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. 

Speaker Report for July, 2018 - Yarning about Dragonflies: In Memory of Barry Kenway - Rod Hobson

Barry Kenway with 'Annette' (a net!)

It has taken some time for the club to capture the ever-busy Rod for this presentation. He and Barry, Rob Ashdown and Chris Burwell spent many hours together catching and studying dragonflies locally.

In 2012, when I was speaker convenor, Barry approached me and said that he would like to do a talk. I asked him about the subject and he replied, "Dragonflies of course!” I thought it only one of several possible replies. Those of us who had spent any time with Barry on walks or outings will recall that his range of interests was well beyond dragonflies. Frogs was what I first knew him for, but spiders and butterflies were well up the list, and it would be true to say that every creature and plant, and their connections to the environment were his interests.

Unfortunately, Barry passed away in early 2013, with his talk still in the planning, but his enthusiasm was now shared with us by Rod.

Dragonflies belong to the insect order Odonata (meaning 'tooth jaw') which includes dragonflies (Epiprocta) and damselflies (Zygoptera). There are 29 families and 320 known species in Australia. The Order can be traced back to the Upper Carboniferous and Upper Permian, and the two groups diverged about 230 million years ago. The largest insect known from the fossil record is a dragonfly-like insect (Meganeuropsis permiana of the Order Protodonata) with a 70-centimetre wingspan. This insect would be clearly recognisable as a dragon-fly today.

All Odonata are hemimetabolous, meaning that they undergo incomplete metamorphosis i.e. egg hatches to a nymph (known as a naiad) which grows and emerges as an adult at its last ecdysis (skin shedding) i.e. there is no pupal stage as seen between caterpillar and butterfly.

All Odonata are formidable predators at both stages of their life cycle.

The nymphs are aquatic and are ambush predators, capturing prey (including other insect larvae, small fish or tadpoles) by means of the labium, an elongated extensible and retractable lower jaw structure armed with hooks. They breathe via gills. Damselfly naiads have three leaf-like gills protruding from their rear, while those of dragonflies have gills inside the rectum, where water is pumped around by muscles, and oxygen absorbed into the respiratory system.  

Mature larvae emerge from the water, cling to vegetation and shed their skin to emerge as winged adults. Some species remain as naiads for up to two years, shedding their skin up to 15 times.

Adults, especially dragonflies, are swift and powerful fliers and hunt on the wing, capturing any suitably sized flying prey, including other Odonata. The aptly named northern American 'Dragon Hunter' has even been photographed eating a Ruby-throated Hummingbird! 

The thorax is large to accommodate powerful muscles; the wings are strong and superbly co-ordinated. Each of the four wings has a thickened dark patch near the tip at the leading edge; this is termed a pterostigma, and is often found on the wings of fast flying predatory insects. It assists with stabilising the wings at high speeds, and during gliding. 

The compound eyes are extremely large and have up to 30,000 facets, and vision is 360 degrees in most species. There are three simple eyes between the two compound eyes. Prey is captured and encased by spiny legs and crushed by powerful mandibles. 

Mating and reproduction in odonata are distinctive to say the least. The male grasps the female behind the head with a pair of claspers at the end of his abdomen. (He is usually more brightly coloured and patterned than the female). He has previously transferred sperm to a specialised organ just behind his thorax, and the female now bends the tip of her abdomen forward to connect with this. This contortion results in the of the pair making a heart outline shape. When copulation is complete the female frees her abdomen from the male's, and they take off with the female carried behind. The male then dips down repeatedly to water and the female lays one egg at a time in the water or attached to submerged vegetation.

Males are territorial and will drive off competitors.

There are many photographs and videos of this online for those interested.

Dragonflies and damselflies are harmless to humans. They are not poisonous or venomous, do not sting or cause damage or disease, but are rather considered as important environmental indicators. They are sensitive to pollutants and poisons, and to changes in the habitat such as siltation or water loss. They consume large numbers of larvae and adults of mosquitoes and other biting insects.

They have been important to Japanese and Chinese art, and were popular in the Art Nouveau Movement. In Japanese culture they represent autumn and summer, and symbolise power, agility and victory. Japan was once termed Akitsushima (Dragonfly's Island) due to the large numbers flying over paddy fields (and the symbolic connection with the importance of rice in the Japanese culture).

I will not attempt to list all the species shown in Rod's well-illustrated presentation, but their common names are whimsical and worth listing....Scarlet Percher, Blue Skimmer, Australian Emperor, Gold-fronted River-damsel, Unicorn Darner, Jade Hunter, Royal Tigertail, Graphic Flutterer, Sapphire Rockmaster, Elegant Wire-tail, Wide-faced Forest Darner, Mosquitohawk, Evening Darner, Southern Vicetail, Pygmy Percher, Water Prince, Short-tailed Duskdarter, Common Flatwing, Variable Tigertail, Slender Skimmer  - should be made into a song or poem.

