Exploring Australia by 4x4 June-December 2011 (1 Viewer)

MJB · Jun 6, 2011

My good lady Sue and I land in Sydney on 10 June and will spend 6 months exploring the mainland by 4x4. We've spent shorter periods in Australia before (QLD, NT, WA, NSW), but never had the time to stop and explore when the fancy took us. On current plans, we will spend a week or two reasonably close to Sydney, then head for the Warrumbungles & Macquarie, Coonabaran way, en route to the north. It's our last great adventure while we're still fit, but Australia and its birds have always captivated us.

We'll try to update this thread as we go, but we hope to seek the advice on Oz Bird Forum members, and perhaps meet up with a few!
MJB + SEF

Mike Jarvis · Jun 7, 2011

All the best for your trip. I would love to do something like that one day... Are you planning to do the Top End in your travels?

MJB · Jun 8, 2011

Mike Jarvis said:
All the best for your trip. I would love to do something like that one day... Are you planning to do the Top End in your travels?

Yes, we're drawn by the reports of friends who have been Kakadu way! We probably will drift north through QLD at least to Cooktown, see what the tracks/roads are like - Aussie traffic info is pretty good from previous experience - and then intercept the Bruce Highway and wander Darwinwards. I remember a colleague raving about a stopover south of Katherine that had great swimming in a natural pool. Got any details? We'd appreciate advice, info or meeting up. Out of contact until probably Saturday due to travelling from UK. Thanks for the interest!
MJB

birdboybowley · Jun 8, 2011

Do the Kimberley - the Gibb River road isn't that bad and the birds and scenery are stunning!! Also pick up a copy of the road map with the free-camping sites shown on it. We found this invaluable when picking a parking spot (that is asuming you'll be sleeping in the car...?) With 6 months you can really do it all quite easily....the Iron Range is excellent too. Once you're 'outback' be very aware of night-driving as those 'stealth bulls' are a bloody menace!

Mike Jarvis · Jun 10, 2011

The natural pool your friend was raving over would have to be at Mataranka, south of Katherine. This link will tell you what to expect there http://http://www.ourterritory.com/katherine_region/mataranka.htm Feel free to pm me if you need some info when you are ready.

MJB · Jun 11, 2011

birdboybowley said:
Do the Kimberley - the Gibb River road isn't that bad and the birds and scenery are stunning!! Also pick up a copy of the road map with the free-camping sites shown on it. We found this invaluable when picking a parking spot (that is asuming you'll be sleeping in the car...?) With 6 months you can really do it all quite easily....the Iron Range is excellent too. Once you're 'outback' be very aware of night-driving as those 'stealth bulls' are a bloody menace!

Adam,
Thanks for the useful info - we're in Sydney recovering from jetlag. The Emirates A380 500+n seats was roomy, comfortable and quiet in economy - note that row 43 is at the front of the lower deck!
MJB

MJB · Jun 11, 2011

Mike Jarvis said:
The natural pool your friend was raving over would have to be at Mataranka, south of Katherine. This link will tell you what to expect there http://http://www.ourterritory.com/katherine_region/mataranka.htm Feel free to pm me if you need some info when you are ready.

Mike,
Will do. We walked about 11km around Sydney today. Got the new Oz bird books in Dymock's, refreshed on ID of the more expected birds in the Botanic gardens, pais respects to the Wollemi Pine (now no longer in a cage), arranged a more conveniently-located hotel and got back to our present hotel about two minutes after the heavens opened!
MJB

mr_birdman · Jun 16, 2011

Welcome to Australia! Hope you have an incredible journey down under. See lots of birds!

MJB · Jun 18, 2011

mr_birdman said:
Welcome to Australia! Hope you have an incredible journey down under. See lots of birds!

Thanks for the welcome! We got a Toyota Landcruiser series 80 in Sydney from Travellers Auto Barn, who were happy for me to visit their workshop and inspect the underside, transmission, etc at close range. We're equipping it & ourselves next week, but today I had a 4WD training course in the Blue Mountains near Lithgow - windy and wet underfoot - the tracks were awesome, but the instruction was excellent and cheerful, the qualification gained is Australia-wide. The power-line route would have seemed impossible beforehand, but the Toyota coped smoothly, as it did with the waterholes. $400Aus very well spent. Anyone interested should contact Ken Rumble on [email protected]; see also www.4wdtours.net.au.

Despite the wind and sleet, we had a nice Flame Robin near the lookout for '"The Lost City".
MJB

RobHynson · Jun 19, 2011

Hi MJB,

can't wait to hear all about your adventures in Australia! Any chance you are on the Wollongong pelagic this Saturday?

Rob

MJB · Jun 19, 2011

RobHynson said:
Hi MJB, can't wait to hear all about your adventures in Australia! Any chance you are on the Wollongong pelagic this Saturday? Rob

Rob,
'Fraid not - one of the constraints this visit is concentrating on mainland birds! Given the number of relict and declining species in Oz, that's quite enough to occupy all our time. Thanks for asking, though!
MJB

MJB · Jun 29, 2011

We've just had a marvellous 5 days in Glen Davis. We bumped into Carol Probets at Lithgow NSW, and from her website (www.bmbirding.com.au) we booked Oska's Cottage for our visit; it's superby equipped and comfortable (good mid-week rates for 3 days!), but more important Rock Warbler is within 3 minutes' walk. Turquoise Parrot is well within walking distance in the ghost town of Glen Davis on the track nearest the River Capertee, but on the other side from the cottage. Plum-headed Finch was scarce, only 2 seem, but in the forest behind the cottage, Superb Lyrebirds were 'singing'. Down the track into the Wollemi Reserve, Bell Miners abounded. Regent Honeyeater declined to show, but seemingly, it's a one in ten chance...

