The Tablelands Bushwalking Club

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Gordon Turner
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Tree Kangaroos. What more could you ask for in a weekend. I m sure that those who attended the car camp organised by Karen and Lewis would agree that the weekend was a worthwhile outing.

Before leaving on a Tablelands Walking Club (TWC) outing you should tell your emergency contact (family member or friend) where you are going and give them a copy of the phone numbers of the

1 The Tablelands Bushwalking Club Newsletter December 2013 The Tablelands Walking Club P O Box 1020 Tolga info@tablelandsbushwalking.org President Sally McPhee Vice President Patricia Veivers Vice President Tony Sanders The Little Forks A good camping spot. Good company. Some great walks. Tree Kangaroos. What more could you ask for in a weekend. I m sure that those who attended the car camp organised by Karen and Lewis would agree that the weekend was a worthwhile outing. The area provides for some very good walks and when you have someone with you who knows the area well it becomes very rewarding. Treasurer Christine Chambers Secretary Travis Teske Activities Officer Wendy Phillips Health & Safety Officer Morris Mitchell Newsletter Editor Travis Teske secretary@tablelandsbushwalking.org If a Walking Trip is Delayed What Your Emergency Contact Needs to Know. Occasionally trips are delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Before leaving on a Tablelands Walking Club (TWC) outing you should tell your emergency contact (family member or friend) where you are going and give them a copy of the phone numbers of the Committee Members as members of the Management Committee will be the Contact Officers. The Annan Falls. A half hour walk from the camp. Contact should be with any member of the Tablelands Walking Club Management Committee. The phone numbers of the committee members are found at the beginning of the Walks Program or the Newsletter. Move down the list until you find someone at home. If there were a situation that required a search or rescue, members of the Committee would liaise with experienced walkers within TWC and with the Police and SES. They will also hold membership details for all TWC members, including the name of a family member or friend to contact in case of delay or emergency. Who needs a bulldozer with Gillian around!! Lewis and Charlie were there just to make up the numbers. The articles and information in this document are printed in good faith. The club does not accept responsibility for errors or omissions in this document or for the manner in which the information contained in this document is interpreted or implemented. 1

Bennett s Tree Kangaroo We actually found two Most Tree-kangaroos are found in PNG rather than Australia.

What would we have done without Lewis to carry and boil the billy? Where Lewis leads we have to follow.

The smaller species is Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo described by Collett in 1884 and named after Rev. Carl Lumholtz a collector sponsored by the University of Christiana in Norway.

2 Bennett s Tree Kangaroo We actually found two Most Tree-kangaroos are found in PNG rather than Australia. Eight species are recognised in PNG and probably more remain to be formerly described by taxonomists. Two species are found in tropical north Queensland. What would we have done without Lewis to carry and boil the billy? Where Lewis leads we have to follow. The larger is Bennett's Tree-kangaroo described by De Vis in 1887 and named in honour of Dr George Bennett of the Australian Museum in Sydney. The smaller species is Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo described by Collett in 1884 and named after Rev. Carl Lumholtz a collector sponsored by the University of Christiana in Norway. Mature males of the Bennett's Tree-kangaroo reach close to 14 kg and females nearly 11 kg. The overall colouration is dark brown and the ears are rounded. The arboreal habit clearly differentiates the species from other ground-dwelling macropods. The tails of the Australian Tree-kangaroos are very long and exceed the head-body length. They appear to be used as a counterbalance and vary in placement from over the body in sedate hopping to rigidly out when rapidly fleeing. The ears are relatively reduced to small bearlike proportions in contrast to the large terrestrial kangaroos. Lots of things to see besides Tree kangaroos. Thanks Lewis and Charlie for your help, knowledge and hospitality. 2 One recommendation is not to look in the moist rainforest on the east coast but rather go to the sparser and drier gallery forest on the western edge of the species range. The diet of Bennett's Tree-kangaroo has been well-studied but due to their shyness this has mainly been indirect through examination of faecal pellets, identification of plant fragments and analysis of their dietary qualities. They eat mainly young foliage (leaves) from about 33 species of plant including 19 tree species and 12 vine species. The foliage of Daintree Hickory (Ganophyllum falcatum) is particularly eaten and has a slight nutty taste to the human palate. They also eat fruit from several species including native 'olives' (Chionanthus ramiflorus, Olea paniculate), figs and the Native Longan (Dimocarpus australianus). Female Bennett's Tree-kangaroos occupy home ranges of 6-10 ha in complex vine

forest and 11-13 ha in gallery forest. Thus home range size seems to be a function of the forest type.

