Photos from the Tag-along to south-western Queensland

The members who were lucky enough to go on this tag-along had a great time. 

Adapted from the FFNC newsletter.

Splendid Fairy-wren at Bowra

Ten of us headed west to enjoy this Australian Wildlife Conservancy property.  The wonderful  managers on the site were providing regular weather updates as rain may have made the visit impossible.

Bowra is particularly known for its great birding opportunities and we weren’t disappointed as our list grew to 95 different species.  Even though it was winter the colours of the often seen male Splendid, Purple-backed, and White-winged Fairy-Wrens were one of the highlights.  As were young stripy emu chicks trailing behind their dads.

But Bowra is so much more than a birdwatchers paradise.  Close to Cunnamulla, Bowra’s 14000 odd hectares include Mulga woodlands and the floodplain of the Warrego River, which support 14 distinct Regional Ecosystems.  Nobody with any sense of smell could miss the distinctive odour from the Gidgee Acacia cambagei, especially first thing in the morning after overnight rain.  Everywhere we went there were new, interesting plants to identify, as well as insects, reptiles and mammals. 

Photos by Guy Purdey

Emus taking a bath at Bowra Nature Refuge

Male Red-capped Robin at Bowra

Pink Cockatoo at Bowra

Australian Hobby at Bowra

Male Splendid Fairy-wren at Bowra

Here are some more photographs by Guy Purdey taken on his way home.

Red-necked Avocet at Currawinya

Black-breasted Buzzard at Currawinya

White-browed Woodswallow at Currawinya

Female Black Honeyeater at Currawinya

Bourke's Parrot at Bindegolly

November Outing Details - The Rabbit Fence – Saturday, 16th November 2024

On the way to the Rabbit Fence 
last time we visited in 2019

 Time: 8 am

Where: The Head Road and the Rabbit Fence – Wilsons Peak area

Directions: Take The Head Road (yes, it is fixed) off Carneys Creek Road (off Boonah Rathdowney Road), and climb up to the top – and a view of Teviot Falls. Cross a grid and then travel down the valley and past Wilsons Peak on your left. The road is out in the open for a while until it goes into some forest and the rabbit fence comes in on the left. There is a place to park on the right. If you hit the White Swamp Road you have gone too far.

Activities: We will walk along the Rabbit Fence to take in this special forest. Relatively easy walking and usually lots of birds. For the energetic there are longer and steeper bits. So escape the heat of the lowlands and come up into the mountains.

Level of Fitness: See Activities above. 

Natural art
on the Rabbit Fence Walk, 2019

Facilities: none - The nearest toilets are at Boonah or Queen Mary Falls!

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, first-aid stuff, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea and/or lunch, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc.

Upon Arrival: Please register in the Attendance Book and pay your $2 per person participant fee. 

Outing Report - Border Loop - Cougal area – Saturday, 21st Sep 2024

Adapted from the Club' s October 2024 newsletter.

White-bellied Sea-eagle at Border Loop
Photo: J. Flanagan

We all met at Andrew Drynan Park at a very civilized time of 8:45am, and so we headed up Running Creek Road to the Flanagan’s old place. Here we were met by our lovely lady host, and there was plenty to see. We were treated to a Satin Bowerbird’s bower which specializes in blue objects. It is thought that the male uses more blue than the other colours as he matures. 

We left here after about an hour and headed up to the Border Loop Track. It was now obvious to me that I had the ‘A Team’ with me today, on my first ‘Leader of the Outing’ position. Thank goodness! Everyone helped with the flora and fauna, providing me the day's list of what the group had seen/heard. 

On arriving at the Border Loop lookout ..... we had morning tea, of course Then did the very gentle 1.5km Border Loop walk. It was a beautiful spring day, and the group enjoyed the interesting vegetation, and birds of course. It was lunch time now, and so the group sat in the pleasant shade and did our bird call, and soaked up the ambience of the magnificent Australian bush. Thanks team for a wonderful day.  

Richmond Gap (Flanagan’s old place)

Birds: Brown Cuckoo-dove, White-necked Heron, Laughing Kookaburra, Albert’s Lyrebird (heard),  

Satin Bowerbird, Lewin Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Brown Thornbill, Australasian Figbird .

Border Loop

Trees: Diploglottis sp., Yellow Tulip Drypetes australasica, Tallowwood Eucalyptus microcorys, Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus saligna, Ficus sp., Brush Box Lophostemon confertus, Celery Wood Polyscias elegans.

