South West Life

Story and photos by Jesse Roberts.

The south west of Western Australia has a huge variety of wild life. The mammals and birds of Australia are world famous, but there are also much smaller, and at first less obvious, forms of life that are just as amazing.
 
One of these very interesting smaller life forms are the fungi. They are an unusual form of 'plant'. In the colder months of the year you may find little mushrooms springing through your lawn or growing in your garden. (Even if you find a fungus that looks like and edible mushroom, don't eat it, many varieties are poisonous.)

These little lawn and garden mushrooms are just a beginning. If you went for a walk in native bush in winter you would probably notice how green everything was, maybe how cold it was, probably some birds and just how pleasant it was just being there. But would you notice any fungi? If you kept your eyes open, you would no doubt find quite a few different types of fungi among the leaf litter, logs and rocks.
        
There are many types of fungi, not all mushroom shape, in an array of colours. Shades of brown, yellow, purple and orange. The closer you look the more fascinating and different each one seems.

Take a walk during winter through one of the south west's many unique bush or forest regions. You will reveal to yourself some of these small, but often spectacular plants, as well as some of the other wonders of this great land.

All of these photos were taken very close to where I live. You do not have to be away from civilization to find specimens like these. A fungus anywhere, (even in Coles) will be not quite be like any other.