There were six of us on the trip including Ben – Barbara & Martin from the UK, Sue M from Hobart and Sue C and I from Sydney. In pre-trip emails Ben had told us that for logistical reasons we’d be doing the trip in the reverse direction to that shown on his website.
Leaving Cairns via the Bruce Hwy we turned off at Gordonvale onto the Gillies Hwy for the winding trip up the Gillies Range. As we climbed Ben pointed out an Emerald Dove by the roadside and a couple of groups of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins flying across the road into dense grasses.
On reaching the flatter area at the top of the range we continued through the Atherton Tablelands. Our route was along the Gillies Hwy, into the Malanda Lake Barrine Rd, then Malanda Atherton Rd and past Malanda Conservation Park. We turned into Malanda Upper Barron Rd and shortly after had excellent views of three or more Buff-banded Rails in the rather muddy grassy area beside the road. Next we passed the Bromfield Crater where Ben said there are sometimes Brolgas in the permanent wetland; however, there were none this time. We did see some Red-browed Finches in the scrubby vegetation by the road and two Black-shouldered Kites perched in dead trees opposite the crater.
We joined the Kennedy Hwy just before Mount Hypipamee National Park (also known as The Crater) and called there for a brief stop. Here we found a Brush Turkey striding around the picnic area and a very confiding Grey-headed Robin on a fence rail. We all had excellent views of a flock of Top-knot Pigeons high in the tree tops and some of us also glimpsed a Brown Cuckoo-dove speeding between the tall tree trunks.
On the road again, we continued along the Kennedy Hwy reaching Ravenshoe by 9.30 and fifteen minutes later stopped at the Archer Creek Picnic Area for morning tea. We had time to look around but there were few birds to see. The highlight was a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles, initially in flight and then later seen grooming each other in a tall tree across the road. One was quite light coloured which Ben said indicated an immature bird.
Ben explained that we were now in the ‘uplands’. The ‘tablelands’ officially ends at Ravenshoe or even further east. The countryside was noticeably drier and more like savannah. The next township we passed through was Mt Garnet, a mining area with most of the streets named after minerals. We saw the first of many groups of Apostlebirds beside the roadside here.
From Mt Garnet the countryside gradually became more wooded and then Ben pointed out very interesting dense vine covered vegetation which is referred to as ‘dry rainforest’. We were approaching Forty Mile Scrub National Park and soon came to the park entrance and information area.
We spent about twenty minutes here and saw some Fairy Gerygones, a first for most of us. A Brush Turkey was wandering around and there were loud calls from an Australian Raven high in a huge thick-limbed tree. Calls of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo were quite enticing, especially for Martin and Barbara who’d not seen one before, and Ben soon located it for them. There were also some White-browed Scrubwrens, which are much more brightly coloured than the southern birds (more ‘contrasty’).
It was then a 90 km run along the sealed Kennedy Hwy to The Lynd Junction where we would leave the tar for over 200 km of dirt. Before reaching the junction we saw our first Squatter Pigeons and Australian Bustard for the trip and stopped to watch several Red-backed Fairy-wrens in tall grasses and straggly shrubs on both sides of the road.
We reached The Lynd Junction just on 1 pm and went into the Roadhouse about a kilometre up the road. Here Ben invited us to order our lunch which was brought to us at an outdoor table. While we were waiting for the sandwiches we looked around the area, finding another Squatter Pigeon plus many more Apostlebirds, both Little and Noisy Friarbirds, some Rainbow Lorikeets and a very vocal immature Pied Butcherbird in the tree above our table.
We set off again at 1.50 on the unsealed Kennedy Developmental Road, and after about 20 minutes stopped at McKinnon Creek where Ben had had some birding success on previous trips. The most notable observation here was three quite large freshwater crocodiles swimming along the creek and looking like partially submerged logs,. Amongst the birds were White-throated Gerygones, Blue-faced Honeyeaters, some Double-barred Finches, a female Darter and our first Blue-winged Kookaburra for the trip.
Continuing on, we spotted at least five Bustards before stopping at Bundock Creek, a very pretty spot where Ben had hoped to show us Cotton Pigmy-geese. We were disappointed in that but did get a great view of a Forest Kingfisher and saw a White-faced Heron perched in a tree – not uncommon, but I always think it a comical sight.
The road surface was quite variable, there were some wide, well-graded gravel sections but other parts were very rutted and narrow. There was an occasional strip of bitumen, mostly near houses or in dips where there might be floodways in the wet season. We stopped around 3.30 in an iron-bark area to give Ben a break. It was just as well we did as the rear left tyre was deflating quite quickly. Martin helped Ben change it while the rest of us strolled around looking for any birds. We heard calls of a Grey Butcherbird which Sue M was able to spot. Barbara and Sue C had good views of Pale-headed Rosellas which I had glimpsed a few minutes earlier as flashes of blue and green amongst the trees.
Once the tyre was replaced we set off again, spotting grey kangaroos, some Emus, more Apostlebirds and Bustards and several groups of Crested Pigeons. The final stop enroute was Porcupine Gorge which we reached just after five thirty. It is quite a spectacular place, all the more so because it seems so unexpected:– a sandstone gorge and with lush green vegetation. There were no birds of particular interest here but the views were excellent.
We left just on sunset shortly after six. It was just as well the sun had set as the remainder of the route, almost all the way to Hughenden, was directly west.
Our first impression was of a very ‘ordinary’ town – not much to see, even in daylight it seemed. After a little exploration Ben located the hotel where we were booked. Despite its grandiose nameThe Royal Hotel Resort was very much a country pub with the main focus on its bottle-shop and bar. Ben had originally planned to take us to a café in the town for dinner but it was easier to have a meal at the hotel. We ordered at the bar and had our dinner at some outdoor tables where there was quite a pleasant breeze. During dinner we completed our combined bird list for the day – my record shows 64 species.We woke to our alarms for the first of what would be regular early starts as Ben liked to get out quickly to look for birds in the cooler morning hours. We came outside to find Sue M searching for birds; she’d seen a few honeyeaters.
