Photographing Pink Flannel Flowers 1 – 2 February 2021

I said a few weeks back that the current display of pink Flannel Flowers (Actinotus forsythii) will probably be the best we will ever see them in our lifetimes. One of the reasons is that these flowers only appear after fire – and the bushfires of last summer were so catastrophically huge in extent. I have seen the flowers before, but only at individual sites. Now all these locations have very good displays. These include Narrow Neck, Mt Hay area, Kanangra Walls Plateau and the Newnes Plateau.

A friend, Roger, who undertakes vegetation studies near Goochs Crater in the Wollangambe Wilderness, had sent a message saying that he had heard that the pink Flannel Flowers at Goochs Crater were at or near their zenith. So a trip was organised with Digi Dave. We decided to visit Goochs Crater and on the way up inspect Narrow Neck. Later, if we had time, we would look on other sites on the Newnes Plateau.

Narrow Neck

We visited the area near the Golden Stairs carpark. This is not far from Katoomba.

Goochs Crater

This is a great place to visit, not only to see the crater, but also to see the nearby pagodas. The pink Flannel Flowers were growing in abundance on the thin sandy soils near the pagodas.

We also visited the small canyon near – Billabong Canyon.

And the pagodas are rather special too.

We later camped near the fire road to Goochs Crater.

State Mine Gully

We found a nice display of pink Fallen Flowers at the lookout pagodas about half way down the State Mine Gully Road to Lithgow.

We stopped at Lithgow for a snack, and then headed to Lake Wallace at Wallerawang. It was World Wetland Day after all. Here are a few of the birds –

Musk Duck

White-plumed Honeyeater

Red-rumped Parrot

Galahs

Crested Grebes

White-bellied Sea Eagle

It had been a great two days. Thanks to Digi Dave for driving.