# Victorian high country herp/fishing trip.



## reptilerob (Nov 13, 2009)

OK, im not going to bore anybody on here with fishing photos and reports, but lets just say i caught a stack of brown and rainbow trout, and that herping and fishing go hand in hand just nicely.
I have spent most of my life fishing, and avoiding snakes along the way, these days its a pleasure to run into them.

My wife and i have just spent a few days in the Victorian high country, based at a family residence in Mt Beauty. From there we travelled quite a long distance up to omeo, over to corryong, back up to mitta mitta and back to mt beauty, as well as various other shorter trips.
We had an absolute ball of a time looking for reptiles along the way.
We encountered so many blotched blue tongue lizards that it was unbelievable. In the end we didnt even stop for them, just slow down, swerve around them and keep going!!
We photographed 6 or 7 of them, these are two of my favourite blotched blue tongue photos,
I like this one because its a nice pose, instead of the straight line thing they seem to do so well!!!






And i like this next one, because it wasnt on the road like most of them seem to be. We were walking along a track and could here rusteling from a nearby bush, so we looked and found this bluey. I love these reptiles, they are so nice natured!!!





On one of the shorter fishing trips we done, we found this tiger snake laying on the track,














About 10 minutes after finding that tiger snake, we were walking through really thick scrub to get to a stream to fish, when a copperhead took off from infront of me and frightened the life out of me. By the time my wife got to me (i was in front) with her camera, it was laying just outside a blackberry bush, then before the camera even had time to focus, it was gooooooone.......beautiful looking copperhead it was too!!!

Later that day, we were treated to a late afternoon thunderstorm, which the high country is nutorius for during hot humid weather,





Next morning we headed off over the top, past falls creek. Along the way near bogong village we walked into mclouds falls for a look,





We then continued over the mountains and down into the upper mitta mitta valley, where we photographed more blotched blue tongues, and these awesome jacky dragons. I fell in love with these things, they are such a wonderful reptile to watch.

























I also photographed this cunninghams skink at the same place as the jacky dragons,




In this same area we saw another kind of lizard. Im not sure what it was, it was not quite as big as a blotched blue tonge, brown coloured and as fast as lightning!!! It looked similiar in shape to a blue tongue, just a bit smaller and brown coloured, like a shingleback. It hada pointy tail. We had no hope of photographing them as they were so fast. Even just walking along quietly, they would spook easily. Hopefully when i get back there soon i will get a photo of one.

As the heat became unbearable, the reptiles disappeared apart from one or two blotched blue tongues.
Later in the evening as the temp dropped, up high in a valley at an altitude of around 800 metres, we found this sensational looking copperhead. I absolutely love these snakes, they are such a shy natured snake. While we were photographing this beautiful specimen, there was a darkening sky and constant thunder clapping overhead. The thunderstorm really added to the moment!!!

























After watching and photographing this beautiful copperhead, we headed off, and less than 100 metres along the track, we found a dead tigersnake that had no sign of injuries. I'd say it was hit by a car, but we were so certain it was alive because it had no obvious sign of being ran over!! Either way it was sad, live ones are much better!!!!
This dead tiger snake, the copperhead and the tiger snake and copperhead from the day before we all within a 1km radius. 

About 10 minutes after photographing the copperhead to the sound of thunder, we stopped on a pretty high vantage point and admired the thunderstorm as it rumbled overhead, and lightning cracked over victorias highest mountain, mt bogong.
Here is a short video clip of the storm with the loud thunder clearly audible.
It was only a reasonably small storm, but still awesome!!!

[video=youtube;7mWuQD9PXc4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mWuQD9PXc4[/video]

Then on the last day (yesterday) i went for a drive alone yesterday morning. I didnt see a single thing. Then as the temp started nudging 30, and i had all but given up on seeing any reptiles yesterday, i saw this enormous eastern brown snake just sitting in somebodys driveway watching all of the cars go past on a pretty busy road near bright!! I couldnt believe my eyes, it was huge. My wifes bredli is about 6 foot long, and i estimate this eastern brown to be pretty similiar, perhaps even 6 inches longer!!!
I have never been able to photograph one of these things like this. They have always been so fast, and so quick to get off the road. This truly was a wonderful experience!!! Each time a car went passed it looked more and more uptight!!















