Another Day in Heaven

Fraser Island's forests have always delighted me. Within them towering satinays dwarf piccabeen palms, ancient ferns fringe creeks that flow silently over their sandy beds and animals relish in their protected environment. They are without a doubt a remarkable feature of the island.

The forest is looking in need of a drink at the moment and overnight showers no doubt will be providing a welcomed watering.

Though the island was once heavily logged, tall stands of satinays, kauri pines and brush box remain untouched by man showcasing the unique vegetation of the island. Pile Valley, between Central Station and Lake McKenzie, where much of the logging took place, has the tallest of the towering satinay and brush box. 

If you have never been here make sure you earmark a walk along Wanggoolba Creek at Central Station, where you can easily see the magnificent angiopteris fern, which has the largest fern fronds in the world. The angiopteris fern is notable due to its use of water pressure rather than structural tissue to keep its fronds erect.

There is more than tall forest to lure the naturalist. Fungi is one that is assured to delight and a favourite of mine to photograph here. Maybe it's because they sit still, don't fidget or run away. For those with a keen eye there is an array of species to be found and each year that I come I seem to discover another that I've never seen sprouting from the forest floor or the rotting remains of fallen timbers.

So when you take a work through the forest, look closely and you will be rewarded.

A fungi found on our walk yesterday through Pile Valley

One of my companions captures another fungi

On a previous walk I found this tiny fungi sprouting from the bottom of a large Satinay