Sunday, December 3, 2017

Dorrigo Rainforest NP

The next stop on the way back to the coast was Dorrigo NP.
DSCN0881

DSCN0909

Oh look, a snake.
DSCN0882

DSCN0859

The nearby and idyllic Dangar Falls with a rainbow in the spray.
DSCN0863

DSCN0868

A common tree in the park is the Stinging Tree.  Its leaves are covered in fine hair-like structures.  Each is a tiny needle which injects acid into whatever touches it.  Not pleasant!
DSCN0871

The only animal that will eat its leaves is the Stinging Tree Hawk Moth caterpillar.  It only lays its eggs on this tree.  The stinging leaves give the larva protection from predators.  This is why the leaves have so many holes!
DSCN0877
DSCN0873

A mature strangler fig.  Its host tree is long dead and rotted away.
DSCN0875

DSCN0883

DSCN0886

DSCN0885

DSCN0900

DSCN0894

DSCN0896

5 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. In northeastern New South Wales: https://goo.gl/maps/M6e2PsCWUZP2

      Delete
  2. This is probably true about many of the places you have visited, but this one ESPECIALLY looks like Jurassic Park.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, yeah, there are some places where it is very easy to picture dinosaurs roaming around.

      Delete
    2. About 15,000 years ago there were 6,000lb Marsupials roaming about, like the Diprotodon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diprotodon
      In some places you can still see dinosaur cousins like the Cassowary. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary. We just need some amberized mosquitoes and genetic engineering...

      Delete