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 - Glen Rock Camp, 15-18 October 2021

FFNC & visitors
in the Casuarina Camping Area

The weekend looked doubtful but the weather forecast assured us it would be fine. So 8 members and 3 visitors braved the conditions and trickled into the Casuarina Camping Area throughout the grey, cloudy Friday. The good spring season had many plants 'springing' into blossom. In the camping area the Silky Oaks (Grevillea robusta), Weeping Bottlebrushes (Melaleuca viminalis) and Orange Mistletoe (Dendrophthoe glabrescens) were attracting flocks of birds including all the local lorikeets, Little, Musk, Rainbow and Scaly-breasted. These along with the Little and Noisy Friarbirds meant it was difficult to hear anything else. 65 species of birds were identified over the weekend including a Peregrine Falcon on more than one occasion.

Weeping Bottlebrush and Orange Mistletoe
in the camping area

The forecasts were right and on Saturday we woke to cloudless blue skies. Over the weekend we explored many of the trails with plenty of interesting observations. The plants caught our attention and the Orange Mistletoe was particularly prolific.

The scenery was impressive and many a photo was taken.

Orange Mistletoe
(Dendrophthoe glabrescens)

The moon in the tall timber

The 'Rock'

A patch of exotic Poppies
(Papaver somniferum ssp. setigerum)

    

Funnel Ant sp. (Aphaenogaster sp.)

Closer view of Poppy
(Papaver somniferum ssp. setigerum)

 

Watch this space for the species lists

Outing Report - Lake Coolmunda Camp, 16, 17, 18 October 2020

Lake Coolmunda, October 2020
Photo: L. Beaton

17 campers/cabineers attended the latest Fassifern Field Naturalists' camp at Lake Coolmunda near Inglewood.

Friday: a walk down to the lake's edge was the afternoon activity. The dam is at 28% capacity and there were numerous freshwater mollusc shells marooned in the grass. The water birds were disappointing with only Pelican, Grey Teal, Black Duck and Cormorants recorded.

Saturday: a tag-along around the lake starting at Elbow Bend on the McIntyre Brook. As this is downstream from the dam, water is released and constantly flowing. Birds gather here and 41 species were seen plus 5 species of butterfly and 2 species of dragonfly. The favourite birds here would have been an Azure Kingfisher (if you had a glimpse as it flashed away) and the Plum-headed Finches feeding in the roadside grass. The photographers were delighted. 

White-winged Chough at Elbow Bend
Photo: C. Bonner

Bracker Creek was the next stop and what a feast for naturalists it was. A number of birds were nesting including Dusky Woodswallows and Brown Treecreepers. Two Black-fronted Dotterels were feeding on a pebbly shoreline and a Sacred Kingfisher was fishing from a stump in the middle of the creek.

Sacred Kingfisher at Bracker Creek
Photo: C. Bonner

Field Nats watching the Sacred Kingfisher
at Bracker Creek   Photo: H. McCosh

Black-fronted Dotterel
Photo: C. Bonner

Nats at the Devine State Forest waterhole
Photo: D. Pocknee

Above - White-eared Honeyeater
Below - Yellow-faced Honeyeaters
at Devine State Forest
Photos: Chris Bonner

Mosquito Creek Rd, a Queensland birding "hot spot" gave us few new birds as it was too hot by this time. Luckily we stopped in the state forest where we chanced upon a small waterhole. Here we sat and ate our lunch while watching the birds come in for a drink. 

In the afternoon 5 members went back to Coolmunda Conservation Park to see the Shiny-leaved Eucalypt (Eucalyptus virens). This has a status of "vulnerable" as it is only found in four areas in Queensland.

Sunday: some campers were leaving us so we were a small group that gathered at Elbow Bend. This was worth going back to, and we were able to see the Little Egret quite closely which you don't always get a chance to do. We also found Double-barred Finches nesting over the Brook.

We followed Tobacco Rd into Inglewood where we had morning tea in a shady park surrounded by Noisy Friarbirds. It was there that more people left and it was only the stalwarts that stayed overnight to leave on Monday.

