A walk along the curvaceous Main Path this time of the year is a pleasant experience. Flowers are plentiful which includes many banksias. The walk commences at the far end of the café building.

1. But first, arching over the lower steps leading up to the Visitors Centre, are branches laden with fruits and deep red fluffy flowers of she- oaks, Allocasuarina littoralis [Section 172].
2. Leaving the buildings, Thryptomene sp. [Section 10, 9] is a low plant with lateral arching branches clad with tiny pink flowers.
3. Behind the bed of daisies which include Chrysocephalum apiculatum [Section 303], a green suckering plant with clusters of yellow flower heads, is a bottlebrush, Callistemon citrinus [Section 9], a large dense shrub bright with its crimson flowers.
4. The Heath-leaved Banksia, Banksia ericifolia [Section 30] is another large shrub bright with long upright cylindrical golden flower spikes.
5. Behind the seat Grevillea diminuta [Section 30] is a rounded shrub with dangling threads of buds just now exploding to clusters of rust red flowers.
6. Almost opposite is Banksia heliantha [Section 30] displaying its large yellow flower heads and yellow buds surrounded by fine dark bracts, among the oak-like leaves.
7. Nearby is Banksia ‘Honeypots’ [Section 30], a small open shrub displaying its deep honey coloured flower spikes.
8. Banksia integrifolia [Section 30] is a prostrate plant with lemon flower spikes among the dull green silver backed leaves.
9. Towards the cross-roads, Buckinghamia celsissima [Section 27] is a small upright tree with large shiny leaves and terminal sprays of long cream flowers.
10. Beside is the Firewheel tree, Stenocarpus sinuatus [Section 27] also a small tree with large, mostly lobed leaves and sprays of long orange-red whirled flowers.
11. Across the road, a group of flowering shrubs include the long-flowering, Grevillea ‘Lady O’ [Section 16] bearing its red flowers and many buds.
12. Opposite is Hakea cycloptera [Section 24] of medium height, long needle-like leaves and crowned with lacy pink flowers.
13. Hakea clavata [Section 26] is a low open shrub with club shaped pointed leaves and small lacy pink flower balls edging the stems.
14. Past the seat, Grevillea dielsiana [Section 26] is an erect open shrub with prickly leaves and with pendulous clusters of orange-red flowers.
15. Crossing the next road, Correa ‘Canberra Bells’ [Section 112] continues to display its bright red-yellow tube shaped flowers. 
16. The path then meanders through the Sydney Basin Gully. Towards the exit, Crowea saligna [Section 191u], is a low spreading shrub bright with pretty pink star flowers. Also, behind the curved seat is a mint bush, Prostanthera porcata [Section 191u] bearing its pink tube flowers on the open shrub.
17. Opposite is a waratah, Telopea speciosissima x oreades[Section191u] a small upright shrub crowned with one red flower head.
18. At the exit are few flannel flowers, Actinotus helianthi [Section 191 l] some plants may bear its velvety daisy-like white flowers above its flannel-like grey-green foliage.
19. Cross the Eucalyptus Lawn and the Acacia section, Hakea purpurea [Section 20] is an upright shrub colourful with its bright red lacy flower clusters among its fine foliage.
20. The Rock Garden has many flowering shrubs including Grevillea lanigera [Section 15c], a ground cover dense with pink-white spider-like flowers.....and so a wander through the cools rainforest to the Visitors Centre.

Barbara Daly