AUSTRALIA: NORTHERN COAST AND ATHERTON TABLELANDS 1978 PART 3

Great divide and Wet Tropics World Heritage Area extending South from York Peninsula through Cairns

I flew from Brisbane to Cairns and joined a natural history group through International Expeditions, a company I had worked with guiding in South America in the past. The group would explore some of the national parks and reserves in the Atherton Tablelands and we hoped to sample and see some of the incredible array of Australian plants and animals known in this ecosystem, including twelve hundred species of flowering plants, eight hundred different rainforest trees, spectacular orchids, strangler figs, exotic palms, marsupials that include tree kangaroo, rock wallabies, the egg laying monotreme platypus, and hundreds of unique birds.

We began our experience in the Wet Rainforest boarding the famous Kuranda Train that winds its way on a railway journey from Cairns to Kuranda. The Victorian era train travels over bridges and through tunnels hand-made by North Queensland’s pioneers over 100 years ago. Rising from sea level to 328m (1050 feet), the rail journey to Kuranda passed spectacular waterfalls and into the stunning Barron Gorge. Amazing rainforests with old growth trees, a great introduction to Far North Queensland’s World Heritage-Listed rainforest, the Wet Tropics.

Kuranda Train Depot that was built in the mid 1800’s near Cairns, NT Australia The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area consists of remnant rainforests that cover the rugged mountain ranges and some coastal and tablelands areas, a diversity of plant

communities that include wet sclerophyll forests, open woodlands, riverine, melaleuca swamps, wetlands, coastal scrub and mangroves. The area was volcanic in the past, with soils derived from granites and rhyolites, some associated with basalt flows, and metamorphic sedimentary rocks. The Atherton Tablelands and World Heritage Area is fragmented with remnants in the core of the Wet Tropics bioregion covering 3453 km 2 (1333mi2), with the rest of over 75% converted to farms. The Wet Rainforest originally extended from northern Cape York peninsula and Daintree forest south to Brisbane, then mixed with the coastal Temperate forest that extends south to Melbourne.

Wet Tropics Rainforest from the Kuranda Rail

The distinctive Wet Tropics vegetation communities are a product of the diversity of rainfall, terrain and soils. Rainfall is distinctly seasonal with over 60% falling in the summer months of December to March. Compared with other tropical rainforests of the world, the wetter parts of the region lie at the extremely wet end, and intense tropical cyclones are a feature of the region's climate and one of the factors shaping the structural and floristic differentiation of the vegetation, particularly the vegetation mosaics of the coastal lowlands.

The Wet Tropics has an extremely rich variety of Australian animals and plants, many of which are endemic, rare or threatened. It is home to a wide range of plant communities with the greatest percentage rainforest, but also significant wet and dry scelerophyll forests, paperbark forests, wetlands, mangroves, heathlands, sedgelands, grasslands

Atherton Tablelands section of the Great Dividing Range and the Wet Tropics Rainforest and rock escarpments. Rainforest varies enormously in structure and appearance, from the high montane cloud forests to wetland palm forests. The ancient rainforests conserve an extraordinary diversity of plants including ferns, cycads and conifers, and supports over 2,800 vascular plant species of which over 700 are restricted (endemic), 65% of Australia’s fern species, 30% of Australia’s orchid species. This high due to isolation, the numerous cool wet refugia in the mountain ranges where specialized plants and animals have survived for millennia following the ice advance, and the natural expansion and contraction of rainforests due to natural climate cycles. Within an area of 20,000 km2 (7722 mi2) the flora of the Wet Tropics bioregion (both rainforest and non-rainforest) comprises some 4,035 species in 1,369 genera. This compares favorably with that of New Caledonia and Costa Rica. Globally, the Wet Tropics is second only to New Caledonia in the number of endemic genera conserved per unit area with 636 Wet Tropics species endemic to Australia. Wet Tropics invertebrate fauna is the richest in Australia and includes species of 230 butterflies (60% of Australia’s butterfly species), 135 dung beetle species and 222 species of land snails. There are at least 663 vertebrate animal species with 21% of Australia’s reptile species, and 29% of Australia’s frog species. Bird diversity is 40% of Australia’s total bird species (more than 370 of 760 bird species), of which 12 species of birds endemic to this area and the mountain ranges immediately south: Atherton scrub wren, Bower's shrike thrush, bridled honeyeater , chowchilla, fern wren, golden bowerbird, grey-headed robin, Macleay's honeyeater, mountain thorn bill, pied monarch, tooth-billed bowerbird and Victoria's riflebird. The Wet Tropics is home to about a third of Australia's 315 mammal species with12 of these species are found nowhere else in the world: the unique green possums, ringtail possums, quolls, rare bats, tree-kangaroos, a rat-kangaroo, a melomys and an antechinus. All except two of them, the endangered tropical bettong and mahogany glider are rainforest dwellers. More commonly found mammals found in rainforest to the north in Cape York include the striped possum, prehensile-tailed rat, and the white-tailed rat. To the south in the temperate forest are found the yellow-footed antechinus, spotted-tailed quoll and the white-footed dunnart (found 4000 km south in Victoria and Tasmania). Some Wet Tropics mammals are very closely related to those found north or south and may become a different sub-species over time while their habitat has been separated. Some of the Wet Tropics rainforest species have close relatives in New Guinea and Southeast Asia.

