Saturday: Lake Broadwater Conservation Park summary from the Club newsletter
The
Park lies 30 kilometers south west of Dalby on a broad alluvial plain that
drains north into the Condamine River via Wilkie Creek. Lake Broadwater is fed
from two ephemeral streams, Broadwater and Surveyors Gully. It dries out in
periods of extended drought and even in times of good rain it is only three to four
metres deep, which is how we experienced it at the time of our visit.
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| Belah - rounded cones |
Members and visitors gathered at the Wilga Campground early in the morning to
learn about the local geology and formation of the Lake, before investigating
the flora. The ecosystem in this area is Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) /Wilga
(Geij-era parviflora) Scrub. We identified these trees and were shown how
to tell the difference between two other abundant species: Belah (Casuarina
cristata) and Bull Oak (Allocasuarina luehmannii).
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Bull Oak - flattened cones
|
Our next
location was the south-west corner of the Park and with permission we drove through open Poplar Box (Eucalyptus populnea) woodland also known as Bimble Box. The dominant tree species was White Cypress Pine (Callitris glaucaphylla),
Bulloak and Belah, with an open understorey of forbs and grass-like plants (lomandra,
sedge, dianella, murdannia). Woody Pear (Xylomelum pyriforme) with its
“clothes peg” woody fruit was a first for many. We saw three species of
mistletoe and sampled fruit from the Drooping Mistletoe (Amyema pendula)
discovering that the tasty
berries are called “snotty gobbles”, referring to the slimy, sticky substance
surrounding the seeds. A damp patch on the track supported a colony of Sundew (Drosera
indica).
Sunday 2 May: Morning walk at "Highwoods", Jimbour
Majestic
bottle trees (Brachychiton rupestris) are a welcoming sign at the
entrance to Highwoods property, East Jimbour, and these bottle trees make an
emphatic statement of the owners’ commitment to conservation on this property. Remnant forest covers 30 percent
of the property, 40 percent is regrowth, and 30 percent open grazing. Running
cattle on the open grazing section has already enabled half of the property to
be paid for.
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| Grey-crowned Babblers |
The group quickly became spread out, but not before the sighting of the larvae and pupae of the Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio aegeus) on a Belah (Casuarina crostata). Early on the walk, there was a double treat, with both the spectacular caterpillar of the Joseph’s coat moth (Agarista agricola) and the chrysalis of the Common Crow butterfly (Euploea core) on the same bush.
Other sightings were of the blue skimmer dragonfly (Orthetrum caledonicum), Orchard Swallowtail (Papilio
aegeus), and Golden Orb-weavers (Trichonephila edulis). Grey-crowned
Babblers could be heard. Bird alarm calls
indicated that a Hobby (Falco longipennis) was on the hunt nearby. The
Hobby is a medium-sized falcon and is among the most agile and acrobatic birds
of prey. Resting beside
the tranquil main dam on the property two members found an echidna nearby. An echidna is often seen at the dam, and
is thought to be a resident animal.
Sunday 02 May –
afternoon walk at “Highwoods”, Jimbour
The
afternoon commenced with a brief description of the difference between native dung beetles (dung buriers) and introduced dung beetles (ball rollers). We saw a round dung ball made by an introduced beetle. There were several Acacia tenuinervis, a rare species of wattle found only in south-east Queensland and only within a very restricted area. We walked along the start of the track covered in the morning, but then progressed north-east over basalt country, mostly grassy, but with patches of vine scrub. The stand-out trees were
the beautiful Queensland Bottle Trees (Brachychiton rupestris). Other plants
that aroused the writer’s interest included Scrub Sandalwood (Exocarpus
latifolius), a parasitic tree, which, in this case, was parasitizing a
Small-leafed Condoo (Planchonella cotinifolia). Ground-cover Plumbago (Plumbago
zeylanica) was spotted in a shady area and Rough Silkpod vine (Parsonsia
lanceolata) was evident as seedlings in the grass and twining up trees and
shrubs. Plumbago is host plant to the Plumbago/Zebra Blue butterfly (Leptotes
Plinius), and the Silk Pod hosts the Common Crow butterfly (Euploea core).
