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Hickson

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Just on the off-chance that there might be someone interested -

I'm currently on holidays. Left Sydney last Tuesday morning and drove to the Gold Coast. Wednesday morning tried to contact three friends, all ex-Taronga, but failed so drove to Maryborough and stayed overnight with another mate, ex-Taronga reptile keeper. Thursday morning drove to Eungella and stayed in a bush cabin overlooking a stream with PLatypus. But got there late at night and Platys had gone to bed, and didn't see them in the morning either.

But I did see a big gecko living on my cabin roof, it spent the night chasing grasshoppers. Oedura monilis, I think.

Friday drove up to Cardwell. Stopped into a fauna sanctuary outside of Townsville and bumped into Pinkie (from APS) who is now working there. Will stop in again on the way back.

Saturday morning visited some swimming holes in the forest behind Cardwell but found them to be either empty or with small ponds of stagnant brown water. ONe had a small snake in it which a glimpsed as I approached, the snake made a quick getaway. Because the dry river bed was full of dead leaves, each step I took I sank up to my knees in the leaves. Made for very slow going. When I got to the pond I could just see the snakes head poking out between some leaves in the water - front half of the snout was cream coloured. A few seconds later it disappeaed, but it looked very much like a juvenile coastal taipan. I desperately wanted to get closer to see if I could find it and get a better look, but knee-deep in dead leaves put me at a distinct disadvantage. So I left. Later I visited the fabulous Murray Falls (with lots of water), saw an echidna, then arrived in Cairns.

This morning I was at a place called Yorkey's Knob watching some Bottlenosed Dolphins. Then caught up with some friends (also ex-Taronga) and collected my mate from the airport.

And now it's Monday morning. In a few hours we'll be off to Green Island for four days - not much herping but plenty of snorkelling!

As I'm using the hotels computer I can't post any pics, but I will when I get back home.

:p

Hix
 
Hmmm, I live in the vicinity, give us a ring 0408461471 and Ill tell ya some good spots to get some pics if ya want.
 
Not a girl Slatey, a mate i met at Jersey Zoo when I was participating in their Summer School back in '82. Haven't seen him in 17 years. He came out here for a wedding in Melbourne and wanted to see the reef.

So we went out to Green Island for four days. Only two lizards on the island, Asian house Geckos and a small brown skink (which might be more than one species). However, while snorkelling I got to swim with several Hawksbill Turtles. I hope the photos come out OK, if they do I'll post them when I get back to Sydney.

Presently in Cooktown, lovely place.

Visited a new attraction in Kuranda this morning, the Australian Venom Zoo. Only been open 5 weeks, and they have a lot of Australian Theraphosids (tarantulas) on display in small tanks, some undescribed. Also some largish scorpions, some scary looking centipedes - very large - and a new undescribed species of centipede that is red with black transverse stripes and bright blue legs! Very attractive.

Any one in the area should visit. They milk the spiders and send the venom away for research purposes.

:p

Hix
 
Enjoy A great Holiday Hix, look forward to pics!:)...............P.s Did you turn the stove off??? :shock: :twisted:
 
Well, I'm back in Sydney. Great weather up North - sunnies, t-shirt and thongs everyday - and then I drive back into miserable rainy Sydney and I've had the electric blanket on each night!

Rock - almost gave you a call but just didn't get the time. Thanks for the offer tho'. Magpie and Browns also made similar offers, and but again I didn't have the time. This holiday was a bit rushed. Thanks anyway guys!

Anyway, here are some pics.

Oedura tryoni in Eungella National Park
Oedura.jpg


Asian House Gecko in Rubyvale
AHG.jpg


Saltie (captive) on Green Island
Croc.jpg


Frilly on the Wallaman Falls Rd
Frillneck.jpg


GTF, also in Rubyvale
GTF.jpg


Loggerhead Turtle female laying eggs on Mon Repos Beach (taken with infrared)
Loggerhead.jpg


Carlia rostratus outside the Cooktown Police Station
mating.jpg


Captive Green Turtle on Green island
Turtle.jpg


and some wild ones
Turtle1.jpg

Turtle2.jpg

Turtle3.jpg

Turtle4.jpg

Turtle5.jpg


Hope you like 'em.

:p

Hix
 
Fantastic!

I love how those frogs keep there hands together like that, perfect pose.

Great underwater shots what camera you got?
 
Fantastic stuff Hix. Couple of questions. 1. How did you get so close to the Frillie but no Frill? 2. what are those skinks doing?? :shock: I guess this also leads to when you go on a holiday, dont book any accomodation, just do a post here, buy a lot of beer and visit some friends!!!
 
Underwater shots were from a cheap Kodak underwater disposable camera. Many shots didn't work, I definitely need more practise with those things.

Frilly remained motionless hoping I wouldn't see him. Seconds after that pic he employed his second method of defense - he bolted for the nearest tree and didn't stop till he was thirty feet up!

As for the skinks, they were so engrossed in it, I was able to approach them fairly closely before they saw me - then they froze and just stared at me for a few seconds, it was very awkward moment!

:p

Hix
 
More to the point Hix, What were you doing at the police station?
 
Wow, those are some photos. Sounds like you had a great time. Sorry you had to come back to awful Syd weather. But yesterday was sublime, hey.

I'm so impressed with you knowing what all the different beasties are. All I can do is go, "oo, a lizard. Oo, another lizard... and another lizard, I mean, cow". (However, I CAN walk into an art gallery and go, "oo, a Rembrandt. Oo, a Renoir" Does this make up for it?)
 
i also aapreciate you sharing your adventures im on my way to cairns for ever next month and ahalf was up there a couple of years ago reminissing about green island and mary river falls now and the several fishing trips i went on where all i wnted to do is find crocs its amazing isnt it in the right river they are every where
 
Awesome pics, the Logger's are beautiful, the cheapy camera did very well under water..... The Geckos are also cute! :lol:
 
dugadugabowbow said:
More to the point Hix, What were you doing at the police station?

Looking for a Policeman to answer a question I had, but they were closed. Apparently Cooktown doesn't have much crime on the weekends.

shellshock said:
where all i wnted to do is find crocs its amazing isnt it in the right river they are every where

All the crocs I saw were in captivity. Looked for them elsewhere but didn't find any. Also looked for Cassowary and Platypus but didn't find them either.

Here's a pic of that new species of Centipede I mentioned earlier:

Scolopendra.jpg


And a decent sized Scorpion

Scorpion.jpg


Sign.jpg


:p

Hix
 
And a few birds:

Forest Kingfisher
Kingfisher.jpg


Apostlebird
Apostlebird.jpg


Buff-banded Rail
Rail.jpg


:p

Hix
 
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