The August
outing, a follow-up to Jan Veacock’s monthly meeting club talk, took field
naturalists to areas which very early TFNC member and eminent ornithologist
E.A.R. Lord knew so well, from living in the area, and from exploring it extensively
on horseback in the earlier part of the last century.
We gathered
at historic (and postcard-perfect) Spring Bluff Railway Station, where Jan
(after a rushed drive from Brisbane) gave us a brief outline of the
mammoth work of building the Main Range Line in the 1860s, and its importance
in providing easier access to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs than the existing
arduous road routes of Spicer’s Gap and Gorman’s Gap. Jan, being responsible
for running the Murphys Creek Railway Museum, is well versed in local railway
history - and she also had a keen eye, and ear, for any birds close by when
addressing the assembled field naturalists.
Jan then led
us to Murphys Creek cemetery, which is close to the site of one of the main
navvy camps set up to construct the railway line. Many of the railway workers
had wives and children, so a school and other facilities were established at
this camp, though lawlessness and ill health were some of the hazards
encountered. At the cemetery, Jan explained symbolism in finely-crafted
headstones built by a local stonemason, John Mont-gomery, for the graves of
early settler families.
Morning tea
was at Lockyer Siding Railway building, next to historic Jessie’s Cottage in
Murphys Creek. At the cottage, we learned more local history, including the
effects of the 2011 flood.
Our next
stop was at the Fifteen Mile Creek crossing on Fifteen Mile Road. Several club
members ventured down the embankment to look at the spectacular exposed
sandstone beside the dry creek bed, and to explore the vegetation “downstream.”
Jan pointed out that this was the type of rugged country that E.A.R. Lord knew
so well from exploring it on horseback, for example on his way through to Mount
Cross.
While Club
members were at the crossing, the local property owner, who had seen the convoy
of cars, came to “check us out”. He exchanged details of the local area with
Jan, and in the future, this area could readily be further explored with his
permission and encouragement.
Our final
site of interest for the outing was a close-up look at the historic (and
gracefully-arched) Lockyer Creek Rail Bridge, thanks to access being allowed
onto Mrs Shirley Nobes’ property. This bridge, the second reinforced concrete
railway bridge designed in Australia, was completed in 1910. It was pioneering
in its design and construction, having been made from cast-in-situ concrete,
and it shows the skill with which the technology of the times was used to solve
problems of climate and terrain.
 |
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Lockyer Creek Railway Bridge (and
train).
Photo taken from the property of Mrs
Shirley Nobes,
Murphy’s Creek. (Photo: Glenda Walter)
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Special
thanks to Jan, not only for her research
and printed handouts, but for having fitted
in
both her Friday evening talk, and the
Sunday outing,
with her commitments at the Brisbane
Exhibition –
in particular, having driven to and from
Brisbane to
lead the outing. And a beneficial side-effect
of Jan’s
double presentation has been a revived focus
on the
early life of the Club, generated by Barb
Weller’s
patient work in making early copies of TFNC
publications so computer-accessible.
Bird List (Compiled from members' sightings by Francis Mangubhai)
At Spring Bluff: Eastern Yellow Robin, White-browed Scrub Wren,
Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, Striated Pardalote, Superb Fairy
Wren, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Peaceful Dove, Eastern Whipbird, Yellow-faced
Honeyeater, Red-browed Finch.
On route to Cemetery Road: Kookaburra At Cemetery Road: Masked
Lapwings, Scrub Turkey
At Jessie's Cottage: Yellow-rumped Thornbill At Shirley Nobes' Property: Willie
Wagtail, Jackie Winter
Butterflies: Monarch (at Fifteen Mile Creek)
(Above report by Michael Rooke)
AN ANCIENT PLANT
Sunday’s
outing to Murphy’s Creek covered several different areas. The group stopped at
the Fifteen Mile Creek crossing, for a look at an area known well by E.A.R.
Lord. We noticed crossbedding in the large sand-stone boulders, and a small fig
tree, the roots of which clung to the rock face.
Growing in a
crevice of the rock, I noticed a Skeleton Fork Fern, Psilotum nudum, meaning “bare naked”. This is a very interesting
plant, considered to be a “primitive” fern, closely related to the first group
of vascular plants which were widespread in the Devonian and Silurian periods
(425 to 360 million years ago). In
Australia it is found from Victoria up the East coast and across coastal
Northern Territory and possibly southern Western Australia. I have seen it
several times growing in sandstone rock crevices around Toowoomba, and also
sprouting from a huge staghorn at Cooktown, but this may have been the similar P. complanatum which is said to grow on
epiphytes.
Like other
plants in the Psilotaceae family, it does not have roots, but has branched
rhizomes. It also lacks many of the organs of modern plants. Absorption of
water is poor, so the plant has a relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus which
is better at nutrient and water uptake, benefitting both plants. The leaves
have been reduced to small scales on the stems, which are circular to
triangular in cross-section. Spores are carried in yellow spore-bearing organs
called “sporangia” which at first glance look like flowers projecting from the
stems. P. nudum spores were used in
Hawaii as talcum powder and as medicine, and research continues into their use
as a source of antimicrobial chemicals. The plants themselves were used as
small whisk brooms.
Thanks to Diane Pagel for first alerting me to this
ancient fern.
(Article and photos below by Glenda Walter)
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