August Outing Details - Mt French National Park, 15 August 2026

Mt French showing its two peaks,
Punchagin on the left
 and Mee-bor-rum on the right
Photo L. Beaton

Time: 8.30 am 

Where: Mt French N.P. car park

Directions: Travel south of Boonah on the Rathdowney Road for about 750m. Turn right at the Dugandan Hotel into Mt French Road and follow it all the way to the parking area at the top of the mountain; bitumen road all the  way.

Mt French is a very popular place for climbers on the weekends so the car park can become crowded. If you can arrange to take someone with you in your vehicle it would help, as parking is limited in the parking area. 

Activities: This morning outing will suit all fitness levels though the Mee-bo-rum track goes over rocky heath with stone slabs. Apart from admiring the views from the North and East lookouts we will be doing our usual birding, butterfly and insect identification, and especially noting the native flora though it may be too early for flowering. The vegetation is mostly montane heath on exposed rock faces with open eucalypt forest in areas with more soil. In sheltered areas there  are some patches of rainforest. Endemic flora species occur on the peaks that can be found nowhere else on earth.

Level of Fitness: All levels of fitness, mainly flat track or flat rock slabs. (Grade 2: Formed track. May have gentle hills and some steps. Clearly signposted. No experience required.)

Facilities: toilets and picnic tables

What to Bring: Morning tea, a chair (just in case there’s not enough room at the tables), enthusiasm, and love of our local environment.

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

July Outing Report - Purga Nature Reserve, 18 July 2026

Scarlet Robin, Petroica boodang
Photo: G. Pardey

Harding's Paddock was closed due to a wild pig infestation, so the Natters went to Purga Nature Reserve instead.

A very interesting sighting they had was the Scarlet Robin. It happily posed for photographs.  A pair of Australian King Parrots were caught on camera, as well.

 

Scarlet Robin, 
Petroica boodang
Photo: G. Pardey

  

Female Australian King Parrot,
Alisterus scapularis
Photo: G. Pardey

Male Australian King Parrot,
Alisterus scapularis
Photo: G. Pardey

********************************         More to come.         **********************************

June Outing Report - Spring Creek Rd:Rabbit Fence and Queen Mary Falls, 20 June 2026

 Adapted from the newsletter report by H & K McCosh

Keeping to the fenceline
Photo: L. Beaton

A clear blue sky greeted us in June when we went for a ramble up on Main Range. There are some huge trees near the rabbit fence. The Brush Box are humungous – and they perhaps look like 
coppice growths – very, very, old coppice. The central trunk dies but the root ball sends up a few coppice shoots in a ring around the old trunk. So, the root ball may be 2,000 years old. Maybe germinated after a serious fire along the rocky ridge?

Then there were a few huge Teak trees (Crow’s Ash or Flindersia australis) over 2 metres in diameter. They were no doubt too big to log. Just a rare treasure now. 

We all listened to a couple of Albert’s Lyrebird singing out their repertoire of bird songs and symphonies. Winter is their breeding season so the males hold a territory and sing all day. 

A stately Crows Ash, 
a rainforest remnant
Photo: L. Beaton

Then off down the valley and up and over to Spring Creek area. Such spectacular scenery and sheer cliff walls of the Condamine Gorge. We eventually got to Queen Mary Falls for a walk and lunch. Some folk saw a Platypus in a pool below the falls. How cute is that?

We were surprised by the number of Yellow Box (E. melliodora) trees in the picnic area. Of course, further west is the Darling Downs and a different Bioregion (Brigalow Belt Bioregion) and a lot of different box trees. A bird of note was a Raven – very distinctive call. We don’t usually see them except when “out west” further.

After the bird tally we rambled back home. A very pleasant outing indeed.

Platypus at Queen Mary Falls
Photo: C. McAllen

Species Lists

introduced species = _*

Rabbit Fence Fauna

Arachnids: Ticks; Bush Tick Haemaphysalis longicornis.

