Scarlet banksia - Banksia coccinea - Western Australia

 Hi everyone, just a short post from me today. We have been away this past week staying at the Mt Trio Bush Camp and Caravan Park adjacent to the Stirling Ranges National Park in the south of Western Australia.  I'm still sorting through my pics! 

The Stirling Ranges National Park was devastated by last summer's bushfires in Western Australia. More than 40,000 hectares was lost through the bushfire in the Park. The Park is a biodiversity hotspot containing more than 1,500 species of plants, at least 87 of which are found nowhere else in the world, and some of which may be lost forever. Conservationists say it may take centuries to recover.  

You can read more here: ABC.net-bushfires-cause-stirling-ranges-biodiversity-to-be-devastated

We enjoyed our stay exploring the Park, but when we visited the devastation was still very obvious and heartbreaking to see. Some areas had started to reshoot, but large swaths of land was still burnt earth with blackened sticks which was once lush bushland. 

Some of our native plants rely on bushfire to regenerate. Some of the orchids for instance, like the Red Beaks, just one of the nearly 30 wild orchid species we saw. But more on that in another post. 

One flower which we enjoyed seeing was the Scarlet Banksia - Banksia coccinea - which only grows in a small section of our state. A truly magnificent plant which grows 1-8 metres high. 

I had only seen them once before in the wild in the Fitzgerald River National Park on our south coast. 

We saw it in one location along a scenic drive which winds through the park. The gravel road must have acted as a fire break - as one side was still lush and the other burnt black. There were several Scarlet Banksias flowering on the lush side, and just one plant on the burnt side. 

We saw many blackened sticks and scorched plants like this. Heartbreaking. 

Learn more here: Australian Native Plants Society

That's it from me for today. I hope to bring you more from the Stirling Ranges National Park next week.

You might also like: Celebration of the Australian Banksia

I am sorry if I didn't answer your comments or visit your pages last week, but we were away and we discovered that internet was virtually impossible.  I hope you and your families are all safe and well. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.  

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Blooming Art 2014 - Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Western Australia

I was thrilled recently to be invited to be a Blooming Art Special Guest exhibitor at the floral art exhibition run annually by the Flower Designers Club of Bunbury in the beautiful Chapel Gallery at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery.   I was invited by Blooming Art Coordinator, Eileen Wenn, who is a friend of mine from Spanish dance class, and who is also a world class floral art designer.

Special invited guest exhibitors select a painting from the City of Bunbury Art Collection, and then represent it through a floral display.  I have no floral art background or formal arts training, so felt very priviledged to be invited, as well as a little apprehensive and excited. 

The painting I chose which you can see below, is a painting by Alisa Small, called Up The Gorge to Tallering Peak.  I was attracted to this painting because we had just past through this area on our way south from the Pilbara.  I love the rich colours, textures and ruggedness of this ancient landscape and how the colours change with the light. Alisa has captured with her painting what I try to capture with my camera. 

 To keep reading and see more pics, please click on "read more" .....