The "Main Range" section of SEQ's "Scenic Rim" is one of Australia's
classic bushwalking trips. Traditionally it meant a traverse of the
Great Dividing Range from Cunningham's Gap to Teviot Gap near the NSW
border. That's a 30 km stroll with 2,800 metres of up and 2,800 metres
of down over 7 peaks and 9 bumps that I did as a daywalk a number of
years [I remember seeing a lyrebird and a robin on that trip]. There
are a number of steep and exposed sections, so route selection and
scunge conditions are critical factors.
This weekend, I was part of a three day, two party traverse between
Spicer's Gap and Teviot Gap [doing a key swap at lunch on the second
day to avoid the need for a car shuffle]. This is the shorter version
of the Main Range traverse that most people do these days. As is the
case with the Overland track, most parties head north-south, but I was
in the group heading north. I managed to leave the knockerlockers at
home, so the weekend's birdwatching was entirely au naturale.
We had to slow for a family of brown quail that was crossing Carney's
Ck Rd [at a spot where they frequently hangout] and we saw a pademelon
on the old logging road as we were walking into Teviot Ck. The
rainforest on the way up the old rabbit fence ridge was fairly quiet,
as most of the summer noise makers had either headed north or shut up
for the winter. Even the lewin's and whipbirds were subdued - most of
the action came from the scrub wrens and warblers, and of course, the
ubiquitous satin bower birds. I believe I saw one catbird. The
general quietness continued along the tops, though I did manage to
whistle in an eastern yellow robin.
Lizard Pt was a very different avian environment. Adjacent to the
rainforest, a 500 m2 daisy-filled heath recovering from a fire that
knocked out most of the shrubs 18 mths ago provided a focal point for
feathered activity. A flock of 8 yellow-tailed blacks were wheeling
about [with the odd one hassled by the currawongs]. The satins were
active along the ecotone, with a few coming over to check us out [I
managed to whistle a female to a branch 2 metres from my nose]. A male
striated pardalote was hanging about with a small group of scarlet
honeyeaters, a couple of wedgies cruised past and a grey shrike thrush
put in a cameo appearance. The most unusual sighting was a pair of red
wattlebirds - I rarely see them in SEQ.
I didn't see any of the albert's that frequent the area, though I did
find a fresh clump of feathers and a member of the other group saw one
near the Lizard Pt campsite. We heard a boobook calling in the night,
and of course, the albert's were taking part in the dawn chorus the
next day. We saw a few spinebills and treecreepers as we took the
roller coaster across to lower Panorama Pt, where a peregrine was
sliding about in the breeze.
While we had few difficulties negotiating the cliff breaks on Panorama
Pt, Mts Asplenium and Huntley, Double Top and Spicers Pk, the birds
were also pretty quiet - apart from a flock of little lorikeets they
flew overhead as we were plodding up a knoll. We did see some health
patches of sorghum grass along the way, so there is some good habitat
for bristlebirds - if there are still any surviving in that neck of the
woods.
A wedgie floated backwards 5 metres above our heads as we were
descending Spicers and I had a close encounter with a painted button
quail. I was following a pad around a bend and came across the bird
parked in the middle of the track one step in front of me. I had time
to see the red of its eye before it quietly flew 10 metres into the
bush. Both our cars and a flock of firetails were waiting for us as we
rolled into Governor's Chair with tired legs.
Another memorable Easter for the memory banks.
Regards, Laurie.
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