John, thank you.
It was a cold start to the day, -4°C.
In the shade the frost lasted all day and the frozen track near the saddle, will stay frozen until Spring ... more than likely.
Nursery Swamp is in the Southern ACT at 1100m asl. It is the largest fen on Mainland Australia and larger than the fens found in the Highlands of Tasmania. The carex sedge turns a rusty pink during winter.
Nursery Swamp gained its name because it is sheltered between two steep ridges and well guarded by Orroral Mountain and Nursery Hill. The valley was used as a nursery for new born calves by a pioneer grazier during hard winters.
The valley is a resource rich area and in the past Aboriginal people took advantage of the abundance of resources. There are several rock art sites to be found in the hills above the swamp.
During spring and early summer the Latham's Snipe migrates from Eastern Russia and Japan and they stay in the swamp until mid February. At times immature birds have been known to stay in the swamp over winter, when conditions have been too bad to fly north.
The tracks across the swamp are made by Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Red Shouldered Wallabies and Swamp Wallabies. The Swamp Wallaby is also called a Black Wallaby and is affectionately known as a Stinker.
Warren.
