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.