Legend:- Green - Campsite: Purple - Caravan Park: Orange - Day Use Area:
Day 1 23/4/21
Set off at 10.30 in dull overcast weather stopping in Mareeba to stock up on last minute fresh veggies. Continued on through Atherton and onto Mt. Hypipamee National Park (The Crater) for lunch.
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| T-van at Mt. Hypipamee National Park |
Most of the journey was driving through drizzly rain. Arrived at 12.45pm and had our lunch in the shelter at the picnic area, which kept us dry.
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| White-throated Treecreeper |
After leaving Mt. Hypipamee our tyre monitors started to play up due to low batteries in the sensors. Managed to find six batteries at two different places in Ravenshoe. Continued onto Archers Creek Rest Area, where the rain eased off and we managed to get our afternoon coffee and fit the batteries into the tyre monitors. Next was Mt. Garnet where we fueled up at the Top Shop, not cheap fuel here anymore ($1.37.9lt), new owners since our last visit. Still gloomy weather with 100% cloud cover, but at least it was not raining. Continued on to Pinnaredi Station Stay & Café, our home for the next three nights. We were here to continue Birdlife North Queensland and North Queensland Natural History Group ongoing bird surveys of the property. Met up with fellow Birdlife members and set up camp.
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| Camp at Pinnarendi |
Pinnarendi Station is at 800m so it was cooler than we had anticipated, mainly due to the wind chill factor from the strong winds. It was still overcast with cloud cover, which was stretching from the coast, Cairns was experiencing heavy rain. It had been a busy day so an early night was in order.
Day 2 24/4/21
Another gloomy overcast morning to greet us, so we had a slow start to our surveys. Took a walk to Garden Dam, Big Dam and Number 1 Dam, where we conducted 20 minute surveys at each.
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| Garden Dam |
The area around Big Dam had plenty of flowering Melalueca viridiflora attracting a few species of honeyeater, including Banded, Rufous-throated (all immature birds), Brown, and Scarlet plus Little and Noisy Friarbird. We were particularly pleased to catch up with the banded and rufous-throated.
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| Banded Honeyeater |
Also found an interesting insect a Blistered pyrgomorph Monistria pustulifera, which is a species of wingless grasshopper of the family Pyrgomorphidae, endemic to Australia.
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| Blistered pyrgomorph Monistria pustulifera |
Otherwise it was very quiet with a distinct lack of small birds. A highlight along the way was a Square-tailed Kite gliding over the tops of the trees. Another member of our team arrived mid- morning to survey the butterflies. Mid-afternoon we set off in the vehicles to survey four previously identified areas. Once again it was hard work finding birds, a Whistling Kite and a Wedge-tailed Eagle were the only raptors and a Varied Sittela was seen by one observer. Cleanskin Dam produced two adult and three immature Plumed Whistling Duck plus a chorus of Northern Banjo Frog along with a Squatter Pigeon on the road.
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| Squatter Pigeon |
The evening was spent at the café with the group having some excellent Pizzas, highly recommended. We all ate too much! Still cool and windy.
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| Pizza at the Café |
Day 3 25/4/21
Nothing new to start the day with overcast drizzly weather. Coffee, breakfast and off for surveys before 8.00am. Had an Australian Bustard by the airstrip road. Arrived at our first survey site and saw five Australian Bustard on the opposite of the road to our survey area plus an Australian Kestrel and a Swamp Harrier fly over.
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| Australian Bustard |
Very quiet for birds at this site and a further two survey sites. Arrived at Cleanskin Dam, where we stopped for morning coffee and cake. Appropriately as it was Anzac Day we had some Anzac biscuits. On the dam was an Australasian Grebe, two Pacific Black Duck and an Plumed Egret.
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| Plumed Egret |
Back to camp to rest up and have lunch. Mid-afternoon some of the group went for a walk along the road to the rubbish dump and back to camp via Big Dam and Garden Dam. Very quiet with little activity in the flowering Melaleuca viridiflora around Big Dam in contrast to the day before when there was a good variety of honeyeaters. As we returned to the camp the drizzle became more intense, but cleared for an evening around the fire-pit talking and another early night.
Day 4 26/4/21
Up at 6.00am to be greeted by overcast and cloudy weather, so headed off for a welcome hot shower. Had a coffee before packing up and ready to leave by 8.00, but first we had a breakfast date at the café. Had eggs benedict and coffee to get us going on the next leg of our journey. Left at 10.00am and travelled the Savannah Way to Mt. Surprise. The highway, which is part of Highway 1, continues to Georgetown, but we turned off before then onto the Einasleigh Road. Just before this turn off there is a stretch of road with a narrow strip of bitumen for about 5kms, it was along this strip that a car/caravan going too fast flicked up a stone and chipped our windscreen! Again another chip, our third in less than a year, a previous one had resulted in a new windscreen. Continued along the Einasleigh Road until we found the Jardine Lagoon campground and set up camp in the deserted camp ground. A few Radjah Shelduck were on the lagoon to greet us.
