Heading Home - Rainbow Beach and Eungella

Rainbow Beach

13 - 15 November 2017

We chose to stay at Rainbow Beach because of its proximity to Inskip Point. Inskip Point is a fabulous and very popular camping spot where we stayed at the start of the year. As well as a lovely beach and views to Fraser Island, there is also the potential for bird photography.

We stayed in a town house at Rainbow Beach and visited Inskip Point a couple of times without any success. Even so, it was nice wandering along the bush tracks and along the beaches. We spent a morning in Rainbow Beach township and enjoyed a short walk along the beach.

Caspian Terns out on the sand spit.

A pair of juvenile Brush Turkeys got my hopes up briefly. From the moment they hatch these cute chicks are on their own.

Inskip Point is supposed to be a good site for Black-breasted Button-quail. Finding and photographing them was the main purpose of our visit. Unfortunately there were none about... again. There were a good few Bar-tailed Godwits and terns out on the sand spit. Mick

On our departure from Rainbow Beach, we decided to take another detour to Tin Can Bay. As luck would have it we arrived just at the end of the dolphin feeding so we hung around and watched these beautiful creatures until they swam away. You have to pay to take part, but we didn't see anyone collecting money, probably because the activity was almost over.

Australian Humpback Dolphins are fed by volunteers. The Humpback inhabits rivers & estuaries.

Even a baby dolphin turns up.

From Tin Can Bay we made our way back to the Bruce Highway and north towards home. We reached Rockhampton mid-afternoon and decided it was too early to stop. After a break and refreshments we set off again and reached Clairview at about 6:00pm. We made this our overnight stop.

Our cabin was over priced and dreadful but the beach is pleasant.

 We had a short walk on the beach in the morning before heading off for Eungella.

Eungella

16 - 18 November 2017

Eungella has been a favourite spot for many years and we have visited quite a few times. The attraction is not only the birdwatching and rainforest, but the platypus. Apparently Broken River is the most reliable place on the planet to see these unique and fascinating creatures. Platypus were thought to be nocturnal but at Broken River you can often see them during the day as well as early morning and late afternoon. There are a number of viewing platforms along the river's edge with interpretive information, and you can also stand on the road bridge for a look. We spent most of our two days wandering along the walkways looking hopefully and were regularly rewarded.

Although we saw them a little less frequently this time, I think the conditions were better than on previous visits.

We did go for one short walk through the rainforest along part of the Granite Bend Circuit (1.6km, Class 3). We took a detour down to the creek which is part of the Clarke Range track (8.2km and Class 4 - definitely not for us) and spent some time enjoying the peace and tranquility, before heading back to the Granite Bend track. We retraced our steps instead of continuing on (we both thought we remembered the track getting a bit steeper further on) and then turned off again to complete the Rainforest Discovery Circuit (780m and Class 3). The tracks are very well marked, with maps signposted at all junctions so it is easy to make up your own walk as we did.

Despite their bright colours, Noisy Pittas can be very hard to see among the leaf litter.

A green Tree Snake sunning itself on the walking track.

Flowering Lillipillies along the river attract a variety of honeyeaters. Lewin's Honeyeater.

Dusky Honeyeater

Little Shrike-thrush.

Leaden Flycatcher

Female Cicadabird

Male Cicadabird

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

From Eungella it was on to home with a stop for coffee in Proserpine and lunch at the well resourced and maintained picnic area at Guthalungra.

The trip as shown on our Wikicamps Trip Planner

In summary:

1. We were away from home for 29 nights
2. We drove a total distance of 4333km
3. We stayed on 1 island, at 5 beachside towns and in the mountains at 4 places - from the rainforest to the reef in 12 different locations
4. We travelled through two states - Queensland and New South Wales
5. We visited 6 national parks (Mount Clunie, Tooloom Falls,  Nightcap/Whian Whian - NSW; Eungella, Mapleton Falls, Kondalilla - Qld)
6. We have now visited the most easterly spot on the Australian mainland (we have previously visited the most northerly and the most southerly in Tasmania. Just the most southerly on the mainland, and the most westerly to go)

New South Wales North Coast - Byron Bay and Ballina

New South Wales North Coast

Byron Bay 

6 - 8 November 2017

After out time in the mountains, we headed for the sea. The drive down from Nimbin and Nightcap National Park took us along back roads and through a number of small villages before crossing the Pacific Highway and in to Byron Bay. Byron is another one of those places we thought we should stay at - just once. It is well known for its beaches and surf so attracts hordes of tourists from Australia and overseas. It is one crowded town! We found accommodation close to the main street which meant we could wander around at our leisure without having to pay to park. We realise lots of places have regulated parking and in places like Byron it may be necessary, but the added cost at $4 per hour (capped at $20 per day) could significantly impact a holiday budget.

