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| Nats at Girraween in 2009 |
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| North Branch of the Condamine Photo: R. Ashdown |
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| Condamine Earless Dragon Photo: L. Balmain |
Mammals: Eastern Grey
Kangaroo, European Brown Hare, Red Fox* Birds: Hardhead, Pacific Black
Duck, Grey Teal, Australian Wood Duck, Australasian Grebe, Rock Dove, Spotted
Dove, Crested Pigeon, Dusky Moorhen, Pied Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Silver Gull,
Australian Tern, Australian Pelican*, White-necked Heron*, Eastern Great Egret,
Australian White Ibis, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Pied
Cormorant, Australasian Darter, Black-shouldered Kite*, Wedge-tailed Eagle*,
Spotted Harrier*, Grey Goshawk*, Whistling Kite, Black Kite, Eastern Barn Owl,
Sacred Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Nankeen Kestrel, Cockatiel, Galah,
Little Corella, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Red-winged Parrot, Pale-headed
Rosella, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Superb Fairy-wren, Striped Honeyeater, Noisy
Friarbird, Little Friarbird, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, White-plumed
Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, White-throated Gerygone, Western Gerygone, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous Whistler, Golden
Whistler, Australian Magpie, Pied Butcherbird, Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail,
Torresian Crow, Australian Raven, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark,
Apostlebird, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch, Australasian Pipit,
Golden-headed Cisticola, Welcome Swallow, Common Myna. Reptiles:
Red-bellied Black Snake* Amphibians: Emerald Spotted Treefrog Molluscs:
Brigalow Woodland Snail*, Invasive Field Slug Deroceras invadens, Freshwater
Mussel Alathyria jacksoni Crustaceans: Common Yabbie Cherax
destructor Butterflies: Orchard Swallowtail, Chequered Swallowtail, Green
Grass-dart, Small Grass-yellow, Cabbage White, Caper White, Black Jezebel, Lesser
Wanderer, Monarch, Common Crow, Glasswing, Meadow Argus, Brown Ringlet, Common
Grass-blue. Dragonflies and damselflies: Aurora Bluetail, Australian
Emperor, Tau Emerald, Wandering Percher, Scarlet Percher, Blue Skimmer.
* Denotes species seen enroute to and from
Toowoomba/Nangwee.
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| Nats enjoying a break on the September outing Photo: D. Johnston |
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| Brachychiton x turgidulus in bloom November 2023 Photo: D. Pagel |
After morning tea, we explored below the house with our hosts, following various interests. There was no flora expert with us to compile a plant list, though we were provided with a comprehensive list compiled by botanists in 2019. Insects were elusive and many birds were sheltering elsewhere.
A shallow embankment beside the shed caught the attention of
our geologist, Dougal, and those nearby learned from its profile something of
the weathering of basalt rock and associated soil formation. The basalt on the property supplies many soluble elements through weathering and with little
quartz the thin soil is dominated by dark-coloured swelling clays with organic
content. Below, the subsoil has prominent weathered rock fragments and below
that again, larger pieces of basalt. On the slopes the thin soil dries out and
moves downhill with rainfall, limiting the plants that can grow well there. 
Weathering and soil formation
Photo: D. Johnston
When we re-gathered late morning, we drove up the hill to the ridge top. A gate was left open for us to explore remnant dry vine scrub and take in the expansive view to the north-west. A second walk along the road south took us to another open gate and we strolled back along the fence line birding and observing vegetation.
At lunch, notes were compared and members expressed their appreciation for the hospitality shown them and the opportunity to visit a property cared for and developed with such commitment and passion. The outing did not produce the significant lists it might have done if the weather had been different, but it was certainly stimulating and enjoyable.
Bird list for the day from members' observations:
Black
shouldered Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Nankeen Kestrel, Superb Blue-wren, Brown
Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Striated Pardalote, Brown Thornbill, Australian
Magpie, Pied Butcherbird, Torresian Crow, Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail, Restless
Flycatcher, Double-barred Finch, Silvereye (Tasmanian race). A small list but
such a windy day.
CLUB MEETING: Friday, 02nd August, 7 pm - St. Anthony’s Community Centre, Memory Street, Toowoomba.
Threatened Flora and Vegetation Communities of the Darling Downs with Will Gibson
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| Will Gibson |
Since moving to Toowoomba in early
2021 Will has become a passionate advocate for the conservation, protection and
management of the region's threatened plant and vegetation communities. Will's
talk will provide an overview of the variety of flora species which have faced
threatening processes across the region and how ecologists like himself manage
these pressures and work to ensure their conservation with some local
examples included. Will's talk will also discuss the value of citizen science
and the important role that clubs like TFNC play in supporting knowledge of
flora and fauna species distribution.