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| Radjah Shelduck |
Checked out the birds, plenty around the lagoon, before lunch. After lunch re-adjusted the T-van wheel bearings and put a new diaphragm and gasket in the water pump, which had been playing up, seem to fix the problem but not 100%. The Jardine Station owner came around in the late afternoon to collect the $20.00 camping fee; there is another camping area on the station alongside the Einasleigh River. Quiet evening on our own.
Day 5 27/4/21
Another 6.00am start with a coffee before we went for a walk around the lagoon and surrounds. First up we were greeted by a Black-necked Stork foraging along the edge with several Rajah Shelduck. A group of Plumed Whistling Duck were swimming at the far end of the lagoon, but a few were perched in the trees alongside the water.
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Plumed Whistling-Duck |
Then a pair of Eastern Osprey flew over to our surprise as we were right on the edge of their distribution from the east coast. They must have travelled along the nearby Einasleigh River. Two Brolga flew in and a pair of Black Kite posed for photos in the early morning light.
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| Black Kite |
After breakfast and packing up we turned onto the Einasleigh Road to join up with the Gregory Development Road which took us to the Kennedy Development Road. Stopped at the junction for a morning coffee fix then headed towards Hughenden. Lindsay drove for an hour before we found a place to pull off the road for lunch. Were checked over by a party of Weebill and a few Striated Pardalote who had a nest nearby, nothing else of note here.
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| Weebill |
The part of the Kennedy Development Road three to four stretches unsealed. It is part of the Inland Highway, designed mainly to get trucks coming from the Gulf region of Northern Queensland to southern states off the east coast route, cutting time and easing congestion on the coast highways. Reached Hughenden about 3.00 pm and looked for the windscreen repair garage, but it was closed or deserted – hard to tell. Booked into the Allan Terry Caravan Park for the night to charge up all our IT toys and to have a welcome shower. Full moon tonight but not the pink moon we were promised.
Day 6 28/4/21
Decided to get on the road to Winton early and have breakfast along the way. Stopped at our favourite bore around 9.00am and Lindsay cooked up egg and bacon sandwiches. A few birds around the dam including a juvenile Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, White-winged Triller, White-breasted Woodswallow and Sacred Kingfisher.
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| Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo - juvenile |
By now the sun was out and a few raptors were flying around, Black Kite, Brown Falcon and Nankeen Kestrel were along the road, some also perched on the power poles. Stopped at Corfield for morning coffee and a loo break before the last leg into Winton. Two windscreen repairers here, the first was a mirror of the Hughenden one – no sign of anyone working here so we headed to the second one. Central Motors in town had people working, but they had run out of the epoxy to fix chips and had been waiting for it to arrive. Booked into Pelican Caravan Park had lunch and a rest. Spent the afternoon on the phone trying to arrange the windscreen repair. O’Briens in Longreach said probably a new one was required due to the size of the chip. Anyway, to cut a long story short we booked in for May 4th to asses whether we need a new windscreen or not. Late afternoon we went off to the Winton Wastewater Treatment Plant to check out the waterbirds. A few duck, Pacific Black Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Hardhead, Grey Teal, European Coot and Australasian Grebe plus a few Australian Swamphen.
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| Pink-eared Duck |
Little Grassbird and Australian Reed Warbler were heard and occasionally glimpsed. Back to the T-van and a quiet evening apart from a few noisy trucks.
Day 7 29/4/21
Woke to 15c. After breakfast we took a drive out to Pelican Lagoon, which was not very exciting. The road was across black soil and very dry and bumpy, best bird here was probably Sacred Kingfisher.
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| Pelican Lagoon Art |
Then drove to Long Waterhole and were pleasantly surprised by the lack of campers. Last visit in 2019 it was very crowded. Recorded 17 species around the lagoon, but nothing on the water. We decided to return and camp here tomorrow night before we go to Bladensburg NP. Drove around checking sites and found another T-van camped before we went back into town. Fueled up, visited the butcher and bakery and saw three T-vans parked up. Went back after the bakery to find the owners ready to take off, had a chat and left them to continue on their way to Kakadu NP. Back to our T-van and lunch. Had a quiet relaxing afternoon. Late afternoon went back to Winton Wastewater Treatment Plant, much the same as yesterday, but there was a new trip and year tick, three Hoary-headed Grebe - two adults and an immature.