Above: Orange-thighed tree frog lake Eachum. Riflebird bird of paradise, Rainbow lorikeet, Middle: Rainbow lorikeets, Cairns birdwing butterfly, Lumholtz tree kangaroo; Bottom: platypus, Red pademelon, Bottlebrush flowers (Eucalyptus). Strangler fig Ficus sp. And Endemic palm, Atherton Tablelands

The fauna of the Temperate forests in the southern extension of mountains include eucalyptus forests and other habitats contains animals whose life cycles rely on regular winter rainfall. Many are highly adapted to the eucalyptus forests. The koala depends on the foliage of just a few species of forest eucalyptus. Lyrebirds and gray kangaroos are forest dwellers, but the gray kangaroos also range into semiarid shrublands and heaths.

From Kuranda, we spent the next week under the guidance of naturalist John Miles who had spent years exploring the York Peninsula, Daintree Rainforest, and the Atherton Plateau National Reserves as a biologist. We used several 4x4 vehicles to get into some not easily accessible road tracks that entered private forests or national parks with special permits. These areas included The Mount Hypipamee Crater, a huge

Barron Falls near Kuranda, Milaa falls, Ellinjaa Falls,

Volcanic crater Lake Eachum, Mt. Hypipamee National Park diatreme located south-east of Herberton that is 61 meters in diameter and 82 meters deep, and several large volcanic lakes included Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine. Our guide introduced us to Yungaburra, one of the oldest towns in the Tablelands and part of the National Trust of Queensland. This charming village which was established in 1890 and remained largely unchanged. From the nearby highway bridge that crosses Peterson's Creek, we spent time to observe the elusive platypus that regularly enters

the river in the late afternoon. We also enjoyed the Millaa Waterfall Circuit and walking track with a series of scenic waterfalls, and streams that also are populated by platypus. These areas were a part of the list of remnant forests given special protection through the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. The two weeks was not sufficient to explore all of Atherton’s ancient rainforest national parks and reserves, its volcanic lakes, waterfalls, and the list of World Heritage listed wet tropic rainforest areas but were given a great introduction to representative Wet Tropics forests. We discovered representatives of an abundance and diversity of flora and fauna including Lumholtze’s Tree kangaroo, platypus, brolga, rock wallabies, kangaroo, bandicoot, quolls, and bird life. The Wet Tropics has a diversity of twelve hundred species of flowering plants, eight hundred different rainforest trees, spectacular orchids, strangler figs, exotic palms and hundreds of unique creatures that inhabit this lush green world. The rainforest here is characterized by large trees with flanged buttresses and with multiple vegetation layers, interlaced canopies, epiphytes growing on tree limbs and trunks, and large interwoven lianas. We ascended from Kuranda driving through the Gadgarra National Park that supports Wet Tropics rainforest and species of conservation significance including the southern cassowary and Herbert River ringtail possum, as well as migratory birds visiting from around the world. The local Aboriginal Dulabed and Malanbarra Yidinji people are involved in its park management. The park protects primary tropical rainforest that thrives along the eastern edge of the plateau of the Atherton Tablelands between 15 meters (50 feet) above sea level of coastal lowlands to about 211 meters (700 feet) at the foot of Mount Bartle Frere. The tropical vegetation is home to a variety of animals that include more than 80 different species of birds such as the endangered Queensland salangane, the three-color parrot diamond from the family of Greater finches, and the Diadem masked dwarf parrot.