Ben had arranged for us to have an early breakfast in the dining room but when we arrived nothing was ready; apparently the cook had not turned up. Luckily the woman who was there was quite a dynamo and soon had everything running smoothly and, with the one oddity that our cereals were delivered at the same time or after our poached eggs, we had excellent breakfasts.
We were aboard the vehicle shortly after seven and drove first to a park in Hughenden beside the virtually dry Flinders River. Here we saw a range of fairly common (‘town’) birds with the first of many recorded sightings of Yellow-throated Miners. We wondered whether we’d seen them on the previous day and mistaken them for Noisy Miners. They came very close and it was interesting to compare them with Noisy Miners. Yellow-throated have a much whiter body and have less black and more yellow on the head, as well as distinctly yellow throats. There were also Blue-faced and Brown Honeyeaters here.
We left Hughenden town area before 7.30, heading for Winton along the Kennedy Developmental Road, which, unlike yesterday’s section, was properly surfaced and in excellent condition. Ben kept a lookout for birds as he drove, hoping for a few different finches. It was interesting country – quite open grassland with clumps of bushes a few metres high and groups of taller trees. It has been grazed for many years but still looked quite productive. We passed several groups of cattle and briefly stopped a couple of times as birds were spotted, seeing distant Budgerigars, Zebra Finches and a Brown Falcon. After twenty minutes or so we had a longer stop at a small roadside dam and windmill. Here several small birds were visiting the water and perching in the surrounding bushes. We had excellent close sightings of Budgerigars, Tree Martins, Zebra Finches, a male Variegated Fairy-wren and a mixed group of honeyeaters including Yellow-tinted and Rufous-throated.
Shortly after we’d left the dam Ben spotted a Red-backed Kingfisher which he knew would be a ‘new bird’ for some of us. Through the scope we were able to see the streaky head and, eventually, the reddish rump when the bird finally turned its back to us. Back on the road we saw the first of several Bustards for that day.
Our route continued through the open grassland and we noted that there were fewer trees. Martin asked if this was the result of over-grazing but Ben thought that although it is a problem in this area, the grasslands were natural.
We arrived at Stamford before ten had a short break and then continued through much the same countryside. We passed through Corfield around 10.50 and arrived at Winton just before noon. Birding highlights along this section were a Black-breasted Buzzard (a first for several), yet more Bustards, a huge flock of Budgerigars, some Emus, Spinifex Pigeons and a nesting Torresian Crow on a power pole.
Ben drove straight to the Outback Motel where we were clearly expected as all our rooms were ready. This meant we could put our luggage in, freshen up, and be out again in just a few minutes. Meanwhile Ben unhitched the trailer and took the damaged tyre in for repair. We got back into the landcruiser for a brief drive to a café in the main street for lunch.
After lunch we returned to the motel to put on our ‘spinifex gear’ (long trousers and gaiters) and drove out to Bladensburg National Park a few kilometres south of Winton. Although it was the middle of the day we had no trouble seeing birds (and wallaroos) from the moment we entered. There were several mixed groups of woodswallows – White-browed, Masked and Black-faced – in the first section of the park. This area was a sort of ‘mini gibber plain’ – rich reddish brown gravelly ground with bright green and blue-green vegetation – a very striking scene. We also saw Crimson Chats and a Red-winged Parrot there.
As we continued the landscape gradually became more grassy and vegetated. After about fifteen minutes we came to spinifex areas where Ben searched for likely Rufous-crowned Emu-wren habitat. He warned us that it may take some time to find the emu-wrens. We would need to walk through the spinifex, trying to stay about five metres apart and in a straight line; it would be hot and we could expect spinifex spikes, despite our gaiters. It was as he said.
We ‘stomped’ through the spinifex, stopping every few metres for Ben to play a recording of the emu-wren’s call. There was no response from them but we did see a Spinifexbird and several Grey-headed Honeyeaters (new ones for us). Other birds here included Rainbow Bee-eaters, a Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtails and a female Hooded Robin.
After crossing the spinifex area in several directions we returned to the vehicle for a refreshment break, clambered aboard and set off again along one of the tracks. We were driving over more of the red-brown rocky surface but there were still clumps of spinifex, especially on small hillocks. Ben had his window open and soon stopped as he could hear the emu-wrens. This was a somewhat hilly area. The spinifex was lower and the clumps more separated than in the first place we’d searched in. There were distinct calls from two or three locations and we were soon spotting the little birds as they perched momentarily on high points to see where the recorded calls were coming from. We all had good, though brief, sightings, remarking on the almost luminous but pale blue of the male’s face and throat and the rusty red of the heads of both sexes. They moved amazingly quickly amongst the spinifex clumps and resembled scuttling mice as they darted across more open ground.
Leaving the emu-wrens to their lovely sun-drenched location we retraced our route, stopping briefly at a dry creek area where Singing Honey-eaters were the only bird noted. We then drove to Skull Hole, a rocky gorge about 20 metres deep with an inviting looking creek and waterhole. In the late 1800s there had been a massacre of Aborigines there, hence the name. We had hoped to see several birds coming to the water but only saw Zebra Finches and, somewhat to our surprise, a lone Black-fronted Dotterel.
Back on the main track we returned to the open gravelly area and stopped for a while to watch several Crimson Chats, including fully coloured males, running about and foraging in the low herbaceous vegetation. Once they stopped moving they were almost impossible to spot against the reddish soil. We also saw several more groups of Kangaroos and Wallaroos, Galahs, Little Corellas, mixed flocks of woodswallows and a lone Common Bronzewing.
Leaving the national park shortly after six, we had excellent close views of three Bustards on the exit road. Then, as we approached Winton township just on sunset we saw two large flocks of Cockatiels settling into their roosting trees for the night.