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| Hoary-headed Grebe |
Back to camp for a shower before we went to Tattersalls Hotel for an evening meal. Had to wait an hour for the food to arrive, looked like they forgot us as others who arrived after us were served. No apology for the long wait. Back to the T-van for a de-caff coffee.
Day 8 30/4/21
Awoke before 5.00am to some horrible loudspeaker noise coming from the town direction with garbled voices. Slow relaxed start to the day, packing up, breakfast and down to the Spar store to top up with a few bits of food. Then off to Long Waterhole, where we found a suitable camp for the night beside the water. Went with the quick setup on the T-van as we were only here for a night. The sun was shining so the solar panels were pressed into service to keep up with the power usage. The waterhole was pretty quiet with the coffee coloured water not very inviting. The highlight was a Black-tailed Native Hen foraging along the shoreline. Other new trip birds seen during the day included two Royal Spoonbill and a White-necked Heron.
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| White-necked Heron |
A couple of Australian Pelican glided by and a party of 13 Apostlebird came looking for handouts, but were disappointed. Had lunch and a snooze before giving the car a quick once over to clean the red mud off it. A couple came to say hello and tell us they had a T-van back home, but were in a caravan for their trip this time. They had seen Lindsay’s latest posting on the T-van Facebook page.
Day 9 1/5/21
Had a lie in until 6.40! Leisurely start to the morning with a walk to the end of the lagoon, where there were some budgies coming in to drink and a few Black-fronted Dotterel. Back at camp there were eight Australian Wood Duck foraging in the weeds posing for photos along with an Australian Raven.
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| Australian Wood Duck |
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Australian Raven |
Had a cooked breakfast of egg and bacon on toast. Packed up and drove into Winton to fill up with drinking water. Then off to Bladensburg National Park, where we found the Bough Shed Waterhole camp ground. Only one camp so we had a good choice of sites. Set up and a morning coffee, whilst we were getting acquainted with the very friendly flies! Solar Panels were put out and were working well. Spent the afternoon playing around with the spare camera, (Olympus OM-D-5mkll). Met a couple from Adelaide who were part time birders having progressed with their field guides from Caley, Slaters and now Simpson and Day. A Black-breasted Buzzard was a highlight of a late afternoon walk.
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| Black-breasted Buzzard |
Plenty of Common Wallaroo (Euro) to take photos of.
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| Common Wallaroo (Euro) |
Day 10 2/5/21
No rush this morning, a cuppa and a walk down to the main track produced an Australian Hobby, a few flocks of Budgerigar and Cockatiel. After breakfast we took a trip down to Engine Hole stopping along the way at the 20km jump-up to check out the Spinifex Flat area for a reported Opalton Grasswren, none seen but we did see our first Spinifex Pigeon.
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| Spinifex Pigeon |
Sitting at Engine Hole for morning coffee overlooking the water hole we saw 36 Apostlebird coming in to drink. A pair of Galah were also watching the proceedings. Back along the road again at Spinifex Flat we saw a bird running around in the Spinifex and posing for photos, it was a Brown Songlark, new for the trip list.
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| Brown Songlark |
Also here were flocks of Zebra Finch well in excess of 100. Back at camp our friends from Townsville arrived just before lunch as well as some other friends from Bundaberg, who we had not seen for at least 10 years! They also knew our Townsville friends so another gossip session ensued. Relaxing afternoon before going out to walk along the sand ridge looking for previously seen Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush – dipped again. Nibbles and talk session before dinner.
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Day 11 3/5/21
Up and off down the road by 7.40am with our Townsville friends who led the way to Skull Hole. Found a few birds here including 30+ Crested Pigeon, Spinifex Pigeon and Common Bronzewing. I managed to slip over on some loose gravel, but luckily no damage apart from a few scrapes. From here we travelled a short distance to a known spot for Rufous-crowned Emu-wren. After searching we found a Spinifexbird and only the ladies saw the Emu-wren plus Purple-backed Fairy-wren. I did see four Hooded Robin though. Continue on to Goshawk Dam for morning coffee, here we had Red-backed Kingfisher, Red-capped Robin and Galah drinking.
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| Galah |
Continued along the track to the Scammy Gorge road encountering a few very steep creek crossings along the way. There was some water around Scammy Gorge plus a long lagoon with White-necked Heron and Three Hoary-headed Grebe. Drove up the steep road to the Scammy Lookout, where we had lunch before heading to the Homestead. Had eight Banded Lapwing along the way.
