Where: Roseberg State Forest (SF), near Lyndhurst
When: Sunday 17 May
Time: 9am
Leader: Nigel Hobden
Grade: 3 moderate. No formed trails, uneven surfaces with logs, some slopes
Meeting place: 9am – Orange High School Bus Bay
Our planned outing for May is to Roseberg SF, which is a location Field Nats hasn’t visited before. Heidi Zimmer, our May guest speaker on orchids, was made aware of a rare Leek orchid (Prasophyllum sp.) at this site and visited in October 2025. This area will be our first stop where we will explore bush that has no walking trails. We will seek out Corybas sp., a Helmet orchid, which will hopefully be in flower along with other autumn flowering species. When searching for the Prasophyllum the team found Corybas leaves and now is the time to see if they are flowering. Corybas is a small terrestrial orchid, and the flowers appear close to the ground.
We will wander the eucalyptus woodland and down a slope to a gully at this first stop to see what else can be found; plants in flower, birds, and reptiles.
After this first stop we will head deeper into the Roseberg SF, via vehicle, along forestry fire trails that are generally in good condition. We will stop and explore where features or the landscape appear interesting.
Meet at the bus bay at 9am sharp to carpool. We will drive through Blayney and Lyndhurst, which will take just over an hour. With fuel prices higher please consider a donation for the driver if you carpool. There are no toilet facilities in the forest.
Come prepared for a full day excursion. Bring morning tea, lunch, water, a chair and any essential medications you may need. Please wear closed walking shoes and suitable clothing.