our wild escarpment

Words Erin Huckle @chucklecommunications Images Keelan Orrock @delving.through.dharawal, @fungi_of_dharawal

Looming large and green in our landscape, the Illawarra escarpment is a constant presence. Forming a natural boundary between the highlands and the sea, it’s thick with vegetation and rich in beautiful scenery.

For many of us, the past two years gave us an opportunity to reconnect with the wilderness on our doorstep. Bushwalking in the escarpment became a go-to pastime for anyone wanting to get outside, exercise in the fresh air, or discover new adventures close to home. In the Illawarra, we are gloriously spoilt for choice. Mountain summits, waterfalls, rainforest paths and wellmarked trails were our ticket to freedom.

But although it feels like a permanent fixture on our horizon, the escarpment and much of its wildlife is vulnerable to the impacts of people. With rare ecosystems, endangered wildlife, and sensitive flora, it’s our duty of care to protect this special place.

Escarpment ecosystems

While from a distance, the escarpment might seem like a uniform green landscape, dotted with pops of fire-red from our famous Illawarra FlameTree, once you’re up close and exploring on foot, it becomes apparent there’s a diversity of ecosystems to be found on our patch.

It’s a mix of rainforest, eucalyptus forest and blackbutt forest, and includes warm temperate rainforest and rare subtropical rainforest pockets. Emma Rooksby from the Illawarra Escarpment Alliance, says the rainforest found on the escarpment is particularly precious.

“Some of the subtropical rainforest on the escarpment is classified as critically endangered, as it’s so rare,” she says.“It’s great to see raised walkways being installed in some of these pockets, to help minimise our impact on this very special vegetation.”

Elusive creatures

Anyone who’s walked, jogged or cycled through the escarpment, knows the most magical moments are those when you come in contact with some of the wildlife that calls this area home.

Coming across red-belly black snakes, diamond pythons or eastern water dragons sunning themselves on paths is pretty common, and so is the thrill of seeing the fancy feathers of the beautiful lyrebird as it darts off into the undergrowth, while king parrots, rainbow lorikeets and fairy wrens circle above. But there are many shy creatures we might never see.

The spotted-tail quoll has breeding populations in the escarpment, but is threatened by fox attacks. The broad-headed snake calls the escarpment home, but is also endangered, and there has even been sightings of koalas in local bushland.

Australia’s largest owl, the Powerful Owl, is found in the escarpment as well as the Australian boobook, which is our smallest and most common owl. Along with other large birds, such as the tawny frogmouth and, of course, the yellowtailed black cockatoo.

Sadly, the area also has many introduced species, including deer, rabbits, feral cats and red foxes, which threaten the native wildlife. While on a personal level, not much can be done to lessen the impact of these animals, it’s important to keep our own pets out of this wild vegetation, too.

While tempting, bringing pets into the escarpment is illegal, and can cause huge damage, says Jenae Johnson, founder of BushwalkThe Gong.

“Our dogs, by leaving their scents behind and being in the general vicinity of native animals can cause significant stress to the wildlife,” Jenae says.“In some cases, the scents can cause animal families to leave their homes.”

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1. Trichoglossus moluccanus: rainbow lorikeet. 2. Pseudechis porphyriacus: red-bellied black snake. 3. Zanda funerea: yellow-tailed black cockatoo. 4. Litoria citropa: Blue Mountains tree frog. 5. Malurus cyaneus: superb fairy wren. 6. Tachyglossus aculeatus: short-beaked echidna. 7. Ninox boobook: Australian boobook. 8. Intellagama lesueurii: eastern water dragon.

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Magic mushrooms

It’s not just wonderful wildlife and lush greenery that will pique your interest on an escarpment adventure. Get down low to the forest floor to experience the magic of the many mushroom species found in the Illawarra. From the sand dune ecological communities, through to the coastal plains, all the way up through the subtropical rainforests and eucalypt forests of the escarpment, fantastic fungi can be found. Whether it is saprotrophic (feeds on organic matter, breaks down dead wood, leaf litter, etc.); parasitic (parasitises living trees, or even insects) or mycorrhizal (shares a symbiotic relationship with particular trees), the Illawarra is home to an incredibly diverse array of fungi.

“For the last few years, I have had my head down in the leaf litter documenting the many different species we have in the escarpment,” says Keelan Orrock, a local photographer who started Instagram page @fungi_of_dharawal to document his findings – that’s his awesome image on this issue’s cover.“I have found everything from vibrant blue mushrooms, to fungus in the form of coral, and club-shaped mushrooms protruding from the head of parasitised caterpillars (Cordyceps species, worth a Google!).”

The escarpment is home to some very rare ’shrooms – a list which is growing every year. Listed below are five species you are likely to see on many of the walks throughout the Illawarra escarpment, so slow down and keep your eyes focused on the forest floor.You never know what mushies you will stumble upon!

1. Tetrapyrgos species: a tiny saprotrophic species that’s about 10mm tall, found on small twigs and leaves in rainforest. 2. Cyptotrama asprata, Golden Scruffy Collybia: a saprotrophic species found growing directly from dead wood in eucalypt forest. 3. Clavaria zollingeri, Violet Coral: found in eucalypt forest and rainforest, growing directly from the forest floor amongst heavy leaf litter. 4. Entoloma virescens, Sky Blue Pink Gill: an uncommon species found growing amongst bryophytes and bracken fern in sandy soils. 5. Schizophyllum commune, Split Gill: found colonising fallen trees and branches across a variety of different habitats.

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Where to walk

So how can we enjoy the escarpment, while also treading lightly on its natural and cultural heritage? Be sure to stick to official walking trails, to reduce disturbance to critical habitats. Thankfully, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to these – with popular tracks including Mt Keira ring track, Sublime Point walking track, Mt Kembla summit track, the Brokers Nose summit track and the Maddens Falls walk.

Lookout points such as Mt Keira are a great opportunity to enjoy the escarpment for people with less mobility, and the Illawarra Fly gives a completely different perspective on this beautiful wilderness.

“The Illawarra hosts a beautiful array of unique and special bushwalks – you can be sure to find a track that suits your fitness level and experience,” says Bushwalk the Gong’s Jenae Johnson.“To protect the many precious and sensitive environments you’ll find on foot, be sure to stay on the trails, and take all rubbish out with you.”