We were delighted to receive a phone call n March to inform us that we had won the Queensland section of the OM4 Hidden Jewel Tourism Award. We were told entries had been narrowed down to 100 before being passed on to the judges. news |
March 2008++++++++++ December 2007 +++++++++September 2007
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Worst flood in at least 60 years
Araucaria Ecotours wins a state tourism award
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Worst flood in at least 60 years
We needed the rain but perhaps not so much all at once.
Darren and Ronda had been manning the visitor information centre at Binna Burra (Lamington National Park) in early January, and knew from a phone call from Denis that they wouldn't be able to get home to Running Creek that night. as one of the local bridges was flooded. Driving through pelting rain, they considered turning back but continued on instead to Brisbane. Rain frtom Lamington National Park drains into the valleys, including Running Creek. Next morning they couldn't contact Denis or any of their neighbours by phone, so rang the phone company (Telstra) and were told yes, the line was down but it would be repaired withint 48 hours. Ronda asked how their chaps were going to manage that if the line was under water, and was surprised to be told there was no report of flooding in that area (the phone was in fact unable to be connected for another 11 days, because of the flood damage).
She rang the State Emergency Service and was told yes there was severe flooding, they would not be able to get home but could reach Beaudesert (halfway point) if they left Brisbane immediately, before the flood waters hit the Logan River at Jimboomba. They reached Beaudesert and continued south for about 10 km to where the road was already flooded and impassable, and what had been paddocks to each side were now vast lakes, with water lapping around the edges of houses on what had been hillsides overlooking the creeks. Dogs and children seemed to be enjoying this.
Worried about Denis - who they knew was now cut off from telephone communications and access to neighbours except over a very steep lantana-covered hillside,and who could be in danger if anytihing prevented him from reaching his asthma medications - they arranged with the emergency folk to send a helicopter the following morning, and spent the night with their friends the Taylors in Beaudesert. Next day the emergency crew landed ther helicopter near the Araucaria property and found Denis was fine, but also reported that five of the bridges along the road had been destroyed. As soon as the waters subsided sufficienntly later that day, Ronda and Darren drove as far as they could, alarmed to see that over 95% of the trees aloing the creekbed had been felled by the flood waters, After leaving the car at a neighbours and crossing over a log onto the last bridge remaining almost intact, hearing that the next bridge was gone they started the long steep climb towards their property boundary, only to have a lightning storm begin just as they reached the exposed hilltop. Fifteen seconds between ligthning and thunder, then 7, then 2! They quickly ducked under the fence and lay under the lantana bushes, hoping the plastic trashbags surrounding the laptops in their backpacks were tough enough to keep out the pounding rain. After a steep, slippery, sloshy, lantana-prickly trek down the first hill and an easier walk through grassy eucalypt country down the next, finally all were re-united.
We were told after a similar flood about 20 years ago that it was the worst for about 40 years, and this was worse, so it must be the worst for at least 60. Two bridges across the creek adjoining our property were totally demolished, and three others damaged along the road. Temporary bridges have been established and work is soon to begin on new bridges that will be better able to withstand any future torrents. A sea wall has been built between our two bridges to prevemt half the road from being washed away again. We hope the telephone lines will at some stage be diverted so that they are less vulnerable.
Tours started again a couple of weeks later. We thought we would have to change the routes of tours to visit only unflooded areas, but this proved unnecessary, as councils on both sides of the border were quick to repair damage to roads to let vehicles through, although along Running Creek Road access was restricted for about a month to local residents and helpers (and our tour guests).
From Beaudesert Times:
'Shire submerged as rivers reclaim region.
Beaudesert Shire has been declared a natural disaster area after widespread flodding cut roads, ruined businesses, washed out bridges and left residents stranded ... O'Reillys in Lamington National Park recording 464mm of rain'
[the same paper also reported the helicopter visiting Denis, cars being stuck in floods, the O'reilly's vineyard being destroyed, the township of Rathdowney being cut off by floddwaters on all sides, and many other stories]
Araucaria Ecotours wins a state tourism award
We were delighted to receive a phone call n March to inform us that we had won the Queensland section of the OM4 Hidden Jewel Tourism Award. We were told entries had been narrowed down to 100 before being passed on to the judges.
