Moreton Bay Fig Trees
August 23, 2021
Often when I turn up for the barge or ferry they are not there. I have knack for arriving at morning tea or lunch time, when they don't run. I am getting better at this and if it it lunch time I will get a take-away to eat in the car while I wait. But the car isn't a very interesting place to sit so I have been driving down the dead end streets that run off the main road that goes to the jetty just to see where they lead.
Whilst doing this I found a small park at the end of one of these little roads and it sits at the waters edge. It only has a garbage bin and one seat but it has a beautiful Moreton Bay Fig tree to sit under. (My husband looks like a bushranger with his mask on.)
The same kind of tree that was in my book 'Memorial", but this one is only a teenager. I shouldn't have been surprised because we live right on Moreton Bay but you don't see many of these giants around. There are some here and there but like all fig trees they have invasive roots and most people do not have gardens big enough to accomodate them. This teenager spreads its branches across the width of three properties.
The trunk of this one has seen better days. It looks like someone started a fire here, but it survived.
The birds have dropped seeds of the umbrella tree that have sprouted at the base and up in the branches.
The sunlight seen through the leaves is like a painting.
The fruit hasn't ripened as yet. I will have to check if it you eaten by the indigenous people that lived here. It has such a huge crop you would think so.
It was low tide when I took these pictures. At high tide the water come right to the edge of the grass. You look out over what some consider just a mud flat but there is lots of sea grass that extends far out. No wonder we have Dugong living here.
Source: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/dugong
This will definitely be where I will sit whilst I wait for the barge in future.
What a delightful place. If I were you, I'd miss the ferry on purpose!
Posted by: Queenie Patch | August 23, 2021 at 12:56 PM
Oh it is such a relief to get back to the island away from the rush of the mainland.
I breathe so much easier when I get back here but, it is a lovely spot to sit awhile.
Posted by: Carolyn Foley | August 23, 2021 at 03:17 PM
Figs are among the amazing species that help to regenerate damaged environments, as well. Astonishing things.
Posted by: Rachel | August 24, 2021 at 06:06 AM