Julian & Ali Travels


Gum Hole, Diamantina National Park		August 15 - 16 2021

		We have two nights at Gum Hole. We are back in Queensland so have to book (and pay) for national park campsites through the internet. Which can be a tad difficult when the campsites have no internet. Hardest is not knowing what the campsite is really like, so how many days. We solve it by use of satphone sms to Jennifer who books and replies with booking number. Inconvenience everyone. The plus is we know there will be a spot. We (or at least I) like our early mornings. We set off to walk to Gum Hole Yard, about 3km to our south. There's a vehicle track, but we think we'll see more walking. The lagoon looks inviting from where the main road crosses the creek. The other side of the road is dry. We are camped about 500m along on the right hand side.

		A short distance along the main road, westwards, trying not to stand on our shadows, to the left turn.

		The track is in the depression, the river valley, that is Gum Creek. The vegetation a mix of low ground cover, cane grass and others, small bushes, and occasional gum trees.

		The bushes have more of those little yellow birds that we have seen so many of. White-plumed honeyeaters.

		Bauhinia. In flower. Attractive to birds. But unlike the bauhinia trees in Flora Conservation Park they have leaves. They are also bushes rather than trees. I guess its drier here. And the soil poorer. There's a tributary from the west that has a corridor of trees and bushes. There's bauhinia either edge. Taller, less flowery, trees in the middle.

		The corridor has a concentration of several different birds.

		We think a trick of the light. This is the same type of bird as the last pic. The bauhinia flowers are smaller than we saw at Flora. With much less nectar. Nevertheless, the birds are feeding on the nectar.

		A latter day henge. The very large Gum Hole Yard. The valley has widened a bit, the sides not so high, the yard is on a flat dry dusty area. Another 7km south and, according to the map, the creek disappears into dunes.

		There's a large fenced area towards the creek. We follow our noses, and the fence, and find the waterhole about 600m east of the yard.

		Rather than walk back along the track we decide to follow the creek. We nearly missed the budgerigars. Mixed with a largish (50 or so) flock of wood swallows. There will be lots of other things we missed.

		We have no idea. It was also mixed with the wood swallows.

		Not quite masked wood swallows. They may be a slightly different variety with a different name, or perhaps the same variety with a different name.

		We emerge from the gum trees and grasses alongside the creek, which has a few dry channels, to the bauhinia bushes. The sandy soil has been a bit soft to walk on.

		Even the bustards are attracted. The pictures really don't do justice to the sea of colour. Perhaps I need to stand next to a bush as the sun rises .... oh no, not another early morning!

		Gossens? At least a different sort of rock, darker, iron oxide colour.

		For a dry creek bed there are many flowers. Pinks and yellows predominantly. Even some daisies in the middle of the track.

		Just before the campsite, about where the first pic, above, of the lagoon was taken. Looks like the wild pig tribe have had their morning drink and are retreating to the bush. The first one, the largest, to cross the road, was very cautious. Knew its highway code. We saw it early and stopped. It ignored us. 4 - 6 adults and 20 - 30 piglets. We return to the campsite, after about 2 hours and 8.7km, for morning tea. And to be entertained by a large flock of galahs performing fly pasts. The lagoon is crocodile free. They seem to not venture into the south flowing rivers and creeks. While there are fresh water crocodiles there is probably a clue in the name estuarine crocodile. Perhaps also a lack of food. However. The lagoon is a tad brown with fine silt, and has muddy banks. We are not really in need of a swim. Not even good for clothes washing.

Warracoota Circuit, Diamantina National Park		August 17 2021

Gateway

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