South Burnett Camp

The annual camp which this year was based at the Bjelke-Petersen Dam Tourist & Recreation Park, was another great success. Thanks to Tricia (and husband) for their organization of a wide variety of activities. The weather wasn't as kind as it could have been, but no one was complaining.  

Natters camping at Bjelke-Petersen Dam

Birding in Wondai State Forest

We visited national parks, state forests, conservation reserves and wetlands. We had talks from local farmers and members of the South Burnett Field Naturalists who also lead a couple of our outings. 

We kayaked on the dam, birdwatched, examined dragonflies, photographed fungi, dined at a winery, checked out the local museums and heard all about fossils and duboisia (the South Burnett supplies the world with about 90% of this crop which is harvested for the pharmaceutically important  alkaloids the leaves contain.)

White-winged Choughs

This was written after watching the antics of these birds at Bjelke-Petersen Dam.

Ode to a Dis-chuffed Chough

In Slater’s book we’re plainly seen

(On page three hundred and sixteen.)

This learned book refers to us,

Corcorax melanorhamphos.

To you we are the White-winged Chough,

And life is getting rather rough.

Our quiet life’s turned upside down,

Because a certain feathered clown,

Gymnorhina tibicen named.

This is the bird that can be blamed

For nervous tics and twisted necks,

And Choughs becoming nervous wrecks.

‘Tis to the Magpie I’ve referred.

Let me tell you, this rotten bird

Was put on Earth without a soul.

When we emerge, the dawn patrol

Swoops down on us with shrieks of glee

Upsetting all my friends ¾ and me.

For at the risk of sounding morbid

Why pick on a fellow corvid?

Pick on sparrows, pick on chats,

Or something really useful ¾ CATS!

The one thing I can’t understand. It’s

Why we let these bloody bandits

Treat us with this animus.

We’re just as big, there’s more of us.

Let’s band together, fight the sods,

Because I tell you – by the gods,

Tomorrow at the break of dawn

We’ll make them rue the day they’re born.

Defiantly sing our bold refrain.

Oh, Crikey! HERE THEY COME AGAIN!

                                      -         by John Ball

Picnicking in the rain at Gordonbrook

Species Reports 

The camp at Bjelke-Petersen Dam was a naturalist’s delight. You just have to look at the species lists below to see the variety of organisms we recorded. As a birder I was in seventh heaven, seeing birds I hadn't seen for quite a while. The lovely group of Wandering Whistling Duck at Gordonbrook Dam and the Black-eared Cuckoo that Tricia found at the caravan park were two that were highlights for me. Although the gentle Red-winged Parrots, the majestic White-bellied Sea-Eagles and active Varied Sitella were all as noteworthy. At Gordonbrook Dam we recorded an amazing 55 species in an afternoon despite showers of rain that had us all sheltering under the picnic shed. The small group of campers who went to the Wondai State Forest with Pam had a feast as well with Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Speckled Warbler and Painted Button-quail topping the bill. Lastly a couple of members stayed on for another day and went to Reinke Scrub. On the way back to camp, in the cotton fields in the Silverleaf district, a really great bonus – a Bustard! What a way to end a lovely few days in the South Burnett.

Birds – (Compiled from members' sightings by Lesley.) Total 128 species

Bjelke-Petersen Dam Caravan Park and surrounding inlets, 26° 18.343’ S, 151° 59.680’ E (within 500m for land birds). Brown Quail, Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Grey Teal, Australasian Grebe, Common Bronzewing, Crested Pigeon, Bar-shouldered Dove, Tawny Frogmouth, Australasian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, White-faced Heron, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Nankeen Kestrel, Australian Hobby, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Masked Lapwing, Caspian Tern, Galah, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Red-winged Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Pheasant Coucal, Black-eared Cuckoo, Southern Boobook, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike, Rufous Whistler, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Butcherbird, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Golden-headed Cisticola, Tawny

Grassbird, Welcome Swallow, Double-barred Finch. 68 species

Bjelke-Petersen Dam Day-use Area, 26 18.343' S, 151 59.680' E (within 500m). Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Crested Pigeon, Australasian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Masked Lapwing, Caspian Tern, Galah, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Variegated Fairy-wren, Noisy Miner, Australian Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Welcome Swallow. 21 species

Boat Mountain Conservation Park, 26 18.343' S, 151 59.680' E (picnic ground and walk up the mountain).

