OUTING REPORTS - Helidon Hills, 06 October

In a good year, this would have been a truly wonderful outing. We had a very knowledgeable guide in Martin Bennet. He took us to two different sites, not far apart but on different soils, each with its different suite of flowering plants. Both were species-rich sites but alas, the season is so dry that there were no flowers to be seen at all. A future outing to the same sites in a good spring would be very rewarding.

We did enjoy seeing the “Koala fern” (Caustis blakei) in its native habitat and discussed the fact that it is no longer being wild-collected for floristry. Research at the Gatton Branch of the University of Queensland has found the secret of propagating this difficult plant, so it is now being grown for the industry. We also marvelled at the “un-grevillea-like” leaves of Grevillea singuliflora, and looked for adult trees of the woody pear (Xylo-melum pyriforme ). There were many young plants, with their very distinctive leaves, but no mature ones to be found.

Those of us who love plants whether they were flowering or not had a great morning. Others probably wouldn’t include this one in any list of the club year’s highlights, especially as the birding was also very poor.

As usual, though, we managed to enjoy ourselves. Outings are always a good chance to spend a happy morning with friends, and it was good to catch up with Martin as well. We also had the pleasure of the company of several people from Lockyer Uplands Catchments Inc (LUCI). Thank you, Bob and Sandy, for your parts in organising it for us.                                                                                                                             

(This part of the report by Trish Gardner)

Thirteen members plus two guests gathered at Helidon for an excursion approximately ten kilometres along the Seventeen Mile Road. We visited two areas of diverse vegetation and soil types (see detailed lists). Despite the heat we enjoyed the walks and morning tea at the roadside. The effect of dry weather was evident and there appeared to be limited bird movements. Enthusiastic discussion on vegetation and soils resulted in a very interesting learning experience. We had lunch at Helidon Park, with a brief overview of the formation and uniqueness of Helidon freestone, including its commercial use, particularly in the public buildings in Brisbane. Quantities of this stone are exported, mainly to China.  There was also a brief history of the various sandstone quarries that were located along the Seventeen Mile Road and Air Force Road.

The Helidon Hills is not renowned for its birdlife, presumably because of the lack of water on dry stony ridges. However, on this occasion the birds were missing, hopefully in action elsewhere in the district. Alice Creek is not far away as the bird flies. There were birds at our lunch spot in Helidon township. These included brown honeyeaters which were very vocal. Our thanks to Jan Veacock, Bob Fuller and Martin Bennett for their efforts in planning this excursion.                                                                                       

(This part of the Report by Sandy Eastoe and Jan Veacock)

Bird Report for Helidon Hills outing

Past Helidon Hills excursions have primarily exhibited a “botanical bent” in their naturalist purposes and Jan Veacock has said that a list of seven bird sightings has historically been a good result – with Yellow-faced Honeyeaters often predominating. Most of these past excursions would have been in good, or at least “aver-age”, seasons.

Today, on our two stops on tracks leading from Seventeen Mile Road, a little north of the Goldmine Road turn-off, we struggled to compile a “heard” list. This is an index of our utterly dry winter/spring circumstance, our walking along ridge-top tracks (therefore no surface water – and probably none in the creek lines well below either!) and our walking in the heat of the day. The vegetation was stressed, with only the grasstrees consist-ently looking freshly green.

We heard the Grey Shrike-thrush, intermittently, and at some distance; the White-throated Tree-creeper, occasionally; the Striated Pardalote; and few other anonymous, muted churrings. [NOTE: no Yellow-faced Honeyeaters at all.] I “saw” only one LBB (little brown bird), 20 metres away in the canopy, as it promptly doubled its distance from me. A thornbill was my guess.

At morning-tea, first Shirley Cormack with hot coffee, then John Ball with wetted dried fruits, were tantalising many native bees that were quickly attracted to any available moisture.                                            

(This part of the Report by Ben Gundry)

Bird List Courtesy of Lesley Beaton

Helidon Hills (27°28’39” S 152°9’47” E) Lockyer National Park, I think.

Birds: White-throated Treecreeper, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Striated Pardalote, White-naped Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-thrush, Leaden Flycatcher, Eastern Yellow Robin.

Stag Beetle, family Lucanidae: probably Golden Stag Beetle (Lamprima aurata) – found dead in an old spider’s web. Spider: Leaf Curling Araneus (Araneus dimidiatus) – not the web the beetle was caught in.  

Plant report courtesy of Martin Bennet

Both tracks were off Seventeen Mile Road, locality Seventeen Mile, 10.8km NNE of the Township of Helidon.

• ​First walking track, -27.477458°, 152.163090

Regional ecosystems mapped under the Vegetation Management Act (VMA) contained the following ecosystems, or not, just mapping after all and is not ground truth.

12.9-10.5 Least concern - Shrubby woodland complex. More widely distributed and abundant species include Corymbia trachyphloia subsp. trachyphloia, C. citriodora subsp. variegata, Eucalyptus crebra, E. fibrosa subsp. fibrosa, E. major, Angophora leiocarpa, E. helidonica. Understorey of sclerophyllous shrubs. Localised occurrences of Eucalyptus baileyana, E. pilularis, Corymbia henryi, E. dura, E. decorticans (extreme west of bioregion), E. taurina, Angophora woodsiana, Lysicarpus angustifolius and Lophostemon confertus. Tends to shrubland or monospecific woodland of species such as Eucalyptus dura on shallow lithosols. Occurs on quartzose sandstone scarps and crests. (BVG1M: 9h)

12.5.6 Endangered - Eucalyptus siderophloia, E. propinqua and/or E. pilularis open forest +/- Corymbia intermedia, E. microcorys, E. acmenoides, E. tereticornis, E. biturbinata, Lophostemon confertus with E. saligna, E. montivaga at higher altitudes. Occurs on remnant Tertiary surfaces. Usually deep red soils. (BVG1M: 9a)

12.5.1 Least concern - Woodland to open forest complex generally with Corymbia trachyphloia, C. citriodora subsp. variegata +/- Eucalyptus crebra, E. longirostrata, C. intermedia, E. major, E. fibrosa subsp. fibrosa (can be locally common) and E. acmenoides. Localised occurrences of Eucalyptus taurina, E. decorticans, E. dura, E. cloeziana and E. melanoleuca. Understorey grassy or shrubby. Occurs on remnant Tertiary surfaces, usually with deep red soils. (BVG1M: 10b)

Some of these ecosystems have up to six variations to the description stated above. 

• ​​2nd, Petrophile Track, -27.471585, 152.169262

Regional ecosystems mapped under the Vegetation Management Act.

The highlights would have been the following species,

• ​Petrophile canescens, Conesticks
• Eucalyptus planchoniana, Planchons stringybark
• Caustis blakei subsp. macrantha, Koala fern a Threatened species
• Caustis flexulosa, Curly wig​