The Fassifern Field Naturalists Club Inc. would like to acknowledge the Yugarapul People, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our Club is founded, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present, their languages, customs, culture and connection to this wonderful country.

Friday, 11 September 2026

September Outing Details - Goomburra, Saturday 19 September 2026

We've been to Goomburra before!
Time: 
8.30am

Where: Carpark at Kurrajong Picnic Area at the park entrance

Directions: Travelling from Boonah, go to Aratula and then continue on the highway through Cunningham’s Gap until you reach Gladfield which is around 25km further on past the Gap. Turn right at Gladfield onto Goomburra Rd and after 9.3 km turn right again on to Inverramsay Rd. This road continues east for approximately 26km (with a name change to Forestry Reserve Rd) to the park entrance. There are a number of creek crossings to negotiate though they shouldn't be very difficult unless we have a lot of rain between now and then!

Activities: Amble around the lower, flatter areas of the picnic area and the two nearby campgrounds and possibly take in the spectacular views on either the short (950m) Sylvesters Lookout or Mount Castle Lookout rainforested tracks in the higher sections of the park off the Lookout Road.

Level of Fitness: The Sylvesters Lookout and Mount Castle Lookout tracks are rated grade 3 and suitable for most fitness levels. (Grade 3: Formed track, some obstacles, 20km or less. May have short steep hills and many steps. Some experience recommended.) 

Facilities: Picnic tables, wood BBQs. Toilet facilities at the two campgrounds. No water available, and if using the bbq, possibly your own wood.

What to Bring: suitable clothing and footwear for walking in the bush, 
morning tea (and lunch if you want), drinks, chair, binoculars, insect repellent and sunscreen.

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

August Outing Report - Mt French, 15 August 2026

brown wattle Acacia bruniodes
The Mt French outing is always a botanical event, and Keith and Barry didn't let us down with their knowledge of the local flora. We were a little disappointed with the flowering though the brown wattle Acacia bruniodes and the Brisbane wattle A. fimbrata put on a display. The Bossiaea rupicola had finished flowering, and the Jacksonia scoparia didn't look if it was going to flower at all. 

Brisbane Wattle, Acacia fimbrata

We came across some magnificent spider sacs on our way to the east cliff lookout. Nobody seemed to get a good photo of them so I've used one from my garden. They are quite amazing. 
magnificent spider,
Ordgarius magnificus

Once at the lookout, most members listened to Keith explain the rock formations, Barry checked out the flora, and I watched a couple of Elegant Snake-eyed Skinks or Wall Skinks Cryptoblepharus virgatus.
The heath offered us much more in the flowering shrub line, such as small-fruited may Gaudium microcarpum once known as Leptospermum microcarpum, and New England beard heath Styphelia neoanglica.

Species Lists compiled by the Club Recorder from members observations.

introduced species =

Fauna

Arachnids: magnificent spider Ordgarius magnificus – egg sacsBirds: pale-headed rosella, white-throated honeyeater, eastern spinebill, Lewin's honeyeater, noisy miner, spotted pardalote, white-throated gerygone, white-browed scrubwren, brown thornbill, pied currawong, grey fantail, Torresian crow. Marsupials: red-necked wallaby. Other Invertebrates: Ants; spiny ant sp. Polyrhachis sp. Reptiles: Dragons; lace monitor or goanna Varanus varius - injured. Skinks; elegant snake-eyed skink Cryptoblepharus pulcher (sometimes called fence, or wall skink).

Flora discussed or taken note of on the day (not a comprehensive list):

Grasses: *red Natal grass Melinis repensHerbs: tree trigger-plant or larchleaf triggerplant Stylidium laricifoliumVines, Scramblers & Climbers: climbing asparagus fern Asparagus africanus, wonga vine Pandorea pandoranaGrass Trees: Johnson’s grass tree Xanthorrhoea johnsonii, coastal grass tree Xanthorrhoea latifolia. Shrubs: brown wattle Acacia brunioides, fringed or Brisbane wattle Acacia fimbriata, Bossiaea rupicola, triangle-leaved hopbush Dodonaea trianularis, hop bush Dodonaea triquetra, prickly or native hibiscus Hibiscus heterophyllus, dogwood Jacksonia scoparia – not flowering, *lantana Lantana camara, small-fruited tea tree Gaudium microcarpum [formerly Leptospermum microcarpum], Grove's paperbark Melaleuca groveana, New England bearded heath Styphelia neoanglicaTrees: kurrajong Brachychiton populneus, smooth-branched ironbark Eucalyptus dura, thin-leaved stringybark Eucalyptus eugenioides, small-leaved fig Ficus obliqu, shiny-leaved canthium Psydrax odorata subsp. buxifolia.