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| Banded Lapwing |
Stopped at the Homestead and talked to a ranger! Next stop was Paradise Lagoon, where Zebra Finch were bathing. Back to camp to relax and get organised for tomorrows trip to Longreach.
Day 12 4/5/21
Up early for a quick getaway, said our goodbye's to our Townsville friend's and headed into Winton. Then the A2 to Longreach, which was uneventful and a not too interesting stretch of road. Went straight to the agents, for O'Brien's windscreen repairs at the Shell garage, where we discussed repair or replace. Too big a chip to repair so replacement windscreen is on the cards, but they suggested we could finish our trip and get it fixed when we get home. Likelihood of another chip is quite high so decided to put up with the chip which luckily was in the centre of the screen. Exchanged gas bottles here and fueled up. Then booked into the Longreach Caravan Park, 1970’s vintage in need of major renovations. Anyway we had a powered site, showers and laundry facilities, so it did the job for us. By now it was lunch time so back into town to the café next to the bakery for some food. No grain bread so we went next door and got the last two grain rolls. Then back to the café for coffee and to eat our rolls. Whilst we were there who should walk in but more friends this time from Melbourne and Brisbane, could not have planned it better! Sat talking whilst they had their lunch. We said our farewells outside and noticed a few of our government ministers including our Queensland premier Anastacia Palaszczuk jumping in a car after a rural cabinet meeting. Later in the afternoon we went to the Longreach Sewage Treatment Works, where we had a few Grey Teal, Hardhead and two Hoary-headed Grebe amongst some other waterbirds.
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| Hardhead |
Day 13 5/5/21
Cooled down to 15ºC overnight. An easy, no rush start to the day. Put the second battery on charge and made sure all our other devices were charged as well as filling up the water tank before we headed off. First stop to top up with supplies at the very good IGA. It was now morning coffee time so we went back to the café next to the bakery for a coffee before we headed south along the Jundah Road, which had very little traffic on it. Most of the way to the Lochern National Park turn off is single lane bitumen with a few passing places and no rest areas. The road west to Lochern National Park and Noonbah Station it is all gravel with maximum speed of 80kph on the straight and a lot slower around a few sharp bends. Arrived at the unmanned Lochern Ranger Base at 12.30pm and had our lunch on the veranda at the closed visitor centre. Then travelled the short distance to Noonbah Station to be greeted by Angus and Karen. Chatted around the table whilst having coffee and cakes. Angus then took us on a quick tour showing us a new camp site and several other places to go for birds. Set up camp, at the new site, next to a dam where we spent the rest of the day relaxing, birding and an early night as it began cooling down.
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| Noonbah Station Camp |
Day 14 6/5/21
It certainly did cool down to 8ºC! The coldest morning so far on the trip. A warming cup of coffee got us going so we headed up the nearby escarpment, but not much bird life up there. However, back on the flat a flock of 20 Pink Cockatoo were feeding on the ground, perching on trees and coming in to drink at the dam.
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| Pink Cockatoo |
After breakfast we drove out along the airstrip, but did not encounter any birds until we were almost at the western end. A party of nine Spinifex Pigeon were foraging in the vegetation by the runway perimeter fence. Then back onto the road and across the Vergemont channels to turn off beside the Mesa and on to Big Dam. The dam was at low level with the only waterbird present a Royal Spoonbill a big contrast to our previous visits.
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| Royal Spoonbill |
A few other birds were around including Galah who were drinking, more photo opportunities. After morning coffee decided to go back to the Mesa and climb to the top, not very high so it was fairly easy. Not much around apart from a pair of Hooded Robin, but the views from the top were great. Back for lunch and a snooze. The afternoon was spent relaxing and sitting around the dam trying to take photos of the birds coming in to drink, mainly Crested Pigeon, Spiny-cheeked and White-plumed Honeyeater.
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| Crested Pigeon |
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| Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater |
Cooling down for another cold night.
Day 15 7/5/21
Another 8ºC morning. Went for a walk along the road to warm up and got the news that my soccer team, Arsenal, only drew at home and were out of the Europa cup final. Back for a breakfast of porridge before driving out to the airstrip again. This time we found Splendid Fairy-wren plus a few other species. Then ended up on the wrong road to the dam we were supposed to be going to, eventually backtracked and found the right road. A few Australian Wood Duck and two Grey Teal plus Galah and Zebra Finch were here.