Birds: Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Laughing Kookaburra, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Albert's Lyrebird, Satin Bowerbird, White-throated Treecreeper, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Spotted Pardalote, Brown Gerygone, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Golden Whistler, Eastern Whipbird, Pied Currawong, Australian Magpie, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Raven, Eastern Yellow Robin.

Butterflies: *Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius.

 Queen Mary Falls Fauna

Arachnids: Ticks; Bush Tick Haemaphysalis longicornis.

Birds: Laughing Kookaburra, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Crimson Rosella, Little Lorikeet, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Satin Bowerbird, Superb Fairy-wren, White-naped Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, White-browed Scrubwren, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Australian Magpie, Australian Raven.

Monotremes; Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):

Fungi: lots, but most remain unidentified.

Orchids & Epiphytes: Pencil Orchid Dendrobium teretifolium, Greenhood sp., Orange Blossom Orchid Sarcochilus falcatus, australis, Staghorn Platycerium superbum, Elkhorn Platycerium bifurcatum.

Trees: Hoop Pine Araucaria cunninghamii, Giant Stinging Tree Dendrocnide excelsa, Yellow Box Eucalyptus melliodora, Sydney Blue Gums Eucalyptus saligna, Crows Ash Flindersia australis, Brush Box Lophostemon confertus.

July Outing Details - Hardings Paddock, Flinders - Goolman Conservation Reserve, 18 July 2026

The Bush Stone-Curlews seen
when we last visited "the Paddock"
in 2022.
Photo: J. Flanagan

Date & Time: 8:30am, 18th July 2026

Where: Hardings Paddock off Carmichaels Road, Flinders Goolman Conservation Reserve, Goolman.

Directions: From Boonah head north on the Boonah-Ipswich Road for approximately 38km then turn right into Carmichael Road. 

From Ipswich direction head south about 5km from
Yamanto on the Ipswich-Boonah Road and turn left into Carmichael Road. 

Carmichael Road is mostly unsealed but no problem for normal cars. Follow the road for about 4km through a couple of right-angle bends until you come to the gate for the reserve, then down the hill to parking and amenities.

Activities: Excellent for a wide range of bush birds of dry eucalypt open forest and some waterbirds (according to Birds QLD). Rose Robin, Thornbills and Jacky Winter likely, with Buttonquail and Quail thrush also possible. Insects may be a little light on in this cooler weather.

Level of Fitness: Easy walking on the flat around the camping/day use area and a Bush Tucker trail or, for the more enthusiastic, a short stroll up the hill on the Gamlen trail to one of the perched lagoons.

Facilities: Picnic shelters and toilets available (wheelchair accessible). 

What to Bring: BYO drinking water. As usual bring chairs and snacks and maybe a hot thermos and travel rug!

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

Go to the City of Ipswich online brochure for more details. 

June Outing Details - Rabbit Fence & Queen Mary Falls, 20 June 2026

Admiring the magnificent trees
along the Rabbit Fence

Time: 8:30 am

Where: Rabbit Fence on Spring Creek (The Head) Rd.

Directions: About 40 minutes from Boonah. 

From Boonah head south and get onto Carney’s Creek Road and then get onto The Head Road, signposted as the 'The Falls Drive' and 'Queen Mary Falls' (about 29kms from Boonah). Go right to the top, past Teviot Falls, and over the gap and down into the Condamine River valley. Wilson’s Peak will be on your left. The Rabbit Fence meets the road about 5kms past the Falls. There are places to park here.

Activities: We will take a short stroll along the rabbit fence to check out the giant Brush Box trees, and maybe hear Lyrebirds calling. This is an area of big trees, so wherever you look will be fascinating. There is lots to see just walking along the road. Then we check out some groves of eucalypt trees further down the valley – Manna Gums and New England Blackbutt. Stop off at Carr’s Lookout for a lookout. And then down to Queen Mary Falls for a short walk to see the falls and then lunch. It is winter but there will still be lots of birds.