We enjoyed the aromatic scent of Mintweed (Salvia reflexa) crushed
underfoot. The Narrow-leafed Croton (Croton phebalioides) was new to me
– the reverse of its leaves are silvery and old leaves turn a vivid orange before
they fall. Buffel Grass (Cenchris ciliaris) with its fluffy “fox tail”
flower heads, an introduced pasture grass, was also new.
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White Crowned Snake
–
image accessed on the internet 07 May 2021,
with permission from Snake Catchers
Brisbane |
There was great excitement with the discovery of a small White Crowned Snake (Cacophis harriettae) under an overturned log - a "first" for the property. This nocturnal snake was very patient as it was handled gently so that all could view it and after being released it disappeared into a fissure in the log. The final stop on this walk was the mandarin tree where we were all treated to the delicious fruit before returning to relax around the campfire.
Sunday 02 May Evening: Spotlighting at "Highwoods"
We set off with some excitement after
nightfall, hoping to spot some interesting critters
after an early dinner around the fire. at ‘’Highwoods’’. First port of call was the light trap about 20 metres
down the track, where
he had set up a white spot-lit sheet on which a variety of mostly tiny moths
were crawling and fluttering. Two dragonflies and a variety
of other insects
also found the light hard to resist. The next few weeks will be spent identifying what was collected. We found various beetles, a katydid and saw numerous wolf spiders. Our entomologists will let us know their identities at a later date.
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Gehyra dubia
Photograph from Cogger, HG (2014) |
The rustling
of a Dubious Dtella Gecko (Gehyra dubia) was heard in the leaf litter on the
floor of the dry vine scrub, with ensuing encirclement
by the field Nats to have a good look. A Pale-headed Snake (Hoplocephalus bitorquatus) was under some bark a short distance from the gecko
in the scrub. A yellow patterned
Diamond Python or Carpet Snake (Morelia spilota), about one metre in length was spotted by the rear guard of
naturalists. Unlike Pale-headed Snakes young Carpet Snakes are hatched from external eggs. The only mammal the group spotted
was a single Brush-Tail Possum
(Trichosurus vulpecula)
known to occur on the property. |
Hoplocephalus bitorquatus
Photograph from Cogger, HG (2014)
|
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Morelia spilota
Photograph by Mike Ford (2019) |
References: Cogger, H.G. (2014) ‘Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia’ Seventh Edition, CSIRO Publishing 1033 pp.
Wilson, S and Swan, G (2013,) Á Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition, New Holland Publishers, 592 pp
SPECIES LIST: “Highwoods”, Jimbour East
MAMMALS: Short-beaked
Echidna, Common Brushtail Possum, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Black-striped Wallaby,
Red-necked Wallaby, Swamp Wallaby, Red Fox, Dingo, Rabbit.
BIRDS:
Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebe, Common Bronzewing, Crested Pigeon, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered
Dove, Tawny Frogmouth, White-faced
Heron, Straw-necked Ibis, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Falcon, Australian Hobby, Painted Button-quail, Galah, Little Corella, Sulphur-crested
Cockatoo, Cockatiel, Australian King Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Blue Bonnet (red-vented),
Pheasant Coucal, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy-wren, White-browed
Scrubwren, Speckled Warbler, Weebill, Yellow Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill,
Striated Pardalote, Noisy Miner, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked
Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Black-faced
Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous Whistler, Olive-backed Oriole, Grey Butcherbird, Pied
Butcherbird, Austra-lian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Australian
Raven, Torresian Crow, Restless Flycatcher, Magpie-lark, Rose Robin, Welcome
Swallow, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, Double-barred Finch.
