Less famous Veteran trees around Springbrook

Some shots of some less famous Veteran Trees to be found around Springbrook National Park....what they lack in fame they make up for in appearance!

This one appears to be sitting on top of a young boy....

The view aloft

Spiralling habitat

Are all the interesting trees twisted?

Might be middle earth...or a druid chapel

Some looking down now to rest those tired neck muscles, some very lovely Cortinarius sp growing in amongst the moss and leaf litter.

A fairly common but nevertheless beautiful little fungi is Coprinellus disseminatus ~ the fairy ink cap, as a saprophyte this hard working little fella is a good indication of the presence of an old stump, or large root in the ground. Interestingly the caps start out being pale cream then change to the lovely soft grey you can see.

Antarctic beech trees of Springbrook ~ Nothofagus moorei

There is something quite spooky about the spot on top Springbrook where these relics of Gondwana live...especially if your visit coincides with the mists drifting in....

However even in the crisp clear light of a cool spring day these trees still manage to mesmerise me, the age of the root crown and lower stems could span out to 2000 years.

Nothofagus moorei ~ Antarctic beech only grow in a few spots in Australia they need the unique environment of a cool temperate rainforest between altitudes of 500m - 1500m, they will even tolerate snowfall....not much of that at Springbrook mind you!

There has been prolonged debate about just how the populations in such isolated spots like Springbrook are managing to reproduce...was it just through suckering (vegetative reproduction) or could they be producing viable seed through sexual reproduction, apparently viable seed production is possible.

Clearly the limtations of their distribution to these very climate specific locations supports the theory that they are remnants from a time when cooler conditions were far more widespread.

Its a bit funny to think of these trees really liking it even cooler when you are up on the top of Springbrook on a windy rainy cold grey day.......

but thats trees for you....even the ancient ones are fickle things!