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Harrismith Nature Reserve

25/11/2021

 
​Greetings fellow foxies,
Harrismith reserve adjoins the township of Harrismith, 73 kilometres east of Narrogin and 55 kilometres south-east of Wickepin. . The Oasis Hotel has accommodation, lunches, drinks and snacks. With an adjoining caravan park, Harrismith is a good spot to camp overnight and enjoy the wildflowers. 
Picture
The reserve differs from others closer to Narrogin in having little woodland. It is on a broad ridge near the divide between the Swan-Avon and Blackwood River catchments.
The landscape is a lateritic gravel plain that formed millions of years ago when the climate was wetter. Unusual circular hollows were once wetlands overlying granite base-rock.
As the climate became drier, wetlands dried out and were colonised by eucalypt and sheoak trees. Lateritic heath persisted on the surrounding gravelly plain and built up a raised  doughnut shaped edge around each hollow.
Soils are mainly shallow lateritic ironstone and gravels with deeper white sandy topsoils in broad depressions. They are infertile and have poor water retention.  
It is first class kwongan heath plain. Many heath plants flower after woodland wildflowers in other reserves have finished.
Picture
The 3.5 kilometre gently sloping trail (level 2) is an easy walk, or cycle using a mountain/comfort bike. There is also a drive trail. The airport section has particularly good wildflowers but keep to the side as it is a working airstrip.
The best time to visit is from mid-August to November, with October being peak time for verticordias and other flowering shrubs. As there are few trees on this walk take water and walk at cooler times on hot days.
Ignore the small redundant sign at the trailhead that indicates three walk trails and follow the blue arrows/tall red-banded posts. Orchids flower in early/mid September, but many kwongan plants flowers later. At least 2 trips are needed to see the full wildflower spectrum.
This document contains a pictorial list of wildflowers in the reserve.
harrismith_wildflowers_comp.pdf
File Size: 3665 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​Numbers on the diagram indicate described trail sections
Picture
Numbers indicate sections of the trail described below
Section 1 is a gently sloping gravelly track through medium to tall kwongan shrubland, which is interspersed by small rock sheoak and cypress pine trees. Check for jug orchids (Pterostylis recurva) and green spider orchids (Caladenia falcata) in September.
Picture
1 Mixed level shrubland
Picture
1 Trail in the early morning
Picture
1 Verticordia serrata at start of trail
Section 2 starts at the picnic table where shrubland opens out at a very broad yellow sand hollow containing a few groves of eastern wandoo (Eucalyptus capillosa) trees). I found a few stark white spider orchids (Caladenia longicauda subsp. eminems) in early September Beautiful Verticordias picta, roei, and serrata flower in late September to October.
Picture
2 Verticordia picta and Calytrix lechenaultii
Picture
2 Picnic table
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2 Verticordia roei, Hakea multilineata trees
An unmarked trail goes east from the picnic table to open wandoo and rock sheoak woodland (Section 3). Chameleon spider orchids (Caladenia dimidia), sugar orchids (Caladenia saccharata), common donkey orchids (Diuris corymbosa) and cowslip orchids (Caladenia flava) flower here in early to mid-September. Return to the main track to avoid getting lost, because the side trail continues for a long way before becoming a dead end. 
Picture
3 Diuris corymbosa early September
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3 Waitzia acuminata October
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3 Caladenia dimidia early September
The trail continues to a slight grey sandy slope (section 4) containing sphere banksia (Banksia sphaerocarpa), Lambertia ilicifolia), and roadside tea trees (Leptospermum erubescens) interpersed by rock sheoak and spindly mallees. Check the ground for cowslip orchids and painted sundew (Drosera zonaria). 
Picture
4 Lambertia ilicifolia in September
Picture
Sandy trail on section 4
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4 Crowded Drosera zonaria in September
Picture5 Cowslip/little pink fairy orchid hybrid
At section 5 the trail passes through prickly gravel scrub. This is the rim of 'doughnut' valley to the south, where you can see tree branches.
​There is no trail down to the valley, but a moderately easy 20 metre scramble down the slope reveals attractive woodland. There is a variety of everlastings and other flowers on the slope and valley. if you are lucky, you may find the cowslip/little pink fairy orchid hybrid.
​
Cars can reach the picnic table on the trail adjoining the airstrip by using the drive trail. 

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5 Trail along valley rim
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5 Phebalium tuberculosum late September
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5 Rhodanthe manglesii in valley
PictureSouthern view along airstrip in mid October
​Section 6 follows the airstrip. You can see sheet ironstone at about 40cm below the surface. It is amazing that such a variety of of plants grow here. large shrubs flourish because they have taproots, which penetrate cracks in the ironstone.
Vegetation on the uphill side of the airstrip is larger because of a chemical overspray, which killed large shrubs on the downhill side. Surprisingly there appears to be little long-term damage as smaller shrubs have already compensated. However, some kwongan plants depend on fire for seed germination and may not regenerate until this occurs.
There is a wonderful show of flowering shrubs by the airstrip in late September and October. Walk down the eastern airstrip to meet the track and return.


Picture
Dasymalla terminalis October
Picture
Picture
Grevillea eryngioides late October
Conclusion
Harrismith reserve is a great spot for wildflower enthusiasts in spring. The trail and Toolibin Nature Reserve would make a good day trip from Narrogin or Wickepin.
Andrew Mayo
28/12/2021 12:35:37 am

Thank you for this excellent guide! I have made visits only in the last couple of years but this is SO helpful.


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