Forest picnic and celebration

This giant Messmate Stringybark was the special guest at our picnic.

Dry as it is, a picnic in the forest seemed the perfect way to celebrate the spectacular trees still standing in the Strathbogie Forest. Though there will be some planned burning in the Strathbogie forest this season, many stands of significant old-growth will be spared, among them this special place of towering Messmates (Eucalyptus obliqua) – where we spread out our picnic blankets and shared a meal, two Sunday’s ago. Among such ancient trees, who knows how old, humility comes easily and gratitude that such trees still exist is sincere. [Click on a pic to watch the slide show]

At 48 m tall ..

.. and 3 m wide (at breast height) ..

.. it’s the biggest trees we know of in the entire Strathbogies.

And healthy and sound at the base, it certainly is, notwithstanding a scar or two.

A perfect spot for a toast.

This view from the north shows it’s clean trunk and healthy crown.

A magnificent specimen, most likely 250+ years old.

In the same stand is another ancient messmate ..

.. though this one’s more precariously balanced. All the more reason to protect it from even the smallest of fires.

A little later, we walked through this extensive (and heavily disturbed) stand of Messmate, finding several more old-growth trees, though none with quite the grandeur of the first.

We set our sights on finding some more big trees.

What is is about big, old trees that is so captivating?

This ancient stump, axe-hewn, is evidence of an earlier age.

Where the canopy is disturbed, the scrub is thick.

If the canopy is intact, the understorey is quite open.

Another forest giant in the distance.

A large, hollow-bearing Mountain Gum (E. dalrympleana).

Walking out of the forest in the late afternoon sun.

No doubt many that attended this picnic we’ll return, to keep an eye on these grand, old trees.