# Pics from South Australia Trip 2 -- Broken Hill/Fowler's Gap



## moloch05 (Jan 29, 2009)

On the way to/from South Australia, I camped near Fowler's Gap along the Broken Hill to Tibooburra road in far northwestern New South Wales. This area is about a 15 hour drive from Wollongong so it is a good place to spend the night. The habitat here is incredibly bleak with many gibber flats (flats covered with small stones) and only low growing shrubs except along creek beds. 

Here are a few habitat shots starting from the Broken Hill area in the south and ranging north into the drier country near Fowler's Gap.

I found two Gould's Monitors (_Varanus gouldii_) in this sort of habitat just a short distance north of Broken Hill. Here, along dry creek beds, there were a few eucalyptus trees.







Bluebush was the dominant shrub along the drive north Broken Hill.





The road passed near rocky hillsides. This is the habitat where I found several _Ctenotus_ skinks (photos below) as well as many feral goats.











... very desolate country:











... gibber flats were frequent near Fowler's Gap: 











I visited this road a few years ago and found many geckos. Once again, it was productive and I saw many geckos by night and a few skinks/monitors by day.

This is the only place where I have ever seen Gibber Geckos (_Lucasium brynei_). This species has a farily large distribution in inland NSW, SA and QLD but I have never encountered it elsewhere even though I have been in different parts of its range on a number of occasions. In this area, Gibber Geckos were the most common reptile on the road at night. These are photos of some of the Gibber Geckos that I saw on my two night drives. There was a fair amount of variation in colour and pattern among these geckos.


























... these little geckos will run rapidly a few meters then crouch like this. They blend well and are very easy to loose at night.






Tessellated Geckos (_Diplodactylis tessellatus_) were also common, especially in bluebush and gibber habitats. I only photographed two individuals.











I saw three of the nicely marked Box-patterned Geckos (_Lucasium steindachneri_) and photographed two of these (the third vanished when I briefly looked at the settings on my camera).
... gecko 1















... gecko 2











I saw a single gravid Beaked Gecko (_Rhynchoedura ornata_). 











I also encountered a single _Gehyra variegata_ (no photo) and this Prickly Gecko (_Heteronotia binoei_):











This Broad-banded Sand-Swimmer (_Eremiascincus richardsonii_) was found on a dirt track at night. This skink is crepuscular or nocturnal.











I only found a single snake, this small Australian Coral Snake (_Brachyurophis australis_). It is another one of the burrowing, reptile egg specialists. 











These big crickets were fairly common on the road:






This Gould's Monitor (_Varanus gouldii_) was initially on the road but then ran and attempted to hide in the low growing shrubs. Monitors often respond like this and attempt to blend with what cover is available:






... the monitor shifted a meter or so and then leaned into a shrub to try and disappear:






... I moved slowly and the monitor relaxed. It seemed to doze a little while I took these photos:






... a cute face:







I was able to photograph two _Ctenotus_ skinks. I think that both are Eastern Barred Wedgesnouts (_Ctenotus strauchii_) although there are other similar species here.
... skink 1















... skink 2











I saw several Shinglebacks (_Tiliqua rugosa_) including this darkly coloured, grumpy one:











... and a younger animal:







Regards,
David


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## Shannon (Jan 29, 2009)

Awesome shots - thanks for sharing!!!


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## borntobnude (Jan 29, 2009)

yet again great photos david and tes your still having way too much fun --- keep it up:cry:


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## wizz (Jan 29, 2009)

great pics......herping is like sex you just need to do it all the time.....


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## moloch05 (Jan 30, 2009)

Thanks, all.

Here are a few more pics.

Gibber Gecko:






Box-patterned Gecko:






Tessellated Gecko:






Shingleback:






Gould's Monitor:






Regards,
David


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## xScarlettex (Jan 30, 2009)

im from broken hill!! i used to get those geckos on my windows all the time =)


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## LauraM (Jan 30, 2009)

man i love australia  great pictures .. man thats one ugly cricket


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## W.T.BUY (Jan 31, 2009)

hey did you see any "Ctenphorus" or any other dragons


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## Smithers (Feb 1, 2009)

Awesome cricket,...looks more colourful than some of the stick insects we have in Oz


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## dougie210 (Feb 1, 2009)

good pics!! Wish i found stuff like that when i go herping lol


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## moloch05 (Feb 1, 2009)

Thanks, all.

