Sunday, January 30, 2011

Hot!

It is 40ºC here today (104ºF) in other words pretty warm! This is just about the only hot weather we have had so far this summer.

Deb and I still wanted to get out, so we picked a spot we knew would be shady.

We drove to Badger Creek near Healesville and went for a walk in the Weir Park.

Healesville is on the edge of the Yarra Ranges and Badger Weir Park nestles up into a patch of rainforest on the edge of the Range.

It is only about a kilometre walk an mostly through trees, a perfect stroll for a hot day.

On the way up to the weir we took the main path which runs alongside a Melbourne Water Aqueduct similar to one I posted about a while ago
Normally the water in this system is so clear because of the forest it flows out of that Melbourne doesn’t have to filter it before piping it to our houses (just a little chlorine and it’s safe to drink). Since the 2009 Black Saturday fires stripped the tree cover off the higher slopes it is carrying more sediment.

As you go up the forest is a mix of giant Mountain Ash trees and tree ferns.The weir is a simple concrete barrier across the creek.

This pipe is what Badger Creek gets to keep.While this is the portion that we in Melbourne get to drink.On the way back we took another path that dives down into the shade of the rainforest.

Tunnels of tree ferns line the path. Epiphytes grow on any surface that is close enough to horizontal.And with all the moisture fungus like these bracket fungi thrive.So a relatively cool stroll back to the car.

Then finally I found a sweet (if small) treat.Native wild raspberries. Yum!

7 comments:

Old Kitty said...

I cannot imagine such heat at the moment in cold grey cold southeast england!! LOL!!!!

Oh but look at those ferns!! The forest surrounding the water looks amazing!! Yay that you even got some yummy natural treats!! Thank you Mother Nature!!!

Roll on spring - I want some heat too!! Take care
x

The Words Crafter said...

Oh, you reminded me why I hate summer. The heat! Still, you got some lovely pictures and the raspberries look delicious!

Writer said...

WOW! it is really hot :( Hmmm not sure what's worse. Tomorrow it'll be -22C (-8F) here in Montreal Brrr
the pics are lovely, Al. My favorite is the tunnel of tree ferns. I bet it was not too hot there.
Keep cool!
Claudia

Hart Johnson said...

Ack! That's hot! Our high to day is scheduled for 16(F) and by Wednesday morning we should have a foot and a half of snow...

Denise Covey said...

Hi Al! 40 degrees, yes I heard about Melbourne and Adelaide. Phew, we've been sweating like hogs in this heat and humidity that you will recall fondly! Now a cyclone! I have a daughter in Townsville and family in Cairns. They say it's going to be a doozie with an eye of 1 hour.

Your pics look like you found a cool spot. Lovely. There's always somewhere to escape to, isn't there?

I hope it's cooler down there now.

Denise:)

VR Barkowski said...

Having been born and brought up in a very warm climate, I remember well what 40C feels like - I didn't much like it. But it's amazing how greenery and water can cool things down. Lovely photographs!

Al said...

Hi Jennifer,
Good thing too I guess a fair number of people would keel over if it got to 40 in England!

Hi Words,
I have to say I prefer heat to cold dreary weather

Hi Claudia,
Wow that is cold!
Give me the heat any day!
It was nice in the shade!

Hi Hart,
That is chilly, don’t freeze or get buried!

Hi Denise,
You’re right about humidity. Melbourne is easier to take at 40 than Brisbane at 30!

Hi VR,
I don’t mind the heat, unless it drags on for weeks on end.
A cool corner makes all the difference!

Hi Ninette,
You are going have to book a holiday down this way some time!