Tank Hill working bee in maskless (pre-Covid) times. Terri Allen is in the centre of the front row.
By Terri Allen
I ONCE read that to improve our well-being we needed four things: meeting with like minds, continued learning, outdoor exercise and volunteering. All of these are met by my Monday morning seed collecting group.
But what about during lockdown? We are lucky in South Gippsland to have so many areas of beach and bushland. Our limited walks can provide “continued learning” and “outdoor exercise”. I birdwatch, search for insects, name plants, note changes (for example, so many plants are flowering early this year).
I ONCE read that to improve our well-being we needed four things: meeting with like minds, continued learning, outdoor exercise and volunteering. All of these are met by my Monday morning seed collecting group.
But what about during lockdown? We are lucky in South Gippsland to have so many areas of beach and bushland. Our limited walks can provide “continued learning” and “outdoor exercise”. I birdwatch, search for insects, name plants, note changes (for example, so many plants are flowering early this year).
After a walk in the local area in October 20 years ago, I wrote:
A purple and gold day unfurls
at the Wonthaggi Heathland,
silvery speargrass snapping at the breeze.
Rich regal purples and blues weave through the tapestry:
flags, blue stars, blue love, violets, blue-spike milk-wort, chocolate lilies,
grass triggers and masses of cerulean sun orchids,
all trumpeted by waving bluebells;
gold and yellow highlight the scene, a foil to imperial purple:
gardenias, groundsels, gold stars, yam daisies, billy buttons, marsh flowers, everlastings.
A purple and gold day unfurls
at the Wonthaggi Heathland,
silvery speargrass snapping at the breeze.
Rich regal purples and blues weave through the tapestry:
flags, blue stars, blue love, violets, blue-spike milk-wort, chocolate lilies,
grass triggers and masses of cerulean sun orchids,
all trumpeted by waving bluebells;
gold and yellow highlight the scene, a foil to imperial purple:
gardenias, groundsels, gold stars, yam daisies, billy buttons, marsh flowers, everlastings.
Two books to help you extend your rage of bush walks are Walking Wonthaggi’s Wetlands (Terri Allen), a guide to 22 local wetlands, and Coast and Bush Walks (Terri Allen, Mary Ellis and Jennifer Watts.). The books are available at the Wonthaggi Information Centre and the Bunurong Environment Centre in Inverloch
Commune with nature and keep your sanity.
Commune with nature and keep your sanity.