The natural and human history of Goonoo Forest

Anonymous contribution to the Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate 11 November 1921

" Unknown to many, Dubbo possesses one of the most beautiful floral parks within easy distance. Situated on the Dubbo-Merrygoen railway extension, between Boomley and Mendooran, about 40 mile from Dubbo, there is a tract of country generally described as barren, because it is a belt of ironbark timber.

To the lover of Australian flora it is a perfect treasure house. Australian flowers, shrubs and trees abound - native heather, pink and mauve boronia, satin flowers, the eidelweiss or flannel flower, no less than 30 different types of the acacias or wattles, silver bells, wild clematis, vie with the wild sarsaparilla or wild tea vine, everlastings (both white and yellow), monkey flower, snow plant, dozens of different kinds of daisies, giveet grass trees, with their wonderful spear-like flowers, white and yellow, quandongs, with their golden and red pendulant fruit: wild myrtles. making the air redolent with their perfume: yarrans, with their yellow blossoms and scented wood; giant hickories, loaded with blossom, vie with the red-leafed gum for beauty of place. Thousands of other plants and flowers abound.

Bird life lends an added charm to its forest dells. Wild pigeon, wongas and bronzewing, mingle their "coo" with the native dove. The ironbark tree, laden with blossoms, swarm with parakeets that make the air ring with their revels as they feed on the honey-laden flowers. Parrots abound; the blue bonnet, budgerigars and bellewing are seen with the rosella. Here is a giant ironbark that has for its tenants a pair of wedge-tailed eagles, whose nest looks like an immense pile of sticks. "Ha! ha! ha!" the laughing jackass bids you welcome, while the leatherhead or baldheaded friar Bays "You're a liar," or else "You'Il catch no fish." Happy families noisily object to your trespass, and the dog bird cries, "Yahoo! yahoo!"

Thousands of love birds and diamond sparrows make this forest their home. These are only a few of the treasures lovers of Australian flora and bird life can find in this forest reservation, which equals in the spring months anything to be seen either on the Blue Mountains, or else on the North Coast.

The hand of the vandal must not be allowed lo desecrate and destroy this wonderful natural park. It belongs to Dubbo, and under proper control will help to make the line of railway pay. Starting- in September, excursion trains should be run there.

The Dubbo Progress Association should take this matter in hand, and secure this for the people. With a caretaker and a dancing and refreshment pavilion, this place will be one of the beauty spots of Dubbo, and pay, too. Recently I travelled through it with another gentleman. Both of us have seen most of the flower-decked forest and canyons of the world, but they fade to nothing compared as to what was to be seen in this part of the railway extension from Dubbo to Mendooran during the month of October. And it remains for Dubbo residents to see that full publicity is given to its beauties and charms. Strange, too, on this line is the wonderful zetz-spa water springs. Nothing marks the station to show the existence of such, nor can you buy the waters on the station as one goes through. "