# LITTLE DESERT NATIONAL PARK any one wanna come ???



## kupper (Jan 31, 2009)

visiting little desert antional park tomorrow in victorias north west anyone wanna come??? a frienf who shall remain nameless is to busy working the tennis and is being a sook !!! :lol:

mate that is what sickys are for 

anywasy anyone up for it ??? i have a 4x4 so it will be a comfortable cool drive 


let me know im leaving at 5.30 am


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Jan 31, 2009)

Im working at the tennis but it's almost over now.
Little desert is a great place to go for a couple of days herping and I met a great mentor there.
Years ago,when I was about 15,(mid 70s)I used to go and stay with the ranger and his wife who had a house behind Kiata pub.
Kieth Hately was a very kind and passionate man and he was nice enough to let me stay with him on a few occasions and showed me the sand monitors, legless lizards, geckoes, bluetongues and dragons and other animals and birds that he shared the park with.
I would sit entranced as he spoke of the animals he loved.
Keith was a renowned ranger and naturalist with extrodinary knowledge of the natural history of the Little Desert and in many ways contributed to the Bolte government abandoning its plans to develop the area for agriculture. 
We can now thank Keith for being the reason so much of the Little Desert became a national park.
In Febuary 1967 Keith was appointed the park ranger after being a volunteer ranger for the Kiata Lowan National Park for many years.
In 1939-1940 he carried out detailed measurements of temperatures in the breeding mounds of mallee fowls and many other interesting and important studies about many other species, including legless lizards and goulds sand monitors.
He died September 1st 2005 aged 94.

Im going fishing at Balnarrang tomorrow but next time you go pm me.

(Homer whisper) I think he talking about you Glen


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## kupper (Jan 31, 2009)

Sure will mate !!! The offender knows who he or she is , not pointing fingers workaholic sparky !!! ( tareits moment )


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## trader (Jan 31, 2009)

I am sure you will enjoy it immensely! A *beautiful *area of Victoria!

As sssnakemand said it is a great place to go for a few days. We really enjoyed camping there a few yrs ago..and enjoyed the reptiles we saw...and the emus that would walk through the campsite! Awesome place! (btw is that you Chris?)
Have fun, take plenty of water....

Cheers, Judy (aka HerpTrader)

P.S. Baz thank you for relaying the story of Keith...It would be fascinating listening to stories like that. Being from Canada (as you know) I LOVE and appreciate learning about this precious *huge* island which is now my home!


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## kupper (Jan 31, 2009)

Hey judy , yeah it's me! Are emus nasty little ****s in the wild ? I'm hoping to see some wild blue tongues and beardeds , not to
Mention some dragons of the ctenopus


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## kupper (Jan 31, 2009)

Try again ctenopus genus eg red bares painters Ect


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## trader (Jan 31, 2009)

kupper said:


> Try again ctenopus genus eg red bares painters Ect



We did see a painters...but be warned they are *VERY* fast! 

The Mallee Dragons blend in real well in the scrub, so look real carefully. We did see a strophurus Gecko in a tree hollow.

 The emus were not nasty at all, actually quite tame.

Every morning about 4AM they would walk through the campsite and you would hear the rustling of their footsteps in the leaves (very dry). Peek out the tent window and there they were! It was awesome! Then they would come by later on in the morning while we were sipping on coffee etc.

Enjoy your trip!


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## kupper (Feb 1, 2009)

learnt some rules today whilst out herping !!!! 


RULE No 1 : dont try drive on sand !!! 
RULE No 2: DONT under any citrcumstances drive on the sand !!!!
RULE No 3: DONT DRIVE ON THE BLOODY SAND!!!!!


6 hours and a few SES friends and my apparant 4x4 was winched out and back onto solid roads

Judy you were not wrong little desert is definantly drying out the river is almost none existant , a few laceys had taken the river being low as a sign to eat the dying carp in the little pools that were left i will post some photos up a little later

unfortunatly the only sign of the mallee dragons was when i was helping the SES out whilst i was steering my car i seen a little dragon shape fly ... and i do mean fly accross the hot sand i was rather dissapointed but i think i will definantly go up there again next time with a tennis working sparky and next time i wont DRIVE ON THE SAND!!!


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## Barno111 (Feb 1, 2009)

Mate what type of 4x4 do you have?


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## Wild_Storm (Feb 1, 2009)

Lol... WHAT type of sand did you drive on??? Sorry, but I think you may be hard up toget anyone to go with you... There is a small issue of BOGGING rather than HERPING... And you will never be allowed to forget it!!! Lol.


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## kupper (Feb 1, 2009)

its a rather **** 4x4 i have to say its a suzuki grand vitara set up for 4x4 off roading the sand was just ordinary sand but i miss judged somethign and went off a track into big boys 4x4 territory and the rest is history!!! 

id probably put it down to being a little too guttsy !!!


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## Bushfire (Feb 1, 2009)

A good 4wd should of got through the majority of those tracks. I take it you got stuck in the Eastern Block then? I worked in the park in 2006/07 and did abit of 4wd training in that block. It was great fun and there normally is heaps of different types of dragons zipping around there.

