Saturday, July 30, 2016

Go, Chilla to Chillagoe

For the benefit of overseas readers (and probably many of the younger Australian readers) I should explain that 'Chilla' is a familiar form of "Charles".  The town we visited today was apparently not named to honour any Chucks but from an alleged sea shanty (of which I have never heard).

We began by dodgin Atherton town by using Marks Lane and Beantree Rd.  The latter took us past the blueberries we saw yesterday, where work was happening.
 I wondered why the ends of the netted areas were open.  There are obviously fruit on the bushes.
 I foresee a visit to the place to ask some questions.

After passing through Tolga we took Channel Rd.  It is not a major thoroughfare being at times what I call three ply (1 lane of bitumen with a lane of dirt on either side).  At other times it was closer to two and a half ply but there was no other traffic so hakuna matata.
We came to an intersection where we could go right to the Mareeba - Dimbulah Rd or left on another, minor route more directly to Dimbulah.  On this occasion we trended left, for a very interesting drive through a lot of intensive tropical horticulture (bananas, cane, mangoes).  After a while we came to the main road and eventually Dimbulah.

As well as the Memorial Hall ...
 .. it had the Funky Mango Cafe (graced with statues of Jake and Elwood above the front) and a very helpful Museum/Visitors Centre,

The road is marketed as the Wheelbarrow Way as the miners used to walk from Mareeba pushing their kit in a wheelbarrow.
 The local schools have got into this with tiles along the walkway.
 Heading West some hills or possibly mountains were visible.
Just after leaving Dimbulah we disturbed 2 Wedge-tailed Eagles dining on a former wallaby.  The adult took off but the immature bird landed again to lurk in some long grass near the meal.  Its the first time I have seen a Wedgie act like this.
 On, on down the road,  A family of black pigs (2 adults and 2 small items) diced with death but decided to head back off the road.  The cattle were more laid back and just watched us pass.
 The road went up and (mainly) down.
Losing elevation and moving inland meant things were getting warmer.  By the time we stopped at the Almaden Cemetery it was 28oC.  Here is one approach to decorating a grave...
 ... and here is a second, possibly more traditional approach.
 To the West of Almaden the road got a little dodgier with stretches of dirt (in good condition) and some painted rocks.
Approaching Chillagoe we came through the Ramparts area with some very impressive rock formations.
In the main street were a couple of genuine road trains.  (In South Australia I think they try for, but fail to achieve, glory by calling B-doubles road trains.  Three trailers count.
 A black Kite was looking more bronze on a power pole.
 The Chillagoe Cemetery had much to recommend it with some headstones made of the local marble (of which we had seen many quarries along the road).
 This Honour Roll was a project of the Dimbulah-Chillagoe Masonic Lodge.
 It was particularly interesting as it lists not only the names ages and plot numbers of the occupants but their religion and jobs.  (Click on the image to expand it.)  Without a rigorous investigation the most evident occupation was 'child': I reckon it would have been a tough life for a kid out here between 1901 and 1920.  (Probably not too easy for the following 100 years either!)
 More decoration.
 This headstone is interesting for a number of reasons.

  1. The occupant was a Mason;
  2. He died not long after mining started in 1890;
  3. The epitaph is interesting; and
  4. The mason for the stone was in Townsville about 400km away.

This collection of objects were at the entrance to the cemetery.  Judging by the way the wires had cut into the tree they had been there for a fair while.
 We visited the weir which had excellent swimming holes being enjoyed by tourists and locals (but not us).

 The two German guys in this were obviously well set up for outback travel.  A sign where the Burke Development Rd left the town mentioned that there was no fuel for 590km, so I think they'll need their extra cans on the roof.
 A spider web.
 An impressive yellow flower (on a medium size tree).  Duncan has commented (see below) that this is a Kapok tree - Cochlospermum gillivrae.
 A couple of views of the smelters, which are now just historic relics.

 The QNPS have really done this area nicely with many helpful signs about the history and geology of the area.  They even allow dogs (or at least don't prohibit them) in the mine area!  Some limestone outcrops  ...
 .. and a balanced rock.
 The drive back was still interesting but we were motivated to get home.  We did stop however when Frances noticed the gorgeous red tails on this flock of Black-Cockatoos.
  • Bird of the day: Brown Quail .  Mather Rd gets a mention for my first " three Cuckooshrike species in 5 minutes" record with Barred, White-bellied and Black-faced in swift succession.   The Red-tails get a second crack at flock of the day.
  • Vegetation of the day: Yellow thing at Chillagoe
  • Memorable moment: Looking out over the site at Chillagoe
  • Comment of the day: "The National Parks people are funny."  Part of a conversation about whether we could take Tammy into the Park.  This was definitiely a reference to funny-peculiar rather than funny-haha,  
  • Pie of the day: I got something described as a pie at the roadhouse in Chillagoe.  Came in cellophane.  Was warm (microwaved) and had brown stuff inside.  One would need to be severely inebriated to enjoy this and completely legless to give it more than 3/10.  In fairness, probably no worse than similar commercial offerings in other towns and States.
  • Troppo moment of the day. Temperatures >30oin Chillagoe - and it is still Winter!

