Backyard Bit

Fireflies can be a festive sight for a brief period in the latter part of the year along the Toowoomba Range escarpment. Fireflies are beetles (Coleoptera), not flies, and they belong to a family found throughout the world (except for Antarctica) called Lampyridae. There are about 2000 species world-wide, but Australia has only 25 described species, all of them confined to the wetter parts of coastal Northern Territory and eastern Australia, especially in rain forest and mangroves. 

The firefly species seen locally is Atyphella scintillans. The males fly just after dusk emitting a series of controlled flashes from light organs on the underside of their body. This is part of their mating sequence. Females also flash but have not been observed to fly with males. Larvae and pupae are also faintly luminous. Synchronised flashing, which is common in New Guinea species, has also been observed in some north Queensland species. 

The ground-dwelling larvae live in moist leaf litter and are predators on small, soft-bodied invertebrates, especially small land snails and slugs. They inject a paralyzing secretion through their mandibles into their victim. The prey's tissues are dissolved extraorally and the liquified mass is then imbibed by the larvae.

Adult fireflies do not eat and only live for a few days.

(Michael Rooke (information courtesy of Rod Hobson)

Outing Report - 4 Nov, 2018 - Ian and Margaret Clarke's Property “Bundara”, Biddeston

An early start meant that we foregathered at Bundara at 7.00am – just as well, as it was quite a warm day! Ian commenced proceedings by giving us an overview of the history of the property, the existing vegetation and the various plantings that had been put in.

Ian has an interest in oaks and has planted a collection over 30 species in number on the property. During our walk around, we saw but a fraction of these. There was of course an English oak Quercus robur, but I made a note of a few others amongst an impressive array. Q.coccifera, the Kermes oak is from the Mediterranean. It hosts the kermes scale insect from which a red dye called 'crimson' was derived. Another that caught my attention was Q.variabilis, the Chinese Cork Oak, which, like its European counterpart, can produce cork.

The existing native trees are dominated by eucalypts, in particular Eucalyptus orgadophila, the Mountain Cool-ibah, E.tereticornis, the Forest Red Gum, and Corymbia tesselaris, the Carbeen/Moreton Bay Ash. I also noted E.sideroxylon, the Mugga/Red Ironbark, and E.meliodora, the Yellow Gum.

There followed a bewildering array of native plantings with a list running into the hundreds, which is a tremen-dous achievement. I will just comment on a few that caught my eye or piqued my interest. Acacia pendula is the wattle with silvery 'weeping' foliage. Atalaya salicifolia (Scrub Whitewood) was eye-catching due to the winged rachis between the leaflets. We saw three Brachychitons – B.populneus, the Kurrajong, B.discolor, the Lacebark, and B.rupestris, the Bottle Tree.

Ian showed us his pecan tree (USA) Carya illinoiensis, which yields little in the way of nuts for humans because the nuts all get eaten by the cockatoos!

We saw Ian's orchid which was briefly elusive as it was up in the fork of a tree, the orchid being Cymbidium canaliculatum, the Black Orchid/Tiger Orchid. We saw four species of Dodonaea including Dodonaea viscosa, which has in the past surprised us, being native also to Zimbabwe and New Zealand! Amongst the Flindersias we saw (I think there were four) was F.maculosa next to the driveway, in spectacular flower. This is another tree which has an attractive 'weeping' habit.

I was interested in Ian's Wilga, Geijera parvifolia.  I had heard that these can be difficult to propagate, but Ian said that his readily produces seedlings around the trees. The Glochidion ferdinandi (Cheese Tree) obligingly assisted with identification by bearing fruit in the shape of miniature cheese rounds which give it its common name. 

Ian has plantations of olives on the property – Olea europea. But he also has the African Olive, O. africanus (possibly a subspecies of the European olive) and, happily an Australian olive, namely, O.paniculata, the Native Olive. Also in the olive department we saw Notelaea linearis, the Narrow-leafed Mock Olive, which has a common name which I doubt is 'common'!

We saw Ozothamnus diosmifolius, the Rice Flower, so called because the flower buds resemble rice grains. Podocarpus elatus struck a familiar note as Podocarpus is well represented in southern Africa as is also Poly-scias. Ian has P. elegans. Zimbabwe has P. fulva.

A lovely splash of yellow colour was provided behind the dam wall by planted Senna artemisioides and S. coronilloides. Senna was previously 'Cassia', until the taxonomists decided to upset the apple cart and split the genus. The name 'artemisioides' is a reference to the appearance of the foliage which resembles that of Arte-misia absinthium, the notorious wormwood from which absinthe derived its flavour. We don't know if Ian has tried making absinthe from his Senna!

There were too many plantings to comment on all of them, but there was an interesting aside on the subject of planting trees. Ian confirmed that he has used road-kill roos in the planting holes over which the new tree is grown. He was asked if this makes a difference and he assured us that it has the trees 'jumping out of the ground'!

A lovely morning's walk in the garden and property was followed by lunch at the Biddeston School where we inspected the plantings of native trees around the oval in preparation for the school's 100^th anniversary.

Thank you to Ian and Margaret Clarke and to Sharon Wilson, principal at Biddeston School.

(Report by Philip Haxen)

Speaker Report November - Extinction of the Australian Megafauna: What is the Evidence?

(Bryce Barker, Professor of Anthropology, University of Southern Queensland)

The Australian megafauna lived during the time known as the Pleistocene, colloquially termed the Ice Age, which occurred between about 1.7 million to 10000 years ago. The megafauna are the extinct ancestors of species which are today much smaller and were characteristic of the Pleistocene not only in Australia, but also the Americas and Eurasia. North America had mammoths, saber- toothed cats and giant sloths for example, (as per my previous talk about the La Brea tarpits near Los Angeles). Africa is the only continent still inhabited by megafauna.

The Australian representatives included Megalania prisca, a seven metre goanna; Diprotodon, at two metres at the shoulder the largest marsupial to have ever existed; Procoptodon goliah, the short faced kangaroo standing over two metres high; Thylacoleo carnifex, termed the marsupial lion, and many others including seven metre snakes and crocodiles, a 2.5 metre turtle and two toothed platypus species double the size of today's species.

There is ongoing debate and controversy as to the causes of extinction of these animals which occurred world-wide. Professor Barker's presentation clearly examined the likely causes by comparing the Australian research with findings from America and Europe.

Broadly, reasons for the extinctions cover three main theories:

•     The arrival of humans with their superior hunting 
•     The effect of humans on the landscape
•     Climate change   

It is possible that all three could have contributed, but Dr Barker laid out the following points regarding human arrival:

1)      Is there evidence of hunting technology coinciding with extinctions?

2)      Are there remains of megafauna in association with human settlements?

3)      Is there rock art depiction of hunting of megafauna?

All three are found in America, Africa and Eurasia.

In North America the earliest hunting technology is the stone projectile or knife, characterised by the 'Clovis Point', a sharp tool knapped from suitable stone and associated with the Clovis people. There are many bones of megafauna associated with these people, and clear signs of penetration of or cuts to the bones (including those of extinct megafaunal bison). So far, although stone tools are plentiful, there is no confirmed evidence of mega-faunal bones associated with Humans in Australian archaeology. Remains of post megafaunal species are how-ever common.

Eurasia also has many finds associating stone projectiles with remains of extinct megafauna. Depiction of hunting seems universal in rock art and is a feature common to all inhabited continents. The Lascaux and Chauvet caves of France are famous, as are the many and widespread bushmen paintings in Africa. So far there is no Australian rock art confirmed as depicting megafauna. Many paintings previously thought to depict megafauna have been dated to well post-extinction and are considered to be 'dreaming' creatures...possibly passed down over many generations from an ancient memory.

Professor Barker then went on to describe a truly remarkable and unique Australian site of human habituation, the Nawala Gabarnmang Rock Shelter, where he has carried out research. Found only just over 10 years ago by two men overflying a remote area of Arnhem land, Northern Territory, the site seemed almost lost to memory. One elderly man recalled camping there with his father in the 1930s.

The shelter is part of an ancient shallow ocean floor where deposits of sand laid down over time were compressed into sandstone, then harder quartzite. When the structure was raised above the sea, erosion of softer sandstone began, leaving pillars of quartzite supporting a roof. About 50 000 years ago people began to use the shelter. The pillars would have then been about a metre apart, and people began to modify the shelter by chipping away some pillars with stone tools to increase space. This was carried out over many generations and they also began to cover all surfaces with paintings. There is layer after layer of paintings, some confirmed as being 28 000 years old! Blocks of broken pillar have been used for grinding coloured ochres, others piled up as platforms for artists to sit or stand on.

No representations of megafauna or their remains have been found at the site. The thylacine is clearly depicted, but it is known that they occurred on the mainland until about 3 000 years ago (possibly displaced by the dingo). There is a painting at a nearby site, of what appears to be a large flightless bird in which a spear is embedded. Research focused on the giant Genyornis newtoni which became extinct about 40 000 years ago. Humans and the bird may have co-existed for some thousands of years. However, dating of the painting showed it to be only 14 000 years old, so it is probably another 'dreaming' beast. It is now believed that only at most 14 species of the original 90 megafauna species were still extant when humans arrived on this continent. The evidence seems then to suggest that direct contact with humans in Australia is an unlikely megafauna extinction culprit. However, many still assert that hunting wiped out the megafauna.

The scientific research continues with ever more sensitive dating techniques such as Optically Stimulated Luminescence OSL, (which dates sediments by measuring when silica was last exposed to sunlight!) which so far matches the older carbon dating. Meanwhile the controversies continue.

(Report by Cheryl Haxen)

Neodypsis decaryi - THREE-CORNERED PALM TREES in TOOWOOMBA - Article by J. T. Swarbrick, September, 2018

Three-cornered (or triangle) palms (also known as Dypsis decaryi) are small but highly ornamental palm trees from Madagascar, where they grow in open areas and forests as well as in rainforest, where the few remaining trees are endangered but protected. They are however widely grown as ornamentals in many climates, including Toowoomba. Three-cornered palms are unique among palms in that the leaves spiral upwards in three distinct ranks. The leaf bases are swollen, overlapping, with white waxy bases, and the rather few leaves on each plant are pinnate, stiffly erect with slightly arching tips, about three metres long and white to green, without basal spines. The sparse stiffly erect leaves with drooping tips give this elegant palm its very distinctive outline. The leaflets are long and narrow, and taper to a fine point. The lowermost leaflets on each side of the leaf develop very long (up to two metres) fine thread-like reins (see photo), a characteristic also found in some other palms.

The trunks of three-cornered palms are 30-40 centimeters thick, greyish and rather rough, and the old leaves dry out on the trunks then fall naturally. This leaves untidy trunks and usually the old leaves are cut away for tidiness, sometimes leaving the bases to accentuate the triangular effect. In nature the palms grow 10-15 meters tall, and although they are easy to cultivate and grow quickly when young they only reach 5-10 metres in cultivation. Established trees are very drought tolerant but need some moisture and require deep rich free-draining soils for best growth. They require a frost-free location.

I only know of two specimens in Toowoomba, one in the front garden of St Mark’s Church in High Street, Rangeville, and one between Matthews Street and Lillian Court in south-west Toowoomba which is visible over the fence beside the eastern drive-through beside the Philharmonic Society Hall in Mathews Street (see photos below). No doubt there are others in the city,

Three-cornered palms grow well in Toowoomba, are of striking appearance and only moderate size, and should be more widely grown in our parks and gardens. The very similar teddy bear palm (Neodypsis lastelliana) has a distinct crown shaft which is densely covered with fuzzy brown hairs.

The three-cornered palm trees in gardens in Lillian Court (left) and in High Street, Toowoomba (right)

Outing Report: Dingo Mountain & Chasely Park, near Crows Nest - 07 October 2018

Despite recent rain and the prospect of more to come about 19 members made their way to our rendezvous in the paddock at the home of Michael and Monica King, on the road to Crows Nest Falls. Here we met up with Steve Plant, member of the Progressive Community of Crows Nest, and the recently formed Crows Nest Community Solutions, a charitable company that has acquired several vacant blocks of land in the area between Bullocky’s Rest and the Crows Nest National Park in order to protect them from development, and eventually make them accessible for environmental enthusiasts.

Steve gave us a brief history of the early settlement and rural industries of the area before leading us across the creek by way of a sandstone outcrop – fortunately still above water level despite the recent rains. Steve was very considerate of those of the party who, in his words, were “less sure-footed” and found us a choice of routes up the bank onto the narrow strip of alluvial land beside the creek, which had provided the only land suitable for the original settlers to crop. To our right was a tumbled band of granite rock, with one presenting a perfect bed for a large colony of rock orchids, a few of which were still in flower.

We then made our way between broken sandstone and clumps of invasive Rhodes grass, and up through the open forest, largely ironbark, until we found several long, crude concrete troughs at ground level, remnants of the original piggery, with evidence of split-wood fencing, foundations of outbuildings, and simple farm mach-inery. As we gained height we were shown a hand-dug cutting nearly two metres deep through the rocky sand-stone ridge, through which the whey from an adjacent butter factory had been gravity fed down to the pig troughs. All of this agricultural activity had been abandoned over 60 years earlier, but it was fascinating to picture what it must have been like for those early pioneers.

Between those “less sure-footed” and those intent on bird-watching and botanical discoveries our progress up Mt Dingo was fortunately quite slow but well worth the climb to enjoy the views from the top of the cliff. Once again, we were offered a choice of routes, from a careful scramble down the cliff to a well-contoured descent back through the forest of grass trees. One of our members pointed out a small clump of tiny hooded orchids that miraculously escaped being mangled by a carelessly-placed boot.

Most of the party met at Bullocky’s Rest for a picnic lunch before driving round to Chasely Park where Steve led us through to the foot of the Pump Hole on Crows Nest Creek, where he showed us a photograph, circa 1910 judging by the fashions of two ladies standing on the ledge below the old “elephant footed” eucalypt that still keeps guard over the pool. Once again Steve pointed out a superb colony of rock orchids blanketing the cliff face, fortunately protected by being on the only part that could not be easily reached by vandals.

We were doubly blessed on this outing, by the rain that had been forecast holding off until we were all just about back home, and by having the privilege of Steve’s leadership, with his comprehensive knowledge of the area, its history, fauna and flora.

(Report by Shirley Cormack)

Bird list for Dingo Mountain and Bullocky’s Rest, Crows Nest  (Jan Veacock)

Dingo Mountain: Little Black Cormorant, Black Duck, Wood Duck, Rufous Night-heron, Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher [a pair flying around where the cars were parked], Peaceful Dove, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Rufous Whistler, Grey Thrush, Grey Fantail, Willie-wagtail, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo shrike, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Noisy Miner aka mickey [nesting], Striated Pardalote, White-throated Gerygone, Eastern Whipbird, Red-backed Wren, Superb Blue Wren, White-throated Tree-creeper, Magpie Lark, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow. 

Bullocky’s Rest: Apostle Bird, Noisy Miner, Pale-headed Rosella, Kookaburra, Torresian Crow, Grey-crowned Babbler, King Parrot, Rainbow Lorikeet, Pheasant Coucal.

