Tarwin Lower Flora and Fauna Reserve
Tarwin Lower's Flora and Fauna Reserve is home to a wide variety of native plants and animals.
The 1km Manna Gum Loop Track circles the reserve and provides a leisurely walk through native bushland. Several seats are available along the walk, enabling you to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), Swamp Paperbark (Melaleuca ericifolia), Red-fruit Saw-sedge (Gahnia sieberiana) and Tall Sword-sedge (Gahnia clarkei) are just some of the native plant species that can be found in the reserve's riparian scrub.
Distance: The walk is a short 1 kilometre in length.
Terrain: Grass track with undulating surface. One short bridge/boardwalk section.
Directions: From the roundabout in Tarwin Lower turn into Walkerville Road, then turn left into Fauna Park Road, shortly after passing the Tarwin Lower Recreation Reserve.
According to the information signage at site, the reserve contains the following eco-systems:
Damp sands Herb-rich Woodland
A low, grassy or bracken-dominated eucalypt forest or open woodland to 15m tall with a large shrub layer and ground layer rich in herbs, grasses, and orchids. Occurs mainly on flat or undulating areas on moderately fertile, relatively well-drained, deep sandy or loamy topsoils over heavier subsoils (duplex soils). Flora includes Coast Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis subsp pryoriana) overstorey, dense Austral Bracken (Pteridium esculentum) ground layer. Other flora species include Coast Banksia, Small Grass-Tree (Xanthorrhoea minor) and Snowy Daisy-bush.
Riparian Scrub
A dense shrubland to 6m tall with occasional eucalypt emergents growing on waterlogged substrates often with a peaty surface horizon. The understorey is often species-poor and consists typically of sedges tolerant of seasonal waterlogging. It occurs along creeks and minor stream tributaries of the lowland plants. Flora species include Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squariosa), Swamp Paperbark, Red-fruit Saw-sedge and Tall Sword-sedge (Gahnia clarkei).
Photos:
At the intersection of the Manna Gum loop with the section of track which enters from the road, there's a seat and some information signs.
There are lots of poles which indicate the path and there are a few seats along the way. The whole experience would be improved if there were less poles because you feel like you're getting pulled around by a nose ring rather than exploring a bushland. It is quite difficult to get lost so it would be better to have poles only in spots where it might be difficult to know where the track is. Beside the track there is a lot of tall bracken.
Photos:
Location
Fauna Park Road, Tarwin Lower 3956 Map