After we’d freshened up at the motel Ben led the way to the local pub. Clearly this was the town’s most popular place to eat and all the outdoor tables were taken. The smell of delicious steaks was most appetising and I worried that there would be nowhere for us to sit but we found a table in a small dining room. Sue C and I thoroughly enjoyed the rather large steaks we ordered, cooked to our liking and beautifully tender.
After dinner we walked back to the motel commenting on the extreme width of the street. Ben told us that older towns in this part of Queensland have these very wide streets because they used to be served by camel trains which needed the width to turn.After early breakfast we were at Winton Sewage Ponds by 6.45 – a marvellous place for birding. As well as Baillon’s Crake and Plum-headed Finch, two more ‘newies’ for us, the highlights were an Australian Crake, a Little Grassbird, several very vocal Australian Reed Warblers, both Black-fronted and Red-kneed Dotterels and several Pink-eared Ducks.
After over an hour exploring the various ponds, we moved on to a totally different landscape at the ‘old town’ area. It was very dry and dusty and we had our first Diamond Dove sightings for the trip as we drove to the first birding spot near a dry creek bed. Here the only birds seen were White-plumed Honeyeaters and a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike but we had a moment of excitement when Ben had to drive off the narrow track to give way to a mob of cattle being herded by a chap on a trail-bike.
Continuing in this same area we came to Pelican Waterhole (notable for a name plaque and a metal sculpture of a pelican, but no real ones). Although there was plenty of water in the waterhole and creek there were few birds other than a Jacky Winter and some White-winged Trillers.
We returned to the motel, packed and left shortly after nine. Our route was now basically north west along the Landsborough Highway, heading for Cloncurry and thence Mt Isa. Again we were driving through grass-land with groups of grazing cattle, however, the further we drove from Winton the less fertile and productive the land became. We began to see sheep rather than cattle and there was much less grass visible. In some areas it was virtually dust paddocks, seemingly totally dry and over-grazed. The animals we could see (mainly sheep but still some cattle) looked very under-nourished. After an hour or so we turned off the highway to visit Combo Waterhole Conservation Park.
An extensive information display board beside the car park outlined the history and some features of the area and there were a couple of sign-posted walking tracks to the waterhole(s). However, we were only there for a short time as Ben had two further major stops planned before Mt Isa, so we just looked around the creek near the car park. There was a decent amount of water and it seemed a lovely shady watering-spot for birds and animals, but, probably because it was late morning, there was little wildlife; nothing unusual. We’d been hoping for Banded Lapwings and Pratincoles as we drove in, but we only saw what we’d come to recognise as the standard set of common dry-land birds :– Jacky Winters, Magpies, Yellow-throated Miners, Galahs, White-plumed Honeyeaters, Zebra Finches, Black-faced Woodswallows and Apostlebirds. Back on the main road, however, we did see some Brolgas, our first sighting for the trip.
The highway continued between dry and rather unproductive-looking grasslands through the small settlement of Kyuna and on another 75 km to McKinlay, an even smaller settlement beside the river of the same name. The Lonely Planet Guide refers to McKinlay as a ‘one pub town’ ... ‘that would have been doomed to eternal insignificance had it not been used as a location in ... Crocodile Dundee.’
We stopped at the McKinlay Roadhouse for lunch and found its walls festooned with photos, posters and other memorabilia relating to road-trains and large trucks more generally. There were several rigs parked outside and three or four truckies having lunch or buying drinks. We had toasted sandwiches and drinks, and were soon on our way.
There was a marked change in the terrain once we left McKinlay. Initially we travelled beside the McKinlay River over low bridges and essentially along its floodway. Then we turned away from the river and the countryside became considerably hillier, with rocky outcrops and low trees. From the map it appears we were on the edge of the Selwyn Range. It is scrubby, rugged country which reminded me of historic mining areas west of Sydney. I’ve since read that Cloncurry was established as a copper mining area.
We arrived at Cloncurry shortly after two but did not stop, driving 3 km further to Chinaman Creek Dam. This is a picturesque picnic and fishing spot as well as the Cloncurry water supply. There was quite a variety of common water birds here including a Sea Eagle. Ben said it’s not unusual to find them so far inland. In a glade of young eucalypts there were several Black-chinned Honeyeaters. They were the golden-backed race, beautifully coloured.
Back on the main road before three we continued through increasingly rugged terrain with taller trees and steeper hills. We had a brief stop at a roadside memorial to the Burke and Wills Expedition ‘... who crossed this spot on 22 January 1861...’ This was of particular interest to Barbara and Martin as they were distantly related to Wills.
Our next stop was at Lake Corella and Clem Walton Park. The lake, which we visited first, was built in the 1950s as water supply for the now closed Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine. It has since been developed further as a recreational fishing area and is a wide open expanse of water where we saw a similar range of birds to those seen at Chinaman Dam. The only surprise was a lone Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. We then drove to the Clem Walton Park picnic and camping area in a shady valley beside a creek. Although there were quite a few caravans and tents and the campers looked somewhat curiously at our binocular-clad group, we did see quite a few ‘good birds’. There were Red-winged Parrots, Grey-crowned Babblers, various water-birds and a group of very noisy Weebills, uncharacteristically flitting about amongst foliage very close to the ground. A highlight was a Spotted Bowerbird, a first sighting for most of us.
It was after five when we returned to the highway and we continued to Mt Isa with no further stops or birding highlights, checking in around six thirty for our three night stay at the Outback Motel.We were underway before seven, heading west along the Barkly Hwy to an area known for Carpentarian Grasswrens. The sites, which had been often surveyed by birding researchers were along McNamara Road which runs north off the highway about 70 km from Mt Isa. This road provides access to Lady Annie Mine and we saw several different types of vehicles passing in each direction while we were searching the various sites.
