Outing Report - Koreelah National Park, NSW - 18 February 2023

Koreelah Creek

It was a respectably large group of field naturalist members and visitors who met at Koreelah National Park campground. The weather was good and everybody was keen to walk to the waterfall at the head of the gorge. 

A tall Cunjevoi
Alocasia brisbanensis

Koreelah Creek was high and the waterfall was splashing over the rocks into a large pool below. Some frog spawn was discovered in a little back water but remains unidentified. 

Leaving the water we headed further up the road remarking on the different plants in the area. The herbage everywhere was lush but almost no beetles, bugs or spiders were found, though eight species of butterfly were recorded. A small gall was found and when the top was cut open the little wasp inside was seen. 

A tall clump of Cunjevoi Alocasia brisbanensis, aka Elephant Ears, attracted our attention. According to Wikipedia who had it from the State Library of Queensland, the common name "cunjevoi" derives from the Bundjalung language of northern New South Wales.

It wasn't long before we headed back to the cars for lunch. As always natters found plenty to discuss while relaxing in the pleasant surroundings with the Welcome Swallows wheeling overhead.

Species Lists for Koreelah N.P., Feb 2023

introduced species = *

Fauna

Birds: White-headed Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Wedge-tailed Eagle, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Satin Bowerbird, Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, White-throated Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous Whistler (♀ & ♂), Australasian Figbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Yellow Robin, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch (nesting).

Butterflies: Blue Triangle Graphium sarpedon, Lemon Migrant Catopsilia pomona, Common Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe, *Wanderer Danaus plexippus, Lesser Wanderer Danaus petilia, Common Crow Euploea core, Yellow Admiral Vanessa itea, White-banded Plane Phaedyma sheperdi.

Dragonflies: Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes, Blue Skimmer Orthetrum caledonicum, Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum.

Reptiles: Lace Monitor or Goanna Varanus varius, Eastern Snake-necked Turtle Chelodina longicollis.