Fagus Watch 2024

[Son of a Beach]

It's a bit early in the season, but I happened to do a walk past some Gunii over the weekend (Crater Lake), so I took this shot of a Fagus flower that I happened to notice. I think it's probably past its prime, but I've not really paid attention to the Gunnii flowers before.

The Fagus around Crater lake is just starting to turn, with just a tiny smattering of yellow leaves on some bushes, and I noticed just two bushes that had predominantly yellow leaves.

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[north-north-west]

Ii foound patches just starting to turn in the outer Walls at the beginning of the month. Been a weird season.

[Tortoise]

The turn has well and truly started at Cradle. Some plants up higher have already dropped some of their leaves. They're still mainly green lower down, but with a distinct yellow tinge over the tops of fagus fields last weekend. A few individual plants have completely turned. I suspect the season may be over by Anzac Day this year.

[north-north-west]

Upper Bernes Valley last week, the northern ridges had large patches of orange. Some small sections elsewhere have already dropped the leaves.
Some mates were up on the King Willies a week or so back and it had only just started to show a bit of orange. It's probably going to be very patchy.

[Lostsoul]

Not much on Cuvier Shelf atm,just a few patches of yellow starting

[Biggles]

Historically I have found the fagus displays of Mount Field NP more prolific and interesting than the Cradle environs, with an often charmingly complimentary landscape of boulders and mixed vegetation adding considerable aesthetic interest over the fagus, fagus, and yet more fagus motif of Cradle. Crater Falls is the exception here, with a particularly beautiful spray of fagus, not easily caught in the red phase, and that is the colour I seek, and also the one that has been so illusive over many previous years.

I plan to return next year on a major photography project, probably my last in the analogue (film) sphere before migrating to LF digital.

[north-north-west]

I've generally prefered Tyndalls or outer Walls - Moses Creek and MoJ/Orion Lakes area, parts of Chinamans Plains.
Found a small pool up on Chinamans almost completely surrounded by the stuff; it would be stunning once it turns.