INNOT HOT SPRINGS

Innot Hot Springs is a natural mineral spring on the Kennedy Highway.
Unfortunately the formal pools are looking very neglected which is a great pity. There are a number of pools (both inside and outside) to enjoy all at different temperatures and they vary in temperature from approx 36 to 45 degrees. There is also a cold pool which is very welcome after spending time in the very hot water.

The inside pools

The outside pools

The hot springs of Nettle Creek have long been established as rejuvenating and healing. Throughout the sandy creek bed bubbles hot water. The water of the springs gets up to 75 degrees Celsius.

We walked down to the creek bed after breakfast and as can be seen in the photo above, although it was a very hot day, steam was still rising from the creek bed and it was too hot to place a hand under the water.

Our first sighting of this beautiful bird - a Buff-banded Rail


Look at the size of the claws on the .... water hen

A pale headed parrot

Atherton Tablelands Waterfalls, Rivers and Creeks

Millstream Falls, Atherton Tablelands

Millaa Millaa Falls, Atherton Tablelands

Cooligan Creek Picnic Area

Wooroonooran National Park

The traditional country of the Ma:Mu Aboriginal people

A brilliant blue dragonfly feeding beside the creek

A beautiful Illawarra Flame Tree in flower in the Atherton Tablelands

TREE KANGAROO and other MARSUPIALS

After many visits to the Malandra Rain Forest whilst staying in the Atherton Tablelands both in 2007 and this year 2010, in the hope of seeing a tree kangaroo we were rewarded on our last evening. We watched this Lumboltz Tree Kangaroo for a couple of hours. She was not very active even though we waited until well after dark (maybe it was because she has quite a large joey in her pouch) we finally left when we became too cold and hungry.



The Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo is found only in Queensland. They are small animals, with rounded ears and a masked dark fur face, with a long tail used for balance. The Tree Kangaroo is a nocturnal animal, and they stay in trees for the majority of their life. They do venture to the ground to find another tree to inhabit.

During the evening we had another view of the Green Ringtail Possum we had seen earlier in the day as he moved around the tree tops in search of food.

We were also fortunate to see this pointed nose bandicoot scurrying through the undergrowth

HASTIES SWAMP and PLATYPUS ROCK, LAKE TINAROO

We visited the bird hide at Hasties Swamp just before dusk one evening. When we arrived there were a large number of cattle egrets on the edge of the water. A little later they all flew off just prior to the arrival of approx 200 Saras Cranes flying across in front of us and landing on the far bank. It was one of those special moments as many pairs of Saras Cranes performed a courtship dance once they had landed. We were captivated.

After leaving Lake Eacham Faye discovered she had left her remote car key behind in a shop the previous day. Unfortunately it was the weekend and we had to wait until the shop opened on Monday so we decided on stay at the free campsite at Platypus Rock, Lake Tinaroo. As seen in the above photo is was another beautiful site with many ducks, egrets, cormorants and more unusual birds in the surrounding bush.

Sunset from our camper

Sunrise the following morning

We spotted a flock of the above finches on an early morning walk.

MALANDRA

Malandra Falls, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland

We spotted many tortoises on our walk

We often stop on our walks to look at the patterns formed by trees and vines in their effort to survive in the crowded rain forest.

We gave this indigenous reptile RIGHT OF WAY when we spotted it beside the walking track and waited until it was well out of view before proceeding.

Tamarillo Tree

Paw Paw Tree

The groundsperson at Malandra who walked with us to show us the green ringtail possum he had spotted earlier in the morning. We were fortunate he was on duty as he had detected it earlier that morning with his keen sense of smell.

The Green Ringtail Possum has greenish coloured soft and thick fur due to a mixture of black, grey, yellow and white hairs. The tail has a thick base and is shorter than the head and body.

The Green Ringtail Possum has a distinguished resting posture. It sleeps curled in a tight ball, gripping the branch with one or both hind feet, and sitting on the base of its coiled tail, with its forefeet, face and tip of the tail tucked tightly into its belly. David was able to catch this on video.

ATHERTON TABLELANDS - Curtain Fig Tree

Curtain Fig Tree, Atherton Tablelands

A ranger drew our attention to a Boyds Rainforest Dragon climbing up one of the roots of the curtin fig tree as it is so rarely seen. It is unique to this area of the rainforest and is in limited numbers. Although the quality of the photos is poor they have been included as a reminder of this special viewing.
Boyds Rainforest Dragon climbing up a root


The dragon dropped to the rainforest floor, scurried off and wasn't seen again

A female Golden Orb Spider identified by the yellow bands on her legs

ATHERTON TABLELANDS - Platypus Hunting

Our main reason for returning to the Atherton Tablelands was to hopefully see both a platypus and a tree kangaroo, the two major attractions in this area. We saw neither during a week of searching in 2007.

We spent hours walking alongside Petersen Creek and around Allumba Pocket, Yungaburra, in the hope of seeing a platypus.

Allumba Pocket was beautiful, like walking through well maintained grassy parkland

Swimming Hole

Swing Bridge over Petersen Creek

On our third attempt we were returning to our car when David spotted this platypus who swam on the surface of the water for approx. two minutes.

Just before dark on the same day we returned to see this platypus having a lovely time, diving and feeding. We were able to sit and watch him until dark, we were overjoyed.