Also seen were two koalas at Dingo Mountain Road. I was not present for the last walk to the creek from the small park so I have no list for there. A huge number of cicada shells were seen and photographed on one of the trees in the small park.

Plants at Dingo Hill  (Article and photo by Trish Gardner)

Situated just east of Crows Nest, Dingo Hill preserves a large area of a unique ecosystem type which occurs only on sandstone-derived soil near Crows Nest. We were fortunate to have Steve Plant show us around, as he has a deep knowledge of the history, both natural and human, of the area. Dingo Hill is a naturalists’ paradise, with high diversity of plant species, and the resulting high wildlife diversity that you would expect in these circumstances.

The area is unusual for its large number of Eucalyptus species. One of these is the Helidon ironbark Eucalyptus taurina, a timber notable for splitting with a very straight grain. Unlike the small-leafed ironbark E.crebra, another of the three ironbarks which occur in the area, the Helidon ironbark decays if used in the ground.

However, it was widely used for above-ground structures such as the piggery whose ruins stand on the hill. A noticeable characteristic of the Eucalypt population was the lack of old trees - a common feature of natural areas close to all our towns, where timber was heavily harvested for construction and for firewood. The results are a lack of habitat hollows, and a disproportionate population of applegums (Angophora species), which don’t make good firewood.

Dingo Hill is also unusual in having so many members of Proteaceae family within a very small area. These are three species of Banksia, two Grevilleas, and one species each of Lomatia, Hakea, Persoonia, and Petrophile. Dry rainforest species were in evidence. Examples were the local tuckeroo Cupaniopsis parvifolia, the leopard ash Flindersia collina, and the canthium, Psydrax odoratum. As Steve pointed out, the ecology of the area is fire-dependant, and fires would have kept the numbers of these species low. Without fire, however, the rain-forest species would have been dominant - and this may be the long-term future of Dingo Hill, given that residential development spreads around it, and fires may be unwelcome in the future.

Of interest to all of us were nodules of resin exuding from the trunks of the grasstrees, Xanthorrhoea johnsonii. “Xanthorrhoea” means “yellow flow” (of resin), but in this species the resin flow is red. If warmed, it becomes soft, and was used by Aborigines for gluing axe heads to their handles. It could also be ground to a powder and mixed with water as a medicine. Look for samples which will be brought to the next meeting for Show and Tell.

Flying duck orchid (Caleana minor)

The find of the day was a group of small orchids. At first, we mistook them for greenhoods, as they “nodded” in a similar way, but close examination showed they were something quite different. We eventually discovered they were small flying duck orchids, Caleana minor. This was a new species record for the area. Thank you to John Dearnaley for identifying it for us. 

SPEAKER’S REPORT: Trip to India

For this trip in February 2018, there were four of us and we decided to concentrate on visiting National Parks and spend three to four nights in each area. The first park we visited was Kaziranga National Park in the state of Assam in the north east corner of India. To reach it we flew from Kolkata to Guhwati and then had a five-hour road trip to Kaziranga. We passed through some beautiful lush country where many crops were being grown. On reaching Diphlu River Lodge, which consisted of comfortable high set wooden cottages, Peter and I were given the Cottage that Wills and Kate had slept in.

The park is renowned for its birdlife. It has two thirds of India’s species, and we certainly saw many of these, our guide and driver were both very knowledgeable and knew exactly where the birds would be. The park also has over 2000 one-horned rhino; this is about 70% of all the wild rhinos in India and Nepal. They are a big attraction for tourists but are still being poached for their horns which are sold to Asian markets to be ground up for traditional medicines. To combat this trade there is a considerable anti-poaching team constantly in the park.

We at last got a glimpse of one old tiger which appeared to have an abscess on its front leg which it had had for some time. Our guide told us that sick animals were not allowed to be treated by Vets although in other states they were treated.

Travelling by air and train we arrived in the state of Utterakhand to visit Corbett Park. We found that travelling by train was by far the best transport, as it was punctual and relaxing with good service. The park is in the foothills of the Himalayas and is very well watered with glacial rivers and big areas of Sal forest. Again, the birdlife was prolific, and we had many good sightings. There are wild elephant in the park, also some domesticated ones. These are no longer ridden by tourists hunting for tigers as it has been found to be painful for their backs to carry tourists.

We only saw one tigress here but had amazing views of her as she crossed in front of our Jeep, went down the bank and swam across the river. We were surprised how habituated she was to humans; there were about 10 jeeps following her and she didn’t appear at all concerned.

Next stop was Ranthambore in Rajasthan. This is another park renowned for Tigers and again we had very good views of them. The park has many different areas with different habitats including some beautiful lakes with many water birds, crocodiles and swamp deer. A rare animal to be seen here is the insectivorous sloth bear which feeds on insects and also honey. We saw a mother and two cubs who were enjoying themselves playing and rolling around in a fluffy ball.

Finally, we went to look for leopards at Jawai Park. It was a rocky area overlooking a large dam and the leopard live in the caves dotted around the hills. They have coexisted with the local villagers for many years; occasionally they take sheep or goats in which case the villagers are reimbursed by the Government as tourism is a good money earner. We only had a brief glimpse of a young leopard about a kilometer away, but we enjoyed learning about the villagers and their farming methods.

