The Grampians: Australian bush, flora and fauna

While in the Grampians recently I expected to see kangaroos but was surprised at all the wildflowers.  Thank you Spring!  Here's a little tour of the walks and wildlife.

We walked to the Pinnacle lookout.  The first part of the walk from the Sundial carpark had lots of lovely wildflowers.  The yellow wattle was everywhere.  Then the climb started.  Sylvia and E took in an early view and headed back.

I went on, despaired at the point in the walk where the tiny figures on the lookout seemed so far away.  Lots more uphill, with a little downhill and lots of helpful yellow pointers to keep me on the trail.

I loved the spooky rock formations.  If this had been a sci fi movie they probably would have come to life and I am not sure if they would have been friendly.

Finally the Pinnacle.  Red face.  Views.  Photos.  Mountains.  Farmlands.  A dam.  Townships.  And then for the brave (or foolish) the Nerve Test: a thin ledge of rock with steep falls either side.  I walked on by.

Lots of kangaroos.  Not like the paddock at Zumsteins that we loved when we were young.  We have a picture of my brother aged about 4 patting a kangaroo.  Seems they discourage feeding roos these days.  They still visit.  This one above was in the capacious yard of our holiday home.

Birdseed brought in the birds.  Lots of swooping screeching cockatoos.

A dawn chorus of kookaburras.  Rosellas arguing over the birdseed.  A cockatoo showing his crest.  All on the edge of the deck of the holiday home.  Hours of entertainment.

The Brambuk Cultural Centre had a Fyans Creek Loop walk.  Apparently it was 2.5km.  At one point the signs werer confusing.  I am not sure if we did the whole loop.  We enjoyed the scenery anyway.   Grand gum trees dwarfed by the mountains.  We all found sturdy walking sticks.

We saw kangaroos relaxing in a clearing.  I didn't have my zoom lens.  You can see them in the above photo if you look carefully.

The next day I returned to Brambuk with my zoom lens.  It was sunnier.  Some roos lounged with deer in the shade.  A few watched me.  I also read the displays inside the cultural centre.  A reminder of the shame of Colonisation and the resilience of the Australian Aboriginal people.  I was surprised to read how many rock art sites are in the Grampians.  I wish I'd had time to view some.

We also had a short walk to the MacKenzie Falls viewing platform.  If there has been time I would have loved to walk down to the foot of the waterfall.  Nevertheless the view was impressive.

I also liked the bushland: the towering gum trees, the ferns and these grass trees that I think are the ones we called kangaroo tails.

To read more about our holiday, got to Halls Gap, The Grampians accommodation and eating out.