On the Queen's Birthday long weekend with Melbourne in "lockdown" and people unable to get away, it was again our local park that provided a place to find pleasure and mental sustenance.

The biggest flood for some years did what floods are supposed to do - inundate flood plains to rejuvenate the billabongs and soils there. (This does seems to mystify some people).

5 of the 6 billabongs in the park were treated to this increasingly rare transformation. The Annulus missed out by about 15cm of river height. This is very likely to mean that Melbourne Water will need to spend many thousands of dollars to do it by pumping later this year - Ouch!

This is a pictorial look at the various billabongs and the delightful conjunction of water and trees - which are the backbone of our park. 

 

Banksia Billabong has been forgotten up until now.

However, it has very old trees and with the addition of more water by Melbourne Water it has huge potential.

The spillway starts to flow

Check this video of it in full flow:  https://youtu.be/sBX_l38kGFg

The billabong fills rapidly

The "Stooped Centenarian" tree has seen it many times before

 

These younger River Red Gums will compete to overshadow their neighbours so it is straight up.

Photo by Liz Vagg

The textures in the bark of the River Reds are a delight against the still brown backdrop.

Photo by Liz Vagg

The sunshine makes a beautiful tapestry of the scene.

Photo by Liz Vagg

The maximum extent of flooding

Phillips Fox Billabong

As the weeds are being removed the underlying charm is slowly being revealed

 

One of the most delightful trees in the park

 

On the edge of the dark forest

 

Not everyone is impressed by this flooding business.

 

Little Annulus

A depression south of The Annulus it has quite regular water in it and some good wetland ecology

Around the park

The River is doing more than gliding on the bend made famous by Arthur Streeton's "Still glides the stream and shall for ever glide"

Photo by Liz Vagg

Photo by Liz Vagg

Several bike riders contemplated giving it a go

Again the bark of the gums stands out

The depression north of Banksia Billabong

 

Glenard Billabong (on the other side of the Main Yarra Trail from The Annulus)

A nice start for this billabong under a new name.

 

Peninsula Billabong - a long time between drinks

 

There is only one day between these photos of the same spot