Level of Fitness: Easy if you stay on the tracks. To cross into NSW you have to climb a gate but there's plenty to see on the Queensland side of the fence.

Facilities: Toilets at Boonah and Queen Mary Falls (and Killarney). Picnic tables at Queen Mary Falls.

What to Bring: Morning tea and lunch. Chairs, water and other stuff. It could be cold. 

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

April Outing Report - Shed Day, 18 April 2026

 Adapted from the FFNC newsletter article of P & T Shields.

Dr Christina Zdenek addressing the members

The afternoon commenced with quiz on bird identification but with a twist – only parts of each bird were visible for people to use for identification. A great deal of amusement and comments were made.

Dr Christina Zdenek followed with an extremely interesting talk on how certain kinds of rat poisons are killing our owls (and eagles, quolls, and pets) and what Birdlife Australia is doing to try and stop that.

The second-generation rodenticides are

banned from public sale in many countries (e.g. USA, Canada, EU and Malaysia) but not in Australia. Birdlife Australia believes that widespread public use of long-lasting second- generation rodenticides is killing wildlife on a major scale and is focused on preparing submissions to the Federal regulator as well as campaigning secondary targets such as retailers.

Following a break for afternoon tea, one of our members, B Jahnke, presented a thought-provoking talk on “Educating the public”. He compared the syllabus for secondary education in biology in the 1980s with the current Queensland syllabus, highlighting the major differences and wondering aloud whether current students are obtaining the fundamental knowledge and principles to study biology (i.e. understand our living world).

His talk stimulated much discussion and gave us all some thoughts to consider into the future.

Nothing better than a convivial chat
around a fire.

As dusk came some of us convened to the “waterway” to enjoy an evening meal and bonfire.

February Outing Report - West Gap Creek, Cunningham’s Gap 21 Feb 2026

Adapted from the FFNC newsletter report by M. See. (Photos by Club members)

Natters along the track
at West Gap Creek

Eleven enthusiastic natters gathered on a beautiful mild February morning at West Gap Creek car park.
The grassy glade of the picnic area shaded by tall eucalypts, yielded a host of birds right off, both seen and heard including the musk lorikeet and the white-throated honeyeater. Crossing the creek with its helpful bolted flat rocks, we headed off in groups on a ramble along the Box Forest track which rises gently and follows the creek and finishes 2.5km later at the Crest carpark where the majestic hoop pines are found. 

We only ventured part of that distance although 90 minutes passed quickly, as there was so much to see, discuss, photograph and wonder over, especially the huge brush box trees around us as we got further up the track and the diversity of flora all around us.

Although most of the group wandered back when morning tea was calling them, a few intrepid types continued for a short distance and were rewarded when an Albert’s lyrebird strode across the track in front of them. It seemed unperturbed by their presence as it proceeded to scratch in the leaf litter about 10m from the track while they attempted in vain to capture its photo.

We then all gathered for a most welcome morning tea in the large picnic shelter which accommodated us all nicely and compared notes before heading down into the creek area to examine the aquatic life. We were pleased to find a school of mountain galaxias, in the clear, deep pools a small fish that thrives in locations such as this where introduced fish are absent. We also delighted in spotting the strikingly huge tadpoles of the barred frogs (either Fleay’s barred frog or the great barred frog) camouflaged well against the rocks and taking an occasional trip to the surface for air.