We explored the first site, on the eastern side of the road, in some detail, once again ‘stomping’ through spinifex. Although spinifex, it was very different terrain and vegetation from the spinifex areas we’d been in at Bladensburg NP. There were several clusters of reasonably tall trees, some clumps of quite dense scrub and bushes and the spinifex areas were smaller and less exposed. There were many small gullies and what appeared to be dry water courses. At one point Ben went into a dry creek bed to try to flush the grasswrens. He’d found them there on a previous trip. We had no success at this first site, although we did see Grey-fronted Honeyeaters as well as the Cloncurry form of the Australian Ringneck.
continued down McNamara Rd to another site on the other side of the road. Ben said a Grasswren Survey team had found several there. It was flatter than the first site and more uniform in vegetation. As before, there were many clumps of trees but the spinifex areas were larger. We wandered round for some time before noting some definite calls in response to Ben’s recordings. Eventually several in the group had a glimpse of a low flying bird darting from one spinifex clump to another. Ben had no doubt it was a Carpentarian Grasswren. We then began to circle around to try to re-locate it. There were other fleeting glimpses, and it was generally concluded that there were at least two birds. Eventually most of the group had a reasonably good sighting.
We left the second site just before noon. It had become very hot and we were glad to return to the vehicle. On the way back into Mt Isa, as on the way out, we saw several raptors on or circling above road-kill, the most striking was a large and very darkly coloured Wedge-tailed Eagle.
After returning to the motel to discard our ‘spinifex gear’ Ben drove us to a café in the town. After lunch we returned to the motel for a rest in the hottest part of the day.
At 3.30 we drove out to the Mt Isa Sewage Ponds. It had become a lovely afternoon, cooler than earlier so we really enjoyed the short walk from the gate up to several ponds, each of different depth and with its own specific set of birds. There was plenty to see with the highlight for us being some Black-tailed Native Hens with their striking bright red and green bills. Including birds seen in the vicinity as we walked to and from the ponds we recorded 36 species here.
We left the sewage ponds around five and drove back through the built-up area to Pamela St where there are several steep hills and the town water supply tanks. It was a fascinating area: steep slopes dotted with spinifex, with the late afternoon sun accentuating the bright greens and blue-greens of the vegetation and the rich orange-red of rocks and exposed soil. It was also where all the fitness freaks come for their afternoon run or fitness walk up the steep paths. As well several school-aged children were chasing and playing around, up and down the rocky slopes at high speed. Surprisingly, despite all this clearly regular human activity, it is a well-reputed site for Kalkadoon Grasswrens, the namesake of this trip.
Ben led us along various rocky paths amongst the spinifex tussocks, again playing the birds’ calls. None of the locals gave us a second glance. They’re obviously used to birders in the area.
We tried various spots, crossing our paths a few times and then moved to a new and rockier location. Here there was more luck and everyone managed to get several good sightings except me. Ben was most concerned and invited me plus anyone else who still felt like scrambling around to come further afield as the bird had been moving up quite a steep slope and he thought we might get another view at the top. We were unsuccessful and everyone was very supportive and sympathetic, telling stories of various occasions when they or others in a group had managed not to see a special bird that everyone else had seen clearly.
Back at the motel we had quick showers before driving round to the Irish Club where Ben had reserved a table for dinner. It was crowded but we had an enjoyable meal in the bistro. Then it was back to the motel and straight to bed in anticipation of another early start.
Once again we left well before seven, heading for Sybella Creek, 20 km south of Mt Isa. On the way we saw the usual circling Black Kites and a pair of Wedge-tails at a road kill.
We arrived around seven and walked some distance through sandy soil and along a dry wide creek bed. It was quite open country with low trees, a few scrubby bushes and lots of spinifex. There were several rocky outcrops and low but rugged hills. Ben led us up the rocky slope of one of the taller hills, another known habitat of the Kalkadoon Grasswren. Like the Pamela St site it was a steep slope with spinifex clumps among the scattered rocks. We worked our way up and around for some minutes, stopping for Ben to play the call, but to no avail. Ben called off the search after twenty minutes or so, being concerned that one of us might fall or injure ourselves amongst the loose and sharp-edged rocks. We returned the level ground where we saw Grey-headed and Singing Honeyeaters and a very vocal pair of Red-browed Pardalotes.
We left Sybella Creek about 8.40 and headed back towards Mt Isa, stopping ten minutes later at Mica Creek. This was a much less attractive location than Sybella Creek, closer to the main road and not as open. It was marred by several piles of dumped household rubbish. Again we were searching a steep rocky slope but this time we kept below it, scrambling along the creek which ran between the slope and the road. We heard the grasswrens' calls and all had great sightings of a female as she flew low amongst the rocks and then, quite uncharacteristically, fluttered up to the branches of a stunted tree where she sat for some time before moving to another tree.
There were few other birds at this site, but we did see a White-winged Triller and some Ringnecks.
To get to our next site, Warrigal Water Hole, we had to drive back through Mt Isa township and along the Barkly Hwy towards Cloncurry. Around 5km out of town we turnedoff the sealed road into rugged and lightly wooded terrain, following some quite rough bush tracks – a real 4WD expedition. It was now mid morning and despite the vehicle’s air-conditioning, we could sense the heat and dustiness of the area. Shortly after leaving the main road we spotted a pair of Rufous Whistlers.
We skirted around the sides of some steep slopes and over one or two rocky crests before descending into a flatter and more shaded area where we parked. We walked up another hill, down quite a slippery track and around behind a rocky outcrop and came to a small gorge surrounded by steep almost vertical cliffs. This was clearly a waterhole but almost dry at this time of the year. From the stains around the edge it was possible to visualise how it would look after rain: quite deep and inviting. There were definite signs that the little water that remained was supporting some local cattle, but there were few signs of birds.
