Through the jungle of tree ferns


Tree ferns and myrtles
tree fern

One of the things I was mostly looking forward when travelling the southern parts of Australia, was seeing tree ferns. I love ferns in general, but the wild, lush and ancient appearance of the tree forms is most fascinating for me. It looks like that type of wilderness that in Germany almost only appears in fairy tales - especially if also myrtles with their gnarled and knotty trunks are in the game. If suddenly a dinosaur came around the corner, it would not be surprising at all. In fact, they did live in tree fern forrests indeed.

On this page, you won't find many words here - just pictures indulging the ferns all around and the moisture that is so scarce on that dry continent.

The track goes from the hills down to sealers cove. More rocky at the beginning, the last part is on flat, muddy ground so it's planked for the sake of both sides: humans can pass the area with dry feet and the sensible swamp areas remain untouched by the hikers.

tree fern twins
Myrtle trunk

The lush jungle with the interesting holes of the myrtles provides a home for many fellows. One not rare, but nice one is the Eastern Yellow Robin that can be seen pretty much everywhere.

Eastern Yellow Robin trail through the tree ferns in contre-jour
filigrane fern fronds tree fern funnel
growing on the trunk   moss in the tree fern trunk
small ferns at the base of a big one

Where tree ferns grow, there also is room for more old-fashioned green fellows. Smaller ferns will thrive in the niches of the trunk, mosses will enjoy the water pouring down from the funnel of the fronds.

moss

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