When in flower, the spotties become like a kind of bush Kings Cross with constant activity. By day there are squadrons of shrieking parrots, all sorts of species, darting from one lot of trees to another. The hum of bees is just about worse than traffic noise at peak hour. By night, the noise is even more incredible. It even blocks out the sound of the surf. The treetops are full of flying foxes squabbling and shrieking. The possums have become more aggressive too, grunting and bellowing against territorial invaders. Then you notice the air is thick with the sense of nectar, and that fine stamens have just started falling everywhere to make a white carpet.

Those creatures, like the flying foxes and the parrots must have some kind of built in charts that tell them exactly when the trees will be in blossom because they are not commonly found in the region otherwise.

The beekeepers will tell you that the spotties come into flower on the 15th April every three years after 23 months elapse between bud and flowering. They’re reluctant to give you spotted gum honey, some even say that it would burn the back of your throat. In fact, one time I did manage to wrest a jar of the pure stuff and found it to be very strong, but tasty and interesting even though it wasn't the sort of honey I'd want to eat from day to day. They treasure it because they use it for blending. It gives the milder honeys some real flavour.

The bloodwoods have been in flower, masses and masses of it, for a few months now. But the very volume of the spotted gum flower overwhelms the district. From the coast, right up into the hills, it’s the blossoming of a very special and beautiful place.

Round the edges of the forests, bee hives have arrived on just about every flat clear place available. And you can see, from a distance, the top of the forest isn't its usual green or reddish from the new growth. It’s been painted a thick creamy white with blossom.

                              -John Blay

The spiky palms known as Burrawangs (Macrozamia communis) often grow thickly under spotted gum forest. Their fruit are very pretty but poisonous.

The main street of the village of Bermagui overlooks the ocean. For many kilometres the hills all round are covered with the magnificent spotted gum forest that gives the district its special character.