Helichrysum rutidolepis click for larger image

After viewing the colourful orchids inside the Visitors Information Centre and other plants outside the doors which now include the Sturt’s Desert  Pea, Swainsona formosa renowned for its large pea shaped flowers coloured bright  red with black centre set among the  grey-green foliage. The walk will follow a winding path finishing at the Sydney Basin and the Display Glass House.

1. After leaving the colourful flowers along the Banksia Walk follow the path on the far side of the rainforest.  At the next corner Grevillea bipinnatifida ‘Jingle Bells’ [Section 124] is a small upright shrub with terminal red buds and flowers.
2. Close by a bottlebrush, Callistemon ‘Howie’s Fire Glow’[Section 124] is a tall dense shrub bright with red flowers.
3. Below the lateral branches of the large Pryor Tree, Eucalyptus mannifera [Section 10], Thryptomene ‘Pink Lace’ [Section 10] has tiny pink flowers edging its low lateral stems.
4. Take the right path between sections 9 and 11 passing Callistemon citrinus [Section 9], a large dense shrub crowned with many red bottlebushes.
5. Continue along this path to a field of a groundcover, Helichrysum rutidolepis [Section 29] is profuse with small button shaped yellow flowers.
6. Opposite Swamp Banksia, Banksia robur [Section 28] has few deep green flower spikes changing to yellow to chocolate as they mature, among large leathery leaves.
7. Continue to the Main Path where Grevillea ‘Lady O’ [Section 26] is a low spreading shrub bright with pendular red  flower clusters and  beside is Banksia ‘Cape Patterson Dwarf’ [Section 26] laden with lime coloured  flower spikes.
8. Almost opposite a mountain devil, Lambertia formosa [Section 25] reveals its shapely flowers on a medium size shrub.
9. Turn left at the end of this road  where the pink star flowers of Crowea exalata [Section 112] cover the low shrub and close by
10. Correa ‘Canberra Bells’ [Section 112] is radiant with its dangling red and lemon tubular flowers on the small open shrub. 
11. In the corner opposite Flannel Flower, Actinotus helianthi [Section 191h] displays its large velvety white flowers on a small dense grey leafed plant.
12. Follow this road down turning left on a small path the far side of the Sydney Region Gully.  This small path winds through a cool magical place with an abundance of ferns and shrubs including the Geebung, Persoonia pinifolia [Section 191f] with strands of yellow flowers among the pine-like foliage.
13.  Large trees which include the smooth baked apple, Angophora costata [Section 191f] has pink toned trunks surrounded by its discarded tan coloured bark which surround its base.  The stream below is almost covered with the large ferns including the Dicksonia antarctica [Sections 191k,j,d].
14. Crowea exalata [Section 191f] is an open shrub with its pretty pink star flowers.
15.  Around the corner Epacris longiflora [Section 191f] is an entangle of branches clad with bright red tubular flowers with white mouth.
16. Edging the left road to the Display Glass House, in the gully the picturesque NSW Christmas Bush, Ceratopetalum gummiferum [Section 191t] with a cover of its renowned reddened calyces which followed its white flowers, can be seen. The Glass House with steamy warm environment has many green plants, with Pitcher Plant, Nepenthes mirabilis a terrestrial insectivorous plant.  The display of fascinating colourful orchids of varying shapes and so much more.

Follow the road back to the Visitors Centre.

Barbara Daly.