Drouin - Settlement Giant Walk

Drouin - Settlement Giant Walk created by Friends of Drouin's Trees

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Summary

A walk along paths, formed tracks, grassy verges and areas of grassed parkland highlighting one of the oldest remnant giants in Drouin, and other significant habitat areas.

Description

Easy walk with gentle slopes. Grass areas can be wet in winter.

Look up into the canopy of The Settlement Giant behind the playspace. This land was used by The Winters and the Colquhouns butchers as holding paddocks for their slaughterhouses. This old giant gave shelter to animals waiting to be killed.

Walk south down Settlement Rd to Shillinglaw Rd. The trees in this corridor are home to many birds and mammals.

Cross Shillinglaw Rd into the leash free dog area. This used to be the home of the Drouin Pony club before it moved to Lardner. Large trees in this area provide valuable habitat for wildlife.

Walk back through the trees to the concrete path and proceed south through the carpark area to the gravel path around the oval.

This lake area was man made under the direction of Leo Boeyen (Superintendent of Buln Buln Shire’s Parks and Gardens department). Jack Cuthbertson, one of Drouin’s noteable construction operators provided the earthworks.

Many wetlands birds can be seen on the lake and hiding in the reed beds. Dragonflies and other insects also live here and pollinate plants and provide food for fish, frogs and birds in their larval stage. Turn right at the south west corner..

Walk past the fern gully to the bridge, continue around the oval past the cricket nets. Cross Settlement Rd, head down Lampards Rd and cross into the hockey entrance.

Walk past the small bushland area and continue north past the groups of trees and up Blackwood Ct to Holland St. Turn left and walk back to The Settlement Giant.

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Points of Interest

1. The Settlement Giant

A mountain Grey Gum, that is the largest remnant gum in residential Drouin. It is 12.5 m in trunk girth, 30 m high, home to at least five species of native birds and is approximately 300+ years old.

2. Avenue of Strzelecki Gums

Strzelecki Gums are classified as endangered and threatened under federal and state legislation, making this avenue precious and irreplacable.

3. Habitat tree with large hollow

Remnant gum that has been preserved as a habitat tree. This tree may have been struck by lightning.

4. Lake area behind cricket oval

Man made lake area that is now home to many birds including: chestnut teal, eurasian coot, cormorants, wood ducks, pacific black ducks, ibis & many more. A recent count registered 32 species.

5. Chestnut Teals

Chestnut Teals can often be spotted swimming on the water.

6. Australian Wood Ducks

Australian Wood Ducks can usually be seen swimming on the lake.

7. Tree ferns under gum trees.

Remnant area of natural tree ferms. A glimpse of what it would have been like for Drouin's pioneers. Some ferns are up to 5 m in height.

8. Island reed beds with resident bird populations

Small grass birds including the Australian Reed Warbler love this kind of habitat.

9. Superb Fairy Wrens

Many Superb Fairy Wrens can be seen here most of the year around, alongside many other bushland bird species.

10. Eastern Rosellas and other hollow dwelling birds

Eastern Rosellas, Crimson Rosellas, Galahs, King Parrots, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and others can be seen and heard at different times of the year by those who take time to look and listen.

11. Small Bushland Area

This area was frequented by the bellbirds (Bell Miners) that gave name to this park. Hopefully they will return when the recently replanted understorey grows.

12. Groups of planted trees

These trees were planted in the early 1970s and include: Blue Gums, Spotted Gums and Angophoras. Local residents mounted a campaign to save these trees in 2015.

13. Bird Hotel

Five different species of birds live in the hollows of The Settlement Giant, the smallest being the Striated Pardalote. Look up to see if you can spot any of them.