# Days 9 to 11: Atherton Tablelands



## smacdonald (Jan 24, 2009)

After Tully, we headed to the Atherton Tablelands. We spend three nights there, during which time we saw a ton of stuff. We went to:
Millaa Millaa Falls, Malanda Falls, the Curtain Fig, Lake Barrine, Wooranooran National Park, Mobo Creek Crater, Chambers Eco-Lodge, Yungaburra.

Here are pictures in random order. You can click on the pic to go to a page that should tell you where the photo was taken (look in the Tags section to the right of the photo).





_Eulamprus tigrinus_






_Eulamprus tigrinus_






_Carlia rubrigularis_






Eastern water skink (_Eulamprus quoyii_)






_Saproscincus basiliscus_ asleep on vegetation






_Saproscincus basiliscus_ asleep on vegetation






Prickly forest skink (_Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae_)






Prickly forest skink (_Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae_)






Northern leaf-tailed gecko (_Saltuarius cornutus_)






Northern leaf-tailed gecko (_Saltuarius cornutus_)






Northern leaf-tailed gecko (_Saltuarius cornutus_)






Northern leaf-tailed gecko (_Saltuarius cornutus_)






Northern leaf-tailed gecko (_Saltuarius cornutus_)






Northern leaf-tailed gecko (_Saltuarius cornutus_)






Chameleon gecko (_Carphodactylus laevis_)






Chameleon gecko (_Carphodactylus laevis_)






Chameleon gecko (_Carphodactylus laevis_)






Chameleon gecko (_Carphodactylus laevis_)






Spotted tree monitor (_Varanus scalaris_) (AKA _Varanus similis_)






Eastern water dragon (_Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii_)






Eastern water dragon (_Physignathus lesueurii lesueurii_) asleep on streamside vegetation






Boyd's forest dragon (_Hypsilurus boydii_)






Boyd's forest dragon (_Hypsilurus boydii_)






Boyd's forest dragon (_Hypsilurus boydii_)






Boyd's forest dragon (_Hypsilurus boydii_)






Keelback (_Tropidonophis mairi_)






Slaty-grey snake (_Stegonotus cucullatus_)






Scrub python (_Morelia kinghorni_)






Scrub python (_Morelia kinghorni_)






Jungle carpet python (_Morelia spilota cheynei_)






_Litoria nannotis_






_Litoria jungguy_






_Litoria jungguy_






Orange-thighed frog (_Litoria xanthomera_)






Common mist frog (_Litoria rheocola_)






Orange-thighed frog (_Litoria xanthomera_)​
I really, _really_, *really*, REALLY, *REALLY* wanted to see a tree kangaroo. While I was out at night looking for them, I came close. On two occassions I heard a great big _crash_ in the bushes just next to me, and then the rhythmic _thump_, _thump_, _thump_ of a large arboreal macropod hopping away, but I didn't get to see one. On our last night we went back to the Curtain Fig. After about 30 minutes of seeing nothing but possums and a feral cat, I shone my torch on the source of a loud rustle, only to be confronted with a tree roo bum!





Lumholtz tree kangaroo (_Dendrolagus lumholtzii_)​
I tried to position myself to get a better look, but I only managed to get a dodgy look at and photo of his face. I need to go back up there to find another one.





Lumholtz tree kangaroo (_Dendrolagus lumholtzii_)






Giant white-tailed rat (_Uromys cadimaculatus_)






Musky rat-kangaroo (_Hypsiprymnodon moschatus_)






Red-legged pademelon (_Thylogale stigmaticus_)






Long-nosed bandicoot (_Perameles nasuta_)






Long-nosed bandicoot (_Perameles nasuta_)






Sugar glider (_Petaurus breviceps_)






A feral cat






The Whistle Stop Cafe at Yungaburra. Quite possible the best grilled focacia in the world (and no, spending the previous week eating nothing but instant noodles didn't influence my opinion).​

Next stop: Chillagoe


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## ShnakeyGirl (Jan 24, 2009)

Great pics. Love the Keelback


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## Vincey (Jan 24, 2009)

AMAZING photos. I would love to do something like what you're doing at some point in my life. That leaf-tailed geck is unbelievable. Glad to see you got lots of pics of the little fella!


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## Pythonking (Jan 24, 2009)

very nice indeed


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## JasonL (Jan 24, 2009)

I'm sorry, eat instant noodles for a week solid could make almost anything taste like the "Worlds Best ...", nice pics by the way, even the carpet snake looks great


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## Pythonking (Jan 24, 2009)

JasonL said:


> I'm sorry, eat instant noodles for a week solid could make almost anything taste like the "Worlds Best ...", nice pics by the way, even the carpet snake looks great


 
lol i just read that bit, had a mate who decided to just eat noodles, nicky noodles was his nick name for a while there he lost a hell of a lot of weight then had some major health problems. Bit of a tangent but just can't help get a weird smile everytime I hear instant noodles probably cause i haven't seen him for a long time.


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## melgalea (Jan 24, 2009)

love the feral cat. lol. 
but in all seriousnesss... great photos and i envy you. hope u r having fun hey. 
mel.


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## krusty (Jan 24, 2009)

great pics looks like you had a great time,love the scrubby and the boyd's.


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## borntobnude (Jan 27, 2009)

i know its a reptile site but the tree roo's bum and head is the most exiting thing i've seen on this site .i have spent a lot of time looking and never seen one . i know a few fnq residents who wont believe they exist because they have not seen one in there 60 odd years living in the area . doing a quick survey of the people working at the info centres over the years none of them had ever seen one .so,GREAT EFFORT A


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## moloch05 (Jan 27, 2009)

A great series of photos, Stewart. I am very envious of the Chameleon Geckos ... what an excellent find! Someday ...


Regards,
David


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