W.T.Buy,
I have been to that area three times now and have never seen a Ctenophorus. I have seen Tympanocryptis but my impression is that it is not sandy enough for the widespread Ctenophorus dragons and not suitable rocky habitat for the rock-dragons. A little to the east at Mutawintji, I have seen both Central Netted and Tawny Dragons:











This Central Netted was near Gundabooka:






dougie210,
I think that where you live would be more productive than here. I would love to see pics of the Neelaps/Simoselaps/Brachyurophis from your area.


Regards,
David


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## -Matt- (Feb 1, 2009)

Great pictures! thanks for sharing, I would love to get out and see country side like that and also see the herps that inhabit those areas.


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## Sdaji (Feb 1, 2009)

Great pictures again, David 

I've seen the Byrne's geckoes in that area, and a bit south of there. The steindachneri in that area are the best ones I've seen, absolutely gorgeous! I posted some pictures of a couple from just south of Fowler's Gap a couple of years ago. They're lovely and red around there. I'm surprised you've never seen a Ctenophorus in the area; they're so common! Mallee Dragons are extremely numerous everywhere you get Spinifex (although I suppose you don't get Spinifex in that area, you need to go a fair bit south of Broken Hill or a long way west) and Painted Dragons aren't rare. Did you go into the research facility at Fowler's Gap? They have a list of reptiles known in the immediate area. I have a copy of it somewhere in this room, in a large pile of paperwork 

Very jealous of the Coral Snake! I've never seen one anywhere near there!

It's a great area, thanks for posting the pictures


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## caustichumor (Feb 1, 2009)

Great photo's as always, looking at that terrain you could get a job at NASA, I reckon you could find life on MARS...


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## buffy (Feb 1, 2009)

David - you guys have done it again -
"Great Pics" and making us all wish that we were there"
keep smiling.


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## moloch05 (Feb 1, 2009)

Thanks, all.

Sdaji,
Here is a link to the reptiles of Fowler's Gap:
http://www.fowlersgap.unsw.edu.au/pdf/Reptile_guide_fg.pdf

I also have seen Mallee Dragons south of Broken Hill but not north in this bleak country. Not certain why I have not encountered Painted since the habitat, especially the shrublands a little north of Broken Hill, look like good habitat. The Fowler's Gap checklist does include Central Netted Dragons so they must be there.

You are correct about the steindachneri ... they really are beautiful in that part of NSW.

What Ctenotus did you see from this area? There are a number of species on the checklist.


Regards,
David


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## Sdaji (Feb 1, 2009)

moloch05 said:


> Thanks, all.
> 
> Sdaji,
> Here is a link to the reptiles of Fowler's Gap:
> ...



That's the one I have a hard copy of  I think Painted Dragons would be the Ctenophorus I've seen closest to Fowler's Gap, although I can't recall exact locations. There certainly does look to be a lot of good habitat for them in a lot of that area. I don't doubt Central Netteds are in the area, but I haven't seen them.

How do you manage to do so much herping? I wish I could get away as often as you do!


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## ShnakeyGirl (Feb 1, 2009)

Love that Gould's- beautiful creatures, magnificent pics as always


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## Kynance (Feb 8, 2009)

Stunning pics - wow - you have great skill there!


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## moloch05 (Feb 8, 2009)

Thanks very much, ShnakeyGirl and Kynance. I am glad that you enjoyed the report.

Regards,
David


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## jordo (Apr 4, 2012)

Great thread David, I stumbled across this searching Fowlers Gap as I'm likely to be going up that way at some point, hopefully.
I haven't seen strauchii so I can't comment on them but did you consider olympicus as a possibility, the pattern on skink 2 looks very fitting at least.


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## CHEWY (Apr 4, 2012)

As always David, seeing you go on an expedition and sharing photos soothes my urge to go.
Your pics are always so clean it makes me feel as though I was there.
I still can't afford to go to the pilbara and kimberleys.
Can you just tot over and do it for me.

JD


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