I am lucky enough to live close to a beautiful patch of remnant rain forest [Mary Cairncross Park] which was donated to the community early last century. It is a 'must see' when I have friends from other parts of the country/world come to visit. My friends Helen and Dave McIntyre from Stanley, NE Vic., were here on the weekend and we enjoyed this spectacular walk. Dave is a keen native tree man and was happy to find a few white and red native beech trees still standing. Helen is the wildlife spotter and found us a pademelon, bush turkey, scrubwrens, giant earth worm and trapdoor spider holes, and I took lovely photos of my favourite undulating lines and textures whilst trying to sound knowledgable about the local area.
The strangler figs wrap around the host trees, killing them eventually; and once they decay, a hollow wonderland is left behind. The buttress roots extend far from the base of the tree, flowing across the ground like a stiffened ball gown.