As the snake started slithering away, i put my camera into video mode to get a bit of footage of it, but before i even had a chance to focus the camera, the snake was gone. I cant believe how quickly these things can move across the ground. They make the tigers and copperheads look like snails!!

Late yesterday afternoon we saw another very large snake, this time a red belly black snake. The moment i hit the brakes it was off. We went into the bush looking for it, but didnt find it. The old black snake seems to be quite elusive sometimes!!!

I hope anybody reading my report enjoyed it as much as i enjoyed my time away with my wife herping the Victorian high country.
My wife is staying on in mt beauty until next tuesday, hopefully i will have some more photos from her better quality DSLR when she returns.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Nov 14, 2009)

very impressive, you went well with the large elapids, love the copperhead, they are very pretty snakes, hope to see some in the wild one day. very lucky to see the brown snake like that. I dont seem to have any success spotting snake from the car in the day, great report and pictures, nice to see some "in situ" shots, most shots on here include hands which always wrecks them a bit, you will find when you get more addicted you will start taking bits and pieces to help photograph like bin lids and stuff, always great for elapids to curl up for that perfect picture. thanks.


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## LauraM (Nov 14, 2009)

llooovee the pics... there all stunners


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## andyscott (Nov 14, 2009)

Fantastic photos Rob,
to get shots like that of a Brown and Copperhead on a hot day is a great effort.

Just as important, did you catch any fish


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## redbellybite (Nov 14, 2009)

Love the pics ROB ...you and your wife have been doing alot of late ..well done....and your dead right ,the EBs can move like the clappers when they need to...


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## reptilerob (Nov 14, 2009)

Thanks for the comments everyone. Andyscott, i had a ball with the fishing rod. The high country streams are all fishing extremely well for trout at the moment. Perhaps its the heat warming the water and stirring the fish up?? Or maybe the heat is generating a lot of insect life which is stirring the trout up?? Either way, all i can say is i had some fantastic fishing trips during the week.

Thanks redbellybite. I have quite a bit of time off work at the moment!! I dont go back until after christmas, unless i make a career change while im on leave and start a new job.....which is possible!! So my family and I are making great use of the time off. We are lucky living in the country, we dont need to travel very far to find reptiles.......but we chose to!!LOL


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## Enlil (Nov 15, 2009)

Hello, nice pictures Rob

I have to say is that the blotched blue tongue is pretty common in the burnt areas of Mount Dissapointment-Kinglake area, though I havn't seen any snakes yet.

Glen.


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## bump73 (Nov 15, 2009)

Great pics 

And as for the fishing.. Pics or it didn't happen 

Ben


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## reptilerob (Nov 15, 2009)

bump73 said:


> Great pics
> 
> And as for the fishing.. Pics or it didn't happen
> 
> Ben



LOL...i will put a couple of pics up later in the week. While i was wading up the rivers with my fishing rod, my wife was wading behind me with her camera hepring!! As a result she has the fishing photos on her camera, and wont be home until tuesday afternoon!!!
Thanks for the comments on the photos, im glad people enjoyed them.


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## Acrochordus (Nov 15, 2009)

Very good report on what herps you's found and great pic's, did good with the Elapids, that Copperhead is a beauty there is something about them i really like.
Thanks Tim.


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## Hooglabah (Nov 15, 2009)

i wanna see these nice browns and rainbows and eat them cook up at your joint


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## reptilerob (Nov 15, 2009)

Hooglabah said:


> i wanna see these nice browns and rainbows and eat them cook up at your joint



LOL not much chance mate, theyre all still swimming!! If im camping i will keep a couple, but other than that i usually throw them all back.
Also, not many of them were really big, the biggest being around the 30-35cm range.

I like your avatar too, looks like nice shooting. Those bullet holes in the centre look rather large, what rifle were you using?


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## reptilerob (Nov 15, 2009)

Acrochordus said:


> Very good report on what herps you's found and great pic's, did good with the Elapids, that Copperhead is a beauty there is something about them i really like.
> Thanks Tim.



Thanks Tim. There is something about them that strikes a cord with me too, i think its there placid temperement. The ones i have encountered while fishing have always been very mild mannered shy snakes. They are beautiful.