'Who y' gonna call?' - a workshop on who to call for injured and orphaned wildlife, illegal activities and the minimizing of roadkill - was the second in a series of wildlfie workshops run by Wildlife Tourism Australia (of which Ronda is vice-president) and LACA (of which Ronda, Denis and Darren are all members) and funded by the former Beaudesert Shire Council (which officially ceased to exist mid-March, most of it now amalgamated with the former Boonah Shire to become the Scenic Rim Regional Council). Much discussion was generated.
'Wildlife on Private Lands' was the third in the series, held in March, and attracting about 40 attendees from within thre shire and beyond,
Details of talks given at the workshop can be seen on www.wildlifetourism,org.au and clicking on 'past events.'
The next will be on wildlife tourism, on Saturay April 19th.
Details of coming workshops can be seen on www.wildlifetourism,org.au by clicking on 'coming events.'
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A dream of mine since I was 7 years old, possibly younger, has been to visit the wild parts of Africa to lok for wild animals in their native habitats there. So for the first time in years I headed overseas not for a conference or other work-related reason but just because I wanted to go. Darren came with me - it's Denis's turn for a holiday next time, but someone needed to look after things at home.
We flew into Johannesberg, hired a 4WD and drove out to Hippo Water Front near Nelspruit - a guest house by a river with wild hippos, who were quite active late in the day. The next day and evening were spent at an orphanage for chuimpanzees, established by Jane Goodall, near Barbeton. Chimps are not native to South Africa, but political unrest makers it unsafe to keep these unfortunates in their country of origin. In fact most will probably never be ready for life in the wild, although they are learning to climb trees and do other normal 'chimp' things after experiences such as being confined to a cage in a hotel to attract visitors or being shaved except for an Elvis haircut and living in a house (at least that one had a better childhood than some of the others).
Then it was off to our real destination - Kruger Naional Park, where for most of the next two weeks we drove slowly from south to north, stopping overnight at a variety of rest camps. I would recommend this to anyone who has dreamed of seeing the wildlife of Africa. Within the first two days we had seen all the 'Big Five' up close (the lion almost brushed our car as he strolled past) withot really trying, as we were there to see everything, big and small.
We headed out of the Park for two days to Arathusa game park, where we were taken on drives in open-roof vehicles day and night, and a walk which ended abruptly when - just after we were told how unpredictable and dangerous buffalo were - we came across three large males staring at us in a manner that didn;t suggest friendliness. Late on the first day we found ourselves very close to leopard in a tree, and watched another as she stalked impalas.
Back in Kruger NP we mostly drove ourselves, which gave us the option of staying in any spot as long as we liked - watching mongoose, vervet monkeys, hornbills etc. that some of the guests in the tour group at the prvate lodge would not have been interested in. We also saw whole herds of elephants crossing the road in front of us or having a great time at water holes, herds of buffalo, wildebeeste and zebra grazng togther, hippos in rivers, giraffes followed by their babies, a family of white rhino, many kudu and waterbuck, hyenas finsihing off the carcass of an elephant, dozens of herds ofimpala, and much more.
At some bridges, lookouts and hides, visitors are permitted to leave the vehicles, at their own risk. These were great, and we watched hippos, goliath herons and many others. Netx trip we want to stay overnight in one of the hides which is set up with collapsible bunks, a toilet and barbecue area. At one hide though - and one with a rather long fenced but unroofed entry, we were suddenly surrounded by baboons, including a large male, and several young ones jumped onto the roof. When Darren noticed a baboon-sized hole in the roof we decided it was time to walk slowly back to the car, glancing back as casually as we could along the way. And when an adult elephant charged while I was filming a baby, it was time for Darren to put his foot to the floor as I took a video of a very large and rapidly-approaching elephant and a blur of passing vegetation.
Birding was wonderful, with saddleback storks, goliath herons, secretary birds, vultures, eagles, rollers, bee-eaters, hornbills, a trogon, and many others. Then there were the turtles and tortoises and the industrious dung beetles rolling their dungballs rapidly acrosds the road.
After leaving Kruger we spent a night at Daktari near Hoedspruit. This was an animal orphanage where antelope, ostriches, eagles and small cats (serval and caracal) were being cared for, and where children from local schools came for some general education and training in natural history and animal care.