We continued west along the Kennedy highway and visited both Crater Lakes National park, Lake Eachom, and Curtain Fig National Park, areas that protect Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroos, Green ringtail possums and the mabi forest, a critically endangered vine

forest. Mt Hypipamee National Park is located at 972 meters (3190 feet)

elevation on the southern Evelyn Tableland, in the Hugh Nelson Range. The high elevation rainforest is centered around a diatreme or volcanic pipe,

thought to have been created by a massive gas explosion. The crater is

almost 70 m (231 feet) across with sheer granite walls (the surface rock through which the gas exploded) with a lake over 70 m (231 feet) deep,

covered with a green layer of native waterweed.

A remarkable variety of rainforest and high-altitude rainforest species are

protected in this small park, and is a refuge for Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo, and a variety of possums. The forest reserve also protects high-altitude and

upland rainforest birds that include the cassowary, and a number of Wet Tropics endemic species. These include Victoria's riflebird, bridled

honeyeater and golden and tooth-billed bowerbirds.

Streams located in the Wet Tropical Forests of the Atherton Tablelands where platypus can be viewed late evenings, Milaa Milaa falls.

Near the park is another small segment of rainforest preserved by Lumholtz’s lodge, across the Kennedy highway. They have protected and habituated Lumhotlz’s Tree-Kangaroos. Lumholtz’s Tree kangaroo is distinctive with a short broad head, small ears, heavily muscled arms and very long black tail. Their fur is black to brown with a black face and a pale band across the forehead and sides of the face, and can weigh up to 10 kg (22 pounds). It is a threatened species because of forest fragmentation and high mortality. During mating they may move between the forest patches through farmland and roads, where both dogs and roadkill accounting for a high percentage of deaths. Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo is primarily a leaf-eater, but also feeds on many fruits and has been known to take cultivated maize from farms adjacent to its rainforest habitat.

Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroos do not appear to have a definite breeding season. Tree-kangaroos are difficult to spot in the day as they are nocturnal and they spend the

daylight hours sleeping hunched over in a sitting position high in tree canopy. Living in high rainfall areas, tree-kangaroos stay dry with their fur covering designed to point outward from the middle of the back, allowing water to run off the fur while they are sleeping. They climb trees by gripping the trunk or branch with the forelimbs and then pushing up with the hindlimbs, and on the forest floor and broad horizontal branches they may use a hopping gait or walk. Tree-kangaroos are the only group of macropods that can move their hindlimbs independently. When threatened they can jump to another tree or jump to the ground from a height of up to 15 m (50 feet).

Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo top, female with joey, Wild Koala Magnetic Island near Townsville S of Cairns

Also found in Hypapimee National park is the unique Spotted-tailed Quoll that is about the size of a domestic cat. It is the second largest and well-adapted marsupial carnivore in Australia and one of the most ferocious animals in the Australian bush. They resemble mongooses, and vary in appearance from reddish-brown to dark brown with distinctive white spots on the body and tail, with short legs and a wide gape,

making them slower runners than most other quolls. They have a physically strong body and strong teeth for slicing meat off its mammalian prey and crushing invertebrates. Quolls communicate using a variety of hisses, cries and screams, and the spotted-tailed quoll's cries sound like the noise of a circular saw.

Left: Spotted quoll, a carnivorous marsupial, Mt. Hypipamee National Park

Individual animals use hollow-bearing trees, fallen logs, small caves, rock outcrops and rocky-cliff faces as den sites. Mostly nocturnal, they spend hunt primarily on the forest floor preferring medium-sized wallabies, rats, bandicoots, rabbits, and reptiles, but also excellent climbers that hunt possums and gliders in tree hollows and prey on roosting birds. Interestingly they use communal ‘latrine sites’, often on flat rocks among

boulder fields, rocky cliff-faces or along rocky stream beds or banks. Such sites may be visited by multiple individuals and can be recognized by the accumulation of the sometimes characteristic ‘twisty-shaped’ faeces.

The green ringtail possums are one of the more unique possums seen here and are often seen in the canopy sleeping in the foliage. The thick fur is soft and brown with a greenish tinge hence the name. The ‘green’ color comes from the grizzled mix of black, grey, yellow and silver hairs which together appear to be olive-green. The strong, thick tail is prehensile and is used as an extra hand for curling around and gripping branches. The last section of the tail is naked, calloused and striated. The textured surface gives better grip when the animal is climbing.

