Booroomba Rocks to Apollo Road
This is a reasonably easy 7.5 km all day bushwalk in northern Namadgi National Park, involving a short car shuffle. From Booromba Rocks carpark we will use the Australian Alps Walking Track to slowly walk down Booromba Creek to Bushfold Flats. After lunch we will then walk out to the gate on Apollo Road via the southern end of the Mt Tennent Fire Trail.
The Booromba Creek section involves a descent on a narrow track, followed by a flat section around Bushfold Flats and a steep descent on the fire trail with loose gravel underfoot, and finally a short climb back to Apollo Road. It is suitable for reasonably fit folk who are steady on their feet. Walking poles optional. Please make sure to also bring a hat, water, sunscreen, lunch and binoculars, and wear sturdy shoes.
At the end of September, in these wet creek and dry forest habitats, we might expect to see, or at least hear, Eastern Yellow Robin, Scarlet Robin, Golden Whistler and Rufous Whistler and we’ve a good chance of hearing Eastern Whipbird, Superb Lyrebird and maybe Pilotbird. Raptors are a good possibility in the open country.
Registration essential to mrobbins (at) home.netspeed.com.au, with your name and phone number, and name and number of an emergency contact. Registrations close at 6pm on Friday 26 September so please register early. Maximum 16 attendees.
Post event report
A group of eight led by Michael Robbins had lovely fine weather with little breeze for a walk in Namadgi NP. Starting from Booroomba Rocks carpark we walked through mountain forest, featuring dense post-bushfire shrub growth, to the grassland of Bushfolds Flat and then along Mt Tennent Fire Trail to Apollo Rd.
A total of 48 species was identified, starting with a pair of Flame Robins at the carpark. Most numerous and noisy were multiple small flocks of honeyeaters flying west. White-naped Honeyeaters (480), Yellow-faced Honeyeaters (120) and White-plumed Honeyeaters (20) were all on the move. White-eared Honeyeaters (60) were also numerous and noisy but seemed to be ‘on site’. Crescent Honeyeaters (3) were heard and seen feeding.
Fan-tailed Cuckoos (24) were heard frequently plus one Shining Bronze Cuckoo. Red Wattlebirds (30), Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, a Gang-gang Cockatoo, Crimson Rosellas, Satin Bowerbirds, Grey Currawong, Pied Currawongs ( including one visiting a nest), a calling pair of Eastern Whipbirds, Grey Shrike-thrush (14) and Grey Butcherbirds made up the list of medium to large forest birds.
The smaller birds of the forest were represented by frequently heard Spotted Pardalotes (23), Grey Fantails (11), Eastern Yellow Robins, White-throated Treecreepers and Brown Thornbills. Whistlers were calling but the number of Golden Whistlers versus Rufous Whistlers in the forest was unclear. Two of the latter were observed once the forest gave way to less dense woodland.
There we also observed Dusky Woodswallows (16), an Eastern Rosella, Laughing Kookaburras, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Eastern Spinebills, a Leaden Flycatcher, Buff-rumped Thornbills, Superb fairy-Wrens and a White-browed Scrubwren.
Three Brown Goshawks, one Wedge-tailed Eagle and 2 Nankeen Kestrels made up the raptor list.
Emerging from light forest into pastureland with a dam, we observed Australian Wood Ducks, Grey Teal, Masked Lapwings, Australian Magpies, Magpie-larks, Galahs, Willie Wagtails, Welcome Swallows, Yellow-rumped Thornbills, Silvereyes and an Australian Raven.
Many thanks to Michael Robbins for leading such an interesting and varied walk.
Nina Johnson
