July Outing Details - Sherwood Arboretum & Oxley Common, Saturday 21 June 2025

Kauris at Sherwood Arboretum
Photo: L. Beaton

Time: 9 am

Where: Sherwood Arboretum on Jollimont Street, Sherwood, Brisbane

Directions: Follow the Ipswich Motorway in towards Brisbane and take a left exit into Fairfield Road at Rocklea. Then left into Sherwood Road and out past the Markets and over Oxley Creek and across Oxley Road, and over the railway line (near Sherwood Station). At a T-section at the end of Sherwood Road, turn left into Dewar, and then right into Jollimont. Down the street a bit, and you are there. More information here.

Activities: A guided tour (by one of our Brisbane members) of some of the features of this historic place. It i as 15 hectares heritage-listed park. We are just dipping our toe into what the Arboretum has to offer. There are several walking trails, and over the past 20 years, some 170 bird species have been recorded in the park. After morning tea we will travel back to the Oxley Creek Common along Sherwood Road (just over the Oxley Creek bridge). Walks along the creek, birds, trees and then lunch.

Level of Fitness: Easy walking. Tracks are flat.

Sherwood Arboretum
Photo: L. Beaton

Facilities: toilets, picnic tables etc.

What to Bring: binoculars for birds, etc. Chairs, morning tea, lunch. Water and walking shoes.

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

Camp Report - Leslie Dam – 16-18th May 2025

 Adapted from the FFNC June 2025 newsletter report by I. Reynolds

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater at Durakai
Photo: I. Reynolds

At least some brave souls ignored the weather forecast and settled in at Lake Leslie Tourist Park on Friday afternoon. There was 38mm of rain overnight, brightening up by Saturday, although still cloudy.

Before the camp proper a couple of early campers were fortunate to watch an Australian Hobby vigorously plucking some unfortunate small bird in a dead tree near the Lake.

Durakai State Forest was our first call, and  walking along one of the tracks, we encountered a birding ‘hot spot’ centered around a small puddle of water. Many Fuscous, Brown, Yellow-faced, Yellow-tufted and White-eared Honeyeaters were bathing, as well as Yellow Robin, male Golden Whistler, and Grey Fantail amongst others.

Later a look at the dam wall at Lake Leslie gave us excellent views of 2 Osprey perched on a rail. A walk along the edge of the Lake and surrounding bushland in the afternoon gave us another decent species list. Out on the lake were at least 1,000 Eurasian Coot, many Darters and a cluster of 40 Australasian Grebe as well as the usual Pelicans, Cormorants, etc.

Scaly-breasted Munia at Allora Mountain
Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

On our way home on Sunday, four of us called in at Allora Mountain Flora and Fauna Reserve, a very interesting area with a steep climb to the top. There was lots of privet that the local Allora Landcare group are trying to eradicate. The couple last to leave had an unexpected bonus, a dozen Scaly-breasted Munia, aka Spice Finch or Nutmeg Manikin, sighted near the area where we had recorded Yellow-rumped Thornbill and Double-barred Finch.

A great weekend in great company.

Bird Species Lists

Lake Leslie – north side (40 sp.)

Australian Wood Duck-12, Pacific Black Duck-4, Grey Teal-4, Crested Pigeon-8, Dusky Moorhen-20, Eurasian Coot-1000, Australasian Swamphen-2, Pied Stilt-2, Masked Lapwing-2, Australasian Grebe-40, Australasian Darter-8, Little Pied Cormorant-4, Little Black Cormorant-12, Pied Cormorant-4, White-necked Heron-1, Great Egret-1, Australian Pelican-20, Osprey (Australasian)-2, Laughing Kookaburra-2, Australian Hobby-1, Galah-15, Little Corella-80, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo-10, Australian King-Parrot-2, Red-winged Parrot-1, Eastern Rosella-4, Red-rumped Parrot-8, Musk Lorikeet-2, Superb Fairywren-6, Noisy Miner-10, Blue-faced Honeyeater-6, Striped Honeyeater-2, Grey-crowned Babbler-2, Grey Butcherbird-1, Australian Magpie-6, Pied Currawong-4, Willie Wagtail-2, Magpie-Lark-6, Apostlebird-12, and Torresian Crow-6.

Durikai State Forest (25 sp.)

Little Lorikeet-4, White-throated Treecreeper-2, Brown Treecreeper-1, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater-2, Noisy Miner-2, Fuscous Honeyeater-12, Brown Honeyeater-1, White-eared Honeyeater-2, Striped Honeyeater-2, Noisy Friarbird-1, Striated Pardalote-4, Weebill-8, Grey Shrikethrush-2, Golden Whistler-2, Rufous Whistler-2, Grey Butcherbird-1, Willie Wagtail-2, Grey Fantail-3, Australian Raven-4, Rose Robin-2, Jacky Winter-1, Eastern Yellow Robin-1, Welcome Swallow-2, and Mistletoebird-1.

