These were seen on my recent trip to the Terrick Terrick National Park, about 10 km away as the crow flies. (30 if you go by road).
This is a prickly pear (Opuntima, I think). It a very invasive plant and illegal to cultivate. The ‘pears’ are apparently edible. There were a few plants growing wild.
My husband spotted this bird. I don’t know what it is. Any ideas?
Be Original!
Drop in and stay awhile
Gallery and Giftshop
En fotoblogg
To See a World in a Grain of Sand...
Fotografie, Radeln und Reisen
Just another WordPress.com site
"You must have birds in your heart before you can find them in the bushes." -- John Burroughs (Journal of the Outdoor Life, v20, 1923, p. 137)
Gardening Fairies Flowers Spirituality Angels Love Joy
AT PATHO 
It is Opuntia. Native to USA and other places. I have 4 kinds in my yard. I can process the fruits to a sweet syrup.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I think they were introduced into Australia for the fruit but they quickly spread as a noxious weed. I must try the fruit.
LikeLike
Wheel Cactus (Opuntia robusta). Parks Vic did roadside Wheel cactus control last year along Terriicks ridge road but there are little pockets throughput the park. That looks like a healthy one!! The bird is a Brown Tree Creeper (Climacteris picumnus).
LikeLike
Thanks Audrey. Robusta seems like a very apt name for such a resilient plant!
LikeLike
Actually a closer look at the Wheel Cactus may have been injected with chemical in the lower stems but obviously the plant still lives.
LikeLike
Just as well I didn’t eat the pear
LikeLike
like
>
LikeLike