Outing Report - "Moon View", August 2017

An extremely windy day, the worst this season, but it didn't deter the Natters on their August outing. More than twenty met at "Moon View", Peter & Fleur's property.

The Fassifern Field Naturalists haven't been here for a number of years but "Moon View" still has it's particular charm. 

We set off through the casuarinas heading for the gorge that runs through the property. Two Glossy Black Cockatoos were feeding quietly here. We were first aware of their presence by the quiet chittering as they delicately fed on the seeds. They stayed there for all the morning as they were still in the same tree on our return journey.

Some of the
remarkable rock formations

Down in the gorge it was much calmer and there was plenty of birds. White-throated Honeyeater, Rose Robin, Scarlet Honeyeater and Eastern Spinebill were some of the birds taking advantage of the warmth, the flowers and the rock pools.




Immediately the Natters spread out, investigating the geology, plants and water life, as well as birdwatching. Sighting of the day would be the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby seen scrambling up the side of the gorge. No picture unfortunately. You'll just have to click on the link to look at this fact sheet.

Natters spreading out along the gorge

This area was frequented by aboriginals in the past and Peter told us a little of the history and showed us some hollows made by grinding stones.

Hollow worn by aboriginal grinding stones.

Then it was up to the other side of the gorge into heath and all the unique and amazing plants that grow there. We were soon trying to key the hoveas that were just coming into bloom, hovea similis and hovea acutifolia perhaps. (Click on links to see images.)

Wandering towards the heath

Beetle on leptospermum flower

The leptospermum were in flower but so tiny you could easily miss them. This little scarab beetle, possibly of the Chrysomelidae family, is covering one bloom completely.













We eventually came out on an open rock face where we had great views of Mt Moon and the surrounding country.

Mt Moon from "Moon View"

Birds (26 species): Bar-shouldered Dove, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Little Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Variegated Fairy-wren, Brown Gerygone, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Rose Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Red-browed Finch.

Reptiles: Wall Skink.

Butterflies: Common Grass-yellow, Wanderer, Evening Brown, Orange Ringlet.

Mammals: Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby.

Other Invertebrates: European Honey Bee.

Some Flora of Interest: Brown Wattle Acacia bruniodes, Soap Tree Alphitonia excelsa, Bertya pinifolia - classified as near threatened', Smooth-barked Apple Angophora leiocarpa, Native Olive Chionanthaus ramiflora, Lemon-scented Gum Pink Corymbia citriodora, Bloodwood Corymbia intermedia, Brown Bloodwood Corymbia trachyphloia, White Mahogany Eucalyptus acmenoides, Gum-topped Ironbark Eucalyptus dura, Grevillea linsmithii another rare plant, Settlers’ Flax (Grub Plant) Gymnostachys anceps, Hovea acutifolia, Hovea similis, Keraudrenia sp., Small-fruited tea-tree Leptospermum microcarpum, Hairy Psychotria Psychotria loniceroides [info from member - Psychotria is a good butterfly plant.], Forest Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea latifolia.

Outing Report - Head of the Condamine, July 2017

Report adapted from the August Newsletter.

We all squeezed into cars in Boonah and headed up into the clouds of the Main Range to take in the delights of waterfall wonderland. Our first stop - the Teviot Falls - were misted and mysterious. But the Red Apple trees (Syzygium ingens, aka Acmena brachyandra) were in fruit with bright red bunches contrasting with the greens of the canopy. 

Cambanoora, or Condamine, Gorge is a spectacular sight.

Looking towards the Gorge

Cambanoora or Condamine Gorge
from the Head of the Condamine River 

We made stops at both Queen Mary and Brown's Falls. They had plenty of water. At Queen Mary ground orchids were noticed (by some of us with eagle eyes and macro cameras) in a number of sheltered spots – mainly Nodding Greenhoods (Pterostylis nutans). A couple of Spotted Pardalotes came very close and they would be, without doubt, the most beautiful of tiny birds. While at Brown's those members able to endure the perils of rock-hopping saw the falls while others listened to the elusive Logrunner. As usual, heard but not seen.

Rock-hopping and log-kneeling at Brown's Falls!

The last leg of the trip was to travel through Killarney to Mt Colliery (there was a coal mine somewhere near here a long time ago) and then up the mountain back towards Mt Superbus. We had wonderful views into the Condamine Gorge and the potato fields of Spring Creek. 

Some of the northern escarpment of the gorge
with potato fields near the horizon.

Although fairly cleared the mountains still held a few scrub patches. We stopped on Gambubal Road at one clump to see what Glen Leiper had been gushing about at our last AGM. Over a dozen delightful species were noted there and I am sure we just scratched the surface. Some Sassafras (Doryphora sassafras) was in flower. A Common Acronychia (Acronychia oblongifolia) was in fruit – a white segmented drupe. A Narrow-leaved Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis baileyana) stood out with its long, compound leaves. Orange Blossom Orchids (Sarcochilus falcatus) were in bud. 

Storm clouds rolling in over the Gorge (taken near "the clump")

At over 1,000 metres altitude, it got a bit cold. And then we saw the rain coming. Storms too. Better get off this mountain quickly. And we did. Just in time. We followed some showers (or they followed us) all the way back to Boonah. What a great day in waterfall country, near the top of the world. 

Species List for whole trip

Birds: Brown Quail, Australian Wood Duck, Australasian Grebe, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, White-necked Heron, White-faced Heron, Straw-necked Ibis, Black-shouldered Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Masked Lapwing, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Albert's Lyrebird, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, White-throated Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Australian Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Common Myna.

Butterflies: Wanderer.