Two and a half weeks were not nearly long enough for all the exploring and watching we wanted to do, but we couldn't aford any more time away from home, and we did pack a lot of experiences into that short period.
Wildlife Workshops and Wildlife Festival
The first in a series of Wildlife Workshops was held on Saturday 8th December in Beaudesert, celebrating the .
Wildlife Tourism Australia and Logan and Albert Conservation Association received a grant each from the Beaudesert Shire Council to jointly put on the following program:
Wildlife Festival and Workshops
8 Dec 07 to Sept 08
Australia harbours a wonderful diversity of wildlife different from anywhere else, and our own district (Border Ranges and surrounds) has the third highest diversity anywhere within Australia, including icons such as platypus, kangaroo and koala as well as many species unknown by most residents and visitors. A series of free workshops, beginning December 2007, will celebrate our wildlife and its fascinating behaviours, ecological interactions and great beauty, and discuss how we might best conserve it well into the future.
The series will culminate in a month-long Wildlife Festival in September 2008, including a 2-day Wildlife Expo, a final workshop, and many events for all ages.
Hosted by Logan and Albert Conservation Association and Wildlife Tourism Australia, sponsored by Beaudesert Shire Council through Community Environmental Assistance Grants Program and Community Events Program
Saturday 8 December 2007: 10.30am to 5.00pm. Wildlife of the Scenic Rim
The Centre, adjacent Shire Council,
Brisbane St., Beaudesert
10.00am to 1.00pm. Background to biodiversity (the geological and climatic events that led to such a diversity of habitats and wildlife), the mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs and other wildlife species that live here, ecological interactions between species (fascinating in themselves and important for conservation)
2.00 to 5.00pm. Wildlife as an asset for the region (ecological roles, passive recreation and lifestyle, educational value, sustainable tourism), National Landscapes, Tourism Australia (the potential for this region as a major tourist destination while retaining its character and not threatening its wildlife), overview of conservation issues to be discussed in future workshops. Paintings by wildlife artist Andy Reimanis on display. Lunch is available at several venues nearby.
Saturday 23 February 2008 130-5.00pm
Who y' gonna call? Injured and orphaned wildlife, prevention and care.
Beaudesert Information and Arts Centre, Brisbane St., Beaudesert.
Care of injured and orphaned wildlife, value of wildlife care for conservation, welfare and education, courses in wildlife care, prevention of roadkill and illegal activities. Plans for the future – what is most urgently needed? Bring your ideas ready for the open discussions following introductory talks.
Saturday 29 March 20 08 1.30 – 5.30 pm. Wildlife on private lands
Beaudesert Information and Arts Centre, Brisbane St., Beaudesert
Detecting and identifying wildlife, conservation status of species, habitat needs. Wildlife as controllers of pest species and pollinators of flowers. Eco-friendly ways of coping with problem animals. Feeding of wildlife. Potential passive income from wildlife tourism for land-holders (and public liability problems).
Saturday 19 April 20 08 1.30 – 5.30 pm . Wildlife Tourism
Beaudesert Information and Arts Centre, Brisbane St., Beaudesert
Using wildlife to add value to tourism operations, the importance of good wildlife interpretation, minimizing disturbance to wildlife, positive contributions wildlife tourism can make to wildlife conservation Introductory talk followed by open discussion of ideas.
Saturday 7 June 2008. 1.30 – 5.30 pm The role of amateur naturalists in Conservation
Beaudesert Information and Arts Centre, Brisbane St., Beaudesert
It’s hard to stay bored with life once you start observing and thinking about the many creatures we share our planet with, perhaps also sketching or photographing them. Wildlife observation (including birds) as a hobby, and as a contributor to scientific understanding and conservation management.
Saturday 26 July 20 08 1.30 – 5.30 pm Wildlife Corridors that really get used by wildlife
Beaudesert Information and Arts Centre, Brisbane St., Beaudesert
A corridor for one species may not be a corridor for others. Where are the Shire's current corridors, on private and public land, which animals do they serve, and where are the gaps? What do we know, and what are the most pressing questions? What political and other problems might complicate ecological solutions? Bring your ideas ready for the open discussions following introductory talks.
September 2008 –The Festival!