We found shaded spots beneath leafy eucalypts growing amongst the rocks that bordered the creek-line and waited to see if any birds might arrive. Ben alerted us to calls of approaching finches and we identified Double-bars and Painted Finches in the trees at the top of the cliffs. Some Double-bars came into the trees above us but the main mixed group suddenly took off and wheeled away. Thinking they may have been put off by our presence, and knowing how scarce water was, we decided to leave the area. The only other bird we saw was another Rufous Whistler.
Back in the township we called at a café for lunch and then returned to the motel to rest before our planned afternoon outing.
We spent from just before four until sunset at various sites around Lake Moondarra. First we went to some quite exposed areas on the western side of the lake. The water level seemed quite low and we had to drive, then walk over dark sand/mud to vantage points beneath some trees on slightly higher ground. We did not stay there long as it was very hot but did see Whiskered and Caspian Terns, Green Pigmy-geese and some Pink-eared Ducks amongst others. We then moved to another section of the lake, a much grassier area where we made several stops. Highlights here included a lone Australian Pratincole, several Great-crested Grebes and a very large mixed group of Eurasian Coots, Hard-heads and Grey Teal.
After several more short stops as we continued along the scenic drive skirting the edge of the lake, we passed below the dam wall and into Warrina Park. Here we found several honeyeater species and had great views of Varied Lorikeets which were conveniently feeding on low eucalypt blossoms. There were also some Indian Peafowl in the park. Ben wasn’t sure whether they were a self-sustaining population and hence whether we should include them in our bird lists.
It was after sunset when we returned to the motel. We walked to the Buffs Club for dinner where it was quite crowded and we had to wait for some time to eat. We enjoyed our meal, walked back to the motel and were soon in bed.After another early breakfast we were packed and under-way around seven. We headed further west, along the Barkly Hwy and around 8 am turned again into McNamara Rd, stopping at what Ben called the ‘3.8km site’. Here we had good views of a female Carpentarian Grasswren and also saw Ringnecks, and Grey-fronted Honeyeaters. We only stayed there for about twenty minutes before returning to the highway and continuing towards Camooweal.
Around 9.15 we turned north into the Yelvertoft-Thorntonia Rd and about an hour later stopped at the junction with Gregory Downs-Camooweal Rd for morning tea. It was very dry terrain, with low scrubby trees and the only bird seen was a Jacky Winter. As we continued north the countryside became somewhat hillier and better vegetated. We crossed the dry bed of the Thornton River and passed out-buildings of Thorntonia Station. Birds noted along this section included a Rainbow Bee-eater and a group of Red-tailed Black-cockatoos. An hour later we were driving through a well-wooded landscape along a high ridge with quite extensive views and we stopped briefly for Ben to have a five minute break before taking the Riversleigh turnoff. A few minutes later we were delighted to see a Black-breasted Buzzard, the second of only two sightings for the entire trip.
Just before midday we arrived at the O’Shanassy River where we had a long lunch break. The road fords the river here and there are a couple of deep pools and some shallow gravelly sections beneath several ancient paperbark trees. It was wonderfully cool and clearly a very attractive place for birds and other animals. We saw three finch species: Crimson, Double-barred and Zebra; four honeyeaters: Rufous-throated, White-gaped, Yellow-tinted and Brown and two raptors: an Australian Hobby and a Brown Goshawk; but probably were most excited to see our first Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens for the trip. A small wallaby also came down at one stage to have a drink.
Soon after starting again we passed through the gate to Riversleigh station and almost immediately stopped beside the Gregory River. There were similar birds here to the previous site (including more Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens) plus some Long-tailed Finches. At both these river sites we had seen a Restless Flycatcher. This was the sub-species, nana, which is given separate species status in many taxonomies – the Paperbark Flycatcher. It is smaller and more brightly coloured than the nominate sub-species.
We came to the entrance of Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park at 2.15 and, as the landscape opened up into cleared ground around the Riversleigh ‘D’ site, we saw a Spotted Harrier. Despite the heat and the very exposed location we all took the loop walk around the site, reading the various information signs with interest. With no significant tree cover and many exposed rocks it was not a pleasant walk and we were glad to return to the air-conditioned vehicle. We did not envy the researchers and volunteers who would have worked the site over the last several years.
Our final birding stop before arriving at our accommodation was at Louie Creek which we reached around 4pm. We saw several interesting birds here including an Olive-backed Oriole which confused us all with very ‘un-oriole’ calls (more like a rosella), a Varied Sittella and our first Buff-sided Robin. We were also amused by a small herd of young steers. They were both brave and scared at once, making as if to run towards us and then turning away as if quite unconcerned by our presence. As we drove away we passed about ten Spinifex Pigeons clustered in the tussocky grass right beside the main track.
We arrived at Adels Grove around 5.30 this is named for a Frenchman, Albert de Lestrang and after checking at the office Ben showed us to our safari tent which we were delighted to find was called Purple-crowned Fairy-wren. The others’ tents also had bird names but none as ‘special’ as ours.
We had a few minutes to settle in and sort out our gear, had showers and then joined the others on the open-air veranda area to have a drink and then dinner. The meal was served at a counter to which each table was invited in turn. There was not any choice, except that you could refuse an item. After dinner Ben led us on a spotlighting walk around the Nature Walk but there was nothing to see. After a while we began to hear loud shrieks and hooting calls which Ben identified as wild pigs. We decided that we’d better turn back as we’d no idea where they were.
Back in the tent we were soon asleep, occasionally waking to hear the calls of a distant Boobook and some closer Barking Owls.We had our usual early breakfast, at the same table where we’d dined the previous night, and were delighted by a musical welcome from a Grey Shrike-thrush in the tree above us. There were also Yellow-tinted and Brown Honeyeaters there.
