A Trio of Ducks Stared Insolently as I Walked by
Like the three other reserves in the 34 hectare Stirling Linear Park, the Hender Reserve is accessible from
Woorabinda Lake. All of the reserves also have other access points, and all have their own unique flavour.
Having visited the stringybark bushland of the
Madurta Reserve, the aquatic wildlife of
Woorabinda Lake, and the lush green waterways and colourful flora of
Stirling Park, my only remaining place to explore was the
Hender Reserve.
I had seen an Adelaide Hills Council report that rated its
total bio-diversity value as high, so it was time to find out if it lived up to its promise.
Foraging for Food
Once again I started at Woorabinda Lake, but this time I walked anti-clockwise around the lake. The water here is shallow and muddy, and the ducks seem to like it best as they forage for food.
The Bird Hide on the Left
After passing the bird hide on your left, be on the lookout for a green pole marking the start of the Hender Trail.
Hender Trail Marker
Again it is quite narrow, meandering through the scrub to the railway line for South Australian trains heading to Melbourne. Use the pedestrian crossing safely by checking for trains, and continue on past the marker and up the hill.
Australian Trains Travel Interstate Here
I continued past the Rossiter Trail turnoff to the right (
see map), and suddenly became aware of a few butterflies dancing around my head.
A Monarch Butterfly Waits for Me to Move
It was very like my experience in the
Madurta Reserve where it almost felt that they were teasing me. Like before, one butterfly stayed and settled down near me. When I moved, it also flitted to a different place. Very curious indeed.
Another Butterfly Blends in Better
The terrain was more like straggly low trees with a lot of fern undergrowth, quite unlike any of the other local parks.
A Clearing with Possible Sign
Soon I reached a clearing where there appeared to be a few paths diverging. Something resembling a sign board had Woorabinda misspelt on it, but the map showed that I would have to cross the railway line again, and I wanted to use the pedestrian crossing.
More Ferny Forest
Continuing on past the sign in roughly the same direction as previously, I passed more ferny forest and more bold butterflies.
I was reminded of something I read about Hender Reserve on the informative
Parks For Us All website:
Right now the flowering shrubs are looking wonderful, the most colourful I have seen in the last 24 years.
Perhaps that helps explain the number of butterflies I encountered?
Bold Butterflies Are Back
Before long I had arrived at the Hender Rd entrance to the reserve.
Hender Rd Entrance to Reserve
A shady clearing nearby contained a stand of tall gums
Gums in a Clearing on Hender Rd
There were still signs of blackberries here - a chronic Hills pest.
Blackberries Run Rampant
On my return I pondered how lucky Stirling is to have such a comprehensive and diverse group of parks. We owe a great deal to groups such as
Friends of Stirling Linear Park for spending long hours maintaining the environment, and
Parks For Us All for raising community awareness about them.
Dead, But Some Animals Still Call it Home