(Report and photos by Alison Evans)

Fungus - White Punk

The insect-riddled fungus brought to the August meeting was Laetiporus portentosus. It is also called White Punk. They are mostly on the ground rotting and full of insect holes as they often grow in the top branches of tall Eucalypts. This one was found by Trish Gardner and Francis Mangubhai while bushwalking in Eucalypt forest in the Hellhole Gorge area between Cunningham's Gap and Goomburra. This website has more information.

http://australianfungi.blogspot.com/2007/09/26-laetiporus-portentosus.html 

(Information supplied by Glenda Walter and Trish Gardner.  Photo by Barbara Weller)

   

White Punk Laetiporus portentosus

                                               

Land snails, Bardee Grubs and the Packalacca -- by Rod Hobson

These few notes are presented as a result of member’s enquiries after our August monthly meeting and the subsequent field trip to Emu Creek. At our monthly meeting two specimens were presented for identification and the member’s comments. The first was displayed by Trish Gardner and was the dead, bleached shell of a native land snail Sphaerospira fraseri (Fraser’s Banded Snail). The mollusc was given to Trish by Steve Plant. Steve had found the shell in an area of revegetated dry vine scrub on his property at Pechey along with another native land snail Pedinogyra hayii (Hay’s Flat-coiled Snail). Both snails are sympatric across a lot of their range in south-east Queensland although Fraser’s Banded Snail extends south into the Clarence River area of north-eastern New South Wales. Both species are found in dry rainforest thickets although Fraser’s Banded Snail also extends into surrounding sclerophyll woodland. Both snails can be found under logs and rocks in damp situations. A very similar snail to fraseri is also found in similar situations in south-east Queensland. It is the Pale Banded Snail Figuladra mattea. Living snails can be easily distinguished as mattea has a red mantle whereas in fraseri this is black. Dead shells are somewhat more problematical to separate. A dead specimen shell of Hay’s Flat-coiled Snail was displayed at our July meeting from dry vine scrub at the base of Camels Hump east of Picnic Point. All these snails are a favourite food of the beautiful Noisy Pitta, Pitta versicolor.

Pupa case of Rain moth Trictena atripalpis (photo M. Rooke)

The second specimen from the night was brought in by Michael Rooke. It was found recently by Michael and Diane Pagel on a walk below Shannon Park at Highfields. It was an old pupa case of the Rain Moth Trictena atripalpis. This moth is also known as the Giant Rain Moth and the larva as a Bardee Grub. The Rain Moth is a widespread species belonging to the family Hepialidae and is found throughout southern Australia including Tasmania. It is a large moth with the wingspan of males reaching 12 cm and those of the female growing to 16 centimetres. The larva of this moth can spend several years underground feeding on the roots of adjacent trees. It emerges from the ground after rain hence its common name. Bardee Grub is somewhat of a misnomer for these larvae as Bardee is more correctly applied to the larva of the beetle Bardistus cibiarius. The discarded pupae cases can be found partly protruding from the ground after rain, as was the case around Toowoomba earlier this year. In March these cases were observed after rain in Garnet Lehmann Park, the Bridle Trail in Redwood Park, in the Lions Park at Picnic Point, on the Pardalote Walk below Picnic Point and from a private residence at Wyreema. The larvae are popular as baits with freshwater anglers.

On our last outing to John and Liz O’Brien’s Emu Creek property a conversation arose about a large, heavily buttressed tree growing close to their residence. It was an old specimen of the exotic Packalacca or Ombu Phytolacca dioica. It is a native of the Pampa of South America where it features heavily in gaucho culture. It can grow into a large tree with a canopy from 12-15 metres and a height of 12-18 metres. It is a valued shade tree and was a popular planting around dairies and livestock pens in south-east Queensland historically, but many have since disappeared, as these areas have been subsumed by urban spread and the dairying industry has declined. They’re getting to be a rarity these days. The large leaves are said to be palatable to cattle, but the roots are reported to be poisonous, however there is some doubt even about the palatability of the leaves as fodder. The Packalacca is in the same genus as the common local weed, the introduced Ink Weed or Dyeberry Phytolacca octandra and the Poke Weed Phytolacca americana from the United States. Pokeweed has been recorded from the Gold Coast hinterland area.  Although the Packalacca is an exotic it doesn’t appear to be invasive and its gaunt, sentinel form over old dairies on the Darling Downs and the Lockyer was a pleasant feature to behold. Its passing is with regret, at least by this writer.

Acacia resinicostata (Article and photo by Trish Gardner)

A diversion on our club outing to Sandisock (Sunday 05 August) gave us an opportunity to look at a very uncommon wattle. Acacia resinicostata grows in only a few disconnected places in Queensland - the Djuan population we saw on our Sunday outing, another population near Karara, and two populations in the Carn-arvon Range and the White Mountain National Park between Charters Towers and Hughenden.

Acacia resinicostata buds

This disjunct population suggests that at some time in the very distant past, the ecosystem between White Mountain and Karara provided opportunities for a continuous population to spread. The plants we saw were waist to shoulder height. They were in bud and may be showily in flower by the time you get this newsletter. Angus Stewart recommends it as a garden plant.