Brown Cuckoo-Dove, White-browed Scrubwren, Lewin's Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow. 8 species

Jack Smith Scrub, 26 18.343' S, 151 59.680' E. Brown Quail, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Galah, Pheasant Coucal, Brown Gerygone, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Varied Triller, Golden Whistler, Grey Fantail, Torresian Crow, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye. 16 species

Reinke Scrub Conservation Park, Proston, 500m radius of 26° 10.924’ S, 151° 35.120’ E. Eastern Whipbird, Varied Triller, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Spangled Drongo, Rufous Fantail, Torresian Crow, Eastern Yellow Robin, Mistletoebird. 9 species

Wooroolin Wetlands, Wooroolin, 26° 24.420 S, 151°49.222’ E (around the circumference of the lagoon).

Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead (White-eyed Duck), Australasian Grebe, Crested Pigeon, Australasian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Black-shouldered Kite, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Nankeen Kestrel, Purple Swamphen, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Red-winged Parrot (heard), Pale-headed Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Striated Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Striped

Honeyeater, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Australasian Figbird, Olive-backed Oriole, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Leaden Flycatcher, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Tawny Grassbird, Double-barred Finch. 43 species

On the viewing platform at Gordonbrook

Gordonbrook Dam, 26° 26.878’ S 151° 45.224’ E (coordinates on the bird hide, but sighting are from the picnic area along the walk to Water-dragon Inlet). 

Indian Peafowl (four seen around the bird hide), Magpie Goose, Wandering Whistling-Duck, Black Swan, Radjah Shelduck, Australian Wood Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Grey Teal, Hardhead (White-eyed Duck), Australasian Grebe, Crested Pigeon, Bar-shouldered Dove, Australasian Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, White-necked Heron, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, White-faced Heron, Little Egret, Osprey, Black-shouldered Kite, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Whistling Kite, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Black-winged Stilt, Black-fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Comb-crested Jacana, Whiskered Tern, Caspian Tern, Galah, Cockatiel, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Noisy Miner, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Magpie-lark, Welcome Swallow. 55 species

Silverleaf Weir, Murgon, 26° 9.955 S, 151° 48.858’ E. Australian Wood Duck, Little Pied Cormorant, Great Egret, Nankeen Kestrel, Eurasian Coot, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Galah, Pheasant Coucal, Azure Kingfisher, Laughing Kookaburra, Noisy Miner, Brown Honeyeater, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Australian Magpie, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Welcome Swallow, Mistletoebird, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin. 22 species

Wondai State Forest, 26° 21.0’ S, 151° 51.859‘ E (within 300m of this point). Common Bronzewing, Peaceful Dove, Painted Button-quail, Little Lorikeet, Pale-headed Rosella, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Speckled Warbler, Weebill, White-throated Gerygone, Yellow Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, White-throated Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater (heard), Varied Sitella, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Jacky Winter, Mistletoebird, Double-barred Finch. 25 species

Miscellaneous extras, between Boat Mountain in the north to Gordonbrook Dam in the south, Reinke Scrub in the west to Burnett Highway to the east. 

Cattle Egret, Australian White Ibis, Straw-necked Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Pacific Baza, LLittle Corella, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Common Starling, Common Myna, Zebra Finch, House Sparrow. 11 species

Butterflies – Total 23 species

Bjelke-Petersen Dam Caravan Park, 26° 18.343’ S, 151° 59.680’ E (within 500m).

Pale Triangle Graphium eurypylus, White Migrant Catopsilia pyranthe, Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Large Grassyellow Eurema hecabe, Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona, Yellow or Common Albatross Appias paulina, Glasswing Acraea andromacha, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus, Small Green-banded Blue

Psychonotis caelius. 10 species

Bjelke-Petersen Dam Day-use Area, 26 18.343' S, 151 59.680' E (within 500m).

Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus, Large Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus. 5 species

Boat Mountain Conservation Park, 26 18.343' S, 151 59.680' E (picnic ground and walk up the mountain).   Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax. 1 species

Jack Smith Scrub, 26 18.343' S, 151 59.680' E. Tailed Emperor Polyura sempronius, Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona.   2 species

Reinke Scrub Conservation Park, Proston, 500m radius of 26° 10.924’ S, 151° 35.120’ E. Dingy Skipper Toxidia peron, Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus, Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Caper White Belenois java, Southern Pearl White Elodina angulipennis, Dusky Knight Ypthima arctous, Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius, Tailed

Emperor Polyura sempronius, Glasswing Acraea andromacha, Meadow Argus Junonia villida, White-banded Plane Phaedyma shepherdi, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus, Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius, Common Grass Blue Zizina labradus labradus. 15 species

Gordonbrook Dam, 26° 26.878’ S 151° 45.224’ E (coordinates on the bird hide, but sighting are from the picnic area

along the walk to Water-dragon Inlet.) Pale Triangle Graphium eurypylus, Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus, Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona, Cabbage White Pieris rapae, Evening Brown Melanitis leda, Orange Ringlet Hypocysta adiante, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus. 7 species

Wondai State Forest, 26° 21.0’ S, 151° 51.859‘ E (within 300m of this point). Small Grass-yellow Eurema smilax, Black Jezebel Delias nigrina, Glasswing Acraea andromacha, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus. 4 species

Miscellaneous extras, between Boat Mountain in the north to Gordonbrook Dam in the south, Reinke Scrub in the west to Burnett Highway to the east. Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus. 1 species

Mammals – Total 7 species

Bjelke-Petersen Dam Caravan Park, 26° 18.343’ S, 151° 59.680’ E (within 500m). Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus, Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps, Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecular (seen by Von of Woop Woop Wildlife Rescue Inc), Pteropus sp. 4 species

Miscellaneous extras, between Boat Mountain in the north to Gordonbrook Dam in the south, Reinke Scrub in the west to Burnett Highway to the east. Brown Hare Lepus capensis, Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, Whiptail Wallaby Macropus parryi. 3 species

Reptiles – Total 3 species

Bjelke-Petersen Dam Caravan Park, 26° 18.343’ S, 151° 59.680’ E (within 500m). Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata, Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus. 2 species

Gordonbrook Dam, 26° 26.878’ S 151° 45.224’ E (coordinates on the bird hide, but sighting is from the walking track at Water-dragon Inlet). Eastern Water Dragon Intellagama lesueurii. 1 species

Amphibians – Total 6 species (Compiled by Barry) Members reported seeing or hearing the following. Striped Marshfrog, Limnodynastes peronii; Common Green Treefrog, Litoria caerulea; Emerald Spotted Treefrog, Litoria peronii; Stony Creek Frog, Litoria wilcoxii; Cane Toad, Rhinella marina.

But what can one say about the Eastern Sedgefrog, Litoria fallax? It was certainly seen at the dam but had hitched a ride down on one of the vans.

Odonata (dragons and damsels) – Total 7 species (Compiled by Barry)

Mid-April is already late season for the Odonata so that coupled with the showery weather was enough to seriously reduce activity.

Wooroolin Wetlands: Wandering Percher, Diplacodes bipunctata; Blue Skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum; Blackheaded Skimmer, Crocothemis nigrifrons; Common Bluetail, Ischnura heterosticta. All these were found on the road-side verges near the wetland.

Gordonbrook Dam: Three damsels were seen laying eggs in slits they make in the floating vegetation. The Common Bluetail, Ischnura heterosticta; Red and Blue Damsel, Xanthagrion erythroneurum; and the spectacular Gold-fronted Riverdamsel, Pseudagrion aureofrons.

Both the Blue Skimmer and the Black-headed Skimmer were competing for control of the edges.

Fungi list for Bjelke Petersen Dam camp, including all areas visited (Compiled by Glenda)

Amanita species, Boletellus emodensis, Calvatia lilacina, Calvatia species, Crucibulum laeve, Cyptotrama aspratum, Ganoderma species, Geastrum species, Gloeophyllum albietum, Gymnopilus ferruginosus, Lyco-perdon scabrum, Mycena species, Panus fasciatus, Phaeotrametes decipiens, Phellinus species X 2, Pisolithus albus, Pisolithus arhizus, Pisolithus tinctorius, Pycnoporus coccineus, Scleroderma species, Stemonitis species, Stereum species, Trametes species, Unidentified bolete, Xerula gigaspora. 26 species