Monarto Conservation Park
We had lunch at Monarto Conservation Park today. It is at least six months since our last visit. I was really pleasantly surprised to see that the heath areas looked to be in really good heart.
Correa glabra var. turnbullii (used to be Correa schlechtendalii), or Rock Correa, was flowering and most shrubs were leafy and lush. This has a dark pinky/red bell flower with lemon yellow reflexed tips. A few had that ‘I need a drink’ look about them that occurs in the Autumn before any significant rainfall.
The first flowers on Baeckia crassifolia were appearing (a pretty mauve pink) and a white Leucopogon species (Bearded Heath) was in full flower. Must work out which one it is. The Boronia caerulescens had new growth and many were looking quite bushy instead of the usual straggly specimens. I found one covered in very early flowers. Usually this is in flower from winter on.
There was a sign up that there had been baits laid for foxes. I know there has been a considerable problem in the area. There were kangaroo trails everywhere but not the usual signs of rabbits so maybe some eradication work has been carried on to allow this Park some revegetation space.