Special mention is due to The Australian Southern Giant Darner which achieves speeds of 50km/h; the migra-tory Wandering Glider (also aptly called Globe Skimmer), the most common dragonfly on earth, which migrates between India and Africa flying over the Himalayas at over 6000 metres altitude, and occurring in Australia, the Americas and southern Europe. Some of the rarest – the Superb Emerald, and the Thylacine Darner – are threaten by habitat loss in coastal Queensland.

Then lastly, said to be Barry's favourite...a damselfly, the Southern Whitetip Episynlestes albicauda.

Thanks to Rod for a fine tribute to his and our friend Barry, and acknowledgement to Rod, Robert Ashdown, Chris Burwell and the late Barry Kenway for photographs used in this presentation.

(Report by Cheryl Haxen)

GOMAREN and DOCTORS CREEK LANDCARE FIELD DAY - Saturday 02 June, 2018

Our Goombungee-based Landcare Group hosted this day as an environmental education themed experience for its members and other guests, including the TFNC. At 10.00am, 29 people assembled at Gumminguru (means “the men of the Condamine”), a little off Old Homebush Road at Cawdor. We had morning-tea, then a talk by Conrad Bauwens, the caretaker, who is a Wakka Wakka man with family links through his mother’s line to this Jarowair land. The Jarowair are a sub-group of the Wakka Wakka nation.

Conrad showed us artefacts (boomerangs, spears, spear tips, core stones, scrapers, different coloured ochres, etc.) all sourced reasonably locally, and also some items that were acquired from elsewhere, but to illustrate the significance of Aboriginal trade routes across Australia. I was impressed with an elaborately hafted axe, with a distinctive flat blade that he’d acquired from New Guinea. Then he produced another blade of the same material that had been traded into Central Australia long ago. Outside, there were four trunks of “scar trees” which had been bull-dozed during work on the Second Range Crossing. These are to be re-erected here at Gumminguru as a different realia display.

Conrad invited Jean to speak on her family’s involvement since the 1960’s process of investigating and understanding the cultural significance of this site by the Queensland Museum. This land was part of the farm that Jean grew up on. Alfred Walker, in 1882, was the first “selector” of the farm containing this stone arrangement site. He built his home on the ridge 300 metres to the west. He reported on the campfires and ceremonies still happening until late in the C19th. Harry Darlow, Conrad’s maternal-line forebear, must have been amongst the last to have been initiated here and was an old man in the Toowoomba area in the late 1960s. The second generation of Walkers sold their farm to Jean’s Dad, Ben Gilbert, in 1948.

In the 1950s, Errol Beutel would visit to collect stone tools in the ploughed fields after rain events and he suggested the site might have significance. (Errol had a private museum in Mary Street in Toowoomba called

“Jedda”, after Charles Chauvel’s 1955 film of the same name.) In the early ‘60s, Queensland Museum staff mapped the stone arrangements. Anthropologists and Aboriginal visitors were able to piece together that this is a men’s ceremonial site depicting Creation folklore and initiation significance.

Conrad led the group amongst the stone arrangements depicting a kangaroo totem to the west, a turtle totem to the east, a bunya nut shape pointing to the Bunya Mountains, where every three years there was a season of plenty and tribes gathered from far and wide for cultural purposes and the settling of grievances in ritual ways, which might avoid full scale conflict. Central to this site is the winding Creation pathways of the Rain-bow Serpent with its representations of “increase” sites as ancestors and fauna were created to occupy the lands. [I have always been drawn to the turtle arrangement, which has remained intact so perfectly. The head stone is such a wonderful representation for its purpose.]

We thanked Conrad for his time, expertise and humour, then moved on to Peacehaven Park for a sausage sizzle and lunch before our guided walk around selected trees and their relevance to Aboriginal diet and medicinal uses. This was led by Paul Carmody, who has Bundjalung heritage (North Coast NSW) and Jane Orme – who are both teachers at the Amaroo Environmental Education Centre at Kleinton.

About 15 Field Nats enjoyed either all or a part of this day, as did a few other non-Landcare neighbours and community members. Jean and I would like to thank Toni Gorry, our Landcare secretary, who pulled these elements together while we were away, and Andrew Gorry, the chief “sizzler”. This was a most appropriate experience in this week of “Reconciliation”, where schools and communities across Australia honour the indigenous heritage of our lands.

