In the magnificent Yellow Tingle tree forests around Walpole, they have built an impressive tree top walk – impressive for both the engineering and the trees.

Yellow Tingles can grow up to 70 metres over three to four hundred years. Often Karri and Red Tingles, neither of which are short of height, are also in the forests.

The engineering is particularly impressive, with the walk over 40 metres in places above the floor. Still, the tingles from that height are overawed by the Tingles still towering above you.

 

Michael Monaghan

 

On Monday 26 March, went on a WOW ecocruise (http://www.wowwilderness.com.au/) at Walpole, south-west WA. The highlight was perhaps the super-charged tour guide, Gary Muir, whose family had farmed down here for many generations.  He was incredibly knowledgeable across a wide range of relevant and irrelevant matters,  and imparted that knowledge at speed, replete with more “dad jokes” than you could poke a stick at.

We heard of the role of the Swarbrick family in boat building over again many generations; and links to Leo Tolstoy. The original owner of Tinglewood Cottage in Walpole, Frank Skinner Thompson, stayed with Tolstoy and smuggled letters and documents back to Australia. Recently they were found under a false floor in the boat shed. Gary has co-authored a book with Geoff Fernie, called From Tolstoy to Tinglewood.

Gary’s best “dad joke” connected the north pole and the south pole, with Walpole.

Pied Oyster Catchers mate for life, and this pair had lived here for 25 years. The Pacific gull, also lifers, and his mate had lived here for 7.

A family of four Ospreys had also made this home.

 

We went onto Newdgate Island, once farmed by the Muirs, with highly deadly plants on there used in other places to make 1080 poison. Amazingly the native Quokkas had developed an immunity to the plants poison. It was known by the local aboriginals as “norn norn up” – place of many snakes. As we walked up and over to the ocean side, we kept an eye out, especially after Gary told us how high a Dugite would raise its head to get you.

 

On the Island were many flowers that I had not seen before.

 

Certainly a trip well worth doing.

 

Michael Monaghan

 

Coming across a gravel road called Stirling Ranges Road, we thought we’d see what was up there. Turned out to be a very scenic and dramatic range, with low metre high scrub on the wind swept eastern side and more normal 3 metre forests in the canyons and on the western side. The mountains are the result of the Antarctic shelf colliding with the Australian shelf, creating magma which was driven into the granite. The metamorphic rock is called Gneiss (Nice).

These monkeys were very surprised to find themselves in south-west Australia, and even more so to be turned into stone.

The seven dwarves were equally surprised!

Michael Monaghan

30 March 2018

Situated out on a promontory  near Albany (which is just as well, or they would have to change the name), the wind farm is the only one I have been able to get close to.

The blades, which are longer than the wings of a jumbo, travel at their tip at a minimum of 130 kph up to an astonishing maximum (self limiting) of 290 kph. It turns itself off altogether if the wind speed hits 150 kph.

They were much noisier than I had expected (so far the video won’t load).

The speed of the tip gives an appearance of the blade being bent.

 

Michael Monaghan

29 March 2018

More fantastic Karri and Swamp Karri (Bucchil) forests heading down south through Manjimup to Walpole. This massive 60 metre high Karri served as a fire tower and is now available – amazingly in this era of insurance led super safety – for climbing . Drats, I had sandles on so couldn’t do it. LOL.

First sighting of a pair of Rufous Treecreepers. The male is in the first two, identified by a mixture of black and buff chest feathers. The female only has buff chest feathers.

 

At the cabin above North Walpole, surrounded by Karri, these kookaburras are certainly well used to people.

 

Michael Monaghan

Staying in the middle of a Marri and Karri forest is certainly great for birdlife; improved further by feeders.

These Baudin’s (Long-Billed) Cockatoos are unique to this tiny corner of Australia.

The Fairy Wrens are Splendid Fairy Wrens, very common down here and also in a belt through the NSW and South Australian deserts.  The are pretty cute the way they cuddle up and preen each other.

 

Red-Wattle Birds, New Holland Honeyeaters,  and Brown Honeyeaters contribute to the cacophony.

 

There are also lots of White-Browed Scrub-wrens, 28s (ring-necked parrots) and Silver Eyes.

 

The Western Spinebill is also unique to this corner; it has a more decorated front than the Eastern Spinebill.

Michael Monaghan

Had a lovely drive down Cave Road through the Boranup forest to Augusta. Awesome Karri forest was the highlight.

 

Went down to the mouth of the Margaret River, which is often blocked by sand, which it was today.

There were a couple of Black-fronted Dotterells, Pied Oyster Catches and Pacific Gulls frolicking about.

 

 

Michael Monaghan

 

At 56 metres above sea level, this is the highest lighthouse in mainland Australia, and the third highest in Australia. It is still operational.

I am not sure how they work this out, but this is the line which divides the Southern from Indian Ocean. It is a treacherous stretch of water with lots of rocky outcrops.

These Australasian Pippets were very well camouflaged.

The waters were treacherous, and so was the land. This huge Tiger Snake was inches from the path. It was interesting to watch it very deliberately bashing one side of the bush with its tail, presumably to entice the prey to run – one last time – the wrong way.

Finally, adding to my collection of signs, and showing how hard it is to get a simple sign clear, how could they leave in an emergency if the door had to still be close

Michael Monaghan

I did a Canon Collective refresher at the excellent Canberra Zoo and Aquarium.

https://www.canon.com.au/collective

Names of some of these critters to come.

This first one is an amazonian red tailed python.

 

 

The otters certainly had the “Please sir, they haven’t fed me in days” look perfected.

And the white lions (they actually are defectively coloured real lions), knew they were photogenic.

 

But when it came to the treat, there was no doubt who was boss. He didn’t really want it anyway, he just wanted his tummy rubbed.

This bloke just wanted to sell me something. Luckily I have perfected the art of having no idea what tv ads are for.

These “lower order” apes still seemed clued up when it came to getting food out of a jar. But it would take a month of Sundays to quench a thirst a handful at a time.

 

This little fella certainly knew how to pout when the food ran out.  He clearly thinks that is the end of the food forever.

The ostriches were quite inquisitive.

 

 

The zebra also seemed to know they were good fodder for photographers trying to improve their depth of field.

 

 

They say that every zebra’s coat is unique. So these two are indeed different in the detail.

This white rhino’s snoring stirred up quite a storm. I am happy to leave it to you to tell him.

A lot of animals did seem expectant re the next feed.

 

 

Speaking of photogenic, the penguins certainly stole the show there.

It was a great opportunity to improve the short depth of field.

Michael Monaghan

What a fantastic trip. Thanks to High Country Trails and Tucker. So this will be a big blog.

9 hours in the Snowy wilderness, although there is even more that is wilder.

Started at a 7th generation sheep station. The family were there in the 1830s and have explored the wildest of this country. They, like many wool farmers, are struggling to get the skilled labour at the right time. One idea being trialled is to use social media to allow workers to record when they are available. A great example of how the internet is making the employee the centre of the market – this is when I am available, so book me now.

 

 

Seems that some dogs are trusted, and some not.

Then headed down what passes for a track to Ted’s Hut. It surprised to find he was somewhat eccentric.

 

On the way some great trees and lots of birdlife, such as the perhaps lost young Sacred Kingfisher (water was not in abundance)  and some Dusky Swallows.

 

 

Then down to the River, amazingly only 1% of its pre-Snowy Scheme flow. Must have been a fantastic river.

Plenty of birdlife but you had to look carefully. Yellow cheeked honey-eater, Red-capped Robin – clearly a wise bird supporting the mighty St Kilda AFL team – and a couple of others I am still working on.

 

 

 

The River was incredibly beautiful, and the millions of years of eroding of the rocks was evident.

 

Many hills and mountains are still unnamed (by white men), so it was suggested this could be a Knob named after Monaghan. One of the party thought that Monaghan’s etc was inappropriate. So Monaghan Peak seemed more appropriate. I claim it for the republic of whosemebob.

On the other side of the river was a burrow that clearly contained a black panther?

The road out was daunting for the two passengers, but not for the drivers. There are 198 “erosion prevention mounds” on the way out.

 

Around 400 years ago, aboriginals carved small canoes out of these trees.

Before Europeans ran horses and cattle through here, the soil was above the bulb at the base of the trees.

At the top of the Box Ridge is an astonishing Deck built by my hosts. What a magnificent spot. The area beyond the River is total wilderness, no fire trails, no tracks. Rumours suggest some mad bastards might live there, but like the Thylacine, lack of road kill suggest otherwise.

 

It is said that the mountain to the right in the middle photo is the site of the feats which gave rise to the Man from Snowy River.

Awesome. Highly recommended. You could also sleep on the Deck.

Michael Monaghan