Little Egret at McIntyre Brook         Photo: M. Corbett

Fairy-wren and lunch       Photo: M. Corbett

October Outing - Spring Camp, Lake Coolmunda

Camping at Lake Coolmunda 2019

Camp: 16th, 17th & 18th October 2020. Registration with the Fassifern Field Naturalists Club is essential. Our email address is in the left-hand margin of this page.

As of 25 September COVID-19 restrictions are 30 people at gatherings in public open spaces. Therefore our camp can go ahead! Social distancing will be maintained. Hand sanitizer will be available. Do not come if you are feeling unwell.

The last time FFNC went out to Lake Coolmunda was in 1997 so it’s well worth another visit.

Activities: Walking by the lakeside. A tag-along around the lake with several stops including Coolmunda Conservation Reserve. This reserve was established for one of the 4 places where the Shiny-leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus virens) grows. There’s a good Fact Sheet online about this tree just Google Eucalyptus virens. For birders there’s a chance of seeing some western birds such as Bluebonnets, Southern Whitefaces and White-winged Fairy-wrens.

Happy hour: Will be at 4.30 pm at Base Camp around a campfire if permitted.

Facilities: Non-powered sites at the dam (Base Camp), powered sites and cabins at the caravan park (2nd Base). For details on sites & prices for camping at the dam or caravan park please contact Fassifern Field Naturalists Club.

Directions: approx. 185 kms from Boonah Visitor Information Centre, just over 2 hours driving.

From Boonah drive to the Cunningham Highway and turn left. Do not leave the Cunningham Highway until you get to Coolmunda i.e. do not turn to Stanthorpe when you’re in Warwick. As you approach Lake Coolmunda signs will appear on the highway, turn left into Coolmunda Access Road. Stop at the Caravan Park to pay your fees and collect your admittance tag if you’re staying at the dam.

What to bring: If camping at the dam, you will need everything to be self-sufficient; drinking water, camping gear, chairs, tables, torch, food, binocs, cameras, reference books, insect repellent, firewood etc.

Notes: When we reconnoitred in late February there were masses of small non-biting midge-type insects. A head net might be advisable (available from Far Outdoors, Boonah). Campfires permitted if no fire ban.

Booking your site: This is up to attendees but please advise the Fassifern Field Naturalists Club so numbers are known, and you can be contacted if there are any last-minute changes. Lake Coolmunda Caravan Park: 07 4652 4171.

After you have set up, please sign the Club Attendance Book which will be on the table at Lesley & John’s caravan at Base Camp, and pay your $2 per person Club participant fee. People at 2nd Base will need to park outside Base Camp and walk in.

Another Cancellation

To comply with the current COVID-19 restrictions the FFNC Committee has had to, once again, make the decision to postpone the scheduled AGM and cancel the Field Outing on the 19^th September 2020. Hopefully the October camp will still go ahead but watch this space.

October Camp - Koreelah. 13/14/15th October 2017

One of the creeks we explored last camp

This camp is on private property so if you are not a member and wish to participate please contact us by email (see left-hand margin.)

We first visited this delightful property in April 2015, so it’s time to go back again and see it at this time of the year. There is a diverse landscape of wet sclerophyll forest, creeks, rainforest, and open grassland. The camping area is reasonably flat and it is easy to set up. A very relaxing and peaceful place to be.

Facilities: Camp kitchen, large gas stove, refrigerator, dining space for 12, space for another 30 under cover, solar hot water, solar electricity, 2 solar hot showers, composting toilets, and spring water
Bring: All you need to be self-sufficient, camping gear, chairs and table, torch, food, etc. Don’t forget your binoculars, walking shoes, field guides, insect repellent, hat and whatever else you feel you need for the camp.
Costs: Camping $10pppn. Day visits $5. The property is just over an hour’s drive from Boonah so, if you don’t want to camp come for the day and enjoy this special place.

There is no mobile phone coverage.

Goomburra National Park - October camp

Due to the number of members away on their own adventures, it was a small group of Field Nats who gathered at Manna Gum campground. However we still had a great time on our walks and around the campfire.

The camp in the cool morning

Red-necked Pademelon just outside the caravan door

Field nats photographing massive fungi
on the Mt Castle Lookout track

Paper Daisy on the Winder Track

Tangled vines on the Sylvester's Lookout track