Macquarie Woods is a beautiful forest area with picnic tables, an extremely large (and apparently well used- it was quite full yesterda) camping area, picturesque walks and a fragrant arboretum. It was opened as a demonstration forest to showcase the uses and beauty of plantation and native trees. As with much of state or sentimental naming in our area, this state forest was named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie, an early governor of NSW. Governor Macquarie was responsible for the exploration and early development of the area.
Macquarie Woods not only displays exotic conifer planted forests, but has an area of native woodland that once dominated the landscape. The native woodland is made up of yellow box, Blakely’s red gum, red stringybark and apple box and other eucalypts in an expanse of native grasses. Macquarie Woods also has a variety of tree species established as windbreaks and an agroforest where trees have been established to show how such plantings can complement agriculture.
This was where we set off for an excursion Sunday morning. We had a great drive (it was only about 30 min in total) and parked at a picnic area away from the camp sites to go for a bush walk. There were adventure racers having an event all weekend we had to look out for and a Venturer and Scout Troop who were playing capture the flag which we had to be careful not to give away their position!
We pulled into the picnic site we liked the look of and there was a large level clearing which was about 400 square metres. (It was huge) and we thought, "Gee this is a you-beaut camping area we have 'discvoered'."
There were very tall and very shady eucalpyts around the perimeter and a creek and gorge along two sides. There was a tree swing (which I had to test out- like you would) and a picnic table and several fire rings. We are going to attempt to stake it out for camping this coming long weekend because it is gorgeous.
Scott started taking photos to discover that the battery was dead from my Floriade excursion the previous day (oops). So I don't have the photos to show you, he took some of the beautiful site and of Jen on the Tree Swing.
Ginny, Neville and Sash thought the camp site was pretty sweet also. After a thorough investigation, we set off for a steep climb up a service track. We could hear the Venturer's hooting (perhaps that was the adventure racers because the venturers were playing capture the flag). We could also hear a bit of rustling and some lowered voices (THESE must have been the Venturer's.)
Ginny, Neville and Sash were galloping ahead on the trail and managed to startle every rabbit, Roo, wombat, echidna and lizard in the entire forest. So although we did not see any wildlife (except of course the kids racing and/or capturing the flag) we could plainly hear them, particularly when Ginny Weasely scampered through the undergrowth off the trail. The kids had a marvelous time, as did Scott and I.
There was one rabbit I saw race across our path with Ginny in hot pursuit, but that was it.
At our turn around point, Sash decided that she had had enough romping and stayed with Scott and I and pranced along between us. Meanwhile, Ginny managed to tree every bird and ground dwelling animate object she came across while Neville was content to race along wherever Ginny decided to go. Neville is not as adventuresome as Ginny, being such a princess that he is, but he does seem to have the air of one out on good behaviour and races along wherever Ginny manages to go. I think he is too much of a scaredy cat to try it out on his own, but you did not hear that from me.
He is just happy to accept Ginny's capable leadership.
Sash I think is the most precious of the lot. She just sort of prances along on what seems to be her tippy-toes. She will always be between Scott and I unless Ginny has found something worth checking out. Because we were climbing steadily up the track, the high side of the hill (on our right going up) was sort of sloped up into a cliff and down on our left into a gorge. We were on a service track and had a clear track through the pine and eucalypt. Up on the forest floor which was sort of above our right shoulder (on the way in) meant a bit of a scramble to get up to the forest floor from our track. Ginny bounded up regularly and easily (which is funny when you consider she makes a zillion attempts to jump onto the lounge next to me.) And Neville, ever the graceful and agile gazelle had no worries getting up to have a sticky beak. Sash meanwhile, with her stumppy little legs caused us no end of laughter as she would take a running start at the mound and jump to midway up the little rise and then flal her little legs like a swimmer out of water sort of motion. Once sufficiently gripped Sash would take a tentative step or two and then just launch herself up to the plateau- by which time of course, Ginny and Neville had come back down and Sash, you could see her look around, take a deep breath and sigh and then slide down the embankment toward us once again.
It was too funny.
After our trek through Macquarie Woods, we came into Orange to go to the Outdoor Shop. I was not aware that Grace had left her bag of Werther's in the console on Saturday. Sash was not long discovering it and the three of them gorged themselves on butterscotch sweets and we returned to the car full of golden wrappers and bits of toffee-like substance smeared all over Sasha's beard.
I was surprised that unlike kids who get wired on sweets, that Sash was not hyperactive after eating all those Werther's Originals.
We got back to Bathurst in time to put the roast on and enjoy a lovely meal.
What a great weekend! I can't wait for Labour Day Weekend now- a week and a bit to go and we will be back to Macquarie Woods (without the Werthers).....
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