Allora Mountain Flora & Fauna Reserve (22 sp.)

Crested Pigeon-3, Black-shouldered Kite-1, Superb Fairywren-8, Noisy Miner-2, Striated

Pardalote-2, Weebill-3, Yellow-rumped Thornbill-7, White-throated Gerygone-1,

Black-faced Cuckooshrike-2, Golden Whistler-2, Rufous Whistler-1, Australasian Figbird-2, Grey Butcherbird-1, Australian Magpie-4, Pied Currawong-2, Willie Wagtail-1, Magpie-lark-1, Restless Flycatcher-2, Torresian Crow-4, Jacky Winter-1, Double-barred Finch-6, and Scaly-breasted Munia-12.

June Outing Details - Maroon Track, Cotswold Rd - Maroon, Saturday 21 June 2025

Time: 8.45 am

Where: carpark at end of Cotswold Rd, Maroon. 

Directions: Drive to Maroon on the Boonah-Rathdowney Rd and after about another 2 kms turn right into Cotswold Rd. Drive to the end of the road where there is a parking area for the Mt Maroon Track in a piece of scrub (approx. 3.5 kms).

Activities: We will wander around that scrub where there are magnificent trees and cryptic birds. There are also great views of Mt Maroon.

We might also wander along Forest Home Road to see what we can see.

Level of Fitness: easy as you like

Facilities: none, nearest public toilet is Maroon Dam.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellent, water, morning tea, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc.

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

May Camp Details - Lake Leslie Tourist Park, Warwick – 16th- 18th May 2025

Lake Leslie Tourist Park camping area

Time: Arrive Friday afternoon

Where: Lake Leslie Tourist Park,113 Saddledam Rd, Leslie Dam

Activities: Saturday - Durikai State Forest, Sunday - Rocklands Reserve

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea and lunch, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc.

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

The Lake from the Tourist Park

Photos from Lake Leslie Tourist Park website: www.lakeleslietouristpark.com.au

April Outing Details - Shed Social, Saturday 26 April 2025

Though this shed may be a bit too far away
for our meeting 

Time: 2 pm for 2.30pm start

Where: Please contact us

Activities: Trips, adventures, socializing, a lot of laughter and a bonfire.

• We have three members who will give illustrated talks on their travels.
• As always, the floor is open to anyone to talk about any subject you would like to share or you can show us items of interest - there will be a display table available for showing items.

We expect the presentations to end around 5pm.

Facilities:  a fridge for food is available. 

There are plenty of chairs though none have side tables.

What to Bring: Your own drinks, afternoon tea and dinner (plus plates, cups, cutlery, etc.) if you would like to stay for socializing around the bonfire.

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

March AGM Details - Boonah – Saturday, 15th March 2025

Creazilla Open License

 Time: Arrive at 1.45 pm. Meettng commences at 2.00 pm.

Where: The Conference Room at ‘The Outlook’.

Directions: Coming into Boonah along the Boonah-Ipswich Road, just when you come over the hill and get your first view of Boonah with the Scenic Rim mountains as a backdrop, you will see the big ‘Welcome to Boonah’ sign on the left. Turn left just before the sign and immediately left again, proceed up the steep hill to the carpark. Park, get out, turn around and take in the view! Signs will direct you to the Conference Room.

Admission: $4 per person.

Agenda: Reports for 2024 year and voting on Executive positions for 2025.

AGM Formalities: Club officers will give reports on Club matters to the Club Members. Office bearers for 2025 will be elected. And upcoming events will be highlighted. Then on to the guest speaker and afternoon tea.

Guest Speaker: Dr Tamielle Brunt, researcher on the ecology of Platypuses, will give a presentation on the state of our beloved mammal in the Fassifern area, and wider SEQ. 

Tamielle has been part of platypus conservation efforts in Ipswich and Scenic Rim for many years, and set up PlatypusWatch in Wildlife Queensland. She conducts creek sampling to find DNA in the water – called eDNA. So come along to find out more about our little friends. And no, we won’t be going for a splash in the creek afterwards.

Bring Display Items: Your fossils, rocks, collections, birds’ nests, and anything you think may be of interest for our Show and Tell table.

Members: Please bring a plate of finger food for afternoon tea to share. Tea and coffee will be provided.

It is also time to pay your annual membership fee for 2025. Peter, our Treasurer, will be on hand to receive your payment or you can pay on line – details for online payments are on the Information page of our Newsletters.

Outing Report - Christmas Creek, Lamington via Stinson Park – Saturday, 15th February 2025

Christmas Creek was idyllic
Photo: C. Bonner

Fourteen members spent a relaxing morning at Christmas Creek in February. Surprisingly we had the place almost to ourselves. The creek was splashing over the rocks and crystal clear, the vegetation was verdant, and the weather was warm without being stifling. 

