Sunday Reflections #1

The highlight of my week was guiding a group of bushwalkers on a pre-walk down a creek on our farm. Three clubs are coming to stay at the Discovery Centre (BVCDC) and the organisers wanted to explore a few possible walks. We enjoyed morning at the rocks.

The Rocks

We marvelled at the size and age  of this ironbark and noted the young strangler fig beginning life in its fork.

Strangler fig begins life

Ironbark

We wandered down through the mahogany swamp to Mum's favourite spot.  She loved it because an old fig tree provided a deep shade over a lovely swimming hole.  When I say old this fig tree is old. Mum began picnicking here back in the 1940s and it was providing a deep shade even then.

1952 flood

The walk carried me back to my childhood. As kids we left home at breakfast and returned at sundown. We’d pick oranges or mandarins from the orchard, corn from the farm or maybe a watermelon and spend the day wandering the creeks. We’d track animals; build dams; “change” watercourses; catch fish and tadpoles; build rafts and cubby houses; swim and wander free. We knew every deserted house - especially those with mango trees. We didn’t have a mango tree and in mango season we’d walk miles to find a tree where we could bloat ourselves on the fruit which oozed juice that dribbled down our arms and dripped off our elbows. Bliss!

What fun and adventure these creeks provided. What opportunities for imaginative play. It is a shame children today cannot experience such independence.  Our society is so changed.  Parents are afraid to let children out of their sight.