Camp Report - Undercliffe, NSW; 6-8 October 2023

Article adapted from the FFNC newsletter

The annual spring camp was in the Granite Belt at Undercliffe in NSW. Stanthorpe, to the west, is about 20 kms away. We camped close to the northern fence line in clearings between the trees. Our hosts had kindly provided a composting toilet which was very much appreciated. Campers were all set up by afternoon tea on Friday with the bird list already started.

View to the east

The property covers some 69 ha of largely uncleared, though previously logged, eucalypt forest. It is on the eastern edge of the Granite Belt and has a view down onto Rivertree (the upper reaches of the Clarence Valley) and across to the Border Ranges.

Our hosts joined us for the weekend activities. They have been actively removing lantana etc which grew well during the recent La Nina event and have to create yet another fence-to-fence track for fire reasons during the last dry. This made access a lot easier for us.

Friday afternoon we took a vehicle trip around part of the property, trying to get our bearings. This wasn’t helped by the fact that the map downloaded from a New South Wales government website had the property in the wrong location!

On Saturday we rambled along one of the many tracks which criss-cross the property noticing plants such as sedges, cycads, fungi and a black bootlace orchid. After lunch we visited Undercliffe Falls on Bookookoorara Creek where we scrambled around the rocks and took plenty of photographs.

Despite the dry conditions, we were able to safely have a fire in a portable steel firepit but evening discussions around the fire were shortened due to the cold nights.

Sunday morning involved a walk along a creek where numerous holes still held water despite the very dry conditions. Of note were the many trigger plants in full flower. Several of us tried to get the trigger to work but with little success.

Pale-spotted Tiger Moth Amata aperta

Watch out for those nippers

Fauna

Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Wonga Pigeon, Bar-shouldered Dove, Masked Lapwing, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Square-tailed Kite, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairywren, Bell Miner, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Thornbill, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail, Magpie-lark, Corvid sp., Eastern Yellow Robin. Marsupials: Red-necked Wallaby. Reptiles: Lace Monitor or Goanna. Frogs: Graceful Tree Frog. Insects and spiders: Butterflies; Lesser Wanderer, Common Brown. Moths; Pale-spotted Tiger Moth,  Others; a dull-coloured long-legged fly, Grey Planthopper, White Wax Scale Ceroplastes destructor. Spider; a red and black spider (Nicodamid species).

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

Fungi; none identified. Cycad; a cycad Macrozamia viridis. Ferns; Maidenhair sp., Rock Felt Fern Pyrrosia rupestris, a fern (Blechnum sp.). Grasses Sedges, etc; Grey Tussock-grass Poa sieberiana, Kangaroo Grass Themeda triandra, Mat rushes Lomandra sp. Herbs;  a Pennywort, Border Ranges Nightshade Solanum limitare, a Trigger Plant Stylidium sp., a bluebell Wahlenbergia sp., Zieria sp.Orchids; Black Bootlace Orchid Erythrorchis cassythoides. Vines & Scramblers; Clematis sp., Pink Bower Vine Pandorea jasminoides, Monkey Rope Vine Parsonsia straminea, Native Raspberry Rubus parvifolius, Barbed-wire Vine Smilax australis. Shrubs; Wild May Leptospermum polygalifolium, Poison Peach Trema tomentosum. Trees; Mountain Grey Gum Eucalyptus cypellocarpa, Forest Oak Allocasuarina torulosa, Youman's Stringybark Eucalyptus youmanii, Ribbonwood Euroschinus falcate, Sweet Pittosporum Pittosporum undulatum, Broad-leaved Cherry Exocarpos latifolius, Tree Heath/Waddy wood Trochocarpa laurina, Green Wattle Acacia decurrens, Lilly-pilly spp., Breynia sp. 

October Outing - Spring Camp, Glen Rock State Forest: 15-17th October

View from Casuarina camping area,
Glen Rock SF

This is a new destination for us. Glen Rock State Forest preserves a diverse range of landforms, vegetation communities and wildlife. It stretches from the fertile flats of the Blackfellow, Shady, Flaggy and Black Duck Creeks to the rugged gorges, ridges and high plateau country of the Great Dividing and Mistake Ranges and borders Main Range National Park to the south.
The vegetation communities range from open woodlands and rocky escarpments to dry vine scrub and rainforest.

