwonga Road we turn south then take a track into Highbury State Forest. Here we camp up at the Telstra Tower and once set up, we scout around.

Highbury State Forest

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Little pink fairies

(Caladenia reptans subsp. reptans)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

Another day comes to an end. We settle in for the night around another camp fire and recount our wonderful day of exploration for orchids.

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.

  • Gravesite
  • Well
  • Gnamma holes

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.

  • Cleomine
  • Grain silo
  • Mangowine Homestead

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.

  • Sunset at Danberrin Hill

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.

  • Beautiful morning
  • Rock lined well
  • Looking down the 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

Hairy-stemmed snail orchids

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Sugar orchid

(Ericksonella saccharata)

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

(Pterostylis recurva)

Frog greenhood

(Pterostylis sargentii)

Ironcaps spider orchid, Mystery spider orchid

Yellow granite donkey orchid

(Diuris hazeliae)

Blue beard, Blue fairy orchid

(Pheladenia deformis)

Glistening spider orchid

(Caladenia incensum)

Dainty blue orchid

(Cyanicula amplexans)

Little laughing leek orchid

(Prasophyllum gracile)

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

(Caladenia roei)

After exploring for around 2hrs we make our way south to Westonia where we have lunch, hamburger and chips, at the local shop. We then move onto Site 17 Boodalin Soak which is located in the Westonia Common a 5600ha patch of salmon gum, morrell and gimlet woodlands. We first stop on the drive in from Stoneman Road, then park up at the well, before we venture on foot to explore the granite rocks.

  • Site 17
  • Stone lined well on the York to Kalgoorlie trail

Boodalin Soak

Glistening spider orchid

(Caladenia incensum)

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Pink candy orchid

(Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea)

Blue beard

(Pheladenia deformis)

Ant orchid

(Caladenia roei)

Yellow granite donkey orchid

(Diuris hazeliae)

Dainty blue orchid

(Cyanicula amplexans)

Cowslip orchid

(Caladenia flava subsp. flava)

Midget greenhood

(Pterostylis mutica)

It’s now 3-30 ish so we make tracks for the next site on the trail. We hope to stay here the night as it is listed as a campsite in the trail guide. We arrive at site 18 Weira Reserve and find a level area to set up the campers. Whilst Deb plays with the campfire , Richard and I climb up the limestone breakaway to go for a quick exploration.

Weira Reserve

Chameleon spider orchid

(Caladenia dimidia)

Blue beard

(Pheladenia deformis)

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Light is fading fast so we make our way back to Deb at the campfire with a plan to take her exploring tomorrow. Great day today as we found 15 orchid species over 3 locations.

  • Campsite

12/08/2020 ….. Billiburning Rock to Elachbutting Rock (Road Trip 2020)

Billiburning Reserve, Datjoin Well and Rock, Other Reserves, Road Trip, Western Australian Orchids

We wake to a wintery morning with grey clouds and the threat of rain. We quickly have breakfast then start to pack up camp. Unfortunately the rain arrives and we rush to pack up in the pouring rain. Not ideal but we will set up again tonight so it will dry out then.

We head back south to Beacon, then head east to the next stop. Site 12 of the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail is Datjoin Rock and Well Reserve.

Datjoin (Dahjoing) Well

Blue beard, Blue fairy orchid

(Pheladenia deformis)

Pink candy orchid

(Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea)

Drooping spider orchid

(Caladenia radialis)

Chameleon spider orchid

(Caladenia dimidia)

(Caladenia radialis x incensum)

Dark-tipped spider orchid

(Caladenia x exoleta)

Ant orchid, Clown orchid, man orchid, Jack-in-the-box

(Caladenia roei)

Yellow granite donkey orchid

(Diuris hazeliae)

Leaving after a good 2 hours of searching we head to the next site along the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail. Site 13 is the Bonnie Rock townsite. Behind the hall is a wonderful new toilet and shower facility. We decide to have a nice hot shower and prepare lunch. Refreshed we then move onto Site 14 Beringbooding Rock. We go for a walk onto the rock which was excellent , however no orchids were found. The largest rock water catchment tank in Australia is located here. Deb and I had camped here on a previous trip, however as it is only early we move on, with plans to camp at the next location.

  • Site 13
  • Site 14
  • Largest Rock Catchment Tank in Australia
  • Gnamma hole

We arrive at Site 15 Elachbutting Rock just after 2pm and visit the Wave Rock, Monty’s Pass and Kings Cave, before driving around to the south eastern side, where we find a place to camp. I go for a clamber over the nearby rock after camp is set. It is too steep to climb up far, so end up skirting along the base for a bit then making my way back to camp.

