October 2025 Activity Details - Friday meeting, and Sunday outing to three attractions in the Murphy's Creek area.

Black-striped Wallaby Macropus dorsalis 
Photo: By Queensland government, the State of Queensland.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=914, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=141450561

CLUB MEETING: 7 pm, Friday 3 October 2025  

St. Anthony’s Community Centre, Memory Street, Toowoomba. The speaker's presentation is followed by official business and supper. 

CLUB OUTING: Sunday 5 October 2025. Three attractions in the Murphy's Creek area.

Meeting Time:  9 am

Where: Jessie's Cottage, Murphy's Creek.

Directions:  Follow the New England highway north and turn right at the Mt. Kynoch lights, (clearly signed Spring Bluff and Murphy’s Creek) for 14 kms. to the town. Turn left over the railway line and left again around the perimeter of the sports oval to the cottage (signed Jessie’s Cottage). More about the cottage.

Activities: 1. A brief orientation and tour of this historical museum. This cottage was built by the Taylor family (early Scots settlers) in 1899. The neighbourhood trust of Murphy’s Creek restored the cottage in 1996 as a community hub and is now a local history museum with information of locals from surrounding areas.

2. We leave at 9:45 for Second Chance Macropod sanctuary to meet our hosts, Catherine and John Kirk.  While we have morning tea Catherine will talk of their long- term experiences and endeavours in the rescue and rehabilitation of macropods and other wildlife. Morning tea will be here.

From Humane World for Animals website:

"Second Chances spans across 128 hectares of heavily forested land dominated by eucalypts, acacia species and native grasses. Wildlife present on the property includes red-necked wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), black-striped wallabies (Macropus dorsalis), brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) and various microbats. Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) have been heard in the area. A wide range of birdlife including wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) and yellow-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus) are also seen throughout the property."

3. Spring Bluff Railway Station. We will retrace our route to have lunch at this historical venue. This station was built in 1864-1867, employing 1600 men, with engineer Robert Ballard. It was the main Ipswich – Toowoomba line (5- hour trip). The Main Range (later Spring Bluff) station carried passengers, timber, dairy and other produce. The area was quite a social hub. The station and gardens are now maintained by the Spring Bluff Trust. There is an easy walking circuit (approx. 20 minutes) with interesting bird life and vegetation. More about Spring Bluff Railway Station.

What to Bring: suitable footwear for walking in the bush, a chair, morning tea, and lunch.