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| Zebra Finch - adult female |
Then onto another dam, on the boundary with Lochern National Park, which was more productive as we had a Pink-eared Duck, two Australian Wood Duck, three Australian Grebe, 2 Black-fronted Dotterel along with Galah, Cockatiel, two Pink Cockatoo and Zebra Finch coming in to drink. From here we drove to Bluebush Lagoon in Lochern Lochern National Park, but this was dry so no birds. Then headed to Stockyard Dam on Waterloo Station, where there was more Australian Wood Duck, a Hardhead and a Grey Teal. A Brown Falcon soared overhead whilst on the ground there were 18 Willie Wagtail, 50+ Zebra Finch and several honeyeater species. Time to return to camp for lunch passing patches of Flinders Grass on the way back. Had lunch and a restful afternoon as it was too hot to do much.
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| Noonbah Station |
Day 16 8/5/21
Not so cold this morning, a steamy12ºC! Wake up coffee before tidying up the camp and having a cooked breakfast, scrambled eggs and beans on toast, good start. Packed up and called in to the homestead where Karen was looking after a joey. Angus was out showing some friends around Waterloo Station. Said good bye to Karen and headed of to Stonehenge. Turned off the Noonbah Road to travel along a new stretch or road for us, more like a narrow track, but in quite good condition. Arrived at Stonehenge in time for morning coffee, nice little settlement. Met a couple in a Kimberley Kamper who were also heading for the Jundah Caravan Park like us. They were from the Sunshine Coast. Then back onto the main Longreach-Jundah Road. Had a break at Swanvale Lookout before the final stretch into Jundah. Booked into the Jundah Caravan Park and put up the T-van quick setup as we were only here for a night. Hooked up all the devises to the power and charged them. Had lunch and a lazy afternoon catching up with paperwork and eBird. Plenty of House Sparrow around along with noisy Little Corella and Galah. A surprise was a Blue-faced Honeyeater, which must be at the extremity of its distribution west and south.
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| Blue-faced Honeyeater |
A helicopter called into the pub late afternoon, no doubt to stock up on beer supplies! Quiet evening smelling the fatty foodstuffs from the nearby pub and a few dogs howling and barking.
Day 17 9/5/21
Early start, coffee, breakfast and pack up. Called into a local fuel station to fill up (Diesel $144.9lt) then headed out of town along the Quilpie Road. Some bitumen in places, the rest pretty good gravel to the Welford National Park turn off. Headed into the park and drove the 12km to Little Boomerang Waterhole campground. There were four camps with three of them together. We had a chat with them all before we had our morning coffee break. An Australian Hobby was flying around the campground before having a rest on a dead tree branch.
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| Australian Hobby |
Drove out along one of the park drives to join up with the entrance road back to the main Quilpie Road. From here the road was not so good with a few bull dust holes and rough gravel. Reached the junction of the Quilpie-Windora Road and stopped at the rest area before driving to the next rest area along the single lane bitumen, passing another T-van heading to Windora. Pulled off the road for the cattle trucks and a few speeding caravanners, however most slowed down and pulled off the road like us. Lindsay drove this section. Arrived at the rest area at the junction of the Eromanga Road and brewed up a coffee. Whilst here another T-van pulled in so we had a chat with the couple. Drove through Quilpie then tried to find The Lake campground. After one false start we found it and booked in. We were even offered a job here! Set up camp beside the lake.
Day 18 10/5/21
Quick look at the lake first up with a cup of coffee. A few Pied and Great Cormorants were flying down the lake for their feeding spot and a couple of pelican cruised by. Took a short walk beside the lake, where the cormorant, darter and Yellow-billed Spoonbill were roosting along with an Australian Pelican looking uncomfortable resting on a fence post. Also found a few Grey Teal and some adult Eurasian Coot with immatures swimming around in the shallow water.
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| Australian Pelican |
Made use of the laundry before breakfast, which was interrupted trying to photograph three Grey-crowned Babbler who were foraging around the camp.
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| Grey-crowned Babbler |
After breakfast we took a longer walk along the lake, a few flowering trees were attracting Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater and a White-necked Heron was foraging in the shallow water. A few flocks of Budgerigar were flying around and landing in the trees before coming down for a drink. Nearby was a Whistling Kite sitting in a nest, but still no small birds.
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| Budgerigar |
Back to camp for morning coffee and cake. Yesterdays couple in a T-van arrived after a night camping alongside the river. Sorted out more washing before going into town to try and find somewhere for lunch. Called into the very old fashion bakery, where Lindsay got a pie and I had a sad cheese and tomato sandwich with no green salad despite asking for some, plus a coffee (?). Took a tour around town before calling into the butcher and Foodworks for supplies. Hot day today 32ºC. Lazy afternoon catching up on the diary and eBird surveys again. Met another couple of birders and swapped stories. Quiet night.
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