Ten hikers made their way to The Crossing Picnic Ground off Hut Rd, near Steiglitz. By 9am we were on the Three Creeks Walk - part of the much longer Burchell Track.
The walk follows a combination of narrow tracks and management tracks through varied terrain and bushland. The countryside around the picnic ground was unusually lush and green. The local birdlife was active and vocal as rain threatened but didn't really eventuate.
The early part of the track had lots of evidence of late 19th century mining of the quartz reefs. Interpretative signs explained where a horse-drawn whim was used to extract deeper lodes.At four "calcining pits", the miners used large quantities of firewood to heat and crumble the ore. The foundations of a battery and other mine works are nearby.
Our walkers stopped often, attempting to identify the many orchids, lillies, creepers and bush peas. Other highlights included; a profusion of Pomaderris ferruginea (Rusty Pomaderris) in flower; the creative boardwalk across Yankee Gully; the gigantic grasstrees (Xanthorrhoea australis) which are monitored by the Friends of the Brisbane Ranges; a friendly wallaby and some welcome tea and lunch stops.
A bakery stop in Meredith completed another enjoyable and well-researched day.
link that shows some of the wildflowers of the Brisbane Ranges https://natureshare.org.au/collections/brisbane_ranges_national_park_plants