Not so (Wet)lands

I was looking forward to exploring the Winton Wetlands.  After the beauty and prolific birdlife of the Sale Wetlands, I had high hopes.  These were quickly dashed as we discovered there was no water in the wetlands and few birds.  These are ephemeral wetlands that dry and fill in a natural cycle, and we were there towards the end of the drying phase. During this time organisms lay eggs, plants set their seeds and exposed wetland beds allow nutrients to be transformed ready for the next refill.  

It made for dull and at times difficult riding, especially when we had to cross swathes of cut vegetation that had been cleared for planned boardwalks. We saw one small pool of water and could imagine the area looking very different once the water returned.  

We passed Glenrowan Gap named after farmers James and George Rowan who ran farms in the area before the town was settled in the late 1860s to become famous as the site of the final siege and capture of Ned Kelly and his gang in 1880. 

On our way back we took some time to explore the Lotjpatj Natjan Danak, the Yarning and Gathering Pathway, a sculpture walk created by 15 Yorta Yorta artists.  Some of the highlights included a lizard representing a spiritual journey of love and protection;  Yakapna, meaning family in the Yorta Yorta language; and various turtles which are a totem of the Yorta Yorta people.

A Murray Cod stood tall near a sculpture of a wise woman in a possum skin coat whilst colourful kangaroos represented a walkabout family and a colourful rainbow serpent was draped along a fallen tree limb.

Bikes back on the car, we detoured along the Boggy Bridge Road past the colourful cows on Martin’s Barge and the painted fish trees. We took a quick drive up to see the Wren and Finch artwork on Greens Hill and admired the different faces on the CFA watertank.  

Turns out there is a lot to see in the Winton Wetlands and we would love to return to explore some more when the wetlands are full of water.  

After a quick lunch in Wangaratta, we continued onto Goulburn for the night in a very nice Airbnb before returning to Sydney.

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