Friday, July 29, 2016

Rail trail part 2

After I completed yesterday's post I went for a walk down to the pub, not for the purposes of beer but to see if I could spot the Barking Owl which is reputed to hunt from a Hoop Pine opposite.  I was using my headlight to scan the tree and got a "woof" but never laid any sort of visual on a bird.  Even my ethics rejected that one!

I then had a very pleasant chat with a young woman from the Wallaby Backpacker, who wondered if I was looking for Tree-Kangaroos.  I explained where to look but this wasn't much help as she is moving on today,

My Friday started with a stroll down Mathers Rd to see what was there.  A Barred Cuckooshrike was the best bird, but it didn't cooperate photographically,  Part of a flock of 12 Figbirds provided today's first image.
Our dog-walk today revisited the far side of the Creek over this small bridge.  The aim was to check for tree-kangaroos in the mobi forest there.  Nice try, no cigar.
Getting back to the track I noticed this conveniently placed rope had been invaded by what would be called epiphytes if they were growing on trees.
 Another pretty flower in Williams Park.
 We came back into the village attempting to find the Syd Williams walkway.  We got there eventually, although, as with many shortcuts, it added quite a bit of distance the first time.  En route we noticed this lovely bunch of (not coconuts but) papayas.
After a bit of recovery we took ourselves off to do a little more of the Atherton Rail Trail.  It started with a little surprise in that there was a break in the trail around some businesses.  After that it started to go though an agricultural setting.  Frances noticed a kettle of some 16 Black Kites over a paddock where hay was being made.  After an hour we had reached this rather industrial scale undertaking.
 Looking in the houses didn't help us identify the crop.
However, the arrival of two workers revealed that they were blueberries.  The workers didn't know how big an area was covered, but offered a guess of 60 acres.

By this stage the trail had agriculture on one side, industry on the other, and the town in the distance.
  • Bird of the day: Dusky Honeyeater.  The Kettle of Kites won the flcok award
  • Vegetation of the day: Pink flowers inb Williams Park
  • Memorable moment: The noise of tour groups at the curtain fig!
  • Comment of the day: Nothing comes to mind
  • Pie of the day: No submissions: I had potato crisps for lunch, Yumm.
  • Troppo moment of the day. Workers on the roof of the shopping centre containing Woolies wearing boots, shorts, hivis shirts and wide brimmed straw hats.  I thought in Katter country it had to be a white Akubra.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

A reason for not swimming

Another quietish day.  But it was 10oC warmer than Carwoola!

I went for a quick stroll down the start of Mather Rd early this morning and was rewarded with a beautiful Grey Goshawk perched in a Hoop Pine.  I tend to think they are about the prettiest of Australian raptors.
After regrouping the three of us when for a walk to North Yungaburra.  On getting to the end of the houses in Mulgrave St we went for a look in a garden area.  This is Williams Park and has some very good garden beds.
It also has a lot of birds at times although today was not one of those times (other than yet another pair of Bush Stone Curlews).

We swerved on to the Casuarina Track and on getting to the end of that proceeded to the cemetery.  This is an interesting mix of old and new.  The oldest headstone (1883) was just inside the gate and had been relocated from Tinaroo Dam (damn - sic - I have been mis-spelling that in the matter of 'n') by the Historical Society.

This headstone is interesting because
  • it is that of Maud Kehoe, after whom a park in the centre of town is named; and
  • the relative dates of death of Maud (1971) and her husband John (1933) show a pattern common to a number of the graves.  I shall have to find out more about this couple.
 I was initially amused by the formality of Mr Williams titles in contrast to the inscription  "resting with Syd".  On Googling Sir Syd I found this Toyota Press Release informative.  A very busy bloke and well worthy of his awards.
On the way back a grasshopper landed on the road.  I realised this was the first 'hopper I'd seen up here.
 We got a view across to the new part of Yungaburra - for some reason I was reminded of the song "Little Boxes".
Frances and I then went for a walk to Lake Eacham.  This image is not about (1) the young ladies sunning themselves on the pontoon.  However the contrast between (2) other young folk swimming in the Lake and (3) the notice about the crocodile is a worry.
 This was the best collection of fungi.
The vegetation was quite interesting with this fig tree appearing to combine the attributes of the Curtain and Cathedral trees,
 Birds were, as usual with rainforest, very hard to spot.  I eventually saw 2 Yellow-throated Scrubwrens which were bird of the day.

Back on Mather Road I was able to snap this attractive flower before my small four-legged companion spat the dummy and we returned home.
  • Bird of the day: Yellow-throated Scrubwren gets the individual award.  9 Great Crested Grebes at Lake Eacham get  the flock award.
  • Vegetation of the day:  Gardens in Williams Park
  • Memorable moment:  Today wasn't that memorable.
  • Comment of the day: ibid
  • Pie of the day: No submissions.  I must try harder to find a specimen.
  • Troppo moment of the day. A nice looking lady pushing a wheelbarrow full of collapsed cardboard boxes down Elm St.  I don't think they'll help much if Mr Krueger turns up!
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