By 7.30 we were heading back to Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP and were parked and setting off along a path beside the creek by 8.20. As we’d have a chance to look there later in the morning, Ben set a fast pace on the creek path. Our aim at this stage was to do the Indarri Loop circuit before it became too hot. This was an amazing and spectacular track through an interesting and varied landscape. We began with quite a steep climb providing excellent views over rolling hills capped with the low green ‘lawn-like’ vegetation which gave the park its European name. Soon we came to more spectacular scenery: the deep gorge amongst towering sandstone cliffs, lush green vegetation, and deep green water. It looked extremely inviting and we envied the few canoeists who were exploring the gorge. There were many birds, most memorable being a Bustard which took off from a rock outcrop not far from the track; a Sparrow-hawk and a distant Wedge-tailed Eagle; a flight of Budgerigars; some Red-tailed Black-cockatoos and a very vocal Sandstone Shrike-thrush which came down quite close to us in response to Ben’s recorded calls.
After a somewhat rugged descent we continued on more level ground, through open savannah woodland. Here we stopped to photograph several small lizards which were warming themselves on track-side rocks.
By the time we’d returned to the parking area around 10.30 it had become quite hot. We had a refreshment break at a shaded table in the picnic area and then set off walking in the other direction along the creek. This was in a gallery forest: quite tall trees and dense vegetation in a wide shallow valley, surrounding the creek. Most of the track was well shaded and we found several species of honeyeater, some Crimson Finches, more Buff-sided Robins, a Northern Fantail and some Mistletoebirds.
We spent the next couple of hours sitting around the shady picnic table. The kitchen at Adels Grove had provided an excellent lunch – individual salad packs, fruit, rolls and cool drinks. While we ate we spotted various birds. There were some blossoming eucalypts bordering the picnic area and they were attracting a range of honeyeaters. We saw White-gaped, Brown, White-throated, Yellow-tinted and Rufous-throated and some of the group saw a Banded Honeyeater. Closer to us we spotted a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and a very confiding Buff-sided Robin.
Around 2 pm we separated, wandering off and exploring in different directions. Martin and Barb set off looking for butterflies, another of their interests; Sue M went along the creek; Ben went for a swim and Sue C and I followed the other Sue but at a much slower pace. During lunch we had heard Whistling Kite calls and as we walked slowly beside the creek we finally spotted it perched high in a tree across the water. All along the creek we encountered more Buff-sided Robins but our main aim was to find some Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens so we stopped wherever there were steps down to the creek to look for them in the pandanus at the waters edge.
We were unsuccessful until near the end of the track, just before the turn off to Indarri Loop which we’d taken that morning. Here we met Ben, returning from his swim. He’d been watching some of the wrens in an area beyond the turnoff near where some fallen palm fronds had covered the track. He took us there and we had marvellous sightings as both the male and female came in response to the recorded calls. They chased each other around and put on quite a performance. Sue managed to get some great photos. After ten to fifteen minutes we started back and met the other Sue. She’d been with Martin and Barb who were also heading this way so we waited for them and all six of us returned to the viewing spot getting more great sightings.
Around 3pm we returned to the car park and started back to Adels Grove, stopping for a few minutes on the way to watch a pair of Sea Eagles in what appeared to be a nuptial display.
We were back at the tents around 3.45 and lazed around there and on the dining deck until five when Ben led us around the Nature Walk. This was the same circuit we’d begun the night before but now it was daylight. Close to the start we passed a Great Bowerbird’s bower but the bird was not ‘at home’. We’d seen one or two earlier in the camp grounds. We did see a White-faced Heron, some more Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens, a Restless Flycatcher and some Crimson Finches among other birds. The trail started out along the creek and then curved out into more open country where we spotted Black and Whistling Kites, some Ravens and Black-faced Woodswallows among others. Towards the end of the track, not far from the accommodation area, we noted a couple of sturdy cages / traps with wild pigs in them. This probably accounted for the noise we’d heard on the walk the previous evening.
It was now time for showers and dinner. After dinner the rest of the group went spot-lighting for Barking Owls but Sue C and I went to bed. During the night there were several calls of the owls, and they seemed closer than the night before.The next morning dawned with high humidity and some cloud cover. We had an early breakfast then Ben led a walk through the camping area on the oposite side of the main block to the safari tents. Sue M had already explored this area on a previous day and seen Channel-billed Cuckoos, a first for her, but far too familiar to Sue C and me from their parasitical behaviour on our local Pied Currawongs. We saw quite a few species here, a similar group to those in the gallery forest at Boodjamulla and at Louie Creek. Highlights were a Buff-sided Robin building a nest and a roosting Barking Owl which was quite alert to our presence and watched us as we moved around to get better views. Yet again there were Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens and Crimson Finches.
Returning to our tents, we packed and were underway shortly after nine. We set off on what I recall as quite a rough road, heading north east. Forty minutes later we passed the turn-off to Century Mine, formerly known as Zinifex Mine. It is the second largest open-cut zinc mine in the world. The road quality improved significantly once we passed the turnoff and by then we were heading virtually due east.
We saw only a few birds along this road – Magpies, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, some Black Kites and a distant group of Red-tailed Black-cockatoos in flight. At 10.45 we turned into the camping area on the Gregory River near Gregory Downs. It was very crowded with campers so we only saw a few birds – Willie Wagtails, Magpie-larks, a White-bellied Cuckoo Shrike and a Restless Flycatcher. We also heard calls of Blue-winged Kookaburras.
At Gregory Downs we joined the Wills Development Road heading roughly ESE to the Burke and Wills Roadhouse. The road was initially gravel but became sealed not long after Gregory Downs. On this leg of the trip the only birds I have listed are more Black Kites, some Brolgas, an Emu and Cockatiels. The last two species were seen after we crossed the Leichhardt River. This is the river that was dammed at Mt Isa to form Lake Moondarra. We had lunch at the roadhouse, noting yet more Black Kites, some Apostlebirds and Magpie-larks.