Adult individuals of the same sex do not typically share home ranges but those of males and females overlap.

Thus males are usually solitary in the daytime but associate with females in their home range during the foraging period at

(Photos from some of our walkers. Very hard to photograph because of the tall trees.

Dam to celebrate 2013's year of Wednesday walks.

3 forest and ha in gallery forest. Thus home range size seems to be a function of the forest type. Males potentially range over a larger area of 4-30 ha in complex vine forest. Adult individuals of the same sex do not typically share home ranges but those of males and females overlap. Males will fight to exclude other males from their home range but females may associate with more than one male. Thus males are usually solitary in the daytime but associate with females in their home range during the foraging period at night. Breeding is seasonal and cued to the Wet season with most pouch young born in the early Wet (November-January). (Photos from some of our walkers. Very hard to photograph because of the tall trees.) Christmas at Barrabadeen Patricia Veivers Approximately 35 people joined together at Barrabadeen scout's facility at Tinaroo Dam to celebrate 2013's year of Wednesday walks. Fresh scones were supplied for morning tea, before a brief walk along the lake edge and back past the abseiling rock. The scrumptious lunch under the covered area made up for the organiser's imperfections with the brain teasers and games. Thank you to all who attended to make this day happen. Many thanks to Trish for once again organising a great break-up 3

4 The usual great standard of food. Where else would you want to go? Don t ask!!! Who s talking now??? I hope Tony finds it soon as Marilyn can t wait. 4

Christmas On Emerald Creek Sally McPhee A small group of walkers celebrated the last Sunday walk for the year with a shared lunch, swimming and a walk along the upper sections of beautiful Emerald

We finally roused ourselves and meandered downstream for a kilometre or two, exploring one of the prettiest creeks around. Reminder First Walk in 2014 Some of us are going to need it.

Depart Yungaburra Park toilet block opposite Eden House 8.30 am.

We all look forward to some great Sunday walks again next year.

5 Christmas On Emerald Creek Sally McPhee A small group of walkers celebrated the last Sunday walk for the year with a shared lunch, swimming and a walk along the upper sections of beautiful Emerald Creek. A short steep descent from the road saw us at a fabulous swimming hole where we boiled the billy, had morning tea, a swim and a chat. We finally roused ourselves and meandered downstream for a kilometre or two, exploring one of the prettiest creeks around. Reminder First Walk in 2014 Some of us are going to need it. January Wednesday 15 th - Peterson Creek to the Avenue of Honour Easy walk along Peterson Creek and then down to Lake Tinaroo to the Avenue of Honour. Swim along the way. Maybe see a platypus. Depart Yungaburra Park toilet block opposite Eden House 8.30 am. Contact Wendy Phillips The weather was glorious so we had to have another swim, boil the billy again and enjoy our shared lunch. We all look forward to some great Sunday walks again next year. Coming up in future Newsletters Annapurna Dhaulagiri Trek Mittagong to Katoomba Short Walks in Tasmania (And heaven forbid, you may yet see a photo or two of the great bike ride. However, don t stop drinking while you wait.) Next Committee Meeting 7 th January at 9.30 Quincan Gallery Cafe, Yungaburra. New Walks Program will be out after that. Anyone wishing to attend meeting may do so or send queries, suggestions etc. along via a committee member. Enjoying a billy cuppa and a shared picnic lunch Season s Greetings Wishing all members a happy and safe Festive Season. Just remember!! What goes on must come off so no doubt we ll see many members on the walks next year. Members of the Tablelands Walking Club wish to thank Curtis Pitt and staff for printing the monthly Newsletter. 5

Tachyglossus aculeatus. by Nora Preston

Tachyglossus aculeatus. by Nora Preston SHORT-BEAKED ECHIDNA Tachyglossus aculeatus by Nora Preston The Echidna is a Monotreme, an egg laying mammal. The baby echidna is known as a puggle. Other monotremes are the Platypus and the Long-Beaked