Mt Greville seen from Lake Moogerah

It was time for another walk with Teresa of Horizon Guides today. We returned to Mt Greville which we had walked last year. Click here to read about the last walk. Initially we were going to do the same walk as last time however we revised it to walk up Palm Gorge instead of Waterfall Gorge.

Waterfall Palm Gorge – Mt Greville (Moogerah Peaks NP)
6 – 7 hrs. Moderate -challenging.  Rough and rocky 
Date: Sunday 19th May
Description: This rugged little peak is one of the gems of the Fassifern. It has such wonderful diversity of habitat, flora and fauna that every turn in the track is a surprise. The route ascends the peak via Waterfall Gorge threading through a jumbled array of rocks between narrow towering cliffs that protect Piccabeen palms and giant White Beech trees. Emerging from the Gorge the route crosses the forested ridge to a magnificent lookout before joining the walking track to the summit. The return route to the vehicles brings us back through heath-land and over rhyolite slabs that support hoya, ferns and orchids and on through open forest to complete the circuit.

The route overlaid on Google Maps

It was a gorgeous sunny day however there was a cool westerly wind blowing for most of the day. It was 5°C when I left home so quite chilly but we soon warmed up once we started walking. We parked the cars and started climbing around 8:30am  After a short section of open sclerophyll forest we entered Palm Gorge and traveled along the gorge floor which was rocky and covered in palm fronds. We constantly stopped along the way to look at anything interesting that came along – even wallaby poo. (We learned rock wallaby poo is tapered at one end whereas ordinary wallabies have rounder poo.)

Starting out

Wombat Berry

Scree path

Birdsnest fern

This White Beech went up forever

Why Palm Gorge got its name

The rock sides of the gorge were very interesting

The sides are closing in

Can you see the three baby staghorns

An interesting shape

Looking up

Palms and rock

Yours truly…

A fig clambering up (or down) the rocks

Looking back down the gorge

This fungus was at the base of a tree

Pretty garden

This Common Crow Butterfly just hatched from its chrysalis. Its wings were still drying.

We stopped for a snack in the gorge before climbing out. I thought this would be the worst of the steep climb finished but not so lucky as a steep ridge leading towards the summit awaited us. We had a brief stop at a little side gorge where we had a wonderful view of the Main Range. Spicers Peak was directly opposite us.