October Camp: Cullendore High Country, 21st, 22nd,23rd, & 24th October

Moss and ferns on the rocks at Cullendore

Cullendore is located on a 4000 acre working cattle property adjoining the Maryland National Park and located high in the mountains of the Great Dividing Range. To make the most of the peace and tranquillity, campsites are scattered throughout the forest.  Each campsite has its own firepit, and hot showers and flushing toilets are provided nearby. 

Cullendore has one of the largest populations of the rare and elusive Spotted Quoll in Australia.  Wallabies, wallaroos, kangaroos and birdlife abound.

   

Please do your own research on this property on their website www.cullendore.com and, if you are attending, download some of the maps, fauna and bird lists.

Fringed Lily
Thysanotus tuberosus

Cullendore High Country is about 38 kms from Warwick travelling first towards Killarney and then turning onto the Cullendore Road. The trip to the property takes approximately 1 ¾ hrs from Boonah.

Come along and join us at this High Country Campground in granite country. Non-members, please contact us via email for more information.

Stinkhorn Fungi Aseroë rubra

Cullendore Camping

Photos: N. Crepin, A. Podlich, L. Beaton

Outing Report - Nindooinbah Dam Beaudesert, 17th September 2022

The Club hasn't been to Nindooinbah Dam before and we were keen to see what we would find. Ron and Kay took us on a 2.5 km walk in the bush around the dam. 

Native Sarsaparilla
Hardenbergia violacea

Sago Bushes in flower
Ozothamnus diosmifolius

Scarlet Bracket
Pycnoporus coccineus

Round-leaf Goodenia
Goodenia rotundifolia

Triangular Moth Epidesmia chilonaria

John and Rod at Nindooinbah

Some of the history of the dam. 
According to Wikipedia, the name Nindooinbah is derived from the name of a pastoral run of 1842/3, based on Aboriginal words: nguin meaning charcoal/cinders, doan meaning black and ba meaning place, indicating the place of the remains of a fire. (Ed. The place where aborigines met and made fires.) 

In 1961 a small dam was built on some of the original Nindooinbah land to supply water for Beaudesert. No longer needed for water storage it is now a small recreational area.

September Outing: Nindooinbah Dam, Brooklands Drive, Beaudesert - 17th September 2022

Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa 

Time: 8.30am

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

Where: Nindooinbah Dam is on the eastern side of Beaudesert.

Directions: For the folks coming from Boonah follow the signs to the Gold Coast (Highway 90). Drive through Beaudesert township still following signs to the Gold Coast. Continue past the showgrounds and caravan park on your right, go through the next set of traffic lights and take the next street on your right which is Brooklands Drive. Follow this for 2 km. You will pass one entrance to the dam on your right but we are meeting at the second entrance which is also on your right next to No. 205 Brooklands Drive. You will notice as you turn into Brooklands Drive a small park with toilets. 

Activities: This is a reasonably easy walk following a path through bushland and open spaces. At the beginning of the walk there is a gentle upward slope. Ebird website shows a diverse range of birdlife spotted in the last few months at the dam. We plan to return to the small park for lunch.

Facilities: Closest toilet stop to the dam.is in the small park.

What to Bring: Morning tea, lunch, snacks & liquid refreshment, etc.; chairs & small table (if you have one); hat, insect repellent, sunscreen are recommended; walking pole, binocs, cameras, field guides, etc. as desired.

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

Outing Report - Purga Nature Reserve and Hardings Paddock - 20 August 2022

Frog pond at Purga Reserve

17 members participated in this outing.  Firstly we visited Purga Melaleuca Reserve strolling both the Tea Tree Boardwalk Circuit and the Melaleuca Circuit.  

The Swamp Paperbark Melaleuca irbyanas, although spring and summer flowering, did not show any obvious signs of budding. The Tick Orchids Dockrillia linguiformis did not look all that healthy as they clung precariously to loose bark, although there were some sprays of white flowers visible. The weeds were prolific amongst the understory grasses. The yellow flowering Fireweed was everywhere, the purple flowers of the Trailing Lantana Lantana montevidensis and the long pink-red flowering stems of the Mother of Millions Kalanchoe daigremontiana stood out as the main understory plants. A few Boobialla Myoporum montanum with just a couple of tiny white flowers were observed and also some Maidens Wattle Acacia maidenii. The Dianellas were lush and green around the dam area.The large clumps of grey green, fine foliaged Mistletoe on the melaleucas also caught our attention.

Many arboreal termite nests, all with stalactite bases, were seen in the trees. 

Members at Hardings Paddock

After morning tea at Purga, we car trailed off to Hardings Paddock. Birdlife was more prolific here, with the Blue Gums Eucalyptus saligna in full flower. Lots of noise from parrots and especially the Scarlet Honeyeaters could be heard. We tracked along the Bush Tucker Trail with Keith assisting us with the identification of the many plants. The Brisbane Wattle Acacia fimbriata was in full flower. The Foambark Jagera pseudorhus was an absolute picture with its beautiful green foliage and bunches of hairy bronze-orange fruit.

Bush Stone Curlews at Hardings Paddock

Over lunch we learned a little more about the traditional owners history around Purga including about the Aboriginal Mission, the Purga Aboriginal Cemetery and the famous aboriginal opera singer Harold Blair who was raised at the Mission.

The highlight of the day was the sighting of 3 Bush Stone-curlews which, despite being disturbed from their rest, posed beautifully for photos.

Photos: N. Crepin, J. Flanagan

Purga Nature Reserve Species Lists:

Birds: Galah, Little Corella, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly breasted Lorikeet, King Parrot, Pale headed Rosella, Fan tailed Cuckoo, Rainbow Bee eater, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White throated Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Rufous Whistler, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Magpie lark.

Butterflies:  Common Jezebel, Common Crow, Evening Brown.   
Moths:  Tiger Moth

Mammals:  Red necked Wallaby

Hardings Paddock Species Lists:

Birds: Aust. Wood Duck, Aust. Grebe, Brown Goshawk, Bush Stone Curlew, Masked Lapwing, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly Breasted Lorikeet, Pale headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra,

Satin Bowerbird, Superb Fairy Wren, Red backed Fairy Wren, Speckled Warbler, White throated Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Blue faced Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Olive backed Oriole, Pied Butcherbird, Magpie, Pied Currawong, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, 
Red browed Finch, Whipbird.  
Butterflies: Small Grass Yellow, Common Jezebel, Glasswing, Common Crow, Wanderer
Insects: Hibiscus Harlequin Bug