Loaded the Totota Hilux 4X4 Saturday afternoon, Townsville. Started the
engine on Sunday morning, 5 AM. Turned the Toyota 4X4 towards Barcaldine
[in Central-western Queensland] heading west via Charters Towers to Torrens
Creek. Sharp turn left along 300 km of dirt road to Aramac, arrived 2:30
Sunday afternoon at Barcaldine.
The reason for the trip: Alex my friend at James Cook University had a
computer, 17" monitor, key board, hard drive and printer to deliver to the
Desert Uplands offices in Barcaldine, plius training local people. So I
said I would help deliver the gear and drive Alex down to Barcaldine.
On our arrival in Barcaldine we pulled in front of the Ironbark Motel,
owned by Alex's friends Rob and Deb Chandler. A small nature reserve and
wetlands runs behind the Ironbark motel, 1 km away. Rob offered to take
Alex and I down to point out the good birding spots on the Monday morning.
Rob went to select one of his stable of cars and 4X4's and we waited out
the front entrance of the "Ironbark". To our amazement he pulled up in a
new Ford Ghia Fairmont to go 4 wheel driving and as we jumped I said to
Rob: "Not even Sir David Attenborough would get this kind of service." We
all laughed.
The Ford Ghia headed down the Landsborough Highway for 1km and turned onto
a sandy track. We drove on. I could not help but notice the driving skill
Rob showed around the Nature and Wetland reserve negotiating sandy tracks,
trees, thorn bush, old trees roots in the ground. Enough to puncture any
4X4 tyre let alone a Ford Ghia Fairmont tyre.
Now Rob's not Troy Dan - he will not take his shirts off for you. And he's
not Major Les Hiddens - doesn't own a big hat. But Rob's all country and
knows his birds. Rob's also the cook at the 'Ironbark' - his steaks are so
big he will barbacue them for you and bring them to your table in a
wheelbarrow. NOW THAT'S BIG.
Call in and say 'hi' to Rob and Deb.
Good Birding
Guido Spachi 99#
BARCALDINE BIRD LIST (LAGOON CK wetlands)
Australian pelican White-faced Heron Aust White Ibis
Straw-necked ibis Royal Spoonbill Pacific Black Duck
Whistling Kite Little Eagle Dusky moorhen
Purple Swamphen Black-fronted Dottrell Brolga
Peaceful Dove Crested Pigeon Galah
Rainbow Lorikeet Laughing Kookaburra Tree Martin
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Grey Shrike-thrush Willy wagtail
Restless Flycatcher Grey-crowned Babbler Rufous Songlark
Variegated Fairy-wren Yellow Thornbill Brown treecreeper
Little Friarbird Blue-faced Honeyeater Yellow-throated Miner
White-plumed Honeyeater Striated Pardalote House Sparrow
Double-barred Finch Plum-headed Finch Apostlebird
Magpie-lark White-breasted woodswallow Dusky
Woodswallow
Black-faced Woodswallow Torresian Crow
TORRENS-CK - ARAMAC ROAD
Crimson Chat Masked Woodswallow
LAKE GALILEE (SOUTHERN END)
Yellow-billed Spoonbill Little Corella
LAKE BUCHANAN (WESTERN SIDE)
~ 400 pelicans, Black swans, Whiskered tern, Common Bronzewing
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