I spent a very enjoyable day in the Blue Mountains – looking at waterfalls, fungi and slime moulds.
Slime mould
I started at Lawson, on the north side and went down the track to Fairy Falls and then around a loop to the creek and then upstream to St Michaels Falls and then to Dantes Glen and back to the start. The waterfalls were nice, but not spectacular. I didn’t take any photos of them because I had seen them much better with higher water flow. But I did also look out for fungi. On this side of lawson I did not spot too much.
I them headed to the village, and after stopping at the Cake Shop, I headed down Honour Avenue and then down the track to the southern waterfalls. I started first visiting Adelina Falls. Again – I looked for fungi rather than photographing the falls. Its quite damp below these falls and a good place to look. Then I continued along to the twin Junction Falls. There I found more fungi, and another photographer who was intent on photographing one of the waterfalls. I spent a fair bit of time concentrating on photographing a nice red coloured slime mould growing on a very rotten log. I then continued on the track to Federal Falls. More fungi was out.
It was on the walk between Federal Falls and Cataract Falls that I found some really nice fungi – some Cordyceps gunii. Quite a bit was out – along the track. These just look a bit like short stubs of bushes, but they are rather a strange fungi. A spore infects a caterpillar and then a fungus starts to grow inside the caterpillar. The tiny threads of the fungus release chemicals that stop or control the development of the host. Eventually the fruiting body emerges from the host. This was the first time I and seen a Cordyceps. I was to see two more species the next day!
Cordyceps gunii
Above Cataract Falls, the track joins a fire road. Instead of completing the loop – I turned to the right and followed he fire road in a longer loop towards Hazelbrook. It took about 15 minutes to reach the creek that runs down to Terrace Falls. I crossed this creek and then picked up the track to Victor and Terrace Falls.
This is another pleasant waterfall walk along a beautiful rainforest gully. Again – I mainly concentrated on finding and photographing the fungi. Quite a bit was out. On the way back – I did take a few photos of the waterfalls and cascades.
Then it was a short walk back up the hill to Hazelbrook.
More photos are online here.