Twisted, Tortured and Coppiced

The description of Barkers Creek as an area of land between Harcourt and Castlemaine that has (for the last 150 years) been ‘Chopped down, Dug up and Dumped on’ … is a statement in our latest 5 Year Plan (2020-2024). Whilst this may be true of the past, this recovering goldfield area, that also includes the Harcourt Bushland Reserve, is now full of many interesting twisted trees that show the amazing capacity of Nature to survive.

One of our new members (and keen photographer) – Mick Evans wrote this about the Bushland Reserve –

“…a piece of land that has been turned over probably more than once since the arrival of the first prospectors in the late 1800s. You can see the evidence of mining everywhere, from holes both square and round, bare ground, stripped of any nutritious soil, large excavations leaving scars on the landscape and evidence of the last area in the district to give up sluicing because of the silt flowing into and degrading Barkers Creek.

However, nature has remarkable powers of recovery and even though it’s a struggle this area of bush shows its resilience with many species of wildflowers, birds and fauna … not to mention trees that look tortured but have survived to provide habitat for the array of birds, insects and fauna here.”

The wonderful group of people who make up the Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group actively care the ‘whole’ area.

We hope you enjoy Mick’s photo collection – ‘Twisted, Tortured and Coppiced’

Click on each image below to zoom in for a closer look at the photos.