This peaceful valley surrounded by vertical canyon walls was utterly enchanting - can't recommend it enough!
MJB
PS End of next week, on north to Coonabarabran and the Warrumbungles, then Glencoe/Glen Innes.

MJB · Jul 5, 2011

We managed to find Eastern Bristlebird (very late in the day: see pic) and Beautiful Firetail at Barren Grounds (the Jamberoo Pub (www.jamberoopub.com) 10km away is a great place to stay), but missed out on Ground Parrot and Pilotbird; at Minamurra Rainforest (AU11$ entry, very worthwhile) we had Superb Lyrebird (male & female, apparently melanistic) at very close range, but too dark for good pics (see pic). On to the Warrumbungles (near Coonabaraban, where the Australian astronomcal observatories have 312 clear days per year) and the Macquarie Marshes by the end of the week. If you need to 'ruggedise' your vehicle, ARB are expert.
MJB

Joshua-B · Jul 6, 2011

I was at Coona a few months ago - make sure to pick up the bird trails around baradine from an information centre, some great places listed there, plus which species are around certain areas

Look out for Superb Parrots too, they'll be around there at this time of year

MJB · Jul 6, 2011

Joshua-B said:
I was at Coona a few months ago - make sure to pick up the bird trails around baradine from an information centre, some great places listed there, plus which species are around certain areas Look out for Superb Parrots too, they'll be around there at this time of year

Joshua,
Good on ya for that info! We'll let you know how we get on! For outback birding later, we've now got a second battery in the Toyota, for camp lights, CB radio & Waeco fridge, plus roofrack solid enough for birder + scope/tripod. Nice Fan-tailed Cuckoo today, by the Nepean River in Penrith.
MJB

Joshua-B · Jul 7, 2011

Not sure if you know, but make sure to keep a look out on Birdline (to the right side of this page) http://www.eremaea.com/ Great up-to-date sightings and rare birds

MJB · Jul 10, 2011

Joshua-B said:
Not sure if you know, but make sure to keep a look out on Birdline (to the right side of this page) http://www.eremaea.com/ Great up-to-date sightings and rare birds

Joshua,
That's very helpful of you - thanks, indeed. We had a fine pair of Bluebonnets (lifers) today on the Carmel loop of the Baradine birding trails! Also a group of Speckled Warblers on the Butler's Lane loop. Too much wind for decent birding, really.
MJB

calenso · Jul 14, 2011

Hi MJB, you mention outback birding and your well set up 80 series. Are you coming up our way - SW Qld? The country looks great still and the birds are hopping! Interesting birds to be seen on our drive around the property include chestnut and cinnamon quail thrush, orange chats, breeeding pelicans and lots of parrots ( major mitchells, mugas, blue bonnets, red winged, ringnecks). You said in a previous post that blue bonnets were a lifer for you, that's great that you got them! Common to us is of great interest to some one else! You sound as if you are having a great trip, safe travelling. Calenso

MJB · Jul 14, 2011

calenso said:
Hi MJB, you mention outback birding and your well set up 80 series. Are you coming up our way - SW Qld? The country looks great still and the birds are hopping! Interesting birds to be seen on our drive around the property include chestnut and cinnamon quail thrush, orange chats, breeeding pelicans and lots of parrots ( major mitchells, mugas, blue bonnets, red winged, ringnecks). You said in a previous post that blue bonnets were a lifer for you, that's great that you got them! Common to us is of great interest to some one else! You sound as if you are having a great trip, safe travelling. Calenso

Calenso,
Wish we were going to SW Queensland! At present we're with our old friends Roy & Helen Sonnenberg in Brisbane. Roy's been down your way many times!

We had a fine full day visiting Washpool and Gibraltar Range NPs west of Glen Innes in the knowledgable company of Simon Clayton (BirdForum member), finding lifers in Logrunner (2 females) at about 4 metres distance, and Yellow-throated Scrubwren, but we were lucky enough to find a confiding Superb Lyrebird (pic). During this period, we were at a farmstay quite near Ben Lomond run by two splendid Australians of about 75+ years of age, John & Dorothy Every - the hospitality was fantastic, even though night temperatures dropped to about minus 8C! See www.silentgrovefarmstay-bandb.com.au/.

Today (14 July), Roy took us round the Laidey area west of Brisbane, adding over 20 species to our list (including Tawny Frogmouth: pic), at present 170.

We head north on Sunday.
MJB

Si Clayton · Jul 15, 2011

Thanks MJB & SEF,

It was a pleasure to share your company, I'm glad the local friendly Logrunners came out to play! You managed to get a better shot of the Lyrebird than I did, mine were too dark.

Cheers,

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