At Gumminguru (photo by Jean Gundry)

FOOTNOTE: For this occasion, Jean wore a shirt called “Manme” (bushfoods) which was designed and printed by Injalak Arts – a group of Aboriginal artists from Gunbalanya, Western Arnhem Land. The design includes two tubers - “long yam”, Dioscorea transversa and  “cheeky yam”, Dioscorea bulbifora, along with “black plum”, Persoonia falcata, “peanut tree”, Ster-culia quadrifida and a medicinal fruit, the “cheesefruit tree”, Morinda citrifolia. The garments are manufactured in Australia by a fledgling company called “Magpie Goose” (https://magpiegoose.com/) whose mission is to create economic empowerment for people living in remote communities. In their own words, “it has become a conduit for people to connect with Aboriginal culture”.  Similarly, Gumminguru continues to be a special place where people of all backgrounds come to share, learn about and celebrate Aboriginal culture.

(Report by Ben and Jean Gundry)

 

On a beautiful early winter morning, 21 Nats met at Pine Mountain Bush Reserve Blacksoil, after some car-pooling at Neil Street car park. The Reserve is a small area of dry rainforest, gum trees, wattles and an under-storey of various vegetation. We noted quite an area near the entrance of the Reserve with small mother-of-million plants growing. Lovely spotted gums had interesting arthropods under the bark. The Reserve straddles a lovely creek with some small waterholes and birdlife was very active due to the cool temperature. Birdos had a lovely time identifying and listing the birds sighted. We had our smoko before setting off to our next stop.

After a beautiful drive along the Brisbane Valley Highway, through Fernvale, a market town in full swing with the usual weekly markets and a Food Fair as well, we arrived at Cormorant Bay on Wivenhoe Dam. We set off for a lovely walk, on a good track around the Dam. This walk was through very different country, very poor sandstone soils supporting gum and wattle trees with very open understorey. A small stand of scrub figs, Ficus rubiginosa was spotted, in fruit, with unidentified birds feeding.

There was some action on the water. A good deal of time was spent, by a group of birdos, trying to identify a large group of water birds following a couple of pelicans. Jean Gundry finally photographed one and it was decided to be a Crested Grebe. These grebes appeared to be hoping for pelican left-overs. This was our very good lunch stop, with the whole group sitting around in a circle, talking about how we had enjoyed our morning and what we had seen on our walks.

All in all a great day with a great group of Nats.

(Report by Julie Latham)

Bird Lists (Compiled by Ann & Allan Parry)

Pine mountain Bush reserve

Little Friarbird, Silvereye, Grey Fantail, Rainbow Bee-eater, Yellow Faced Honeyeater, Black-chinned  Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Bar-shouldered Dove, Rainbow Lorikeet, Red-browed Finch, Bell Miner,  Torresian Crow, Striated Pardalote, Olive-backed Oriole, Little Lorikeet, Peaceful Dove, Fuscous Honeyeater,  Spotted Pardalote, Peaceful Dove, Noisy Miner, Currawong, Grey Butcherbird, Lewins Honeyeater, Variegated Fairy-wren, Scrub Turkeys Nest (25 species).

   

Wivenhoe Dam 

Great Crested Grebe, Pied Cormorant, Hard Head, White-naped Honeyeater, Pelican, Golden Whistler (Female), Brahminy Kite, Darter, Scarlet Honeyeater, Silver Gull, Rose Robin, White-faced Heron, Black-backed Magpie, Grey Butcherbird. (14 species).

OUTING REPORT: Pine Mountain Bush Reserve & Lakeside Bush Walk Wivenhoe 03 June 2018

On a beautiful early winter morning, 21 Nats met at Pine Mountain Bush Reserve Blacksoil, after some car-pooling at Neil Street car park. The Reserve is a small area of dry rainforest, gum trees, wattles and an under-storey of various vegetation. We noted quite an area near the entrance of the Reserve with small mother-of-million plants growing. Lovely spotted gums had interesting arthropods under the bark. The Reserve straddles a lovely creek with some small waterholes and birdlife was very active due to the cool temperature. Birdos had a lovely time identifying and listing the birds sighted. We had our smoko before setting off to our next stop.

After a beautiful drive along the Brisbane Valley Highway, through Fernvale, a market town in full swing with the usual weekly markets and a Food Fair as well, we arrived at Cormorant Bay on Wivenhoe Dam. We set off for a lovely walk, on a good track around the Dam. This walk was through very different country, very poor sandstone soils supporting gum and wattle trees with very open understorey. A small stand of scrub figs, Ficus rubiginosa was spotted, in fruit, with unidentified birds feeding.

There was some action on the water. A good deal of time was spent, by a group of birdos, trying to identify a large group of water birds following a couple of pelicans. Jean Gundry finally photographed one and it was decided to be a Crested Grebe. These grebes appeared to be hoping for pelican left-overs. This was our very good lunch stop, with the whole group sitting around in a circle, talking about how we had enjoyed our morning and what we had seen on our walks.

All in all a great day with a great group of Nats.