“Resinicostata” refers to resin and ribs. The branchlets, leaves and buds are covered in resin, with the ribs of the branchlets being covered with tiny resiny lumps. (You need a magnifying glass to see them well.)

For anyone who would like to look at the plants, head north on the New England Highway through Crows Nest then take Emu Creek Road to the right. Divert from there (another right turn) into Old Emu Creek Road. There were some roadside plants on the right just past the dump.

August Outing Report to Sandisock, Emu Creek

Twenty members took the meandering route through countryside between Goombungee and the New England Highway, pausing at Hampton. We took in the history of this once large town, and appreciated the one remaining commercial building, the very charming general store. For some members, this provided a welcome chance to buy coffee.

The roadkill count, 18 Red-necked Wallaby and two Swamp Wallaby (with the conspicuous white tip to their tails) led us to think that there must be plenty of these animals in the Hampton area. Nine living Red-necked Wallaby were also seen. Rod Hobson told us that the Swamp Wallaby had almost disappeared from the area but seems to be making a comeback.

Arriving at Sandisock, we were greeted with scones, jam and cream. Our hosts Graham and Adrienne Jocumsen have owned this getaway block for nearly 40 years and could tell us much about it. Its geology is interesting and varied, with some ancient granite outcrops, some much more modern basalt overlay, and some sandstone and conglomerate in between.

We separated into two groups, one to walk in the creek (more interesting birds) and one to go over the hill (more interesting plants). The birds were appreciating the permanent water in the creek. Like most of the district, Sandisock vegetation was looking sad because of the drought. However we found much to interest us in the narrow-leafed ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra) woodland on the hill, and noted a number of vine scrub plants including Sweet Suzie, Psydrax odoratum, Triangle-leafed Hopbush Dodonaea triangularis (with its leaves that look like duck’s feet), Narrow leafed Hopbush Dodonaea viscosa, Scrub tuckeroo Cupaniopsis parvifolia, Leopard Ash Flindersia collina, Urn Heath Melichrus urceolata, Scrub Boonaree Alectryon diversifolius, and Chain fruit Alyxia ruscifolia.

Acacia paradoxa – prickly wattle (photo: Diana Ball)

We could only find small specimens of many of these plants, which suggests that in the absence of fire these rainforest-type species are invading what was once a dry sclerophyll environment. The most interesting plant was the Kangaroo Wattle, Acacia paradoxa - a prickly monster (see photo). One of the specimens was in bud and will be very pretty when in full flower. Not common in our district, it is found on the line of sandstone which runs through Goombungee. That area has some very different plants from the rest of the Eastern Downs, as often happens on poor soil.

Insects of interest were the Australian Emperor dragonfly, and an Eastern Brown butterfly. In all it was a very enjoyable day. Thank you very much Graham and Adrienne, for welcoming us to your special hideaway.

Members enjoying lunch at Sandisock (photo: Trish Gardner)

(Report by Trish Gardner)

Checklist for August outing to “Sandisock”, Emu Creek SEQ

at GDA94 – 56J E399946 x N7003822; +/- 500 metres.  (Compiled by Rod Hobson)

Golden Whistler                                  White-throated Honeyeater                Torresian Crow

Rufous Whistler                                  Brown Honeyeater                              Silvereye

Grey-crowned Babbler                       Noisy Miner                                        Red-browed Finch

Australian Magpie                               Red-backed Fairy-wren                      Striated Pardalote

Galah                                                   Superb Fairy-wren                              Pied Currawong

White-throated Gerygone                   Laughing Kookaburra                         Lewin’s honeyeater

Yellow-faced Honeyeater                   Grey Fantail                                        Magpie-lark

• Macquarie Turtle Emydura macquarii x 1 (remains; adult; carapace and plastron only)
• Giant Centipede Ethmostigmus rubripes x 2
• a centipede Scolopendra laeta x 1
• Bennett’s Woodland Snail Pallidelix bennetti x 2 (dead shells only)            
• Australian Emperor Anax papuensis x 1
• Wandering Percher Diplacodes bipunctata x 1
• Monarch Danaus plexippus
• European Honey Bee Apis meliffera (feral hive)
• Black-headed Strobe Ant Opisthopis rufithorax
• Brown Shield Ant Meranoplus sp.
• Giant Bull Ant Myrmecia gulosa
• 
  Southern Meat Ant Iridomyrmex purpureus
• a leaf beetle Paropsisterna octolineata
• Tiger Assassin bug Havinthus rufovarius
• a shield bug Theseus modestus (adult and nymph)
• a cricket Leptogryllus sp. (identified by Matthew Connors)
• a spider Hemicloea roganhoferi
• a jumping spider Astia hariola x3 (2 female, 1 male))
• a jumping spider Holoplatys planissima
• a jumping spider Servaea incana x 3
• Huntsman spider Delena cancerides x 2
• Redback Spider Latrodectus hasseltii x 2 (female)

August Speaker Report: Pleistocene Megafauna of the Darling Downs

Ian and Diane Sobbe from Clifton brought part of their interesting collection of fossils to this presentation. Ian is a retired farmer, but he has had an interest in fossils since childhood and is now an Honorary Researcher at the Queensland Museum as well as a founder of the Clifton Megafauna Group. The extinct Darling Downs megafauna date from about 85,000 to 120,000 years ago, and their deposition characteristics represent events such as climate change and flood events during this time.