Flora (discussed or taken note of on the day, not a comprehensive list) 

Introduced species = *
Groundcovers, Low Shrubs, Epiphytes and Vines: wombat berry Eustrephus latifolius, flax lily Dianella sp., lomandra Lomandra longifolia, cunjevoi Alocasia brisbanensis, bird’s nest fern Asplenium australasicum, rough maidenhair fern Adiantum hispidulum, giant maidenhair fern Adiantum formosum, prickly rasp fern Blechnum neohollandicum, bracken fern Pteridium esculentum, gristle fern Blechnum cartilagineum, dwarf sickle fern Pallaea nana, tender brake Pteris tremula, Pyrrosia sp., elkhorn fern Platycerium bifurcatum, pollia Pollia crispata, pencil orchid Dockrillia sp., native grape Apocissus antarctica, giant water vine Apocissus hypoglauca, native yam Dioscorea transversa, settler’s flax
Gymnostachys anceps, stinging nettle Urtica incisa, barbwire vine Smilax australis, snake vine Stephania japonica, bower of beauty Pandorea jasminoides, tall sedge, Carex appressa, scurvy weed Commelina cyanea, kidney weed Dichondra repens, blady grass Imperata cylindrica, weeping
grass Microlaena stipoides, common tussock grass Poa labillardieri, forest hedgehog grass  Echinopogon nutans, Australian bluebell Wahlenbergia gracilis, stout-rooted wood-sorrel Oxalis radicosa.
Shrubs: native raspberry Rubus rosifolius, broad-leaf bramble Rubus moluccanus, bush lawyer Rubus moorei, poison peach Trema tomentosa var. aspera, red-fruited palm lily Cordyline rubra, hairy  psychotria Psychotria loniceroides, tie bush Wikstroemia indica, cockspur thorn Maclura  cochinchinensis, bolwarra Eupomatia laurina, kangaroo apple Solanum aviculare, wild tobacco *Solanum mauritanium, lantana *Lantana camara.

Trees: brush box Lophostemon confertus, pink bloodwood Corymbia intermedia, grey gum (possibly Eucalyptus biturbinata) rose she-oak Allocasuarina torulosa, native tamarind Diploglottis australis, giant stinging tree Dendrocnide excela, strangler fig Ficus sp., creek sandpaper fig Ficus coronata, muttonwood Rapanea variabilis, wattle Acacia sp., yellow pittosporum Pittosporum revolutum, celerywood Polyyscias elegans, bleeding heart Homalanthus populifolius, white bolly gum Neolitsea dealbata, Bangalow palm Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, pink poplar Euroschinus falcatus, tallowwood Eucalyptus microcorys, black booyong Argyrodendron actinophyllum, orange boxwood

Mountain Galaxias,
Galaxias olidus

Denhamia disperma.

Fauna

introduced species = *

Amphibians & Reptiles: Frogs; tadpoles of either or both the great barred frog Mixophyes fasciolatus and Fleay’s barred frog Mixophyes fleayi.

Birds: – (H) = heard only.

brown cuckoo-dove, wonga pigeon (H), azure kingfisher, musk lorikeet, little lorikeet (H), rainbow lorikeet, Albert's lyrebird, satin bowerbird, white-throated treecreeper, variegated fairy-wren, white-naped honeyeater, white-throated honeyeater, Eastern spinebill (H), Lewin's honeyeater, bell miner, spotted pardalote, brown gerygone (H), white-browed scrubwren (H), yellow-throated scrubwren, golden whistler, Eastern whipbird (H), cicadabird(H), pied currawong (H), grey fantail, black-faced monarch (H), Torresian crow, rose robin (H), Eastern yellow robin, double-barred finch.

Fish: mountain galaxias Galaxias olidus.

Marsupials: red-necked pademelon Thylogale thetis.

Butterflies: blue triangle Graphium sarpedon, orchard swallowtail Papilio aegeus, wanderer *Danaus plexippus, yellow admiral Vanessa itea.

Other Invertebrates: Worms: leech Chtonobdella sp.

Autumn Camp Details - CANCELLED! Members check your emails for alternative arrangements

Main Beach, Iluka
Photo: Wikipedia, Public Domain

Dates: 15th-18th May 2026

Where: Iluka, Northern NSW

Directions: It is about 150 kms south of the border – go past Brunswick Heads, into Ballina, then Woodburn, and travel about 36kms past Woodburn and turn left into Iluka - before you go over the Clarence River and hit Maclean.