Time: Arrive any time, but meet at the large shelter shed in the lower section of the day-use area next to Casuarina Camping Area at 4 pm for happy hour (or two).

Where: East Haldon, south of Gatton

Directions: The easiest way is to find your own way to Lake Apex, Gatton. Turn left immediately after the Lake Apex parklands into Tenthill Creek Rd. Follow this for a little more than 8½ km when you’ll come to a T-junction with a sign to Glen Rock National Park. Turn right though you’re still on Tenthill Creek Rd. After 1½ km cross Tenthill Creek and turn left into Mt Sylvia Rd. Stay on this road for approximately 21½ km then keep left onto East Haldon Rd. Follow this to the end.

Activities: Usual stuff, birdwatching, botanizing, photography - Two walking tracks are shared with horses though one short one is for walkers only.

Level of Fitness: Easy to as hard as you want to go, please yourself.

Facilities: showers (cold water only - brrrr), toilets and fireplaces.

Open fires: permitted in the fireplaces provided, except when fire bans or prohibitions apply. Bring your own firewood. Do not collect wood from the park. Fuel stoves are recommended.

Generator use: prohibited.

Essentials to bring: drinking water, food, rubbish bags, firewood, 

What else to Bring: binocs, cameras, field guides, insect repellent, wine, etc.

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

October Outing - Autumn Camp, Mt Barney Lodge

FRIDAY – SUNDAY, 18 – 20 OCTOBER 2019  

Mt Barney from Boonah

PLEASE NOTE: THIS CAMP IS DEPENDANT ON A LOW BUSHFIRE DANGER RATING

(Keep an eye on our Facebook page or blog if you wish to confirm the camp is still on.)

Accommodation: camping/caravanning; un-powered sites only, no other accommodation is available that weekend. $16 per person per night ($10 per child 3-12 years old.), 50% deposit at time of booking  Check-in time is from 1pm and check out time is 1 pm. Please email us for more information. 

Meet: at the campground on Friday.

Where: Mt Barney Lodge Country Retreat - 1093 Upper Logan Rd, Mount Barney QLD 4287

Directions from Boonah: Upper Logan Rd is about 38 km south of Boonah on the Rathdowney Road. From the Upper Logan Rd junction follow the signs to Mt Barney Lodge and Mt Barney National Park for 10km. The last 3kms is a good quality graded gravel road.

Features: Mt Barney Lodge, once a bare, old farm, has been transformed into a prolific native habitat for sugar gliders, possums, bandicoots, wallabies, insects, lizards, bats and a large variety of birds. An extensive amount of native flowering trees, bush food trees and grasses to feed and house the native wildlife has been planted over the past 15 years.

Activities: usual camp stuff; flora walks, birdwatching, night-spotting, happy hour and species count, etc.

Mt Barney Lodge’s Terms & Conditions:
• amazing mountain views
• modern amenities block with hot showers (no charge), toilets and washing up area
• drinking water on tap
• minimum of 2 nights on a weekend
• no Wi-Fi, limited mobile phone coverage
• no pets, generators, drones or chainsaws
• single use plastic water bottles have been banned onsite since June 2018. Please do not bring 600ml -10 litre containers onsite to reflect your support of our eco principles.
• wet weather is not a valid reason for cancellation, and will result in the loss of your deposit if you choose not to camp.

Outing Report - Aloomba Lavender Farm Camp, Liston NSW, 19-22 October 2018

Fassifern Field Naturalist members at Undercliffe Falls, Liston NSW

Girraween's loss was Bookookoorara Creek's gain. Or it was the gain for the Fassifern Field Nats. Originally we were going to have our October camp at Girraween National Park but due to the dry conditions and consequent water shortages, the campground was closed. Never daunted, our fearless leader, Wendy, transferred to the Aloomba Lavender Farm at Liston only 20 kilometres from Stanthorpe. The weather forecast was ominous and though there was some fierce storms about our four days were not marred by rain.

