We have enjoyed the rain but the system has brought very strong winds. Today though was almost calm but despite this the solution tubes along the escarpment track were really pushing a lot of air. These solution tubes lead into caverns below, a common feature of this limestone landscape.

The cause of the air flow is variations in atmospheric pressure can create a pressure differential between the outside environment and the cave system. When the external pressure is higher than the cave’s internal pressure, air will be pushed into the cave. Conversely, if the cave’s internal pressure is higher, air will be expelled. This phenomenon is often described as a “breathing cave” where air flows in and out rhythmically with barometric change.

A healthy mallee woodlands supports a rich biological soil crust, otherwise known as cryptogamic soil crusts or biocrusts. This crusty layer of miniature and microscopic life binds the soil surface, it is comprised of fungi, lichens, algae, cyanobacteria and bryophytes such as mosses and liverworts. However, until today we hadn’t found any larger specimens such as the below orange wood fungi.

Rain events have sculptured the dunes and made great photographic opportunities.