To begin with it was quite cloudy but as the sun came out so did the butterflies. At morning tea there was plenty of conversation about what we'd seen with photographs being scrutinized for identification.

Lunch was held in the shade at Stinson Park where more butterflies were seen.

Watch this space for the species lists and more.

Forest Day Moth Cruria synopla
Photo: L. Beaton

Forest Day Moth Cruria synopla
Photo: C. Bonner

Evening Brown Melanitis leda
Photo: G. Pardey

Black-faced Monarch
Photo: G. Pardey

    

  

Forest Darner Austroaeschna pulchra
Photo: G. Pardey

Black-headed Skimmer 
Crocothemis nigrifrons
Photo: G. Pardey

   

   

   

Lush vegetation
at Christmas Creek
Photo: L. Beaton

Christmas Creek
 at the car park causeway
Photo: L. Beaton

   

Pheasant Coucal
Photo: G. Pardey

      

February Outing Details - Christmas Creek, Lamington via Stinson Park – Saturday, 15th February 2025

Time: 7.00am

Where: Stinson Park, Christmas Creek Rd, Lamington.

We will carpool from Stinson Park as parking is limited at the walk site.

The drive from Stinson Park is 6km approximately on a single lane road mostly gravel and rough in places. A high clearance vehicle would be recommended.

Directions: 

From Boonah Information Centre – Travel north on the Ipswich Boonah Rd for 6.8km and turn right onto Beaudesert/Boonah Rd. Travel 31.5km approx. into Beaudesert and turn right onto Mt Lindsay Rd. Follow Mt Lindsay Rd for 13km then veer left onto Christmas Creek Rd. Continue on Christmas Creek Rd for 28 km then turn left into Stinson Park.

From Ipswich – From Yamanto follow Ipswich Boonah Rd for approx. 34km. Turn left onto Beaudesert/Boonah Rd. Then follow directions as above.

Activities: From the National Park carpark we will walk the access road which follows Christmas Creek for approximately 800m to the NP entry. From here we will follow a track to the creek crossing. There are stepping stones across the creek into the national park. Depending on the water levels we may cross the creek and venture into the forest (on the recce day the creek was high and difficult

to cross).

There was much to see on the recce day including birds, butterflies, dragonflies, lizards and majestic trees.

Facilities: There are no facilities at the national park carpark or in the park itself. Toilets are available at Stinson Park.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea and lunch, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc. Drinking water, as the water at Stinson Park is non potable.

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

January Outing Details - Wharkuroogma Wetlands – Saturday, 18th January 2025

Happy New Year to you all.

Early Morning Bird Walk - Wharkuroogma Wetlands

Due to the fickleness of the weather, this outing may be a non-starter. To be aware of any changes to the venue, please check this blog, or our Facebook page, or email us.

Meeting in the car park

Time: 6.30 am

Where: Wharkuroogma Car Park, Wharkuroogma Nursery, Roberts Rd, Roadvale.

Directions: 

from Boonah. Travel out of Boonah on Coronation Drive, turn left into Hoya Road. Drive 8.4km then turn right into Roadvale Road. Continue for 3km and turn left into Roberts Road, and drive 1.5 on gravel road to the Nursery/wetlands which will be on your right, drive up to the nursery carpark.

From points north: From Yamanto drive for 30.7 kms on the Ipswich/Boonah Road. Turn right at the Roadvale turn off. Follow the road for 5.4 km, passing through Roadvale township. Turn right at a sharp left-hand bend into Robert’s Road and follow the gravel road for 1.5 kms. Turn right into the driveway of Wharkuroogma nursery. Meet at the car park at the top of the driveway. There are also Wharkuroogma nursery signs along the route from the Ipswich/Boonah highway to the property.

From Beaudesert: Drive to the Coulson intersection of the Boonah-Ipswich Road and turn right towards Ipswich. Drive approx. 5 km and turn left into Roadvale Rd, then follow the directions above given for the Brisbane route.

Activities: From the carpark we can share vehicles or walk down to the dams. There is much more than birdwatching. Koalas are often seen here, and insect life is abundant. 

How far we can go on the property depends on the weather.

Morning tea will be down by the dams. 

Facilities: There is a shady picnic area and toilet block at the nursery, and bush toilets near the dam if we can get that far.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, sunscreen, insect repellant, water, morning tea, chair, and the usual naturalist stuff of your choice; binoculars, camera, field guides, notebook, etc.

Upon Arrival: There is a $5 admission fee per person to enter the wetlands. Please register in the Attendance Book and pop your $2 per person participant fee into the jar, and pay the $5 per person entrance fee to Wendy.

Latecomers, please leave gates as you find them.