Wildflowers in woodland at Girraween NP
We were worried the wildflower season would be almost one in November, but in our three-day custom tour this year we still saw plenty. We also saw black cockatoos, yellow–tufted honeyeaters,red wattlebirds and other birds, and plenty of kangaroos.
Here’s just a sample of the flowers and birds plus some kangaroos and general scenery , and our accommodation with observatory:
FLOWERS
Boronia at Girraween National Park
Callistemon at Giraween NP
Iris at Girraween NP
Isopogon at Girraween NP
Pimelia (rice flower), a variable genus but recognized by the two stamens, at Girraween NP
“Pin Cushion” Daisy st Girraween NP
Trigger-plant at Girraween NP. The proboscis of a bee or other visiting insect causes the stigma to zap forwards onto the insects back to collect pollen
BIRDS
Yellow tailed Black Cockatoo feeding in a small flock near Girraween NP, tearing bark to find grubs
Yellow-tufted honeyeater after feeding on bottlebrush nectar in Girraween NP
White-naped honeyeater gleaning insects from gum leaves
Rufous whistlers were singing in many parts of Girraween National Park
Male satin bowerbird at Girraween NP
Variegated Fairywren at Girraween NP
KANGAROOS (Eastern Grey)
Darren’s quiet presence was accepted by the kangaroos at Girraween NP
Joey having a feed from Mum
SCENERY
Instead of our usual accommodation (Girraween Environmental Lodge) we stayed this time at Twinstar Guest House, a delightful little place run by an Environmental Science graduate and her partner who is a very knowledgeable amateur astronomer. The guesthouse includes an observatory, and we were able to view globular clusters, nebulae and other features of the night sky. They also had an amazing variety of roses in the garden
Looking towards the observatory
(their meals were good too)
Girraween is not one of our regular tours, but can be arranged with sufficient notice, for a three- or four-day tour. It is quite different from the country around Brisbane, largely because of the huge granite boulders and the unseen granite that influences the soil type, and the lesser rainfall, being further from the coast.