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
 

August Outing: Purga Nature Reserve - 20 August 2022

Field Nats at Purga Nature Reserve

Time: 8.30 a.m.

Where: Purga Nature Reserve Middle Rd., Peak Crossing

Directions: From the round-about on Coronation Drive, Boonah head to Peak Crossing where you take the turn at the hotel into Flinders St and then immediately right into Peak Crossing Churchbank Weir Rd. Continue for about 2 km then turn right into Middle Rd. Purga Nature Reserve is on the right at 5 km.

To Hardings Paddock from the Nature Reserve: Continue along Middle Rd and after 3 km turn right into Purga School Rd, travel on for just over 3 km until we reach the junction with the Ipswich-Boonah Rd. Turn right and after about 300 m. turn left into Carmichaels Rd which is clearly marked Harding’s Paddock. On weekends there could be numerous picnickers enjoying the area so drive past the picnic area down towards the camping area where you should find parking. Find the nearest shelter shed in this area and we will gather here to commence our strolls.

Activities: This is an outing in two parts in the Purga District – we did this same outing in February 2018.

Part 1: We will start at Purga Nature Reserve where we will walk the boardwalk and very easy walking tracks to observe especially the largest protected area of endangered Swamp Tea-tree forest in Australia; just under 65 hectares. The self guided walks will give us the opportunity to check out the flora and fauna in and around this habitat. There are a couple of picnic tables where we can congregate for morning tea at about 10 - 10.30 a.m. and to discuss our finds.

Part 2: Then we will go by car to Hardings Paddock where we can traverse the Bush Tucker gardens, and check out the dams. All very easy walking on maintained trails. Interpretive signage along the trails inform us about the plants from an Indigenous and also a European perspective. We can meander by the horse yards and bush areas beside the campground. There are other much longer trails to be explored in the area but these can be left to another day for a full day outing. We will all gather to have lunch at about 1 pm.  

Level of Fitness: Flat walking on tracks.

Facilities: Picnic tables and toilets are available both at Purga Reserve and Hardings Paddock.

What to Bring: Bring your usual items for a field outing – don’t forget morning tea and lunch.

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

Mid-week field trip. CANCELLED DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS - Flinders Plum Picnic Area, Peak Crossing.

 Please follow all the current COVID-19 restrictions especially social distancing guidelines. 

On the Sandy Creek Track

This is an experiment to see if there is any interest in mid-week outings.

Meet: We will meet in the Flinders Plum Picnic Area. Toilets, picnic tables and BBQs are at the picnic area.

Start Time: 8.00am

Activity: Walk the Sandy Ck track for flora and fauna spotting from the Flinders Plum Picnic Area. The walk is mostly flat and easy going. There may be some water crossing depending on the height of the creek.

Bring: sunscreen, insect repellent and protective clothing. Water for the walk. Binoculars and camera if you have them. Morning tea can be taken on the return from the walk if desired. Also bring a chair for morning tea in case the picnic tables are full.

Directions from Boonah - travel through Peak Crossing and turn right into Mt Flinders Rd.

From Ipswich travel toward Peak Crossing and turn left at Mt Flinders Rd. If you get to Peak Crossing you have missed the turn.

Follow Mt Flinders Rd to the picnic grounds. About 15min drive from Peak Crossing.

Due to the inclement weather this may be cancelled. Please watch our Facebook page.

Outing Report - Flinders Plum Reserve, September 2017

Report adapted from the October Newsletter.

The birdos all wanted a sighting 
of the White-eared Monarch

The Flinders Plum or Shiny-leaved Condoo (Planchonella eerwah) was presumed extinct for a large part of last century until its rediscovery at Ivory's Knob, southwest of Ipswich in 1980.

  
The Flinders Peak Conservation Estate has a major part of the population of these endangered trees.
 
Saturday was a beautiful spring day: warm with clear skies. Eighteen Fassifern Field Naturalists and four visitors gathered at the car park prepared to enjoy this easy return walk of 3.5 km along Sandy Creek.

We didn’t get very far before the birds took our attention in the flowering Bottlebrushes. As to be expected Scarlet and Brown Honeyeaters were in abundance along with other honeyeater species and nectar feeding birds. It was a slow walk along a very dry creek bed looking at trees, plants, flowers, insects and anything else that drew our attention, most noticeable were the majestic Hoop Pines dotted along the creek side, so glad these didn’t get logged in the early days. Silky Oaks were flowering, another haven for nectar feeding birds. Keith pointed out various trees along the way with special reference to the Small-leaved Tuckeroo and its tiny flowers.

A great find was the White-eared Monarch, not a bird often seen, and for some members this was a new sighting for them. The bird was very obliging and stayed still long enough for us to get good views as it flitted around the trees by the track. 

We finished our trip with lunch at the picnic grounds, which by the way, is surrounded by the Flinders Plum Tree. A good ending to a delightful outing. 

Species Lists 

Birds: 

Bar-shouldered Dove, Wonga Pigeon, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Goshawk, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Australian King-Parrot, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, White-throated Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Varied Triller, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, White-eared Monarch, Eastern Yellow Robin, Tawny Grassbird, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Double-barred Finch, Red-browed Finch.

Butterflies: 

Clearwing Swallowtail, Common Grass-yellow, Scarlet Jezebel, Wanderer, Lesser Wanderer, Meadow Argus, Glasswing.

Mammals: 

Red-necked Wallaby.

Other Invertebrates: 

Variable Ladybird (Coelophora inaequalis), Meat Ant (Iridomyrmex purpureus) and nest, Wasp - no common name (Ropalidia socialistica), Yellow Brown Paper Wasp (Ropalidia romandi), Spider Wasp (Pompilidae family).

Plants of Interest: 

Hairy Birds Eye (Alectryon tomentosus), Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii), Broad-leaved Apple (Angophora subvelutina), Small-leaved Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis parvifolia), Deciduous Fig (Ficus superba var. henneana), Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta), Native Frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum), Foambark (Jagera pseudorhus), Swamp Box (Lophostemon suaveolens), White Cedar (Melia azedarach), Emu Apple (Owenia acidula), Shiny-leaved Condoo or Flinder’s Plum (Planchonella eerwah), Brush Teak (Toechima tenax).

September Outing - Flinders Plum Picnic Area

Picnic Area

Meet: at the Flinders Plum Picnic Area at 8.30 for a 9 a.m. start: Saturday, 16th September 2017. Peak Crossing locality.

Parking is limited so if you can arrange to take someone with you in your car it would
help.

The picnic area has very good BBQ facilities shelter shed and a toilet but it’s a good idea to bring a chair as other day visitors share this spot.

Activities: Walking along the mostly flat Sandy Creek Track, approximately 3.5 km return The creek last month was mostly dry but there were some pools of water around. Even with the dryness the birds were very vocal. There should be some flowering shrubs and plants in September along the creek walk.

There are other walks for the very fit, all start from the picnic area. Maps show distances, but the main walk for us is the Sandy Creek track.

We will take morning tea and be back at the picnic ground for lunch and socialize.

Meadow Argus

Bring: Morning tea, lunch, snacks, hat, sunblock and water to carry on the walks. Bring binocs, cameras and some identification books for use at our lunch break.

Upon arrival – Please sign the Attendance Book and pay your Excursion Fee of $2 per participant.