Brilliant AJB! I think you found a new colony of this critically endangered orchid. That is a great season for early spring flowering orchids, so if you can keep looking :-)
Michael et al when I look at the Canberra Spider orchid distribution map mt majura, the above sighting doesn't come up. The reason might be because Google placed it into Place Downer? If I check the distribution of Canberra Spider orchid for Downer there is no result for the orchid; probably because I'm not the moderator for Downer. This makes it very difficult to judge whether or not a new colony has been found. I finally made a radar search with 100m around this finding and can confirm this is a new colony.
Oh gosh! I have double checked where I dropped the pin and it is a bit out but I don't think by too much. I have asked the friend who showed them to me to upload her pictures and she probably has a more accurate location. I also have a strava map of the area where we walked if you would like to see that.
AJB there is no (older) recording of the spider orchid in a radius 50-100 m of the coordinates of your sighting so I think the new colony holds. But yes, please ask your friend; it would be great if we can get as accurate data as possible - particularly when it appears to be a new colony of a critically endangered species. Many many thanks. waltraud
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