On Tuesday we headed up the highway to the New Brighton Farmers Market. Held every Tuesday this is a great little market selling lots of delicious produce. With live entertainment this would have been a great place to buy a coffee or something to eat and settle down on the grass to enjoy the music. Unfortunately we didn't think of this until our bag was full of yummy things that needed to be refrigerated as soon as possible. We'll know next time to bring a cooler bag and ice bricks. We bought a number of delicious things - smoked fish dip, tomato and olive tapenade, hard goats cheese - all destined for a tapas style meal later in the week.

After lunch we set off for one of Byron Bay's highlights, the Cape Byron Lighthouse which sits on the most easterly point on mainland Australia. There is limited parking and at $8 for one hour, we didn't feel they encouraged visitors to stay long. We walked along the path for photos at the marker and then a short way further. You can actually walk all the way from town, or one of the nearby beaches and it looked like many people were doing just that. While we were walking along the path we spotted some dolphins which was a bit of a treat.

Byron Bay Lighthouse.

We watched dolphins from here but I missed getting a shot of them.

As far east as you can go on mainland Australia. We now need south and west for the full set.

Below were surfers and kayakers and a large pod of dolphins.

On Wednesday morning we set off for the short drive to Ballina where we were to meet my sister Bronwyn and her partner John. We had plenty of time to kill so after we checked out of our accommodation we drove down to the eastern end of Clarke's Beach (paid parking there too) for a look. Mick was hoping to get some photos of surfers but there really wasn't much happening.

Clarke's Beach

Clarke's Beach about five minutes after the picture above.

From there we took the coast road south, and stopped at a lake we happened to spot from the road. This turned out to be a good birdy spot. Mick never passes up an opportunity for a photograph. From there it was on to Suffolk Park for coffee and a look at the beach, then in to Lennox Head.

Low light and intermittent rain but these breeding Cattle Egrets were too good to ignore!

We spent some time at Lennox Head, despite some showers, first at Lake Ainsworth then on the shops for lunch at a nice fish and chip shop. We also did some shopping for dinner with Bronwyn and John. From there it was just a short drive in to Skennar's Head where we would be staying for the next three nights.

Ballina

8 - 11 November

Our main purpose for visiting Ballina was to catch up with family but we were also hoping to get out to Flat Rock for some birdwatching. Unfortunately the weather wasn't fantastic with scattered showers throughout both days. Due to the rain, we decided to go for a drive with Bronwyn and John to the hinterland towns of Bangalow and Newrybar. We made Bangalow our first stop, and spent about three  hours poking around the interesting shops there. We found nice cafes for morning tea and lunch and did some Christmas shopping as well. From there we travelled on to the much smaller village of Newrybar where we explore the interesting emporium and delightful deli.

While the sun was shining we walked from the caravan park at Skennar's Head to Sharpes Beach along one of a number of well established walking and cycling tracks in the area. This was only a short walk, but others join up to take walkers to other beaches and even all the way to Lennox Head.

We managed a couple of visits to Flat Rock while the rain held off. While Mick photographed birds, John photographed Mick. We also saw kite-surfers in action both afternoons. Ballina is a good spot to restock with all major department, speciality and liquor stores. On our last night we had dinner with our cousin Geoff, at the beautifully located Ballina RSL. The dining room is right on the river but you have to get in early to get a table at the window. We didn't but we still had a great view as the sun went down.

Christie and I at Flat Rock Ballina. Photo courtesy of John Winter.

Stalking a Curlew Sandpiper. Photo courtesy of John Winter.

Great Pied Cormorant. Probably my favourite shot of this trip.

Curlew Sandpiper

Red Knot. A new bird for me.

Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstone

Tern tub time. Crested Tern.

All he ever talks about is fishing.

After Ballina, we were really on our way home, but with a couple of detours. Next stop, Mapleton in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Mount Clunie

Hervey Bay to Brisbane

28 October - 2 November 2017

After our fabulous and relaxing time on Lady Elliot Island it was back on the plane for our return flight to Hervey Bay where we stayed the night before heading to Brisbane. We were to have a few days with daughter Jo before setting off again.

We were looking for reported Painted Snipe but did not find them. A consolation Wandering Whistling-Duck.

As well as spending time with Jo and the obligatory shopping trips, we ventured south towards the Gold Coast for a visit to the Arundel Wetland which is part of the Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area. This open space in the middle of the suburbs features walking tracks and boardwalk. Unfortunately one section was being upgraded and closed when we visited. We did walk the available tracks, which are well made and level. Venturing onto a less well made track through some longer grasses resulted in an encounter with a rather large red-bellied black snake. Needless to say we beat a hasty retreat.

