September 25th outing will be along the southern bank of Ross River starting from the Aplin’s weir footbridge and continuing upstream.
Meet at 9.00 in Rotary Park at the end of O’Reilly St, Mundingburra. This is an easy stroll and people can decide how far they want to walk.
September is the month for ACF’s Platy-project. For tips on where to look and to register see here and then sit beside any body of water that might contain platypus, preferably around dawn or dusk, and record any sightings or the absence thereof. Australia-wide this will give an indication of their current distribution.
The only record of a platypus in the Townsville area has it on the tidal saltwater side of Aplin’s weir, so is dodgy, especially as there are no other reports of platypus in Ross River. So as we walk along admiring birds and vegetation, we will be looking to see if any parts of the banks look platypus-friendly. Hopefully someone(s) will volunteer to sit and watch at a more suitable time of day.
It is not known if there were platypus in Ross River before the weirs were built and also not known if platypus can co-exist with freshwater crocodiles which were introduced into a coastal river system they did not belong in. If anyone knows of a credible platypus sighting in the Townsville area please email us at townsville@wildlife.org.au
The felled Milky Pine. Photo Bernadette Boscacci.
Losing our precious trees: The loss of a magnificent Milky Pine (Alstonia scholaris – pictured) from a busy North Ward shopping centre has come as a shock to local residents and others who welcomed its shade and beauty when they came to shop at the Coles supermarket and small collection of shops and cafes at the centre. The tree was felled without warning or any form of consultation with the community, and at this point it is not known who was responsible for its removal (the carpark is not owned by Coles).
This is just one of several significant trees around our city, and on the Island, that have either been removed, are under threat of removal or have been vandalised in one way or another. Members of Townsville’s Tree Advocacy Group met recently to discuss these events – so stay tuned for more information including ways you can help. In the meantime feel free to express your support for our beautiful trees – the benefits they bring to our city and the need to cherish and protect them – in whatever way you can.
Butterfly workshops: Our friends in the Upper Dawson Branch of WQ are having butterfly workshops in Taroom and Theodore on October 15 & 16 if anyone is likely to be down that way. There will be workshops and a butterfly walk and survey. It will be the same content on both days though probably different butterflies seen. For details email upperdawson@wildlife.org.au
Murray Falls trip and (?) BBQ: To give our members a little more notice than occurred this month, the Cassowary Coast-Hinchinbrook Branch’s October trip is planned for Saturday October 15th, meeting at the Murray Falls campground at 10am. Situated in the Girramay National Park, the Falls are located approx 41kms north-west of Cardwell – that is, drive north from Cardwell to the turn off at Bilyana and then a further 20 kms west from there. Camping is available and should be booked via the DES website. More information about Murray Falls can be found here. If you would like to get in touch with the CC-H Branch, contact us.
Trip Reports: July’s Bicentennial Park trip report is available on our blog via this link and August’s Pine Creek trip report is likewise available here.