Mait's Rest

Welcome to Mait's Rest, a rare and precious remnant of ancient cool temperate rainforest nestled within the Great Otway National Park. As you step onto the boardwalk, you are leaving the modern world behind and entering a realm…

As we advance, your attention will be immediately drawn to the majestic Myrtle Beech trees, known scientifically as Nothofagus cunninghamii. These are the true patriarchs of the forest. …

Descending slightly into the heart of the gully, we are surrounded by a lush understory dominated by the Soft Tree Fern, or Dicksonia antarctica. These plants are true living fossils; they have remained virtually unchanged for…

If you look up into the branches of the Myrtle Beech trees, you will see another world entirely. This is the realm of the epiphytes—plants that grow on other plants without being parasitic. …

Now, turn your attention to the ground. In a cool temperate rainforest, the cycle of decay is just as important as the cycle of growth. …

As we walk through the deepest part of the loop, it is worth contemplating the evolutionary significance of this place. Mait's Rest is a 'refugium'—a pocket of habitat that has remained stable while the rest of the continent has…

Take a moment to stop and listen. The acoustic environment of Mait's Rest is as distinctive as its visual one. …

As we complete our loop and return to the beginning of the boardwalk, take a deep breath of the cool, oxygen-rich air. Our journey through Mait's Rest has been more than just a walk in the woods; it has been a passage through…