Goomburra Forest Reserve, Sunday 04 March, 2012

(Adapted from Francis's newsletter report.) Rain in the Toowoomba regional area on Saturday made the outing doubtful but after checking if Dalrymple Creek was passable, 21 people set off for Goomburra. Five more members joined us along the Inverramsay Road into the national park. We had no difficulties getting in although there was plenty of water in the creek crossings.

Giant Fleay's frog (photo by John W.)

The cars made straight for the picnic area where we had our morning tea. It was very wet underfoot and a giant Fleay’s Frog carved in stone kept us company. 

As rain looked imminent and the water across the creek crossing was already high, the group made its way to the Dalrymple Circuit walk. As we got to the beginning of the Circuit our ears were assailed by the call of the Bell Miners. The Circuit walk was very easy but the rain had brought out the leeches. So there was constant checking of these creatures as we walked and the number of red legs was a testament to their persistence. 

Viewing platform over Dalrymple Creek (photo by John B.)

A number of birds were spotted on the circuit (see the bird list). We also saw a Red-necked Pademelon (Thylogale Thetis) on the path. We stopped at the viewing platform to look at the fast flowing Dalrymple Creek and across it on the rocky face a giant spear lily (Doryanthes palmeri). Continuing on the walk, with the sky looking very threatening, but fortunately not raining, we saw a very established bird’s nest fern across the valley. The rainy season had also given rise to a number of fungi, which Glenda photographed. 

Our circular route led us back to our cars and lunch under the trees of the camping ground. After lunch, some of us walked back to the picnic area by Dalrymple Creek where we were impressed by the force and depth of the water flowing over the side road we had originally planned to take up the hill. The amount of activity off-track indicated that many photogenic fungi were still being encountered .

The little frogs of Goomburra (by Barry)

The March excursion returned home with several frog mysteries. The Clicking Froglet Crinia signifera was certainly calling from the water-filled ditches along the track, but what was the grating, ratchet-like call coming from similar habitats and heard by Michael and Genevieve? With help from the CD of frog calls and later Harry Hine’s knowledge of the amphibian fauna of the park this turned out to be the Red Backed Broodfrog Pseudophryne coriacea. The little froglet found in our lunch area was identified in time from photos as a metamorph of the Stony Creek Frog Litoria wilcoxii. In the Club poster its previous name was Litoria lesueuri. I wonder how many other calls would have graced the night air had we waited until early evening?  

Species List (Compiled from members' sightings by Lesley.)

Birds: Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Pigeon), Pacific Baza, Masked Lapwing, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Crimson Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Satin Bowerbird (male & female), Superb Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, White-throated

Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Lewin's Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Red Wattlebird, Eastern Whipbird, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Rufous Fantail, Torresian Crow, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Yellow Robin, Redbrowed Finch. 28 species

Butterflies: Dingy Grass-dart Taractrocera dolon, Blue Triangle Graphium sarpedon, Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus, Large Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe, Common Brown Heteronympha merope, Yellow Admiral, Vanessa itea, Lesser or Native Wanderer Danaus chrysippus, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus

plexippus, Yellow-spot Blue Candalides xanthospilos, Common Grass Blue Zizina labradus labradus. 11 species

For a report on the lovely orchid, Ladies Tresses Spiranthes sinensis subsp. australis (Spiranthes australis), please see http://toowoombaplants2008.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/ladies-tresses.html

Figs and Fruit-doves

Ravensbourne National Park, Sunday 5 February 2012 
The afternoon at Ravensbourne National Park was most enjoyable. Twenty-nine people took part including some members we hadn't seen for a while, and five visitors.  

A scatter of Natters at the Blackbean Day-use Area

While still in the picnic area Trish showed us a miserable Brown Malletwood, Rhodamnia rubescens, which had been attacked by Myrtle Rust. In the fruiting season last year it had been a mass of Topknot Pigeons, Lopholaimus antarcticus.

The Brown Malletwood
and Myrtle Rust

The rain stayed away, and deciding that afternoon tea could wait we set off for the Rainforest Circuit. That may have been a mistake as the normally 40 minute walk took us 2 hours! 


There was plenty to interest us, and gradually we were strung out along the track with the birdos up front, the botanists some distance behind, and the fungi enthusiasts last of all.


We weren't long on the circuit when we came upon a large Moreton Bay Fig, Ficus macrophylla. Its fruit was dropping like rain and there was the clatter of pigeon wings far above us. The eagle eyes of our younger members soon found Topknot Pigeons, Lopholaimus antarcticus, and Wompoo Fruit-doves, Ptilinopus magnificus. We spent some time here making sure everybody had good views of these lovely birds.

Checking out the fruit-doves
in the fig on the Rainforest Circuit

Eventually we all straggled back to the car park, so we moved up to Beutel's Lookout for our afternoon tea. This was a brilliant idea because the lone Moreton Bay Fig in the Cedar Block picnic area was also full of birds. As well as the fruit-doves there were Australasian Figbirds, Sphecotheres vieilloti, Green Catbirds, Ailuroedus crassirostris, and one lone male Regent Bowerbird, Sericulus chrysocephalus. What a sighting!


In the sunny, open areas there were plenty of butterflies, especially Wanderers, Danaus plexippus.


A few of us walked the Cedar Block Circuit before our bbq. We saw quite a few branches and vines down, possibly from high winds in the area. That part of the park is very susceptible to wind damage being right on the edge of the range. There was no sign of Black-breasted Button-quail platelets at all. Very few birds were about in fact. They were all out in the sun enjoying a respite from the wet week we'd had. So it was back to the bbq tea and a quiet chat.

Birds: Blackbean Day-use Area and Rainforest Circuit: White-headed Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Australian Pelican (overhead), Wedge-tailed Eagle (overhead), Galah, Noisy Pitta (heard), White-throated Treecreeper, White-browed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Eastern Spinebill (heard), Lewin's Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Torresian Crow, Black-faced Monarch, Paradise Riflebird (heard), Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Red-browed Finch. 26 species

Birds: Cedar Block Day-use Area and Circuit: Australian Brush-turkey, White-headed Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Rainbow Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Pheasant Coucal, Eastern Koel, White-throated Treecreeper, Green Catbird, Regent Bowerbird, Superb Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Lewin's Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Cicadabird, (heard), Australasian Figbird, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Red-browed Finch. 25 species  Total: 36 species

Butterflies: Mainly Blackbean Day-use Area: Blue Triangle Graphium sarpedon, Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus, Large Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe, Black Jezebel Delias nigrina, Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius, White-banded Plane Phaedyma shepherdi, Wanderer or Monarch Danaus plexippus. 7 species

Great Day at Goomburra

Perfect weather, plenty of birds, orchids in flower, an excellent day.  (Photos by Chris)

Beth, Helen, Glenda & Lesley
on the track

Fascinated by the Bowerbirds