Well I suppose at least you got out and not still stuck up there waiting for a pass by!


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## kupper (Feb 1, 2009)

LOL i was pretty shattered when it happened i kinda got ahead of myself i guess .... tried something without knowing how to do it 

i might go down in early spring see if it is a bit better or a a day that wasnt 45 ! what have you guys seen there? 

i seem to be finding less and less in victoria i think the drought is really taking its toll, i rarely see blueys out anymore only thing i find heaps of is jacky dragons 

i was told that there were heaps and heaps of blueys and shinglebacks ect out there but didnt see not one 

if you drive through the camping ground then along the river you will come to a fence its like a instant snap in scenery from stringy barks to sand flats and accacia trees 

i got bogged about 15 metres into the sand , which trust me was pretty embarrassing especially when the boys got there SES are not supposed to laugh at you :lol:

where is the best place to go from your personal experience BUSHFIRE?


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## trader (Feb 1, 2009)

we saw most of the herps while walking along the tracks in the park. 

I must admit we did drive in some deep sand at one point and I got VERY nervous thinking we would be stuck, but my trusty driver (hubby Daavid) was not concerned and we drove out alright.

The river was VERY low when we camped but I was happy to swim in the little teeny bit of water that was there. There was alot of 4x4 driving on the river.

We never saw Blue Tongues or bearded Dragons while there.

Glad you are home safe and sound


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## kupper (Feb 1, 2009)

Yeah home a bit red faced ...not sure if that's the sun burn or the embarrasment kicking in


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## Barno111 (Feb 1, 2009)

well i know why you got stuck! all you have to do is look at the car! never made for 4x4. Just the occasional dirt track and maybe some beach work! I was going to say if you were in a cruiser or patrol there would be something wrong with ya ;P!


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## kupper (Feb 1, 2009)

Yeah but the beach has sand LOL I know what your saying just thought I'd give it a berl but having said that I would not even go back with a proper one turned me off for life now lol


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## Bushfire (Feb 1, 2009)

Hahaha Yep I know that spot, well you aren't the first to get stuck there or for that matter the last. Ill suggest next time go around late spring / early summer (Oct to early Dec), depending on how summer is going.

Did you go on that walking track just as you entered the park just before that campground? Ive seen a Western Blue tongue on that walk a few times and the Mallee Dragons are plentiful there. See as you have a new found hate of the sand Ill suggest trolling the two main roads, the Nhill - Harrow rd (the one that splits the central block into two) and the Kaniva - Edenhope rd (the one that splits the central and western blocks). Just drive along to you come across one of the fire trails and just walk them. Its easier finding critters than driving along and trying to stop and see the critter before it vanishes. Although both roads yield there fair few share of reptiles mostly stumpies and beardies (Eastern). I'm certain too that on one of these roads was a albino stumpy that made an appearance in the local paper some time ago.

If you look through the mallee habitat in the north of the park theres a few Norris Dragons, which are similar to to Jackys. Interesting enough if you skip over to Wyperfeld or Big Desert these start to get replaced with Nobbi Dragons. I take it you were wanting to see Painteds, well they too are plentiful, but you are best trying to find habitat that chenopod dominated shrublands (luckily this is really common) but the will also found them in open mallee that has that spikey grass (Triodia). Best of luck next time.


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## Barno111 (Feb 1, 2009)

Beach and desert driving! two completely different conditions! It sounds like fun i might just have two take two weeks off and go for a run down that way!


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## kupper (Feb 1, 2009)

bushfire when are you in victoria next i need you as my guide !!!! and they both have sand so too me whether its sand in the desert sand or on the beach its all the same to me !!!! LOL the vitara is a company car we also do pajeros so i might just have to steal one of those next time but i wont be goign anywhere near that sand track again. Just spoke to the guy that towed me out he said that lately even experienced 4x4 drivers have been coming unstuck apparantly the drought effects the ground stability or something??????? all sounds like jibberish to me 

Barno where do i get a full on map of this place ??? can you get one and mark the spots on it for me ??? if its not to much to ask ..... western bluetongues ???? WT i had my hopes up to see centrals well actually any blue tongue really, want a photo of one cracking a tanti witha full open mouth display


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## Barno111 (Feb 1, 2009)

Sorry mate not from that neck of the woods! Try googling the area usally comes up with maps! or try 4x4 books they usally have some good stuff in them!


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## Sdaji (Feb 1, 2009)

I must admit, I've also been bogged pretty severely in the Little Desert :lol: I spent over an hour trying to get out, gave up, went to sleep, woke up, spent over an hour digging myself out and was on my way again. I saw four Bardicks that night, and other critters, so it was more than worth it 

I'd be pretty embarrassed if I'd called for the SES :lol:


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## kupper (Feb 1, 2009)

I didnt call them i called the local caravan park to see if they knew anyone who could help , i called the ses group leader didnt I , his exact words where this is going to be good training ill send the boyus out in halfer!!! so i really had no choice 

does anyone else seem to think they are seeing less and less in victoria??


