Dwyers Scrub (Report by
Deb Ford)
Dwyers Scrub Conservation Park is
on the eastern fall of the Great Dividing Range approximately 30 kilometres
south-west of Gatton. The Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service
brochure describes the park thus: ‘The area of semi-evergreen vine forest in
the north-eastern corner has very high conservation values. The tall to very
tall open forest and woodland communities occurring over the remainder of the
park contain species of significance as well as providing habitat for animals.’
A biological assessment of the park has identified 335 different plant species
through the different ecosystems.
The drive from Toowoomba, via
Flagstone Creek, was accompanied by a ‘snow storm’ of Caper White butterflies (Belenois java). On arrival at our destination
we found a cloud of these insects surrounding a completely defoliated tree –
probably Capparis arborea – on which
many pupae were visible on the underside of the bare branches. Albert Orr and
Robert Kitching, on p. 155 of their book, The
Butterflies of Australia, inform the reader that ‘males flutter around
groups of pupae and mate with females soon after they emerge’. This behaviour is probably what we were
witnessing.
Eighteen Field Nats visited the endangered semi-evergreen vine forest in
the north-eastern corner. We met on the
road that dissects the park from the north-west to the eastern boundary where
we were joined by Paul Stevens and Ken Kennedy, volunteers from Lockyer Uplands
Catchment Inc. (LUCI) who have been working to remove weeds from the vine
forest. A daunting task indeed: Cat’s Claw Creeper (Macfadyena
unguis-cati) and Madeira Vine (Anredera cordifolia) have smothered large areas of the canopy, and
Lantana (Lantana camara) has invaded the under storey. It was heartening
to see that where the canopy had been liberated from the clutches of the
invasive vines new leaf is appearing, but the ground was carpeted with Madeira
Vine seed-lings all waiting to re-colonise.
After inspecting a small part of the microphyll
forest, Field Nats repaired to the home of local landowners, Peter and Elspeth
Darvall, for morning tea. A generous spread had been laid on for us, which we
enjoyed on their cool and comfortable verandah. The Darvalls moved their rustic
home from Chinchilla, disassembling and numbering each piece, and re-erecting
it in its present location. As well as volunteering in Dwyers Scrub, they also
support the local flora and fauna through the Land for Wildlife program.
After leaving the Darvalls we travelled via East
Egypt Road and Spinach Creek Road to reach our next hosts, Jim Kerr and Judy
Whistler, at about noon. Jim and Judy’s property is located at some distance
outside the southern boundary of Dwyers Scrub with Spinach Creek forming their
northern boundary. A short walk afforded us a view north across the steep-sided
creek gully to Dwyers Scrub, which could be seen on the summit of the opposite
slope. Jim and Judy have fenced off the land leading down to the creek to aid
regen-eration of vine scrub. The creek banks were badly eroded in the 2011
flood and extensive planting has also been undertaken for flood mitigation.
An unexpected treat, after a picnic lunch in the
shade of Macadamia trees, was being able to view the beautiful art work of Jim
and Judy’s friend, artist Irena Kobald. Irena creates and photographs
beautiful, ephemeral designs using a palette of flowers, fruit, leaves, and
stones, with a particular focus on the desert environment.
Field Nats headed for home early in the afternoon,
the general consensus being that it was too hot for further exploration. Our thanks go to Dougal Johnston for
organising the trip.
A small
sample of plant species identified over the day:
Kennedy’s Road, en-route to Dwyers Scrub: Orange Flowered Mistletoe (Dendrophthoe
glabrescens), Narrow-leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra),
Silver-leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus melanophloia).
Dwyers Scrub
Conservation Park: Brush Coral Treee (Erythrina
sp. Croftby), Chain Fruit (Alyxia ruscifolia), Currant Bush (Carissa
ovata), King Orchid (Dendrobium speciosum), Leopard Ash (Flindersia
collina), Red Ash/Soap Tree (Alphitonia excelsa), Robber Fern (Pyrrosia
confluens), Rosewood (Acacia fasciculifera), Scrub Cherry (Exocarpos
latifolius), Stiff Canthium (Psydrax buxifolia).
Jim & Judy’s
property: Breynia (Breynia ooblongifolia), Native
Holly (Alchornea ilicifolia), Red Kamala (Mallotus philippensis),
White Cedar (Melia azedarach), White Fig (Ficus virens subsp.
laceolata).
Fauna List
(compiled by Al Young)
Bird List (Dwyer’s Scrub): Bar-shouldered Dove, Lewin’s Honeyeater,
Eastern Yellow Robin, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Cicadabird and
Australasian Figbird.
 |
| Eastern Yellow Robin (Photo:Al Young) |
 |
| Caper Female Whhite (Photo: Al Young)r |
Bird List Other Areas
(Stockyard Creek Road, Kennedy’s Road, East Egypt Road, Spinach Creek Road,
Sawpit Gully Road.):
Crested Pigeon,
Channel-billed Cuckoo, Pacific or Eastern Koel, Laughing Kookaburra,
White-throated Gerygone, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Eastern
Whipbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Magpie Lark, Willie Wagtail, Black-faced
Cuckoo-shrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Australasian Figbird, Pied Butcherbird,
Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong and Torresian Crow.
Reptiles (Stockyard Creek Road): Common or Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) (road kill) and
Common or Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona
barbata).
Mammals (Stockyard Creek Road): Red-necked Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) and Swamp Wallaby
(Wallabia bicolor).
Butterflies (Dwyers Scrub CP). There was a profusion of Caper White
Butterflies (Belenois java) in most areas during the outing,
including Dwyers Scrub CP. The larvae feed mainly on Capparis spp and they will often de-foliate their host plants as
was the case in Dwyers Scrub. A tree (Capparis
sp?) near the road was almost completely de-foliated and there were
numerous pupae, mostly on the underside of the defoliated branches.
 |
| Caper White pupae (close-up) |
 | ||
| Caper White pupae on defoliated host tree |
[Photos by Al Young]
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