The best known of the megafauna is Diprotodon, a giant herbivorous marsupial standing two metres at the shoulder. Adults had jaws one metre long. Its closest living relatives are probably wombats. Fossil bones of the megafauna are seldom found as complete skeletons. Bones are usually found in deposits resulting from ancient creeks, in meanders where coarser sands and gravels deposited. Skulls tended to wash down first.

Carbon dating has not proved reliable, but an advanced method of dating quartz in which the fossil is deposited has proved more accurate. Quartz begins to absorb radiation when buried, and this can be measured. This dating shows that the megafauna evolved at the time when the climate changed dramatically from about 120,000 years ago. The climate seems to have dried, altering the vegetation from vine thicket to grassland. Remains of frogs and snails in earlier deposits indicate that the environment was much wetter in the past. 

Grassland suited Diprotodon and a whole ecosystem of larger fauna existed, including a five-metre carnivorous reptile Megalania, which was probably related to the extant Komodo Dragon. Three species of crocodile have been identified; one saltwater and one even larger, as well as a terrestrial species. The best-known mammalian carnivore is Thylacoleo, the so-called marsupial lion, a powerful predator with distinctive large premolar teeth and jaws, and musculature for massive bite pressure.

About 30 species of wallabies and kangaroos included some larger than any extant species and including long-faced and short-faced kangaroos. There were also larger wombats standing about one metre high. Speculation

Diprotodon jaw bone

continues as to the reasons for the extinction of Australia's megafauna. Debate concerns climate versus human involvement. Climate change seems to have been the major factor, but research continues.

Remains of megafauna are found over a large part of Australia, but the Downs have revealed a rich share of fossils. Digging and research continues, and new discoveries are being made. Fossil bones are carefully encased and removed for preservation by treatment with a Perspex-like solution. Many megafauna fossils are overseas, in the British Museum and in other places including the Paris Natural History Museum. However, the Clifton group have a large collection, and are hoping to eventually develop a dedicated museum in Clifton. About $5 million is needed to develop the building and interpretative displays.

There are a number of books about the megafauna, and plenty of online information, including short videos of Ian speaking about his work and the museum. Google 'Clifton Megafauna' to view these. There is also a Face-book group; look for Clifton Megafauna Group Inc. If any of you are going to Brisbane, there is a good exhibit of Australia's palaeontology at the Queensland Museum.

Field Naturalist members looking at fossils

(Report by Sheryl Haxen)

Update on Birdwing Butterflies at Townsville (by Barbara Weller)

The caterpillars eventually stripped and ring-barked the vine and had to be relocated for their survival. Approximately 50 caterpillars and pupae were adopted by a carer. My daughter was given a replacement vine which, when I visited recently, had two very large caterpillars living on it. There was also a female Birdwing Butterfly flying around, no doubt, looking for a place to lay her eggs.

(Photos by Karen Weller)

Stripped vine

Birdwing Caterpillar

Caterpillars ready to pupate

Queensland Road Trip - article and photos by Mary Petr

In May I took my brother and his girlfriend on a three-week road trip – Carnarvon Gorge, Blackdown Table-land National Park, Eungella National Park, Cania Gorge National Park, Lady Elliot Island, Noosa Headland, and Mary Cairncross Park, as well as Girraween and Bald Rock after we returned to Toowoomba. They loved everything. After the platypuses at Eungella, they said they wanted to see an echidna. I told them not to count on it. But three days later we saw two, which did not seem at all bothered by being followed around and photographed. In fact, one of them was about 30 seconds away from climbing over our feet when one of us stepped aside. It rolled up, then unrolled and continued on towards us. I stepped aside and this time it changed direction. But I could not give them a koala. My brother took videos of the platypuses and echidnas which are at the following YouTube links:  rxxl9F6Htas   73sXPa7kZSg. 

Echidna

Platypus

Fairy Dell Gully - Neil McKilligan

Our member Jan Veacock did a good piece of detective work in unearthing a map locating Fairy Dell Gully (FDG) in the western Helidon Hills. Judged by E.A.R. Lord’s October 1956 map, reproduced in the Darling Downs Naturalist, the FDG Creek discharges into 15-Mile Creek a short distance upstream from where Para-dise Creek joins 15 Mile. Its tributaries originate on the eastern slopes of White Mountain.

These are my impressions of this fascinating rocky terrain from having walked its length several times (as have some bush walking members of the TFNC). My topographic map Murphys Creek 9343-33 shows Fairy Dell Gully but does not name it. Veteran bushwalker Bill Hoogendoorn named it Bum Bum Creek, presumably after some discomfiting accident on its steep slopes. My book Bush Walks in the Toowoomba Region (McKilligan and Savage 2009) identifies FDG as part of Walk 14 and shows the walk route following much of the length of FDG and one of its tributaries. Along most of its length it is steep walled and its sandstone floor is gently sloping and clear of debris and other obstacles to progress. Its tributaries are steep and narrow but sculpted by erosion into a series of stone steps that make for easy climbing. This area has an abundance of native wild flowers but I have seen no fairies!

