​The Tarkine in March

Ferns, fallen trees and bark meld together under blankets of moss and lichen
(and liverwort - but I didn't see any).

Over many days we crept through moss lined cloisters picking our ways through rainforest trees - leatherwoods, sassafras, horizontals, celery top pines, beech myrtles, dog wood and cheese wood, native laurel, Huon pines, towering brown top stringy bark, massive tree ferns, cutting grass and fungi - callooh callay! I spent much of the time either scanning the forest floor or down in my knees taking photos of bright scraps of colour poking out from dead tree trunks, delicate wee creaming mushroom-oids waving from under a fallen branch, dinner-plate sized leathery shelf fungi, squishy spongy ones, And more!

Russula mariae (I'm trying to learn some of their names but .....)

Maybe some species of crepidotus - anyone out there?

A coral fungus - but again I need the experts, please!! (I didn't pick it. it had been
kicked up by 'something' passing by)

I need a whole gallery (if I knew how) to show you the trees, flowers and fungi we discovered - with the help of my trusty EucaFlip, TreeFlip and FungiFlip often. How many hands does this woman have? Between walking stick, plant-info things and camera BUT we managed with NO mishaps. Oh and I forget the ancient moss and lichen - other-worldly shapes like plant creatures from Star Trek or shows like that. (I'd name these little beauties but I might get into more trouble than it's worth)
It was glorious but I think I like the forest in winter when the fungi come into their own.

And I almost forgot the deep mysterious flooded sink holes which dot Tasmania - karst topography which is caused by the dissolving of soluble rocks over eons to form caves, sinkholes/collapsed caves leaving massive stone arches in some cases and an underground river system (one such river we discovered spurting out from a rocky hillside in Mt Field National Park.

Trowutta Caves and Arch

You really need to be there to appreciate the amazing geological story of this fascinating Island!