Date: Thursday 9 February (summer), 10am
Place: Victoria Park, Alstonville, NSW
With Covid restrictions over, and weather limitations now abating, the summer ginko was organized with enthusiastic expectations. It was our ninth visit to this stimulating venue since our first in December 2006.
There were six of us, with another joining from her home in a virtual ginko. We exchanged a few individual haiku, with emphasis on the structuring of a poem to deliver auditory pleasure to the reader.
This rainforest remnant is maintained in its original condition by NSW National Parks, and was originally part of The Big Scrub. It comprises many species of flora, including Red Cedar, Bangalow Palms, Strangler Figs, lianas, and a variety of groundcover, including writhing roots, which snake beneath the boardwalk that winds through the forest in a loop. The variety of colour in fallen leaves mingles with the hues of fungi.
Birdlife is varied and loud, darting through the undercover with speed and skill, and the insect noises create a constant chorus, seemingly singing in parts. Since we’ve been coming here one of the large strangler figs has collapsed and disintegrated, opening up the ground to the sky, so that the space has now been filled by regrowth. It was said that this giant had been spotted by Captain Cook from the ocean as he sailed north.
Pademelons, which frequent this habitat, were not seen on this occasion, and we did miss their ‘thump, thump, thump’ through the bush.
We lunched together at Summerland Farm, close by. This is a macadamia and avocado farm, with attached restaurant, all of which are staffed to a large extent by disabled folk. A perfect day.
And now on to responding to and distributing the Round Robin.
Australian Haiku Society 