Day 1: was a time for setting up camp and familiarising ourselves with our surroundings.
Day 2: heralded fine weather so we set off for Undercliffe Falls a quarter of an hour away. The storms from the previous days meant that there was plenty of water cascading over the rocks though we only had glimpses of the 150 metre waterfall through the trees. Everyone felt the scramble to the bottom of the falls was just a bit too slippery.

Bookookoorara Creek above the falls had plenty to occupy us. Wildflowers were in bloom, insects on the plants, frogs' spawn and tadpoles were in the quiet pools, the geology was fascinating and everywhere was lichen starting to expand with the welcome rain.

Leaf Beetles, Lamprolina aeneipennis (perhaps?) 

at Undercliffe Falls

Another view of the Leaf Beetles

The 150 m drop of Undercliffe Falls

It was back to camp for lunch and then Peter Bonner (our host) took us to another block of their property called The Glen. We drove through cattle paddocks until we came to a small creek. Here we explored the small spring-fed creek with amazing rock formations which sheltered ferns, staghorns and orchids. We could only imagine how cool and lush this would be in wetter times. 

Rock formations at The Glen

Tongue Orchid, Dockrillia linguiformis

Pineapple Orchid, Bulbophyllum elisae

Wheat-leaved Orchid, Bulbophyllum shepherdii

Day 3: for some it was packing up, while others went on a morning jaunt to Storm King Dam amd Dr Roberts' Waterhole.

Aub and Linda moth hunting at Storm King Dam

Willow-herb Day-moth, Phalaenoides tristifica

Dr Roberts' Waterhole

Narrow-leaved Grevillea, Grevillea viridiflava

Day 4: four members went back to The Glen to explore a little further. Then it was time to pack up and leave. What an absorbing and sociable camp. Thanks, Wendy.

Another shot of the falls

Aloomba Farm camping area and surrounds. Bird list 19/20/21 October 2018

Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Crested Pigeon, Tawny Frog mouth, Straw-necked Ibis (40), Masked Lapwing, Galah, Musk Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Red-winged Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Southern Boobook, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Satin Bower bird, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, White-naped Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, White-winged Triller, Varied Triller, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie (12), Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, White-winged Chough, Welcome Swallow.
Other Animals: Echidna, Copper-tailed Skink (Ctenotus taeniolatus), Blue Tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides), Rabbit, Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog or Sedge Frog (Litoria fallax).

On road side between Aloomba and The Glen (part of the property)
Pheasant Coucal, Turtle, Painted Lady, Orange Ringlet.

The Glen: 
Birds: Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal, Straw necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle (eating a rabbit), Whistling Kite, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Brush Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Dollarbird, White-throated Tree-creeper, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Red Wattlebird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Triller, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, White-winged Chough, Dollar bird, Spangled Drongo, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Australian Raven, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Monarch, Jacky Winter, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow.
Reptiles: Red-bellied Black Snake, Eastern Water Dragon, Frogs (not identified).
Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail, Common Grass Blue, Meadow Argus, Wanderer (Monarch). 
Dragonflies: Graphic Flutterer. 
Mammals: Rabbits. 
Of interest: Many different types of lichen on the rocks. Owl pellets, Koala scats. Tongue Orchid in flower, Wheat-leaved Orchid and others mentioned in the separate article.

Undercliffe Falls via Liston
Birds: Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Tree-creeper, Superb Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Thornbill (breeding), Brown Thornbill, White-browed Scrubwren, Spotted Pardalote, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, New Holland Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie,  Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Monarch, Magpie-lark, Mistletoebird, Red-browed Finch.
Reptiles: Eastern Water Dragon, Garden Skink, Turtle, Blue tongue Skink, Unknown rough skinned Skink.
Mammals: Red-necked Wallaby.
Butterflies: Meadow Argus, Glasswing, Yellow Spot Blue, Bright Copper, Orchard Swallowtail, Wanderer, Common Brown, Grey Ringlet.

Storm King Dam
Birds: Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal, Hardhead, Australasian Grebe, Peaceful Dove, Common Bronzewing, Great Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, White-faced Heron, Australian White Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Purple Swamphen,  Black-winged Stilt, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Noisy Miner, Grey Shrike-thrush, Dusky Woodswallow, Pied Currawong, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Dollarbird, Welcome Swallow, Tree Martin.
Others: Turtle, Willow-herb Day-moth, (Phalaenoides tristifica).