Wildlife when camping

[The Cone of Silence]

I went away for a nice quiet night out in the bush last week, up in the Yengo NP and had 3 visitors around the fire - what I think were lace monitors? The largest of the three was an easy six feet from head to end of tail.

I was staggered by how fast these guys are given that they wander about so slowly. One had found some leftover bits of fat and bacon on one of the barbecue pits and when the other came to investigate it was on for young and old.

I was rather glad I was in a rooftop tent, although they disappeared at dusk and I didn't see them in the morning.

Either way, lovely to see some local wildlife. Anybody else got any good shots of some campfire visitors?

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=55097&stc=1&d=1357259313

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=55098&stc=1&d=1357259313

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=55099&stc=1&d=1357259313

[vnx205]

Last time we were in Bendethera about a month ago, Tank and I had this one wandering around our feet for an hour or so.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/general-chat/55100d1357260875-wildlife-when-camping-goanna.jpg

At one stage we had to persuade it that Mr Ploppy and his wife and children would not appreciate it climbing the screen door of their tent while they were cooling off in the Deua River.

[RichardK]

This one came in and helped with the washing up, Guy Fawkes NP
April 2012

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/1373.jpg

[Tombie]

Great pics guys... Awesome creatures

[ugu80]

Came for breakfast and hung around all morning.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/[/url] 078 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugu80/8343600297/) by ugu80 (http://www.flickr.com/people/ugu80/), on Flickr[/IMG]
Cannibal Creek, OTL

[460cixy]

I have some cracker water monitor pics on my camera ile up load em

[bpt]

I had this one in the Olney state forrest, kids loved it, it visited each morning.

[gusthedog]

But please don't feed wildlife people!;) Photo's are great but remember they are wild animals. When fed, they become a pest and have to be controlled by DSE/Parks. (By controlled I generally mean disposed of in a number of unfortunate ways - bad for both the animal and parks service).

Keep the photo's coming though. Saw a ripper of a monitor at Yando in Victoria the other day (5 points to anyone who knows where Yando is!:D)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/1369.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/1370.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/1371.jpg

[vnx205]

This one wan't in the camp itself. It was on the walk back from Bendethera Cave.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/16/2005444/Snake.JPG

BTW, the reason the tail looks a bit strange is the refraction cause by the tail being under the water. The water in Con Creek is crystal clear.

[Saitch]

Found the little bat in the camper & the goanna liked the only patch of sun around at Wreck Rock.

[Chucaro]

Camping in SE Qld near the water is when you can see the awesome Water Dragons

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/01/92.jpg

[rick130]

Came for breakfast and hung around all morning.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8494/8343600297_f58f6a706a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugu80/8343600297/) 078 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugu80/8343600297/) by ugu80 (http://www.flickr.com/people/ugu80/), on Flickr
Cannibal Creek, OTL

Brush Turkeys crack me up.

The young are left to fend for themselves as soon as they hatch.

The little buggers go running clean past you.
How they've survived as a species I have no idea, they're easy pickings for predators.

[Shonky]

Woke up surrounded by Wallabies one morning in Gibraltar Ranges NP. :)

Amazing place by the way. Incredibly beautiful and tranquil.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

They didn't seem threatened by me at all as I went about my morning business. In fact, just as I was thinking about breakfast one even decided to taunt me...

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[B.S.F.]

Brolgas in Boulia

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/1364.jpg

[scarry]

Brush Turkeys crack me up.

The young are left to fend for themselves as soon as they hatch.

The little buggers go running clean past you.
How they've survived as a species I have no idea, they're easy pickings for predators.

They have lots of young,often around 15 to 20 each season,so probably one or two survive.


Dunno how Whip birds survive either.After about 12 days in a nest,often low to the ground, the chicks hop out and live on the ground for another month or so, until they can fly,still being fed by the parents.They look like little balls of black fluff,they freeze if you go near them.

[Disco44]

Came for breakfast and hung around all morning.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8494/8343600297_f58f6a706a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugu80/8343600297/) 078 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugu80/8343600297/) by ugu80 (http://www.flickr.com/people/ugu80/), on Flickr
Cannibal Creek, OTL

If you ever have to cook one it is just like the old Army biscuits,do it for a week with a stone .then after a week eat the stone.
John.

[ramblingboy42]

theyre not that bad to eat, I've survived onn them

[Bearman]

Woke up surrounded by Wallabies one morning in Gibraltar Ranges NP. :)

Amazing place by the way. Incredibly beautiful and tranquil.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

They didn't seem threatened by me at all as I went about my morning business. In fact, just as I was thinking about breakfast one even decided to taunt me...