From the roadhouse we turned onto the Burke Developmental Road, a sealed road which runs NNE to Normanton. Again Kites (several Black and one Whistling) were the predominant birds. As we headed north the landscape became lusher and we passed close to several rivers and creeks. We crossed the Flinders River, recognising its name as the same river we’d seen at Hughenden. According to Wikipedia at over 800 km it is the longest river in Queensland.
We arrived at Normanton mid-afternoon and after birding around the town for an hour or so, Great Bowerbird and Red-winged Parrot were seen, we continued to Karumba. Almost immediately we were driving through part of the Mutton Hole Wetlands. We stopped at three or four locations beside the road and saw quite large numbers of Sarus Cranes and Brolgas, as well as some Black-necked Storks, a Common Greenshank, a Pelican, an Australian Pratincole and an Eastern Great Egret. In the surrounding grasslands we spotted Golden-headed Cisticolas, an Australasian Pipit and a Horsefield’s Bushlark. There were also several Brown Falcons, a Spotted Harrier which was chasing prey and one or more Sea-Eagles. It was a pity we couldn’t have explored these wetlands in more detail.
We arrived in Karumba some time after five and checked into Matilda’s End Holiday Units. After settling in we went for dinner to Karumba Seafoods and Tropical Café where Ben had made a booking before starting the trip. The place was full and there was only one man taking all the orders and maybe also working in the kitchen. One of the specialties of Karumba is the Banana Prawns which are harvested from the Gulf. The industry is based there and makes a significant contribution to the town. Of course we all ordered the prawns but the chap said he was running out and we could only have the mixed seafood which would include some prawns. It was all a little disappointing and the service was dreadfully slow, so it turned into quite a late night, and, as usual an early start was planned for the next morning.
After breakfast in our rooms we were out from 7.30 looking for birds around the town. Ben drove us to several spots and we saw a range of birds including (at extremes of size) a Yellow White-eye and a Pheasant Coucal. At one place a medium sized bird had us all stumped but Ben eventually identified it as an immature White-winged Triller on the way to developing adult male plumage.
Around 8.30 we drove to the jetty where we boarded a small launch for a cruise on the Norman River. We did not go far up or down river but still managed to see many quite special species including: a Red-headed Honeyeater; Rufous Whistlers; Mangrove Gerygones; a male, a female and an immature White-breasted Whistler; a Broad-billed Flycatcher and a Mangrove Grey Fantail; the last a new bird for Sue and me. There were also more common river / shoreline species such as a Darter, White Ibis, Eastern Curlews, Great and Little Egrets, a Brahminy and some Whistling Kites, including one of the latter on a nest.
Back on shore we spotted several more species including a Sacred Kingfisher, several Rainbow Bee-eaters, White-breasted Woodswallows and White-gaped Honeyeaters.
Ben then took us out to Karumba Point, which is actually on the Gulf of Carpentaria whereas Karumba itself is on the Norman River. He was rather disappointed in the few birds we saw here. The only one of real interest was a non-breeding White-winged Black Tern. There were two or three distant Pelicans, some Silver Gulls and one or more Crested Terns.
At 11.45 we headed back to Normanton, once again stopping briefly at the Wetlands. Aside from an Australian Pratincole, a Greenshank and some Black-winged Stilts, the major sighting was a large mixed group of Sarus Cranes and Brolgas (including immatures) which moved in en masse to drink and then continued on through the grasslands.
We arrived at Normanton before 12.30, bought sandwiches and had lunch in a large park beside the main road. By 1.30 we had left the town and were heading along the Gulf Developmental Road towards Croydon. From the road we had many views of the historic railway line which was originally used to carry gold from mines near Croydon to shipping facilities at Normanton. It is now used by the ‘famous’ Gulflander tourist train. After about an hour Ben turned off to a small roadside dam where we spotted a Swamp Harrier, Yellow Honeyeaters and some Black-throated Finches (another new species for us). He said we were between 60 and 70 km from Normanton and a few kilometres west of Blackbull Siding. Back on the road again we saw several raptors as we drove: the ubiquitous Black Kites, a Brown Falcon and a Wedge-tailed Eagle.
Arriving at the outskirts of Croydon at 3.15 we went straight to Lake Belmore, which, according to the local council’s website, ‘has provided Croydon with a resource more precious than the gold once mined throughout the area – water.’ It was a shame we couldn’t spend more time here (the website indicates there is a bird-hide beside the lake) but we were able to see an Eastern Great Egret and a ‘raft’ of Little Black Cormorants on the lake, and several Brown and Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters in the vegetation around the amenities building. Returning to the town itself we stopped at a roadhouse for fuel and ice-blocks then left at four for Georgetown.
We were driving along at a reasonable speed when Ben suddenly slowed down excitedly informing us he’d seen some Ground Cuckoo-shrikes. Other than Sue M none of us had seen them before and had asked Ben a couple of times whether we might do so. He had told us when we left Normanton that we might be lucky later this day. He reversed back and spotted a group of 3 or 4 flying across the road. We stopped, he set up the scope and eventually we all had distant views. This was about 20 km SE of Croydon. We continued on seeing Red-tailed Black-cockatoos and a Sea Eagle among other birds as we drove. We also passed a pair of Wedge-tails on some road-kill.
At 5.45 Ben turned off to the right to the location of the Cumberland Chimney, a relic of the goldmining era. It was built by Cornish masons and is all that remains of a mill that crushed ore from the surrounding mines. Beside the chimney is the Cumberland Dam built to collect water for the plant. There were many birds on the water and we saw our first Cotton Pigmy-geese as well as Green Pigmy-geese and more familiar Grey Teal, Hardheads, Pacific Black Ducks and Australasian Grebes among others. In the surrounding vegetation were Magpie Geese and Wandering Whistling Ducks and we spotted other familiar water-side birds including Masked Lapwings, Darters and a White-necked Heron. Comb-crested Jacanas were moving around on the lily pads. It was a beautiful area and we stayed until after sunset.
