It’s been wet all winter and now into Spring, but what a fabulous year for wildflowers in Barrm Birrm! Each species is blooming vigorously, and the show changes each week.

A good way to get close to the flowering is to pick up the lowest track in Barrm Birrm that runs roughly parallel to Gap Road from the Royal St/Gap Road Junction, where you can park. The track is up a bit from the junction then off to the right. Look for a narrow trail disappearing into the bush.

Through dense cassina, the track gradually opens up to the grasslands. After 200 metres, walk down the old road to the right 50 metres and you’ll find yourself in the middle of chocolate lillies (Athropodium strictum). Back on the track marked in the map below, and the Milkmaids, Billy Buttons, Murnong and the Common Trigger-plant are out in profusion.

This track was formed originally by trail bikes, so it wanders nicely. Back on Princess Road, the track then heads off to the left at the end of the big billabong. The map will help, but keep in mind that if you ever do feel you’ve lost your way, walking downhill will get you to Gap Road, and you can find your way back to the start. The whole circuit is about 2 kms, and if you do it a week or two later, you’ll see slight changes in what’s flowering, as one species heads towards seeding and the next sends up its flowers to the sunshine.

Along the way you’ll see one of our bugbears – the track diverging around fallen trees. This seems harmless enough, but multiply this by every tree down on a track, and the diversions add up to a lot of added wear and tear on a fragile landscape.

Keep an eye out at ‘What’s On’ for our Clear the Tracks events, usually after big storms. If we get in early with a chainsaw, we can keep the tracks open and stop that damage.