Small Trees/Shrubs: Native Holly Alchornea ilicifolia, Cunjevois Alocarsia brisbanenis, Coffee Bush Breynia oblongifolia, Prickly or Native Hibiscus Hibiscus heterophyllus, Red Kamala Mallotus philippensis, Rough-fruited Pittosporum Pittosporum revolutum, Poison Peach Trema tomentose, var

aspera.

Scramblers/Vines/Orchids/Ferns/Groundcovers:  Crow’s Nest Fern Asplenium australasicum, Cissus sp., Snake Orchid Cymbidium suave, Dianella sp., Prickly Rasp Fern Doodia aspera, Wombat Berry Eustrephus latifolius, Smilax sp.

Birds: Brown Cuckoo-dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Wompoo Pigeon, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Tree-creeper, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Bell Miner, White-browed Scrub-wren, Large-billed Scrub-wren, Grey Fantail, Rose Robin, Brown Thornbill, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Australasian Figbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Torresian Crow.

Outing Report - Waterfall Creek Road, Maroon – Saturday, 20th July 2024

Adapted from the Club September newsletter. 

Seven of us took on the rugged road up from Waterfall Creek Reserve and were rewarded by picture postcard weather as we arrived at this private Land for Wildlife property on Waterfall Creek Rd at Maroon. The property is a 50 hectare sloping forested block with glimpses of Lake Maroon that extends down to Waterfall Creek and lies adjacent to the twin peaks of Mt May. 

The owners welcomed us warmly and we gathered at their shady screened cabin for a chat and cuppa. Of particular interest was the inviting 7m long x 1.8m deep pond with both aquatic and semi-aquatic plants they had constructed near the cabin that comes complete with solar pump. It is stocked with native fish species (silver perch, firetail gudgeons, Pacific blue eyes and rainbow fish) and is also a valuable breeding habitat for various frog species including the Stony Creek Frog. As would be expected, it has become a wildlife mecca with sightings of bandicoots, wallabies, a koala and even a barn owl. 

The owners have been lucky enough to observe the iconic glossy black-cockatoos feeding on a rose she-oak (Allocasuarina torulosa) near the cabin and have installed a few specialised nest tubes designed for them in the surrounding trees. The nest tubes are constructed from heavy duty storm water pipe and timber with the aim of increasing the lifespan of the tube and improving insulation to reduce internal temperatures. 

The vegetation is a spotted gum Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata and ironbark Eucalypt crebra forest on sandstone with both rocky outcrops and scattered rocks of rhyolite. Keith gave a very informative background to the geology, explaining the area is close to the original Focal Peak volcano, which today is a small residual circular peak tucked away nearby amongst other surrounding peaks. The rhyolite would have originated as either magma flow from the volcano or shallow intrusions into the sandstone. 

Gum-topped box E. moluccana and stringybarks put in an appearance near the top of the ridge at the property entrance. 

The bright green Native Cherry Exocarpos cupressiformis and the Dogwood Jacksonia scoparia were found scattered in the understory, with Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra and Black Spear Grass Heteropogon contortus noted as part of the groundcover.

A few intrepid members made the steep trek 400m down to the creek, where water was trickling along and present in shallow pools. As they descended, Brush Box Lophostemon confertus grey gums possibly E. propinqua, and at the creekside there was another eucalypt, possibly Sydney blue gum E. saligna. The creek banks displayed Smilax sp., Matrush (Lomandra sp). and Maidenhair Fern. 

We finished a lovely morning at the cabin comparing notes. Many thanks to our gracious hosts Genevieve and Phil for sharing their special bush retreat with us and congratulations on their habitat initiatives. 

Fauna sighted: Reptiles: Tree-base Litter-skink Lygisaurus foliorum, Fire-tailed Skink Morethia taeniocauda, Elegant Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus pulcher pulcher.

Mammals: Red-necked Wallaby 

Birds: Australian Pelican (overhead), Wedge tailed Eagle, White-throated Gerygone, White-throated Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird (very noisy), Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Varied Sittella, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Fairy-wren sp., Buff-rumped Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated pardalote, Grey Fantail.

October Camp Details - Girraween National Park – 18th- 20th October 2024

If you're lucky,
you may see the
Phebalium whitei
Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phebalium_whitei

Non-members: Please contact fassifernfieldnaturalists@gmail.com for more very important details such as cost, booking sites, etc.

Members: Please check your September newsletter for more important details as above. 

