Christmas at Hazelbrook 24 – 25 December 2022

I was fortunate to be invited to join my sister and brother in law at Hazelbrook for the Christmas period. During my stay – I went for a wander down the Hazelbrook – north waterfall circuit walk on the 24th and we all went on a walk on the morning of Christmas Day to visit an Aboriginal art cave.

First are a few photos from the waterfall walk. The waterfalls – Horseshoe Falls, Oakland Falls and Burgess Falls all had low flow – so poor photographic subjects. But I was looking out for orchids and birds.

Large Tongue Orchid – Cryptostylis subulata

Bonnet Orchid – Cryptostylis erecta

Oakland Falls

Eastern Yellow Robin

Eastern Spinebill

Golden Whistler

Large Tongue Orchid – Cryptostylis subulata

Aboriginal Art Cave Walk – Christmas Day

Fringe Lily – Thysanotus tuberosus

Flannel Flowers – Actinotus helianthi

Trigger Plant – Stylidium sp.

Variable Sword-grass Brown – Tisiphone abeona

Crimson Rosella

On a rock ledge above the art cave is a circular depression – this is an Aboriginal well.

The cave featured a series of white hand stencils. Some are in good condition.

Only two fingers are visible in the photo below, in the middle, but there is a second hand stencil on the left side, at the same level. It is quite faint. –

And three fingers are visible in this one –

A hidden nook in the roof has one in very good condition –

On the walk back, we saw a cluster of Flying Duck Orchids – Caleana major.

Mountain Dragon

Bonnet Orchid – Cryptostylis erecta

And to finish, a few photos at my sister and brother in law’s garden.

Grey Butcherbird – adult feeding young.

And I think these are Common Brown Butterflies –

King Parrot