Green ring-tailed possum Unlike some species, the green ringtail possum does not build a nest but sleeps curled up on a branch. It is solitary and not exclusively nocturnal but is sometimes active during the day. However, it rarely comes to the ground, preferring to remain in the treetops. They are herbivores eating primarily leaves of rainforest trees. However, it also eats figs. It is also one of the few animals which can safely ingest the leaves of the stinger plant or Dendrocnide moroides.

Like all marsupials, the newborn young are the size of a jelly bean and claws its way by instinct from the birth canal to the mother’s pouch where it attaches itself to a nipple. The single baby then continues its development. After some months, the baby leaves the mother’s pouch. It is then carried on the mother’s back for some time.

Passing through more farmland that has now eliminated over 75% of the original rainforest, we continued to drive west and visited Granite Gorge Nature Park as our final destination located at the western edge of the Wet Rainforest. This privately-owned nature park lies in the drier edge of the Atherton Tablelands and features volcanic formed scenery stretching over a diverse landscape of volcanic boulders, native

bushland and bubbling creeks. Here we could observe rock wallabies that one female with her large joey was especially tame. I was thankful to have seen at least a sampling of Australia’s back country, but it is a vast land of open spaces, especially in the outback of the red center and Northern western coast. I desired to return, to see the wilder Daintree forest of the Cape, but to travel west from Kakadu and explore the Kimberlie’s and the wild rock beaches of its coast. Perhaps I will return.

NOTES

Wet sclerophyll forests are often dominated by towering gum trees and open canopy. They are an important habitat for many animals, sandwiched between and the open woodlands. Wet sclerophyll forests grow up to 60m tall in moist cloudy uplands on deep well-drained soils. They are the most developed of all eucalyptus forests and the rainforests woodlands. Eucalyptus grandis, E. resinifera and Syncarpia glomuliferacan dominate these tall open forests along the western margins of the central rainforest massif. As the rainfall decreases and soil fertility declines to the west, they are replaced by more open woodlands. Understory in the tall open forests range from well-developed rainforest to dense grass.

Wet sclerophyll forests are particularly important as an ecotonal community between the rainforests and savanna ecosystems. They are home to some special species, the endangered northern or tropical bettong Bettongia tropica, and the northern population of two other species of mammals restricted to this forest type the yellow-bellied glider Petaurus australia and the swamp rat Rattus lutreolus.

Open woodlands dominate the drier, and often less fertile, areas of the Wet Tropics. Dominant trees vary and can be mixed with Eucalyptus (including Corymbia), Acacia (wattle), Syncarpia (turpentine), Lophostemon (brush box) and Casuarina (she-oak). Wet Tropics open woodlands are similar to those found over most of tropical Australia. The species compositions of both canopy and understory differ due to rainfall, soil type, fire frequency and vegetation history.

Endemism

Diversity and regional endemism within the fauna are also very high with, for example, 117 mammal species, including 14 endemic species. There are 338 bird species of which 12 species are endemic. There are also 161 reptile species of which 30 species are endemic. The three endemic reptile genera are each represented by only a single species. The diversity of amphibians includes 60 species of which 27 are endemic species.

Green eyed frog, red-eyed frog, Orange-thighed tree frog Lake Eachum Mt Hypipamee National Park

Cairns birdwing butterfly, one of the largest butterfly families in the Papilionid family of swallowtails, King Parrot, Golden bowerbird, Helmeted Cassowary with young, Buff-breasted paradise kingfisher

Regent bowerbird, Victorias riflebird bird of paradise,

Blue winged kookaburra, Noisy pitta a ground dwelling feeder, rainbow lorikeet

Flying fox bats, antilopine wallaby, Lumhotlz tree kangaroo

Wild koala Magnetic Island S of Townsville, Lumholtz tree kangaroo female with joey

Granite Gorge Park Reserve with rock wallabies, one female with joey, marsupial sugar glider

Platypus, coppery brushtail possum, Prehensile-tailed Rat, Lumhotlz tree kangaroo

Top: Elaeocarpus grahamii flowers, Elaeocarpus grahamii fruit, lily palm Cordyline cannifolia flower Middle: blood vine Austrosteenisia stipularis Fabaceae, Cupaniopsis flagelliformis. Brown Tuckeroo. Sapindaceae, Callistemon viminalis Creek Bottlebrush. Myrtaceae Bottom: mushrooms, blood vine Austrosteenisia stipularis

Primary rainforest

Atherton tablelands patchwork of forest and farmland