The Aussie Flora and Fauna thread ..

[High Country]

THE SUN WAS OUT TODAY

THE SUN WAS OUT TODAY

So I took a little walk through the back yard. I like collecting rare or weird Australian native plants. Here are two.

WOLLEMI PINE. DISCOVERED IN 1994 IN WOLLEMI NATIONAL PARK. DISCOVERED BY PARKS RANGER, DAVID NOBLE, HENCE THE LATIN NAME WOLLEMI NOBILIS . ABOUT 100 TREES ARE LEFT IN THE WILD. LOCATION REMAINS SECRET. NOW PROPAGATED COMMERCIALLY TO PROTECT THE SPECIES. I'VE GOT ONE.

This tree was here when dinosaurs roamed, not in my backyard though.


ACACIA LEPROSA, SCARLET BLAZE, THIS WAS FOUND IN 1995 BY A COUPLE OF BUSH WALKERS. THEY TOOK CUTTINGS WHICH WERE PROPAGATED AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, MELBOURNE. THE ORIGINAL PLANT IN THE BUSH IS DEAD. IF YOU USE IT'S SEED IT REVERTS TO YELLOW FLOWERS. CLONES AND MOTHER PLANTS NOW MAINTAIN ITS RED FLOWERING CHARACTERISTIC.

 

[darwinsbulldog]

Heron Island

green sea turtle tracks - beach bulldozers haha

sooty tern and sea gulls at sunrise

green sea turtle maxed out and heading back to l'ocean!

green sea turtle

 

[darwinsbulldog]

gecko on heron

3 legged huntsman on heron

sooty tern chick on heron

loggerhead turtle

some kind of dragon

rhino beetle

one of the many long necked turtles in qld, maybe expanser due to flat head.

flat back turtle in qld

orb weaver spider in qld

don't leave your door in the ocean for several months...

loggerhead turtle laying qld

flat back turtle hatchling qld

lace monitor qld, he wasn't really interested in being petted...

 

[High Country]

MORE FROM THE BACKYARD

MORE FROM THE BACKYARD

GYMEA LILY, FLOWER STALK IS NOW 3 METRES HIGH, BIG BRIGHT RED FLOWER HEAD SHOULD DEVELOP SOON

ACACIA FLORIBUNDA, GOSSAMER WATTLE, LOVES IT UP HERE

 

[Smurf]

fantastic pics fellas!

rainbow lorikeets


gecko - plenty of these little buggas round here, great for pest control

 

[darwinsbulldog]

beautiful stuff too smurf that sunset was amazing!

 

[buddah]

some amazing pix are in this thread....keep them coming!!

 

[darwinsbulldog]

icarus haha

tawny frogmouth

from left to right, flatback, green and loggerhead turtle hatchlings from zoo

fresh water turtle hatchlings from zoo

sunrise on heron island

 

[b00m]

Beautiful photos darwin mate, Heron Island is a great spot for bird watching

 

[darwinsbulldog]

hehe yeah mate, we were there a few years back and had 1000s of sooty terns nesting as well as mutton birds (they sound like ghosts at night when they call... WOOOOO WOOOOO!) lol and the sooties were bizarre, they chatter heaps and you'd walk around at night and make a loud sound or speak or something and you'd hear 1000+ of them in your vicinity just go bonkers making noises for 10 seconds lol i would walk around and randomly clap at night gave me a good laugh while there too there were 300+ green sea turtles coming up per night. beautiful animals! some stupid german tourists took hatchlings back to their rooms and put them in their bath for a few days! couldn't believe it... lol they were also caught letting their kids ride the turtles down the beach in the mornings... massive disrespect! they copped it from the wildlife services there, but the resort couldn't care less. guess that's what happens when some of your customers are paying AUD$890/night to stay there.

 

[I-Shence]

Very nice photos Darwin and others!I love australian flora and fauna!wish i was there...mates

peace

 

[fat freddy]

a flower and grasstrees
There are 28 species and 5 subspecies of Xanthorrhoea (grasstree or blackboy).Growth rate varies for each species but can be as high as 2.5cms per year (an inch) but average is 1cm per yr or 1m per 100 yrs. Some species live up to 600yrs. Depending on species, some have multiple heads, the heads throw a long straight stalk which flowers. The flowerering stalk can grow 2-3cms per day and reach a height over 3m. Aboriginals used the flowering stalk for several uses including: the flowering spike makes a perfect fishing spear; it is also soaked in water and the nectur from the flowers makes a sweet drink. The resin from the plant was used in spear making and as an adhesive, e.g. patching up coolamons (water containers) and didgeridoos.

 

[Craven_au]

Katherine Gorge

Katherine Gorge

 

[Craven_au]

The Snow runs mt baw baw,Thredbo,Falls creek

The Snow runs mt baw baw,Thredbo,Falls creek

Falls creek

Mt baw baw

Mt baw baw

Thredbo

 

[darwinsbulldog]

beautiful shots craven

thought i'd keep things going with a few more pics!

cat


falls creek


wilson's prom

 

[Smurf]

Just checking out this thread,,, we are a lucky country!

Red Wattle birds,, insect & honey eaters,,, the name wattle comes from the red fleshy skin on its cheek/throat.
Four wattle bird species in Aust. but only 3 of them have the distinctive fleshy skin.
These guys protect their food source, & not scared of anything,, you should see them attack crows, maggies, parrots etc.

& they love honey on bread, a daily ritual now.





a great supply of pollen for any honey eaters,,, Grevillea , Spider flower

 

[Guest 26753]

The pics above are simply terrific. I love this thread. great idea Donald!!!!!

 

[still]

Thought i beta throw
somthing up

 

[High Country]

Thought i beta throw
somthing up

I like the last pic the best.

 

[darwinsbulldog]

I like the last pic the best.

hahaha beat me too it