By: Michael Fox

Day 1 18 Aug 2022: Home to Theodore 600km

I’m off on my grand adventure to circumnavigate Australia and exploring our unique flora and fauna going through Qld, NT, WA, SA, Vic, NSW and Canberra.

The first leg of the trip to Northern Territory, I will be travelling with Field Botanist, Ann Moran.

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Morning tea at picnic area beside the Burnet River at Gayndah.

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Brilliant yellow wattles were spread along the sides the highway.

I was particularly impressed by the beautiful Acacia ambygonia Fan Wattle which also occurs in South East Queensland and large parts of NSW.

A shrub growing 10cm to 1m height with 1m spread, Acacia ambygonia is ideal for city gardens and should be available many nurseries.

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At Theodore we explored the new interpretative signs and bird hide installed this year Castle Creek.

Our local host, Ann Hobson, was instrumental in researching information, sourcing funds and arranging installation.

Local indigenous artists worked on artwork and design.

Interperative signs in bird hide and along the walk provide details of local wildlife: birds, Kreffts Terrapin (freshwater turtle), Australian Water Dragon and Platypus.

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I photographed a Coracina novaehollandiae Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike in a dead tree beside the path.

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The Alectryon oleifolius Western Rosewood was covered in fruit with some showing the sweet red aril that attracts birds to spread the seeds embedded in the aril.