A walk in Black Cockatoo reserve.

I've been enjoying Bunny Mummy's posts of her walks in the English countryside, as it is so different to my own walking country, and I wondered if anyone would like to see one of my usual walks.  This is the reserve that is catty corner from our place so we walk there often, about twice a week. The other days we go elsewhere to keep it interesting for the dogs,  and Friday we have a lazy morning.  :) 

Here are the girls, Rosie and Tuppy, waiting at the gate for me to hurry up and come put their leads on. 

Our of the gate we go and down the side of the road just a little way past the big Jarrah trees who stand outside our gate. 

Then we cross the road and go down the side of the reserve to the first trail.  Those are two big old Marri trees that stand sentinel. 

Here are the two Marri trees again. They have different bark to Jarrah, less stripey, and their nuts are much bigger.  We call them honky nuts.  I have no idea why! Because they are honking big?  :)  Jarrah and Marri are the two apex trees of the Jarrah-Marri Dryland forest. 

Here are a Marri nut and a Jarrah nut for comparison. Honky nuts are buggers to tread on, especially when the Black Cockies have been dropping a carpet of them on the ground all at once.  Between the nutritious seeds that lie inside these big nuts, and their mass of flowers, Marri are one of the major food trees for many types of birds and insects.     

Now we turn down the trail into the bush proper.  That is limestone on the path.  They are trying it out to see if it helps stop the spread of Dieback through the Jarrah.  We have a very lovely group of ladies who are the friends of this reserve.  My mum is one, and I try to help out a little if I have the energy to spare.   

 There is a big bushfire a long way down south of WA, but it is very large indeed and smoke has blown hundreds of kilometres.  You can see it here misting up the distance.  It is sadly too common an occurrence these days.  

Tuppy has to wear a lead on this walk.  There are quite a few other dog walkers who use this reserve, and if she gets wind of one she takes off down the track and disappears looking for them. Not safe for her and not peaceful for me!  She really is a very excitable child.  :) 

Down the track we go, Rosie leading the way. 

Stop taking photos mum, we want to keep walking!

Looking east to the edge of the reserve and the closest house. 

Where we've been.

 Grasstrees and a baby Persoonia.  Also most unflatteringly known as a Snottygobble for their slimy light-green edible fruit! They never seem to get as big out here as the ones we have at home.   

This big old tree is dead, but only just.  For many years it still had a side trunk that was alive.  You can see the twist in the timber that allowed it to survive the original loggers that came through here.  No clear felling in those days.  They only took the straight Jarrah and left the rest of the Jarrah, the understorey trees and undergrowth, and all the Marri, since it is not a much-prized timber like Jarrah.  Dowsers say that a twisted tree like this is a sign of crossing underground streams.

 Turning for home. 

 And here we are back at the trail we started on, looking at the lovely rubbish bins of the school that is across the road from us.  For many reasons, we do not love that school! 

Back past the Marri sentinels

 Back down the side of the road.

 Back to the gate!

They do say a walk in the forest is very good for your health.  I'm lucky enough to get to walk there any time I like.  Maybe it is one of the things that has kept me going despite the Lyme Disease.

I know it's not as variable as a walk in the English countryside, but I hope you enjoyed it.  :)