  • Wave Rock
  • Monty’s Pass
  • King Cave
  • Campsite
  • Steep rock side

Elachbutting Rock

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

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

Finished the day around another campfire, grateful that the wet weather did not follow us from our morning showers. Seven species and some hybrids found today so was an OK day.

11/08/2020 ….. Koorda to Billiburning Rock(Road Trip 2020)

Billiburning Reserve, Koorda Native Flora Reserve, Road Trip, Western Australian Orchids

After a wonderful sleep and hearty breakfast at the Koorda Hotel it is time to head off to Site 7 of the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail. Koorda Native Flora Reserve has 3 walk trails. We tackle the Yellow Walk Trail. The other 2 will have to wait a return visit.

Koorda Native Flora Reserve

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Next stop was Site 8 – Gabbin Townsite where we completed the Town walk trail. Very interesting history. We then moved onto Bencubbin to fuel up, then headed to Beacon, bypassing Sites 9 (Marshall Rock) and 10 (Pergande Sheep Yards) as we had all visited them on a previous Road Trip. Interesting little installation with a Honey theme discovered on Ingleton road in Tampu. (Refer Featured Image)

  • Buncubbin Hotel
  • Ingleton Road – Tampu

Billiburning Rock

Site 11 of the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail. We arrived around 1pm and made the decision to stay here for the night. After setting up camp and having a bite to eat for lunch, we set off on a wander around and onto the rock to see what we could see.

Dainty blue orchid

(Cyanicula amplexans)

Blue beard, Blue fairy orchid

(Pheladenia deformis)

Little laughing leek orchid

(Prasophyllum gracile)

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

Pink candy orchid

(Caladenia hirta subsp. rosea)

Glistening spider orchid

(Caladenia incensum)

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

(Caladenia roei)

“Rufous greenhood complex” orchid

(Pterostylis sp.)

Well this location proved to be an awesome spot for orchids given the previous poor showings so far this trip. 8 species in total today so we settled in for a fun night around the campfire to celebrate.

  • Our camp
  • Hollow log flame
  • Samsung phone fun filters
  • Samsung phone fun filters

10/08/2020 ….. Dowerin to Koorda (Road Trip 2020)

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

Now the planned Road Trip starts. We are going to be following the “Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail” and Dowerin is the home of Site 1. Tin Dog Creek is visited and we venture along one of the walk trails. Amazingly we do not find a single orchid, which is disappointing.

We then move onto Site 3 – Naaning Well. We park up and walk into the remains of the well. Again no orchids to be found.

Driving past Namelcatchem Nature Reserve, we notice a walk trail into the bush, so stop to check this out. It happens to be a trail to the Namelcatchem Well. Still no orchids. We then move onto Site 2 – Minnivale and visit the bakery again plus check out the free overnight camping area.

We called into the Wyalkatchem Visitors Centre for directions to Site 5 Wyalkatchem Well and local knowledge of orchid sightings. This paid off with our finds near the railway line.

  • Tin Dog Creek Walk Trail
  • Rusty the Tin dog – Dowerin
  • Naaning well relics
  • Namelcatchem Well
  • Namelcatchem Well
  • Minnivale bakery
  • Wyalkatchem Well

Korrelocking Nature Reserve

Site 4 of the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail

Blue beard, Blue fairy orchid.

(Pheladenia deformis)

Wyalkatchem Railway Verge

Stark white spider orchid

(Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminens)

Chameleon spider orchid

(Caladenia dimidia)

Cowcowing Cemetery & Lakes

Site 6 of the Wheatbelt Way Drive Trail. We checked out the cemetery then as we were leaving a massive hood of snail orchids catches our eye.

Hairy-stemmed snail orchid

(Pterostylis setulosa)

We are planning on camping at Site 7 so I decide we have time to detour to Newcarlbeon Rock via 2 other stops. The first stop at Badgerin rock we missed, then our next stop at Moningarin seemed to be a sports ground, so we headed straight for Newcarlbeon Rock. The weather was coming in again (Very windy with possible showers) so we quickly checked out the campground and decided we would head back into Koorda for an unplanned hotel overnight stay.

  • Newcarlbeon rock
  • Koorda Hotel

A warm night, great meal and of course great company was enjoyed.

Only 4 species found today.

Lets see what tomorrow will bring. Better weather and more orchids we hope!!