We were driving home yesterday over the Black Spur, a beautiful tourist road between Healesville and Narbethong, Victoria. Much of the beauty was destroyed in the devastating bushfires of February this year. I took the shot above; amazingly the resilient tree ferns were the first to appear amidst the blackened tall trees remaining and the sight is still eerily beautiful, especially in areas where clouds are low.
Much of the mountain was destroyed in the bushfires of 1939 and re-planted by Italian prisoners of war.
The mountain was previously called Black's Spur; some say the name came from the pack horse teamsters in 1862 meeting long lines or aboriginals on the ridge between Healesville and Narbethong. The Upper Goulburn natives, or Taungurong, were pushed out of the central highlands and moved to Coranderrk near Healesville leaving little evidence of their existence.
In March 1863, after three years of upheaval, the surviving leaders, among them Simon Wonga and William Barak, led forty Wurundjeri, Taungurong (Goulburn River) and Bun Warrung people over the Black Spur and squatted on a traditional camping site on Badger Creek near Healesville and requested ownership of the site. They were anxious to have the land officially approved so that they could move down and establish themselves. Wikipedia
Photo from Bruno's site - click below for more
We detoured up through Marysville as I wanted to visit Bruno's Art and Sculpture Garden. They have done an enormous amount of work cleaning up. The paths are exposed, not like the jungle it used to be but they'll bring it back and nature will help, I'm certain. The whole town is getting a lot of support from visitors. I couldn't take photos of other people's hell on earth. It was so distressing seeing that previously idyllic little town. We drove on, very sombre.
