Gemtree

4 - 6 August 2017

After travelling further than we had intended, Gemtree was a welcome sight. This outback style campground is very well run, with good facilities. It didn't take us long to decide to stay for two nights instead of our intended one. The campground is very spread out with heaps of room to move. There are some shade trees and views all around into the surrounding mulga. This is a popular spot for gem fossickers, with fossicking on site as well as organised Zircon and Garnet tours.

The well made nature trail.

After a very cold night we set off on the 3.5km Nature Trail. This pleasant and easy walk took us right around the outside of the campground and down along the, now dry, creek. The path is well defined and fairly flat. Walkers have the option of trekking through the sandy creek bed, or beside the creek on the last section. There are also a number of "early exit" points which provide direct access into the campground for those who don't want to go the whole way.

Mulga woodland.

Gemtree is located in mulga woodland (a type of arid land acacia). There are several bird species that prefer this habitat and Gemtree is a great place to find some of them. There are a few different Thornbill species here but the one I was after was a mulga specialist, the Slaty-backed. These tiny grey-brown birds are difficult to photograph as they hunt through the foliage. By the second afternoon I had only found Chestnut-rumped and inland Thornbills and was thinking I might dip out when I spied a lone Slaty-backed moving from tree to tree. The streaked crown, red-brown eye and plain light breast made it unmistakable. I lost sight of it after only a short time and did not see another one for the trip. Thankfully I managed some record shots. Mick.

Inland Thornbill.

My first new bird for the trip was this Slaty-Backed Thornbill.

Crested Bellbirds were often seen around the grounds and this male was spotted on our walk.

Male Mulga Parrot (female on left)

A distant Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo.

Later in the day we drove out on to the main road to collect firewood in anticipation of another cold night. There is something very comforting about sitting around a fire.

A welcome fire.

In the morning we packed up and had coffee in the on-site cafe, before setting out to walk a short section of the Nature Walk in search of a certain spot that might have some birds waiting to have their photos taken.

The first Australian Ringnecks for the trip. They were very common from here on.

Crested Pigeons were very common around the grounds.

There were birds on tap at Gemtree. Female Galah.

Male Hooded Robin.

Hooded Robins were common around the grounds and didn't mind being photographed.

Female Hooded Robin

From there it was on into Alice Springs and settling in at the caravan park in time for lunch.