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## rett82 (Nov 18, 2009)

Hi, here are my photos from our fantastic trip up into the high country. This was an excellent trip with my husband, and also my first encounter with a copperhead. It was like love at first sight. :lol: Copperheads are such placid beautiful snakes. And with the Jacky dragons, i could of watched them go about there business for hours.


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## rett82 (Nov 18, 2009)

Here are a few more, i didnt get any photos of the eastern brown because the rotten bugger left me at home.....


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## rett82 (Nov 18, 2009)

And especially just for Bump73.....here are a few fishing photos of reptilerob enjoying himself.


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## reptileKev81 (Nov 20, 2009)

Wow! Great pics, I really enjoyed them.
I know its a bit off topic but rett82, can you tell me what kind of camera you used to capture those shots? 
I'm looking for a new camera myself and I'm really impressed with the quality of your snaps. They look really professional!
Also, if you don't mind me asking, can I know how much you paid for the camera. 
PM me if you don't feel comfortable posting it here.
It would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Kev


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## moosenoose (Nov 20, 2009)

reptilerob said:


> About 10 minutes after finding that tiger snake, we were walking through really thick scrub to get to a stream to fish, when a copperhead took off from infront of me and frightened the life out of me.




I used to do a reasonable amount of fly-fishing through Marysville (before it was burnt out, and sadly haven't been back since it all happened - no point really I guess??) and regardless of how much experience I've had around snakes the reaction is always pretty much the same :lol: Just when you least expect one ...WHAMMO! Scares the be-jezuz out of you! :lol:

Love the pics! Fantastic!! 

ps: The fishing shots look awesome also!


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## percey39 (Nov 20, 2009)

gotta love that copperhead and tiger both look great, cant wait to get out and see some browns, tigers and red bellies down here


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## snakecharma (Nov 20, 2009)

hahahahaha great to see you had a great time. 

Love the high country area heaps luckily for me its just around the corner from me. Glad to see all the locals came out and posed for photo's for ya..... Next time drop me a few of those rainbows on the way past lol


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## reptilerob (Nov 21, 2009)

magick81 said:


> Wow! Great pics, I really enjoyed them.
> I know its a bit off topic but rett82, can you tell me what kind of camera you used to capture those shots?
> I'm looking for a new camera myself and I'm really impressed with the quality of your snaps. They look really professional!
> Also, if you don't mind me asking, can I know how much you paid for the camera.
> ...



High Kev, i hope you dont mind me answering in rett82's place here. She has either forgotten to get back to you or didnt see your question. We have two young kids under 3 so we can both be easily distracted!!!
Rett's photos were taken with my old canon EOS 300D. I paid over $2000 for it brand new back in 2003, but now theyre very cheap to buy second hand. They were a fantastic camera for there time. The 300D still is a fantastic camera, taking excellent images, however they are very slow operating compared to todays modern cameras.
The above photos were taken using a 70-200mm F4L lens. The lens is far more important than the camera model for most photos.
The 300D was superseded by the 350D, then the 400D, 450D and now the 500D. If you were to buy the canon EOS 500D now, you would be getting the modern version of the 300D.

Over the years between us we have owned 4 digital SLR's, all canon, ranging from the 300D up to the 40D, and just a few weeks ago i went and spent $300 on a relatively inexpensive fuji S1500 compact digital camera to carry around in my backpack, and i can tell you now, the images are not quite as good, and it is slow to focus, but the final result is still very good, and for $300 it shows that you dont have to spend huge $$$ on a DSLR to get good photos.
DSLR's take better photos, but certainly are not better value.
Many of the photos posted here, including all of my photos at the start of this thread, we taken with the $300 fuji!!!


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## reptileKev81 (Nov 21, 2009)

Thanks for the detailed reply Rob !
I will put that into my knowledge bank. Will be camera shopping this week so it will come in handy.


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## Macmilliam (Mar 14, 2010)

there awsome love the copperhead


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## syeph8 (Mar 14, 2010)

i thought that was a particularly awesome specimen of the eastern brown there aswell. if only they werent such grumpy buggers, and of course, just a little less venomous


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