Where: Castle Rock Camping Area in Girraween National Park. This area has sites for both vans and tents. If you don’t want to camp please check out some of the nearby cabin and cottage accommodation options, or motels in Stanthorpe.

When: 18th – 20th October. 

Getting there: Girraween National Park is approximately a 30 minute drive south of Stanthorpe. Take a signed left hand turn off the New England Highway 26km south of Stanthorpe, and follow a windy bitumen road to the park entrance. The road name is Pyramids Rd. Castle Rock campground is 300 metres on from the information centre. 

Google tells me it is approximately 180 km from Boonah, and takes a little over 2 hours to get there.

Things to do: HEAPS! Enjoy exploring the beauty of the granite landscape with its balancing boulders, streams, and the rich diversity of fauna and flora. 

Girraween is an Aboriginal word which means “Place of Flowers”, and at this time of year there should be plenty out. There are a lot of different walks of varying difficulty from 30 minute strolls along well graded tracks, to as challenging as you would like. Or just find a quiet place to sit and enjoy the surroundings. 

August Outing Details - Land for Wildlife, Waterfall Creek area – Saturday, 17th August 2024

Waterfall Creek

This outing is still going ahead despite the wet weather.

Time: 9 am at the property

Where: A Land for Wildlife property in the Waterfall Creek area.

Directions: members please check your newsletter for directions, non-members please contact fassifernfielnaturalists@gmail.com for details.

Activities: Although the property is a sloping block, the area around the cabin is moderately level and offers a range of opportunities to wander and explore. For those who wish to do so, there is a 400m steepish gravel road down to Waterfall Creek. But you are welcome to stick around the cabin itself, where the deck is fully screened against insects and beside it is a deep pond stocked with native fish.

Level of Fitness: Something for every level.

Facilities: An insulated cabin provides cool shade and a mesh enclosed deck on two sides, plus a composting toilet. Solar power is available to boil the kettle and a fridge to put things in to keep them cool if you wish. Extra drinking water will also be available on site.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea and lunch, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc. Walking sticks are recommended.

Upon Arrival: Please register in the Attendance Book and pay your $2 per person participant fee. 

Outing Report - Campsite 6, Tarome – Saturday, 20th July 2024

Cunningham's Gap in the Main Range
from Campsite 6

 A good number of members met at the Tarome Fire Brigade shed on a cool, bright morning in July. We watched some birds of prey and tried to identify them but they were either too far or too fast to name.

The crisp views of the Main Range were stunning. The morning sun picked out every detail, and there was no haze to blur the escarpment.

The road in is good gravel but has some deep ruts though no mishaps occurred to mar our morning.

It wasn't long before the Nats had scattered. Some to be blown backwards on the wind blown slopes, Others to stay in the shelter near the dry creek.

We all gathered back to the sunny shelter of the cars. Here we had a leisurely morning tea chatting about outings, past and present, trips we'd been on, and wildlife we'd seen.

Species list for Campsite 6:

Birds: Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Whistling Kite, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Crimson Rosella, Fairy-wren sp., Striated Pardalote, White-throated Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Brown Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Rufous Whistler, Dusky Woodswallow, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch, Australasian Pipit.

Insects: Wanderer (Monarch), Variable Ladybird.

July Outing Details - Campsite 6, Tarome – Saturday, 20th July 2024

Allan Cunningham cairn at Campsite 6

Time: 9 am

Where: The Rural Fire Brigade shed, Hinrichson Rd, Tarome.

Directions: At Aratula turn west (or right, if you’re coming from the Boonah or Ipswich areas) into Elizabeth Street, signposted Tarome and Rosevale. This becomes Tarome Road once you leave Aratula. Continue on this road for about 11.5 km where you will see the large Rural Fire Brigade shed. We’ll meet here. I do recommend high clearance vehicles from this point. Most of the road is good, but there are a few ruts near the end. 

If you’re late and you miss us, turn into Hinrichsen Road. This has a tiny bit of bitumen then is good gravel. In just under 2 km, veer left continuing on Hinrichsen for another 1-and-a-bit km when the road takes a long curve to the left and becomes Campsite Rd. After another kilometre cross Badcocks Creek (not signposted) and on the other side is the reserve with a cairn.

There are beautiful views on the way

Activities: This is an outing more for the photographers, birdos and bug-hunters than botanists. The views of the Range on the drive in are stunning. As the reserve is very small the walking is along the road and the creek for about 200 m. There should be a little water in the creek to encourage the wildlife.

