Spring Gully as Illustrated in Childrens’ Book

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Local artist and childrens’ author, Leily Da Silva, featured a scene and poem about Spring Gully in her illustrated children’s book “Bundeena is a Wild Place”.

The scene was inspired by the large Port Jackson fig tree and remnant littoral rainforest which grows around a stream that flows year round. The stream emerges from between the rock strata in the cliff, flows over mossy boulders, over a waterfall and into the wetland in the gully floor.

Just nearby this scene is a large collection of aboriginal rock paintings and middens in which remants of aboriginal stone tools have also been found.

All this lies only metres from the Scouts’ property.

All the flora and fauna illustrated are typically found nearby but are representative of only one of several ecological communities found in Spring Gully.

Way down in the gully,
Where no one ever goes,
There among the palms,
A native fig tree grows.
It has roots that scramble,
Over mossy rocks below,
Until they reach the ground,
Where ferns and vines do grow.

Never mess with an echidna,
Their spines can really hurt.
They can roll into a ball,
And hide beneath the dirt.

Water dragons sit on rocks,
Basking in the sun,
But if they see you coming,
Quickly they will run.

Leily was an examiner for the girl guides for their art and craft badges for many years.

For more information about the book, visit www.bundeenawild.com.au where you will find an interactive guide to all the flora and fauna illustrated.