We arrived at the Latara Motel on the edge of Georgetown as it was getting quite dark, were quickly assigned to our rooms and given about 30 minutes to get to the dining room where the set dinner menu would be served. We had a pleasant enough meal and as we walked out behind two of the young women who had been serving us, one said that it felt like rain. During the night I woke to hear a very loud shower of rain, so the waitress had been correct in her prediction. By morning there was no trace of the rain. Luckily Sue M had also heard it too or I would have been said to have been dreaming!
We set off straight after breakfast heading back west of the town and soon arriving at a gate leading into what appeared to be just another paddock. There were no signs that I can recall. This turned out to be the track to Durham Dam which is a well known (and fruitful) birding spot.
On the way to the dam itself we saw some more Ground Cuckoo-shrikes, this time closer views, as well as Diamond Doves, Zebra and Double-barred Finches, Blue-faced and Rufous-throated Honeyeaters, Yellow-throated Miners and our first Brown Tree-creeper. This certainly was a great place for early-morning birding! My list includes: ‘Grey-crowned Babblers, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-winged Triller, Crested Pigeon, Apostles, Magpies ...’. At one point we saw an old tree with the kind of hole that might harbour an Australian Owlet-nightjar. Sue M went over and scratched on the trunk with a stick and to our dismay flushed out not the expected owlet-nightjar but a Boobook Owl. As well, we saw our first Brown Quail and Yellow-rumped Thornbills for the trip. I was amused to hear Ben’s very apt nick-name for the latter: ‘butter-bums’.
After driving further into the property and taking a short walk we came to the embankment surrounding the dam. We had to make our way through a group of cattle who had probably seen many birders in the area as they seemed reasonably unphased by our presence. Ben urged caution as we approached the top of the embankment so as not to flush any birds near the waters edge. Once we all had a view of the water and beyond he set up the scope and we began identification. I recorded Pink-eared Ducks, Australian Wood-ducks, Grey Teal, Australasian Grebes, Hardheads, Pacific Black Ducks, Black-winged Stilt, Black-fronted Dotterels, Royal Spoonbill, Squatter Pigeons, Crested Pigeons, Yellow Honeyeater, Yellow-Tinted Honeyeater, Common Greenshank, Diamond Dove, a Wedge-tailed Eagle being chased by Torresian Crows, Whistling Kite and Pied Butcherbird.
We left the area at 8.30 and returned to the motel to pack our gear, leaving shortly after nine. While we’d been at the motel various members of the group had spotted birds. There were some Guinea Fowl wandering around the grounds and as we were leaving we saw Pale-headed Rosellas and Squatter Pigeons as well as the usual Magpie-larks, Apostlebirds, Willie Wagtails and Black Kites.
Our next stop was Georgetown Racecourse, which despite Ben’s successes there in other years yielded very few birds. We did see a Horsefield’s Bushlark, a Rufous Songlark, a Red-browed Pardalote and some of the party had a very brief sighting of a Red-chested Button-quail. Neither Sue C nor I felt we’d seen sufficient to record it as a sighting, all I managed to see was a blur.
While we were wandering around the almost dry dam in the centre of the racetrack, we were intrigued to see a swarm of tiny frogs scrambling amongst the sparse ground-cover. It was as if the whole patch of ground was moving; they were individually so small as to be hard to distinguish from the grey-brown soil. Ben identified them as baby Cane Toads! There must have been a hundred or more. We could only hope that something consumed them while they were so small.
After the Racecourse we made a very brief stop outside the Georgetown Caravan Park where we were able to see a Tawny Frogmouth roosting in a tree beside the entrance. I didn’t even need to get out of the car. Leaving Georgetown we continued east along the Gulf Developmental Road and stopped for refreshments at Routh Creek near the top of the Newcastle Range. Although this is known as a likely birding spot the only birds I recorded were Apostlebirds, Torresian Crows and one or more Straw-necked Ibis.
We drove into Mt Surprise before noon and stopped at a road-house for lunch. Eating at a sheltered table outside, we kept our usual look-out for birds and were delighted to see a large flock of about seventy Red-tailed Black-cockatoos. Shortly after, we saw a similar sized flock of Galahs. There were also Apostlebirds as we’d seen in virtually every town we’d visited.
We left Mt Surprise around one and about thirty minutes later came to Forty Mile Scrub NP, which we had visited on the first day of the trip. We called in again, spotting the apparently resident Brush Turkey and White-browed Scrubwrens, as well as a Little Shrike-thrush, Silvereyes and a Grey Fantail.
We had another short stop at a roadhouse in Mt Garnet for Ben to have a ‘caffeine hit’ and then continued on through the Atherton Tablelands stopping again at Longlands Gap State Forest, near Herberton. Ben had hoped to find some of the rarer up-lands birds here, including a Chowchilla but we had no success at all. The only birds I have recorded were a Grey Fantail and an Eastern Spinebill, but others in the group saw Bridled Honey-eaters. Our final stop on the way back to Cairns was another brief one, this time at Lake Barrine, still hoping for Chowchillas. No luck again. Sue M managed to see a Dusky Honeyeater, but all Sue C and I saw was a Brush Turkey. We also noted Catbird calls which would have been from a Spotted Catbird, a species we have yet to see.
It was then an uninterrupted run back down the Gillies Hwy, onto the Bruce Hwy north of Gordonvale and via various alternative routes through the southern parts of Cairns to The Esplanade area where we were all staying in various hotels.
That evening I tallied up our bird lists and found that we’d seen 214 different species, on the trip with Ben. This included 21 species that were first sightings for us.
Kalkadoon Grasswren
Sandstone Shrike Thrush
Rufous Crowned Emu Wren
Purple Crowned Fairy Wren
Northern Rosella
Kalkadoon Grasswren
Sandstone Shrike Thrush