REPTILES: (snakes): Carpet Python Morelia spilota, White-crowned
Snake Cacophis harriettae, Pale-headed Snake Hoplocephalus bitorquatus.
REPTILES: (Lizards) Dubious Dtella Gehyra dubia, Elegant
Snake-eyed Skink, Cryptoblepharus pulcher pulcher, South-eastern Morethia Skink Morethia boulengeri.
ODONATA (Dragonflies and Damselflies): Wandering Ringtail Austrolestes leda, Red
and Blue Damselfly Xanthia-grion erythroneurum, Australian Emperor Anax papuensis, Wandering Percher Diplacodes
bipunctata, Blue Skimmer Orthetrum
caledonicum.
AMPHIBIANS: Spotted Grass Frog Limnodynastes tasmaniensis,Broad Palmed Rocketfrog Litoria
latopalmata, Ornate Burrowing Frog Platyplectrum ornatum,Cane Toad Rhinella
marina.
Plant list - Lake Broadwater Conservation Park, Saturday, 01 May 2021
Key: WCG = Wilga Campground. SWC = South-West Corner.
BH = Bird Hide area
Botanical name Common name Location
Trees
Acacia harpophylla BRIGALOW WCG
Acacia salicina SALLY WATTLE WCG
Alectryon diversifolius SCRUB BOONAREE WCG
Callitris glaucophylla WHITE CYPRESS WCG/SWC
Casuarina cristata BELAH WCG
Allocasuarina luehmannii BULL OAK or BULOKE WCG
Corymbia clarksoniana CLARKSON'S BLOODWOOD SWC
Eucalptus camaldulensis ssp. acuta RIVER RED GUM WCG/BH
Eucalyptus populnea POPLAR BOX SWC
Eucalyptus woollsiana NARROW-LEAVED GREY BOX WCG
Geijera parviflora COMMON WILGA WCG
Petalostigma pubescens NATIVE QUININE TREE SWC
Psydrax odorata f. subnitida CANTHIUM SWC
Xylomelum pyriforme WOODY PEAR SWC
Shrubs
Carissa ovata KUNKERBERRY WCG
Dodonaea viscosa ssp. Spatulata STICKY HOP BUSH WCG
Jacksonia scoparia DOGWOOD SWC
Kunzea opposite MAUVE-FLOWERED KUNZEA SWC
Leucopogon sp. HEATH SWC
Senna coronilloides BRIGALOW SENNA WCG
Teucrium junceum SQUARE-STEMMED BROOM WCG
Forbs/lilies/grasses/ground covers
Calotis dentix WHITE BURR
DAISY SWC
Chrysocephalum acuminatum YELLOW BUTTONS SWC
Commelina sp. COMMELINA WCG
Dianella revolute BLUE FLAX LILY SWC
Dicanthium sericeum QUEENSLAND BLUE GRASS WCG
Drosera indica SUNDEW SWC
Einadia hastate RED BERRY SALTBUSH WCG
Einadia nutans NODDING
SALTBUSH WCG
Einadia nutans ssp. linafolia NARROW LEAF NODDING SALTBUSH BH
Enchylaena tomentose RUBY SALTBUSH (RED & YELLOW FORMS) WCG/SWC/BH
Eremophila debilis DEVIL'S MARBLES BH
Goodenia glabra SHINY PANSY SWC
Ludwigia peploides ssp. Montevidensis WATER PRIMROSE
BH
Murdannia graminea SLUG HERB SWC
Nyssanthes erecta WCG
Sclerolaena birchii GALVANISED BURR WCG/BH
Tetragonia tetragonioides WARRIGAL GREENS/NEW ZEALAND SPINACH WCG
Vines
Parsonsia eucalyptophylla GARGALOO WCG
Mistletoes
Amyema cambugia SHEOAK MISTLETOE SWC
Amyema pendula DROOPING
MISTLETOE SWC
Lysiani exocarpi HARLEQUIN MISTLETOE SWC