One can access its tributaries from the slopes of White Mountain but more easily locate its mouth as follows. Drive from Murphys Creek township via the road that would eventually take you to Hampton, but after 2.4 km turn right into Paradise Creek Road and follow it to where it turns and goes sharply downhill. You can ignore the Keep Out signs as this is a public road. Park at this bend and enjoy the view across 15-Mile Creek to Red Rock, a high, red coloured cliff favoured by assailers. Wild flowers are prolific on this rocky ridge. Walk or drive the steep, rough track down to near the junction of Paradise and 15-Mile Creeks. Fairy Dell Gully Creek is roughly 100 metres upstream. Due to the 2011 flood its entrance is partly obscured by fallen timber but it is still accessible.

Pale Field Rat - Rattus tunneyi

This rat is distinguished by long, bridled yellowish-brown fur, paler than other Australian rodents; large protuberant eyes, relatively large ears; somewhat tapering muzzle and pale feet. It inhabits well-watered tropical and sub-tropical tall grassland. By day it sleeps in a nest in a shallow burrow system with several pop-holes. At night it feeds on grass stems, seeds and roots. Breeding occurs in autumn in Queensland and somewhat later in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The female has 10 teats and usually rears four or five young who become independent around three weeks of age.

 

         (Submitted by Lauren Marlatt, from Mammals of Australia)

July 2018 Outing Report: Pechey Homestead

Twenty-one members and three visitors made their way to Pechey Homestead, near Crows Nest, to visit the property of John O’Brien and Liz Pechey. Their property had, as John explained at the beginning, three strands of ‘forestry’: (i) about 30 acres of blackbutts and spotted gums (ii) about 30 acres of hoop pines, and (iii) about 5.5 hectares of semi-evergreen vine thicket. This last patch had been cleared by the family of most of the weeds, such as asparagus ferns, privet, and lantana. Also on hand was Steve Plant (and his son Alex) to lead us on walks through at least two of these patches.

Hoop pine

Our walk, on this cold morning, began with a slow amble through the garden around the old homestead. There was a hoop pine that, in a photo of 1921, was about 60 centimetres tall but after almost a hundred years is a magnificent giant. As we walked around we were also informed about a number of things: ecofarm stay that was being offered, that the water table underneath the property was 400 feet down, that Jarawair artefacts had been found on the property and, with the approval of the Jarawair people, had been made a part of the landscape near the homestead. We walked past the ‘History Hut’, where some early photos of the area and the family sawmill were displayed, as were a collection of accounting books from the sawmill days. The hut also contained old books, which were part of a library.

After the short garden walk, we went with Steve Plant to the vine scrub. He explained how the disappearance of a top storey of trees led to this vine scrub. This area was cleared about a 100 years ago and what we see today is a 100 years growth. Among the things pointed out were: orange boxwood (May-tenus disperma), climbing black-fruited asparagus (Asparagus plumosus) and how to get rid of it, crows ash (Flindersia australis) – which raised a discussion about how good its wood was and how it had been used in halls (made a good dance floor); a weed, corky passion fruit (*Passiflora suberosa), a patch of hoop pines obviously planted in a line, brush caper berry (Capparis arborea) with its two thorns (now) in between which had been the leaf of the plant. Other plants and trees that were pointed out were: black-fruited thornbush (Pittosporum viscidum), lignum (Vitex lignum-vitae), grey gums (Eucalyptus biturbinata), brush box (Lophostemon confertus) climbing red-fruited asparagus (*Asparagus africanus) and bridal asparagus (*Asparagus asparagoides). (Ed: the asterisk marks the weedy introduced species). Looking at the list above, it is obvious that the work of eliminating weeds is an ongoing struggle.

Destroyed patch of blady grass

Our next walk was to another patch of the property, a former pine forest. Steve Plant was full of information about this patch, how the remnants had been destroyed to start a pine forest, rather than re-planting it with more of the types of trees that had been felled. The following were pointed out to us: Ebony tree (Diospyros australis), stringy bark (Eucalyptus eugenioides), blue gum (Eucalyptus saligna), tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys), and Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana). We also saw a patch of blady grass (Imperata cylindrica), part of which looked as if it had been poisoned. Steve Plant explained that underground there was a network of tunnels created by native rats (Rattus tunneyi) and they loved eating the tuber of the grass because it was sweet (food on demand during the season!!) and thus killing it.

This walk took us to lunchtime enjoyed in the sun in the open. Even though it was cold, the day was enjoyable because of the generosity of John and Liz, and the knowledge of Steve Plant as he led us through two of the three special patches on the property. 

(Report by Francis Mangubhai, with thanks to Trish Gardner 

for help with the names of the plants)

Bird List for Pechy Outing (compiled by Nicci Thompson)

Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Rainbow Lorikeet, Superb Fairywren, Eastern Spinebill, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Australian Magpie, Varied Sittella, Eastern Yellow Robin, Red-browed Finch, Double-barred Finch.