(Report by Julie Latham)

Bird Lists (Compiled by Ann & Allan Parry)

Pine mountain Bush reserve

Little Friarbird, Silvereye, Grey Fantail, Rainbow Bee-eater, Yellow Faced Honeyeater, Black-chinned  Honeyeater, Striped Honeyeater, Bar-shouldered Dove, Rainbow Lorikeet, Red-browed Finch, Bell Miner,  Torresian Crow, Striated Pardalote, Olive-backed Oriole, Little Lorikeet, Peaceful Dove, Fuscous Honeyeater,  Spotted Pardalote, Peaceful Dove, Noisy Miner, Currawong, Grey Butcherbird, Lewins Honeyeater, Variegated Fairy-wren, Scrub Turkeys Nest (25 species).

   

Wivenhoe Dam 

Great Crested Grebe, Pied Cormorant, Hard Head, White-naped Honeyeater, Pelican, Golden Whistler (Female), Brahminy Kite, Darter, Scarlet Honeyeater, Silver Gull, Rose Robin, White-faced Heron, Black-backed Magpie, Grey Butcherbird. (14 species).

SPEAKER REPORT: Andreas Helwig “Solar System at USQ & In General”

Few of our speakers would have as many titles, letters, research and lecturing qualifications as our expert speaker on solar energy. As an electro-mechanical engineer with his research area in sustainable energy systems and storage, Andreas was a key committee member and consultant for USQ’s solar panel covered carpark project, along with rooftop installations at the Ipswich and Springfield campuses. The Toowoomba solar carpark was conceived in 2010 and completed in June 2017 with a view to minimizing electricity costs, off-setting Greenhouse gases, and utilizing it as a real-life teaching model. LED lights are installed underneath and operate with motion sensors at night. Panels have also been installed on the USQ library and other build-ings. The university is now investigating the possible merits of adding storage batteries into the mix later on.

Andreas’ address included many electrical technical statistics re watts and battery types, etc. that flew over many of our heads, so I’ll list here general points he made regarding solar systems:

§  USQ panels have a 17% sunlight to power conversion efficiency. Recent space programs now have up to 30% conversion rates.

§  Panels are made to withstand hail damage, but their strength varies with country of origin.

§  The university panels have a nine-year payback timeframe, with approx. 20% greenhouse reduction.

§  All panels slowly ‘degrade’ and become approximately only 80% efficient.

§  Andreas is studying manufacturing faults (discovered using infrared photography), as well as weak-nesses in cell to cell and panel to panel connections and transmission.

§  Panel output is affected by conditions in the vicinity including reflected heat off bitumen or adjacent buildings, dust, smog, diesel particles (very damaging), sand, pollution, and humidity (the drier, the better; therefore, panels on island nations can disappoint with high humidity and storms).

§  Red dust is less of an interference than sand dust.

§  Battery storage systems can last up to 15 years, but are very variable to date.

§  The placement of the system’s inverter should be in a cool/south side position. Maximum heat tolerance for them is 45⁰C but that temperature and higher jeopardizes performance.

§  Nickel-ion battery has the longest cycle life with 100% power in yielding 70% power out.

§  Lithium-ion battery with 100% power in transmits 80% out, but has shorter life.

§  Batteries don’t perform well in the cold.....Electronics don’t perform well in the heat.

§  Deeper daily battery discharge = shorter battery life, i.e.. 80% discharge.

§  Lower daily battery discharge = longer battery life, say discharging only 30%.

   (You can relate these last two points to your mobile phone habits and recharging intervals!)

The one question Andreas wouldn’t commit on is when and how to wash solar panels!..... Except he stresses to  turn off your system before anyone washes it !!

At the end of Andreas’ address, I’m sure we all had an increased appreciation of just how much electrical and technical knowledge is involved in the production of solar energy.

(Report by Lauren Marlatt)

A New Millipede Found in Toowoomba -- Glenda Walter

Last summer three of us spent several hot, humid evenings snooping about in Hartmann Reserve (Toowoomba) with torches, and eventually captured several mature male millipedes which were sent to Dr Mesibov in Tasmania for study. It proved to be a species new to science, and has now been named Cladethosoma toowoomba. The scientific paper by Dr Mesibov was published a day or so ago.

Dr Mesibov says:

“Glenda Walter imaged a large and strikingly patterned millipede in Hartmann Reserve last year and posted the image on the BowerBird website. Millipede specialist Bob Mesibov (Tasmania) has now described this species as Cladethosoma toowoomba in a paper published in Memoirs of the Queensland Museum - Nature, based on specimens collected by Glenda, Michael Rooke and Craig Reid. There are several other Cladethosoma species in SE Queensland, but C. Toowoomba is distinctive."

The photos below of Cladethosoma toowooomba are by Glenda Walter.