February Outing - Purga area

Meeting Place: Purga Nature Reserve, Middle Rd, Peak Crossing at 8.15 am for 8.30 am start.

Boardwalk at Purga Nature Reserve

Activities: This is an outing in two parts in the Purga district.
Part 1: We will start at Purga Nature Reserve where we will walk the tracks in this very different habitat for our area. FFNC last visited here in 2002. The Reserve is the largest protected area of endangered Swamp Tea-Tree forest in the world; just under 65 hectares. The self-guided walks should provide us with an opportunity to explore vegetation and view wildlife. There are a couple of picnic tables where we can congregate for morning tea at about 10-10.30 am.
Part 2: Then we go by car to Harding’s Paddock (directions below.) After walking the Chalk Circuit encompassing the picnic area and Bush Tucker gardens. This trail is flat and easily accessible for all levels of fitness. Along the trail we can learn about various bush tucker plants through interpretive signage from both Indigenous and European perspectives. Then we can meander by the horse yards and bush areas beside the campground. For those wanting something more rigorous there’s always the Gamlen Circuit or beyond, at Harding’s Paddock but your leader will not be with you!
We’ll have lunch about 1.30 pm.
There are toilets at both locations.

Level of Fitness: Purga Reserve & Harding’s Paddock - very easy graded tracks
What to bring: Cameras, binoculars, identification books, sunscreen & insect repellent. Plenty of water, morning tea and lunch, chairs and picnic tables.

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

Directions: From the round-about on Coronation Drive, Boonah head to Peak Crossing. Take the turn at the Hotel into Flinders St and then immediately right into Peak Crossing Churchbank Weir Rd. Continue for about 2 km then turn right into Middle Rd. Purga Nature Reserve is on the right at 5 km.
We travel to Harding’s Paddock by continuing along Middle Rd and after 3 km turn right into Purga School Rd which we travel on for just over 3 km until we reach the junction with the Ipswich Boonah Rd. We turn right and after 300m turn left into Carmichaels Rd which is clearly marked Harding’s Paddock. The road into Harding’s Paddock is 5 km where we’ll meet up at the shelter shed in the campground after the picnic area, unless it’s occupied. If so we’ll rendezvous at the nearest shelter shed.

Outing Report - Cunningham's Gap, 20 January 2018

Being an early morning start, it was still misty in the valley. 

Early morning mist

Although the forecast was for a hot day a number of members turned up, including some we hadn't seen for a while. The first bird of interest was a Bassian Thrush scratching away in the Crest Car Park. Plenty of photos were taken.

We set off on the Rainforest Circuit which was very dry, however there was plenty for us to see: birds, pademelons, plants, lichens, butterflies, beetles, and caterpillars, and the view of course.

Lake Moogerah from the Fassifern Valley lookout

Black Bess Beetle - Passalidae sp. probably

Caterpillar of the Orchard Butterfly, Papilio aegeus

Unidentified caterpillar; possibly a moth
5 photos above by F. Shute

Eventually we returned to the car park and drove down to the West Gap Creek picnic area. Other Nats had joined us by this time, and while eating breakfast we were deafened by the Bellbirds (Bell Miners), and watched by Satin Bowerbirds from the overhead branches. This picnic area is a lovely glade in the forest, and the butterflies obviously enjoyed it too as they were fluttering here and there. Later some of the members ventured up the Box Forest Track to look at some flowering Christmas Orchids. 

Noisy Pitta on the Box Forest Track

Orange Tipped Pea Blue

Speckled Line Blue

Macleay’s Swallowtail
4 photos above by A. Podlich

Christmas Orchids, Calanthe triplicata,
at Cunningham's Gap

Closer view of Christmas Orchid,
Calanthe triplicata
Orchid photos by J & N Crepin

RAINFOREST CIRCUIT AREA, CUNNINGHAMS GAP 20.1.18

Birds (30 species): Brown Cuckoo Dove, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella, Noisy Pitta, Albert’s Lyrebird, White-throated Treecreeper, Red-browed Treecreeper, Green Catbird, Satin Bowerbird, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Australian Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Cicadabird,  Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow,  Black-faced Monarch, East. Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Bassian Thrush. 

Other Creatures: Antechinus sp., Red-necked Pademelon, Red-necked Wallaby, Orchard Swallowtail Caterpillar, Beetle from the Family Passalidae.

WEST GAP PICNIC AREA & BOX FOREST TRACK, CUNNINGHAM'S GAP  20.1.18

Birds (28 species): Brown Cuckoo Dove, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo , Musk Lorikeet,  Little Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella, Noisy Pitta, Satin Bowerbird, White-browed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Striated Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Noisy Friarbird, Aust. Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird,  Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Olive-backed Oriel,  Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Black-faced Monarch, East. Yellow Robin.  

Butterflies (18 species): Speckled Line-Blue, Dingy Shield Skipper, Meadow Argus, Small Green Banded Blue, Lemon Migrant, Blue Triangle, Macleay Swallowtail, Brown Ringlet, Brown Ochre, Wanderer, Orange-Tipped Pea-Blue, Blue Tiger, Orchard Swallowtail, Common Grass-Yellow, Common Albatross, Common Grass-Blue, Glasswing, Common Crow.  

Other Creatures: Red-necked Pademelon, Goanna (Lace Monitor), Major Skink.