KNOCKER TRACK 2003- POST FIRE

Our November camp this time was again to the knocker track . As usual the main aim is to count the rare orchids as part of the VROT program and to see how the area fared after the great fires of January February and the following storms that swept the area.

At this time around 9 months on, ground flora is coming away quite well in most places, although in some areas it is very thin, probably where the fire has been hottest or perhaps where topsoil has been washed away. This was most noticeable near the junction with Burnside track. Also the wasted effort of the attempted fire control line here has created a lot of devastation, which will later on be a home of introduced weeds.

As is usual after fire many species come away with renewed vigor, especially annuals and those with under ground root stocks and tubers, Bluebells Wahlenbergia sp . were in large clumps and very showy. Button Everlasting Helichrysum scorpioides and Creamy Candles Stackhousia monogyna was also very common, in some places purple Fringed Lily Thysanotus tuberosus was as well. Most common of all was the Prickly Starwort Stellaria pungens in full flower everywhere. Clustered among the rocks with a sprinkling of other species making great rock gardens. Orchid species seemed less common then usual although Sun orchids Thelymitra nuda T. pauciflora T. ixioides T. media T. simulata and Leek Orchid Prasophyllum odoratum (recently it was decided that this sp.is really a complex of different species, this form referred to as P. odoratum sp. L) were not hard to find.

In selected places the Caladenias where also there, mostly Clubbed Spider Caladenia clavigera, Green comb Spider C. phaeoclavia and Musky Caladenia C. gracilis, the mountain spider C. montana although less common is always eagerly sort after and some very fine specimens were noticed. On the other hand Greenhoods Pterostylis sp. for the most part were hard to find, with just a sprinkling in a few places.

On entering the gully where the rare species occur devastation was found. The flat was mostly covered in a layer of silty sand and gravel, in some places about a half metre in depth, here and there the gully floor was swept clean or only had a centimetre or so of sand covering it. Here remarkably a number of Greenhoods had managed to survive, some in flower, 50 were counted of the rare Pterostylis x aenigma, many more leaf rosettes were noticed in one place as well but these could be the common Sickle Greenhood P . falcata as it is also present. Only one flowering plant of Leafy Greenhood P. cuculata was found here, the usual colony nearby on the slope could not be found.

Later while searching the hill to the south a number of fine specimens of Black-tongue Caladenia C. congesta were admired. At this time we were forced to retreat to the cars to shelter from thunderstorms that would come up every afternoon of the camp.

Next day a visit was paid to the main Leafy Greenhood site away down in the gully to the north, not one could be found. The area was found to have a thick covering of Starwort, Plantain plus various other herbs and as in a lot of other places large numbers of Eucalyptus seedlings. Not good.

Our camping place further up Knocker Track by 9 mile creek is always a good spot. On this occasion it was no exception, the usual grassy flat was there but the fire had obviously swept the area also, the mountain tea tree by the creek was just a tangle of black sticks so a clear view could be had through to the other side. It could be mentioned here that any shrubbery less in size of about 2 centimetres in most cases was completely consumed in the fire . Shade from the trees that we used to enjoy in previous years was hard to find, as most small branches having died off after the fire, bunches of new growth from larger limbs and trunks of course much in evidence. In some other places where the fire has been hottest, many trees seem to have been completely killed off above ground and are shooting at ground level from their lignotuber.

Across the creek from camp once mostly thick with a covering of various Tea tree species and Hop Bitter-pea Daviesia latifolia, was now an open herb rich wood land gently sloping up from the creek, with many damp places sporting a mass of yellow flowing Bulbine Lily Bulbine bulbosa plus many different Sun Orchid species of those already mentioned, a few clumps of Mountain Greenhood Pteristylis montana could also be seen. In one spot a patch of mountain Golden Moth Orchid Diuris monticola as well. In dryer places was the Erect Midge-orchid Corunastylis arrecta , usually this species is hard to find, and also many of the Caladenia species already mentioned. A scattering of Tiger Orchid Diuris sulphurea was also there, including large numbers of a finished Diuris most likely the Leopard Orchid Diuris pardina. All included in a garden of Billy Button Craspedia variabilis Buttercup and Everlasting.

Although not common, the rare Lanky Buttons Leptorhynchos elongatus was noticed in several places.

Many of the shrubs that used to be present here could be seen as soft shoots a few centimeters high, and will know doubt take a year or two to flower. This will then change the scene to a whole new set of flowering plants.

Unfortunately there are a number of unpleasant signs emerging of things to come that may change this area completely even from the fairly open woodland that was here before the fire.

As was noticed at the leafy Greenhood site, large numbers of Eucalyptus seedlings could be seen in many other places as well. Although not as common, Wattle, Blackberry and Broom were not hard to find either. These are rather ominous signs for one of the best sites of significance for Orchidaceae in our area.

James Turner