Mount Clunie Cabins

2 - 5 November 2017

After 4 nights in Brisbane, we headed for Mount Clunie Cabins near Woodenbong, on the New South Wales side of the Border Ranges. We had visited here about twenty years ago when the girls were very young and had always wanted to return, so this was our opportunity. After leaving the city we made our way along the Mount Lindsey Highway with a stop at Jimboomba for lunch and some shopping. We continued on until we reached Woodenbong, then drove the 10 kilometres to the turn off to the cabins. The cabins (there are two) are on a cattle property that is nestled on the edge of world heritage rainforest area. Mount Clunie National Park is one of a series of parks in Northern NSW and Southern Queensland that protect remnant Gondwana rainforest.

Welcome Swallows nesting under the cabin eaves.

Crimson Rosella taken from the verandah.

Our cabin.

The Border Ranges in the distance.

View from the verandah.

Part of Fran and Jim's wonderful native garden.

Hosts Fran and Jim welcomed us warmly and explained the working of the cabin which has no electricity connected – it is powered by gas (stove, fridge and lights). There is also a wood fire for colder nights, which we didn’t need.  There are a number of walks on the property and into the national park. Some years ago Fran and Jim were successful in obtaining a government grant to fence off and preserve four sections of the property to allow the rainforest to be maintained in perpetuity. Some of the walks take in these sections, while the one we went on travelled along an old logging track in the Mount Clunie National Park.

We chose the Condamine View walk which leaves the property and continues into the National Park along old logging tracks. There are a number of junctions with other walks, all of which have markers also shown on the map which was provided. The track was reasonably easy with some uphill sections, followed of course by downhills.

Four-bar Swordtail

Another new bird for me, Glossy Black-Cockatoo.

Feeding quietly on casuarina fruit these parrots can be hard to spot.

In addition to the walks, a key feature of the property is the extensive native garden that Fran has spent more than 20 years creating and nurturing. Guests are welcome to wander the garden and sit on the verandah, which we did each afternoon. As a keen bird watcher Fran was able to provide details of the many visitors - some we saw, some we didn't. Sitting quietly looking towards the pond was certainly a lovely way to end the day.

Lots of Eastern Spinebills enjoy the bounty of Fran's garden but they are still very hard to photograph.

A Noisy Friarbird feeding on a banksia flower.

On leaving Mount Clunie, Fran suggested a drive that would take us to a rainforest picnic spot in Tooloom National Park. There is a nice picnic area with a covered table and chairs, as well as a toilet. There is a short, easy walk through the rainforest and another to a lookout with fabulous views across the ranges.  It was such a nice spot we stayed for morning tea and lunch. At lunch we were joined by some other travellers who suggested a stop at Tooloom Falls which is further down the road towards Urbenville. We made a quick stop there - it was very crowded on this Sunday, but looked like a nice camp spot. We made a later stop at Kyogle and were pleasantly surprised to find the Visitor Information Centre and adjacent coffee shop open on a Sunday afternoon. There was also some local produce for sale.

There are some great birds to be found around the Border Ranges area. I was after Glossy Black-Cockatoos and came up trumps. I was also hoping to find Albert's Lyrebird but dipped out. They breed in winter so I'll try again next time. Black-breasted Button-quail are also in the area but I saw none this time. We did hear Paradise Riflebird. Mick

A Yellow-throated Scrubwren forages on a mossy log.

Eastern Yellow Robin at the picnic spot.

A brief glimpse of a noisy Pitta on the walk.

Tooloom Falls looked like a popular camping spot.

We decided to spend a night in Nimbin because we had never been there before and because of its proximity to Nightcap National Park. We chose a motel a little way out of town which was in the hills with some nice views. On Monday morning we ventured into Nimbin town for a look around and to buy a few things. I was disappointed by this well-known counter culture mecca. I found it grubby and not very welcoming. We did find a decent coffee shop for morning tea before setting of for Nightcap National Park.

Some wallabies grazed behind the motel.

The weather hadn't been great over the previous few days, with overnight thunderstorms most nights in the general area, so we were lucky when the clouds cleared and the sun shone for us. Nightcap National Park is accessed from mostly narrow and windy roads, but nothing too extreme. We took the first turn we saw into the park which we found out later was the longer way. Never mind, it was a nice drive on the unsealed road. Nightcap National Park is another part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.

We eventually made our way to Minyon Falls picnic area and lookout. We were very surprised to find it so crowded on a Monday morning out of school holidays. We took the short walk to look at the falls but didn't attempt the longer (4km) Boggy Creek Walk. There are a number of other walks in the park. We decided to check out the Rummery Park Campground a few kilometres down the road and ended up spending some time there. We walked a little way along the the Boggy Creek Walk and had lunch in the picnic area. This would be a nice place to camp in future - there are lots of grassy tent sites and a small number (about 8) sites suitable for camper trailers and campervans. There toilets, picnic tables and barbecues. This is one of the NSW National Parks where bookings are required, so you do need to plan ahead.

A disheveled looking Varied Sword-grass Brown at the campground.

Minyon Falls

After a pleasant visit to Nightcap National Park we headed back towards the coast and our next stop -  Byron Bay.