Various special activities, displays and wildlife tours throughout the region during September 2008 – details to be announced
Anyone interested in contributing further events or displays, please contact Ronda Green: 5544 1283 or platypuscorner@bigpond.com
Friday and Saturday 12-13 September 2008 Wildlife Expo
Beaudesert Information and Arts Centre,
Brisbane St., Beaudesert
2 days of exhibits and activities both indoors and out – conservation organizations, natural history associations, wildlife artists, wildlife tourism, government departments, retailers (books, binoculars etc.), wildlife carers, environmental consultants and other wildlife and other wildlife themes, plus food and beverage stalls, children’s activities, wildlife films, display of results of any photo or art competitions etc. (A small fee to be charged for each exhibit different levels for commercial operations and community groups etc. to be donated to wildlife conservation:
Saturday 27 September 2008
10.30 – 4.30pm
Our wildlife, past, present and future
The Centre, Brisbane St., Beaudesert.
A final celebration of our local wildlife, a summary of previous workshops and discussions on the outlook for the future.
Workshops are free, but numbers will be limited, so RSVP to
Ronda Green at platypuscorner@bigpond.com or 5544 1283
Watch for further details: www.laca.org.au www.wildlifetourism.org.au
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In November we led a custom tour from Brisbane to Sydney with 12 fok from Poland. After horse-riding through bushland on the Gumnuts property, we watched wild kangaroos at Kooralbyn and platypus at home before setting up camp. |
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The next day was spent in the rainforest before heading down to Minnee Wayers on the NSW coast |  |
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The morning saw early risers on the beach and watching kangaroos and emus before continuing south |  |
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Stops included a butterfly farm, a koala hosapital and a beach, our final destination being Myall Lakes. Here we canoed, swam and watched birds the following day before the final drive to Sydney |  |
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A harbour trip , visits to Taronga Zoo, the old part of the city and the Sydney Aquarium completed the activities before our farewells at the airport. |  |
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Celebration of 10 years of running tours
In May we held an open weekend for our tenth anniversary of running ecotours, our guests including Beaudesert's mayor, local residents and folk from national parks, visitor information centres, the Aboriginal community and natural history organizations. We toured our wildlife info centre, butterfly walk and back paddocks, watched for platypus at our creek, spotlighted in neighbouring forests and drank lots of fruit punch. Thanks to all who helped us celebrate.
We took our visitors through our new Wildlife Information Centre, which shows our geological and evolutionary history, today's habitats, local fauna and flora, wildlife behaviour and ecology, and the pursuit of understanding through science, amateur naturalists and art, plus a children's corner, theatre and nature trails emanating from the Centre. It is not yet finished, and we hope to have our grand opening some time next year.
Koala Workshop
The second last of the Beaudesert Shire Koala Workshop (sponsored by the Beaudesert Shire Council and organized by the Logan and Albert Conservation Associaion) was held on 1st September at the Canungra School of Arts. The final workshop will be held at 2.30pm in Jimboomba on Saturday October 20th. Ecological needs of koalas, what to do if an injured animal is found, dangers facing koalas in urban areas and other aspects of their conservation and well-being will be discussed, and a live koala will be present for all to meet and be photographed with (adjacent to, not cuddling). Information on koala food trees suitable for planting in the local area will also be available. This will be the first and only workshop in the series that Ronda Green of Araucaria will not be speaking at, as she and son Darren will be exploring Kruger National Park in South Africa. Contact Kathy Faldt for details
Wildlife Workshops
Wildlife Tourism Australia and the Logan and Albert Conservation Association are jointly planning some wildlife workshops, culminating in a Wildlife Festival in September next year, the scale of it depending on whether we get the grants we have applied for. The first workshop will go ahead regardless in The Centre, Beaudesert, on Saturday 8th December from 10.00am - 4.00pm, celebrating the biodiversity of our area (the third highest in Australia), learning about tyhe mammals, birds, reptiles and other wildlife, their behaviours and ecology, the background to the richness of species in this region, potential for nature tourism and conservation issues. RSVP or request further details from Ronda Green
Ecotourism Conference
The official program has been released for the 14th National Ecotourism Australia Conference. Melbourne, Victoria will be hosting the event while showcasing Victoria’s unique regions with theme stream options at the Grampians, the Goldfields and Mt Buller. Climate change is now considered a major issue that will have ramifications for all industries. Themed “Leading Global Challenges”, the conference will tackle these challenging issues and examine the path forward to sustainability.