Alternatively, you could do the scenic route through Rathdowney, and Kyogle and Casino to Woodburn.

Activities: We are meeting up with our old friend Janet Hauser. There is a rainforest next to town that Janet is very familiar with. There are beaches with a few headlands. Also Bundjalung National Park is nearby – with all sorts of different habitats, including coastal heath, and

there is the Clarence River.

Grafton, Maclean and Yamba are not far away for individual, optional visits.

It’s a beautiful and relaxing spot.

What to Bring: It might be a bit cooler. It could rain. It could be warm enough for a

swim. Sand flies and mosquitos may be present. So be prepared. And start saving for extra fuel

costs now. 

Suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, 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.

More information:- Members: see your newsletter. Non-members: please contact fassifernfieldnaturalists@gmail.com.

March AGM Details - Boonah – Saturday, 21st March 2025

Lost Koala, Boonah High Street

Where: The Conference Room at ‘The Outlook’.

Time:  2 pm for 2.15 pm start.

Directions: Coming into Boonah along the Boonah-Ipswich Road, just when you come over the hill and get your first view of Boonah with the Scenic Rim mountains as a backdrop, you will see the big ‘Welcome to Boonah’ sign on the left. Turn left just before the sign and immediately left again, proceed up the steep hill to the carpark. Park, get out, turn around and take in the view! Signs will direct you to the Conference Room.

Admission: $4 per person.

Agenda: Reports for 2025 year and voting on Executive positions for 2026.

AGM Formalities: Club officers will give reports on Club matters to the Club Members. Office bearers for 2026 will be elected. And upcoming events will be highlighted. Then on to the guest speaker and afternoon tea.

Guest Speaker: Lara Solyma, biodiversity officer for Scenic Rim Regional Council, on “Koalas of the Fassifern”.

Lara is part of the environmental team at Scenic Rim Regional Council. She will talk about conservation initiatives for the Koala in the wider Fassifern area. Surveys have been conducted and DNA samples collected. Koala family trees give us clues to how Koalas are using the forests of the Fassifern.

Bring Display Items: Any interesting objects, or photos, or information on the incredible diversity of fauna and flora in the Fassifern and even SEQ. Bring questions too.

Members: Please bring a plate of goodies. Coffee and tea provided.

It is also time to pay your annual membership fee for 2026. Peter, our Treasurer, will be on hand to receive your payment or you can pay on line – details for online payments are on the Information page of our Newsletters.

Our first outing for 2026 - Lake Moogerah, 17 January

 Happy Naturalizing New Year 2026

Date & Time: Saturday, 17 January 2026, 7:00am.

Where: Upper picnic area.

Directions: From the Boonah Information Centre carpark, turn right and head northwest on Boonah Fassifern Rd for 8.1km. Turn left into Lake Moogerah Rd and after 8.6km turn right into Moogerah Connection Rd. After 1.4 km you will enter the picnic area.

From Ipswich: from the Cunningham Highway/Boonah Rd overpass, travel approximately 41km on the Cunningham Highway and turn left into Boonah Fassifern Rd. Travel 3.1 km then turn right into Lake Moogerah Rd. Travel 8.6km turn right into Moogerah Connection Rd. After 1.4 km you will enter the picnic area.

Activities: Wander the grounds of the Lake Moogerah Picnic Area and lower slopes of Mt Edwards, via the dam wall.

Level of Fitness: All types: there are level tracks, grassy areas, rocky outcrops.

Facilities: Toilets, picnic shelters, tables, chairs, bbq.

What to Bring: Suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea, chair (just in case we sit away from the shelter sheds), and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, and a scope if you have one (for those distant birds on the lake), camera, field guides, notebook, etc.

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