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Looks like he is waiting for you to put the billy on Shonky:D

[justinc]

theyre not that bad to eat, I've survived onn them

I've heard the same from some close relatives of mine that ate them regularly back in the late 70's. Not far north west of you, either RB ;)

JC

[Bearman]

Nothing wrong with a scrub turkey. Back in the 60's my Uncle and I used to go hunting for them in the Bunya Mts near Dalby. I was only a young un in those days and the strategy was for me to walk thru the rainforest and scare the turkeys out of the ferns, and he would be following pretty close behind. Usually they would fly to a tree to see what was happening and soon after get lead poisoning from a DB 12G. A good stuffing made them come up pretty good on the table.:D

[bob10]

Woke up surrounded by Wallabies one morning in Gibraltar Ranges NP. :)

Amazing place by the way. Incredibly beautiful and tranquil.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk188/670719/Facebook/Roadtrip%20Brisbane%20%20Sydney%20via%20the%20back roads/407777_10150526115091659_611925775_n.jpg

They didn't seem threatened by me at all as I went about my morning business. In fact, just as I was thinking about breakfast one even decided to taunt me...

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk188/670719/Facebook/Roadtrip%20Brisbane%20%20Sydney%20via%20the%20back roads/419130_10150526115506659_1644742543_n.jpg
Sorry mate, those cute critters are dog food, at least they were when I was a little fella out western Qld, Bob

[sam_d]

On Saturday I spent a good couple of hours sitting in Swampy Plain River (with just my head above with water) keeping myself cool during the sweltering afternoon temperatures.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw something black and sleek enter the water from the nearby river bank.

I was quite excited as I thought I had just seen a Duck-billed platypus.

However, moments later the creature emerged from the water again and turned out to just be a duck billed duck.

[bob10]

On Saturday I spent a good couple of hours sitting in Swampy Plain River (with just my head above with water) keeping myself cool during the sweltering afternoon temperatures.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw something black and sleek enter the water from the nearby river bank.

I was quite excited as I thought I had just seen a Duck-billed platypus.

However, moments later the creature emerged from the water again and turned out to just be a duck billed duck.
Best time to see platypus is very early morning or late afternoon, in the heat of the day they are usually in their burrow. Thing to remember is, stand on the bank, far enough away so you don't cast a shadow. preferably behind a tree, as soon as they see a shadow, they're off. [ and be very quiet.] Bob

[cewilson]

Sorry mate, those cute critters are dog food, at least they were when I was a little fella out western Qld, Bob





The dog would be fighting me for it at my place :p

[isuzutoo-eh]

One morning I was woken up by a cow scratching its bum on my bullbar whilst another scratched its back on the spare wheel. Made the roof top tent sway a bit!

[Shonky]

One morning I was woken up by a cow scratching its bum on my bullbar whilst another scratched its back on the spare wheel. Made the roof top tent sway a bit!

Worst. Threesome. Ever.

[justinc]

Not While camping, but relevant to the Goanna pics

...Many years back I was working with an exploration drill rig East of Leonora (RC drilling) and mid morning with the GM 671 and compressor at full noise a Perentie just wandered out from under the rig and casually sauntered off into the bush. It knew nothing could catch it, so looked pretty relaxed:p. One of us made an attempt to get close to it and voom! They can really move!:o

JC

[Tombie]

Not While camping, but relevant to the Goanna pics

...Many years back I was working with an exploration drill rig East of Leonora (RC drilling) and mid morning with the GM 671 and compressor at full noise a Perentie just wandered out from under the rig and casually sauntered off into the bush. It knew nothing could catch it, so looked pretty relaxed:p. One of us made an attempt to get close to it and voom! They can really move!:o

JC

Our camp is full of Perenties...

Some very friendly - will walk into office to say hello and a free egg lunch.

Most just ignore people.

Good at keeping snakes out of the camp.

[justinc]

Our camp is full of Perenties...

Some very friendly - will walk into office to say hello and a free egg lunch.

Most just ignore people.

Good at keeping snakes out of the camp.

:D, fantastic creatures.

Wish I had a 4 wheeled, diesel galv chassied variety in the shed though:o;)


JC

[Chops]

One morning I was woken up by a cow scratching its bum on my bullbar whilst another scratched its back on the spare wheel. Made the roof top tent sway a bit!

Yeah yeah,, that's your story and your sticking to it ehh ;)

[Sparksdisco]

One morning I was woken up by a cow scratching its bum on my bullbar whilst another scratched its back on the spare wheel. Made the roof top tent sway a bit!


So it was MOOOOOOving quite a bit then:p

I hope you wern't COW HERD in the corner of the tent:p

I bet it made you STEER clear of sleeping in paddocks for a while:p

I HERD it was the CATTLEist for you to get a camper:p

[Disco44]

Yeah yeah,, that's your story and your sticking to it ehh ;)

Remember the oldie " Don't come aknocking when the caravan ( Roof TOP Tent ) is a rockin"
John.

[LowRanger]

Found this little fella whist out and about the other week
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/01/1073.jpg