For full 2007 National Ecotourism Australia Conference details visit their website.
A celebration of the life of David Fleay
SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2007 2.00 - 5.00 pm Brolga Room Healesville Sanctuary
Wildlife Tourism Australia and Healesville Sanctuary will jointly present A Forum to Celebrate the Life and Work of Naturalist DAVID FLEAY (1907 - 1993) Australian naturalist David Fleay dedicated his life to natural history and the education of Australians about the value of conserving native wildlife. His career began at Melbourne Zoo, then Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria and later at his own facility, Fleay’s Fauna Reserve at West Burleigh, Queensland. In 1943 Fleay was the first person to breed platypus in captivity. Fleay was a pioneer conservationist at a time when concern for the environment was far from being mainstream. An avid writer, Fleay authored eight books and more than 100 articles in periodicals such as Emu, Wild Life Australia, Walkabout and Victorian Naturalist. He was awarded the Australian History Medallion (1941), MBE (1960), Honorary Associate of the Queensland Museum (1978), Fellow of the Explorer’s Club of New York (1979), Honorary Doctorate of Science, University of Queensland (1984) and the Advance Australia Award for Science (1984).
ADMISSION IS FREE BUT REGISTRATION IS ESSENTIAL Please email Pip Chalk or call Mobile: 0418 690 859
Rotary Eco Expo
The first Rotary Eco Expo was held in May this year, showcasing various community groups and businesses who are assisting the environment in various ways. On the Friday many school grouops visited, the general public visiting on the Saturday. The next is scheduled for May 23-24 next year. If you would like to be involved, as a business or community group, a sponsor, and individual or organic food provider, contact Keith Reinke of Beaudesert Rotary.
Quoll workshops
The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland (WPSQ) is undertaking a project to assess quoll populations in the Border Ranges area and assist local landholders to live with quolls by ’Quoll-proofing’ their chook pens. At each of several ‘Quoll Discovery Days’ this year, attendees learnt about quolls and find out how to quoll-proof their poultry pens; one landholder at each event was provided with quoll-proofing materials.
Quolls are the largest carnivorous mainland marsupials, roughly large cat-sized. Thyalcines (wolf-sized) and Thylacoleos (leopard-sized) used to roam the mainland, as did giant monitor lizards, and wer all still present when the first humans arrived in Australia. Since then there has probably been a combination of hunting pressures and climate changes leading to the demise of a number of megafauna species. TheThylacine did not disappear until the dingo arrived about 3,000 years ago (presumably brought by Indonesian traders). The dingo never reached Tasmania, and at the time of the first white settler, the Thylacine was still going strong there, but it was soon discovered that they caught chickens and sheep so a bounty was placed on them, and the last known one died in captivity in the 1930's. We still have the quoll, but competition with introduced predators, habitat loss and poisoning by eating the introduced cane toad have all taken their toll, exacerbated by diseases infecting the animals.
Despite all this, they are still holding their own deep within some national parks, and - amazingly - have recently been discovered in forest within Brisbane shire.
Further information on where they are still occurring can assist planning for their conservation. Contact the Wildlife Projects Officer of WPSQ if you have anything to contribute or would like to be involved.
It's springtime!
Spring has certainly arrived in our region. The male stony-creek frogs (Litoria leseuri) now sport bright yellow sides and are seen at night sitting on rocks in local creeks, singing their rather quiet song to attract females. Many birds are calling, mainly in the early morning but also throughout the day, especially in the rainforests. Figs are fruiting well in the mountains (in winter they continue to fruit in the lowalnds but have very poor crops in higher altitdues), bringing figbirds back to our valley and also attracting lewin's honeyeaters, currawongs, crows and other fruit-eating birds. The platypus appear to be breeding - a pair in our creek turning up pretty regularly before dusk each day and foraging not too far from their burrow. Koalas are on the move seeking mates and becoming vocal. Liazrds, turtles and snakes are becoming active. This - September through to November is a great time of year for wildlife, as most species are active and vocal, and in October some of our migrant species - channel-billed cuckoos, koels, dollarbirds etc, will be arriving from the north and the silky oaks (Grevillea robusta) will be bursting into bright orange, nectar-rich blossoms along the creekbanks attracting many honeyeaters.