Land for Wildlife in the Fassifern - 11 June 2016

Natters at Kalbar

Members of the Fassifern Field Naturalists joined the Queensland Naturalist Club excursion to two properties in the Fassifern region. One was at Kalbar, and the other at Obum Obum.

                

The property at Kalbar was former grazed land that was scalded by salt as prior to European settlement it supported brigalow-softwood scrub. Most of this vegetation was cleared by European settlers to make way for productive farms on these fertile soils. The land suffered further damage when it was used by the locals as a rubbish dump. Also about that time the salting was increasing and the then owner believed that the rising salt was due to those ‘dreadful’ trees. So he had most of them cut down.

                  

About twenty years ago the owners bought this degraded land and went about restoring it. The first major step involved earthworks to change flat salt scalds, that retained very little surface water, into watercourses with islands and shallow wader ponds. In dry periods this wetland attracts many waterbirds - swans, ducks, stilts, spoonbills, dotterels, etc.

                   

Lunch was eaten in the garden while listening to talks on mistletoes and salts in Australian soils. More bush birds were seen here too.

                   

Then it was onto Obum Obum to a 17.4 hectare patch of remnant brigalow-softwood scrub, locally known as "vine scrub". Several species of scrub plants were identified. Three that had colourful fruit were Weeping Pittosporum (Pittosporum angustifolium), Red Olive Plum (Elaeodendron australe) and Chain Fruit (Alyxia ruscifolia). Of special note was the very large mature Bottle Tree (Brachychiton australis) standing prominently in a small clearing. 

                 

A great day in two very different habitats which have been preserved and maintained over very many years.