This 1.5 hectare reserve was named after John Grandfill who purchased the land in the early 1900s.
The main entrance to the reserve.
Over 100 indigenous plant species can be found in the reserve, three of which are significant at wider regional level, with another 16 rare and significant within Maroondah council area. Among those, the White Stringybark Eucalypt and the Common Bird-orchid are of particular interest.
Some old growth and some new growth.
The area is bush land and rather steep in parts, with some paths quite narrow.
This would be an ideal reserve to introduce children to bushwalking. It has both wide and narrow paths, level and steep sections all in a relatively small area, so they will not get too exhausted or chant, "are we there yet?"
One of the wider paths.
On my walk, I saw many currawongs, both on the ground and in the trees, as well as several wattlebirds. The currawongs didn't seem to be greatly concerned by human intervention and we were able to approach them reasonably close. Children will love to witness them at close range, particularly when they are at ground level. Kookaburras were heard but not seen. Magpies were also heard but not seen.
A beady-eyed currawong.
Wattlebird
A couple of specimens of the common white heath were photographed and I suspect that in springtime many more wildflowers would be evident, well worth a return visit.
A section of the white heath bush.
A small number of fungi was observed as were small areas of green moss along one of the paths, all part of the local ecosystem.
Newly surfaced fungi.
A section of the moss.
The dominant flora in the reserve would be the many old growth gum trees, some extremely tall and some long dead, which would probably be home to some of the fauna.
Interesting bark on an a large tree.
The only facility in the reserve is one very solid picnic table and bench seats in a grassy area near an entrance along Webster Avenue. That is the only area that would be accessible by the mobility challenged.
The only facility, one solid picnic table.
Grandfill Reserve is in a suburban environment with houses bordering on two sides and opposite, but it is very quiet and peaceful. The neighbours would be very pleased to have such a place in their locality, I know I would.