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## Bushfire (Feb 2, 2009)

Bardicks were always a special find although I only ever found one. Just as I remember too you get three types of monitors there. Lacies mostly along the river tree line in the eastern block and it seems like gouldi everywhere else but every now and then you would find rosenbergi. Just as I left someone from a uni was looking into the relationship between gouldi and rosenbergi within the park. You have a strong population of rosenbergi at mount arapiles and the another up in the big desert.


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## Rocky (Feb 2, 2009)

Theres a 5:30 am now?


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## dragon170 (Feb 2, 2009)

have you got any photo's was think of going up there in a couple of months when I am on holiday. But I don't own a 4X4 so will have to stick to the main tracks unfortunately:cry: But still would love to see half the creatures you did:lol:


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## kupper (Feb 2, 2009)

i only took photos of a nasty lacey who didnt like photoes being taken looked pretty gravid and had some major trouble scalling a tree to get away


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## azza74 (Feb 2, 2009)

did you let the air out of your tires before you went on the sand


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## jordo (Feb 2, 2009)

i was just up there for work the other day. Had my fingers crossed for a Bardick but no luck, we did get a scaley foot, DOR mitchells short-tail and my first norrisi dragon.


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## kupper (Feb 2, 2009)

yeah look i have admitted that im not the worlds best 4x4 driver adn no i didnt let the air out of my tyres but im never going on sand again so its all good !!


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## moosenoose (Feb 2, 2009)

Next time you're thinking of heading out there let me know also!  There is never enough things to snap with the camera!


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## CROCO (Feb 2, 2009)

Hi Gday all its real great to see so many enthusiastic herpos exiist in Aus, 40 years ago I used to look for herps in the bush and never ever met anyone who was interested in reps they only wanted to run them over to my disgust., Sorry to here about the heat wave .its the reverse here2day its snowing this morning . and I am getting worried that my plane to Perth this wednesday for a fishing/ herp trip is gonna be cancelled . keith


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## azza74 (Feb 2, 2009)

give it a go with lower tyre pressures, youll be amazed at the diff, the smaller 4x4s are better for the sand due to less weight, so they "float" on the sand, so your 4x4 should be able to do it with ease.. ive seen vitaras, sierras and the rest get up some pretty steep sand tracks (the only reason i attempted it myself)... just remember not to wrap ya thumbs around the steering wheel,


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## kupper (Feb 2, 2009)

I don't think I'm game after the traumatic experience I went through LOL that's why I figures I would be ok , meh live and learn next trip planned soon so anyone coming I won't be driving anymore though LOL


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## herptrader (Feb 2, 2009)

Some happy snaps from 2006.

We were camping over the cup day weekend.

I little dragon whose name escapes me at the moment. We saw quite a few of them.






Got to love the emus walking through the camp site in a line a couple of times per day.




... and kookas overlooking the water hole in the river bed where swam to escape the heat.




Steaks over the open fire with scalloped potatoes and sautéed onions. We like to eat well when camping. 




and roos ... don't know what they were eating. I could not see anything... and this was back in 2006.




This girl was on our firewood. Her body had a diameter larger than a 5 cent piece. Biggest I have ever seen.




I have no idea what kind of bird this is. Anyone care to enlighten me?




Trader being memorised by some Aussie kitsch on the way home.




I love the desert parks they are quite something else!​


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## Bushfire (Feb 2, 2009)

That dragon is the Norris Dragon or some called it Mallee Tree Dragon _Amphibolurus norrisi_.


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## herptrader (Feb 2, 2009)

Bushfire said:


> That dragon is the Norris Dragon or some called it Mallee Tree Dragon _Amphibolurus norrisi_.



Thank-you

I was thinking Mallee Dragon but that did not seem quite right. I knew that I originally assumed it was a juvie jackie dragon but learned that that was not correct.


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## Bushfire (Feb 2, 2009)

For many years they were classified as Jackys but were separated in 1984 by Witten and Coventry.


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## aquila-G (Feb 3, 2009)

The little bird is one of the species of Pardalotes just not too sure which species from that pic possibly a Spotted Pardalote.


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## Nephrurus (Feb 3, 2009)

Striated Pardelote...


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## Sdaji (Feb 3, 2009)

herptrader: an even better place than the big koala is the turkey farm directly across the road from it


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## kupper (Feb 4, 2009)

Alright guys organising a nother tirp up there this time a few cars adn ill go prepared with shovels ect not to mention letting my tyres down first LOL whos in???


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## textilis (Feb 13, 2009)

Kupper, let me no when no when Im always up for herping, your queerie on the absense on herp numbers in wild Vic, I see where you are coming from, I have noticed though probaly for the 10 -15 years that numbers in the wild in Vic dont seem the same as they were, I recall going to specific spots to catch specific species and finding them no worries but now days there seems to be a lot more hit and miss.


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## Dan123 (Feb 13, 2009)

the north and west end of the parks have been badly burnt guys.


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