7 Life Support

I’m joining Becky in her July Square Photo Challenge over at The Life of B.  The rules of the challenge are simple: most photos must be square and fit the theme word tree. Look for #treesquare. Come with me on a Central Queensland road trip starring trees and the beautiful landscapes of my home state.

Finch Hatton Gorge

Rawson’s Creek tumbles down from the mountains surrounding Finch Hatton Gorge, rushing over volcanic boulders on its way to the valley. While the water sustains life in the subtropical rainforest, trees also provide sustenance for other plants and animals.

Giant strangler figs with massive buttress root systems shelter new saplings from the blazing midday sun. Vines use tall straight tree trunks for support.

Insects thrive in the foliage. Some are easily seen, while others leave evidence of their activities.

Even fallen trees give life, as other plants and animals feed on their decaying trunks.

This stump is all that remains of a long gone tree but, with its cloak of thick green moss, it’s a thing of beauty.