Remember you are standing in the footsteps of Allan Cunningham. He and his party camped at this spot.

We’ll finish before lunch but for those who want a longer time out there are many ways home to choose from; e.g. via Rosevale and Warrill View, or returning to Aratula and heading home via the southern end of Moogerah Dam.

Level of Fitness: If you can drive a car, that’s all the fitness you need.

Facilities: None. Nearest toilets are at Aratula.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc.

Upon Arrival: Please register in the Attendance Book and pay your $2 per person participant fee. 

Outing Report - ‘Aroona’ at Mt Mort; 18 May 2024

Natters under the Moreton Bay Fig 
Ficus macrophylla 

Adapted from our newsletter

Our field trip in May was to a little valley at the top end of Franklinvale Creek, tucked into the high hills of the Little Liverpool Range at Mt Mort. Over 20 members turned up quite excited about the trip in. It is a pretty drive with views to mountains all around. Mt Beau Brummel is the highest peak around, and one looks straight at it along Grey’s Plains Road. The smaller Grey’s Mountain is the next highest feature at the far end of Grey’s Creek. 

A lovely sunny morning saw us walking over farm tracks and crossing small streams to see what we could see. The creeks and ridges are well vegetated and likely to have stacks of birds and creatures. Finding them was the tricky part. It was rather cold so all the birds decided to sleep-in. Getting them out of bed was a real chore. But we managed to make a decent list.

Golden Orb-weaver 
Trichonephila edulis

Our Club emblem – Crested Hawk or Pacific Baza – made an appearance. A few butterflies were out surprisingly – the usual culprits plus a Tailed Emperor, and a few spiders.

Garden Orb-weaver
Eriophora transmarina

Dome Tent Spider Cyrtophora moluccensis

The property is owned by Qld Trust For Nature to manage as an environmental reserve and a sustainable cattle property. Thanks to Georgie for showing us around. As the clouds gathered, we all scattered back to our homes and a nice warm fire.

More about Aroona Station

introduced species = *

Fauna

Reptiles: Dragons; Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata. Garden Skink Lampropholis delicata (under Moreton Bay Fig Ficus macrophylla at the homestead.)

Arachnids: Dome Tent Spider Cyrtophora moluccensis, Garden Orb Weaver Eriophora transmarina, Golden Orb-Weaver Trichonephila eduli (grey and brown banded legs), Bearded-legs Uloborid Uloborus barbipes.

Birds: Brown Quail, Common Bronzewing, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, White-necked Heron, Pacific Baza, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Masked Lapwing, Rainbow Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Pheasant Coucal, Laughing Kookaburra, Fairy-wren sp., White-browed Scrubwren, Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australasian Figbird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Rose Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch.

Butterflies: Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona, *Monarch Danaus plexippus, Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia, Common Crow Euploea core, Tailed Emperor Charaxes sempronius, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, White-banded Plane Phaedyma sheperdi.

Other Invertebrates: Ants; Southern Meat Ant Iridomyrmex purpureus - many, Dragonflies; Wandering Percher Diplacodes bipunctata.

Camp Report - Inverell NSW; 25-29 April 2024

Lake Inverell - a great birding spot
Photo: L.Beaton

We had a marvellous weekend. Seventeen members and a friend spent three or more days exploring the area and seeing some great wildlife. It's always exciting to go off our local patch and see a different set of animals.  

We saw 110 bird species, 9 mammals, also butterflies, reptiles, frogs and more including a beautiful Murray Cod which was released back into the Macintyre River.

The flora was different which was to be expected. The Caley's  Ironbark Eucalyptus caleyi was in flower though the birds didn't seem to care. The native bees thought it was wonderful. If you stood underneath one of the trees all you could hear were the bees buzzing. The Xanthorrhoea johnsonii seemed stouter than the ones we get up here.

Xanthorrhoea johnsonii at Five Corners
Photo: P & T Shields

The weather was kind to us being warm and sunny during the day and not too cold at night.

There was lots of chat during "happy hour" when we happily reviewed our sightings, told jokes and listened to anecdotes of camps and outings past.

Freshwater molluscs from Frazer Creek
Photo: P & T Shields 

Brown Treecreeper
Photo: G. Pardey

Jacky Dragon Amphibolurus muricatus
Photo: G. Pardey

Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
Photo: G. Pardey

Eagles at Lake Inverell
Photo: L.Beaton

 

Joseph Wills Park  
Photo: L.Beaton