In October, 2009, I went on a quick 6 day trip from Wollongong, NSW, to Dajarra, QLD. Dajarra is a numbing 30 hour, 2500km drive from Wollongong. I headed up to that area since the route took me through a variety of habitats with the possibility of many new herps. Also, it was spring and it is always nice to see the flowers that are out at that time of the year.
This post will be a big one and will include many photos of the habitat, invertebrates, birds, reptiles and mammals that I encountered on the journey.
Firstly, here is a map of Dajarra. Dajarra itself is a tiny aboriginal settlement in an area with lots of granite outcrops. The enormous mines of Mt. Isa are not far to the east.
The drive westward from Winton was scenic once the Eyrean Basin was reached. This area is low lying and when it floods, the water travels southwest and eventually reaches Lake Eyre in South Australia. The edge of the basin is bounded by escarpments and clumps of Spinifex (Triodia sp) were frequent. Spinifex is sometimes known as Porcupine Grass due to its stiff leaves that are needle sharp. Spinifex is the home to a large number of the arid adapted Aussie lizards.
Eyrean Basin between Winton and Dajarra (roughly 400km apart):
Beyond the escarpment, the country became drier. Buttes were a frequent sight. I climbed a few of these but this was hard work due to the crumbling soil. This area once was the bed of an ancient sea.
The habitat in the Dajarra area was different again. Granite outcrops were everywhere and many of these had exfoliating sheets or crevices. This area looked to be ideal for reptiles but I unfortunately did not find many. October is near the end of the dry season and I think that the reptiles were probably awaiting the approaching rain.
The habitat between Winton and the little towns of Aramac and Muttaburra was flat and covered with low growing grassland. This area is known as the Mitchell Grass Downs and is surprisingly the home of a number of endemic reptiles. The soil is cracking clay and most of the animals shelter in this to avoid the high mid-day temperatures.
Much of inland Queensland was covered with Mulga or other Acacia trees. I especially liked the areas with red sand.
Invertebrates:
Caper White (Belenois java) -- This dry country was not good habitat but I saw a few of these butterflies in gardens at Muttaburra.
Wattle Blue (Theclinesthes miskini) -- I am not certain but think this to be a female Wattle Blue. There are only a handful of blues here in the interior.
Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) -- these were common beneath logs along a creek bed.
I found a few of these large cockroaches in spinifex along the escarpment of the Eyrean Basin.
Some sort of orthopteran:
This post will be a big one and will include many photos of the habitat, invertebrates, birds, reptiles and mammals that I encountered on the journey.
Firstly, here is a map of Dajarra. Dajarra itself is a tiny aboriginal settlement in an area with lots of granite outcrops. The enormous mines of Mt. Isa are not far to the east.
The drive westward from Winton was scenic once the Eyrean Basin was reached. This area is low lying and when it floods, the water travels southwest and eventually reaches Lake Eyre in South Australia. The edge of the basin is bounded by escarpments and clumps of Spinifex (Triodia sp) were frequent. Spinifex is sometimes known as Porcupine Grass due to its stiff leaves that are needle sharp. Spinifex is the home to a large number of the arid adapted Aussie lizards.
Eyrean Basin between Winton and Dajarra (roughly 400km apart):
Beyond the escarpment, the country became drier. Buttes were a frequent sight. I climbed a few of these but this was hard work due to the crumbling soil. This area once was the bed of an ancient sea.
The habitat in the Dajarra area was different again. Granite outcrops were everywhere and many of these had exfoliating sheets or crevices. This area looked to be ideal for reptiles but I unfortunately did not find many. October is near the end of the dry season and I think that the reptiles were probably awaiting the approaching rain.
The habitat between Winton and the little towns of Aramac and Muttaburra was flat and covered with low growing grassland. This area is known as the Mitchell Grass Downs and is surprisingly the home of a number of endemic reptiles. The soil is cracking clay and most of the animals shelter in this to avoid the high mid-day temperatures.
Much of inland Queensland was covered with Mulga or other Acacia trees. I especially liked the areas with red sand.
Invertebrates:
Caper White (Belenois java) -- This dry country was not good habitat but I saw a few of these butterflies in gardens at Muttaburra.
Wattle Blue (Theclinesthes miskini) -- I am not certain but think this to be a female Wattle Blue. There are only a handful of blues here in the interior.
Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) -- these were common beneath logs along a creek bed.
I found a few of these large cockroaches in spinifex along the escarpment of the Eyrean Basin.
Some sort of orthopteran:
