Winter in Hobart

[moloch05]

I am back in a wintry Hobart at the moment. I have been working on an I.T. project here for many months and recently, had two more trips. Hobart is a great place so it is always nice to come back again. Most of the photos in this post were taken in late June and July and will include more location pics than herp photos.

Here is a view of the harbour yesterday morning from my hotel room. The orange vessel near the centre of the photo is the P&O liner, "Aurora Australis", which takes passengers to the Antarctic in the warmer months.

This was Mt. Wellington on Thursday morning. It still had plenty of snow but there was even more earlier in the week.

My wife and I went on a walk around the pinnacles (big cliffs in the above photo) at the end of the last month. This is a popular place with rock climbers.

There are great views of the rocky summit of Mt. Wellington, Hobart and areas to the south from the Pinnacles Track:

... my wife looking at the beautiful Tasmanian Snow Gums on the Pinnacles Track:

I visited the top of Mt. Wellington a few days after a snowfall. Here is a shot of cushion plants with snow and ice:

Although it is cold, there are still a few herps to be found with a bit of searching. One of my favourites is the Ocellated Skink (Niveoscincus ocellatus). These are one of the larger Snow Skinks and seem quite common in dry and rocky habitats.

... juvenile

The following are either Metallic Skinks (Niveoscincus metallicus) or Tasmanian Tree Skinks (Niveoscincus pretiosus). I still have problems separating these two. All of the dorsal scales seem enlarged, not just the paravertebral scales so I am not certain of the identity. I would appreciate it if someone can tell me what I should examine.

This was a new frog to me. I think that it is a Southern Smooth Froglet (Geocrinia laevis):

Green Rosella:

Although it is cold a frosty, a number of plants are still flowering. I found a few Epacris with flowers in a sheltered but snowy valley.

Another unusual flower ...

... strange fleshy fruits

Regards,
David

 

[Tim.Arm]

Nice shoot's mate. Looks cold there.

 

[inthegrass]

it is always a pleasure to veiw your posts.
cheers

 

[callith]

awesome

 

[Lozza]

awesome shots as always! Looks nice and cold

 

[jodocast]

looks beautifull !
I love tassie !

 

[moloch05]

Thanks, everyone.


I finished my project work at noon today so my wife and I had a coffee at Salamanca then went on a drive through an area called the "Channel Country", south of Hobart to Huonville. I did not see any reptiles but it was a scenic drive. Here are a few pics:


Salamanca Place -- a nice place with lots of coffee shops and old buildings made from sandstone blocks.

A distant shot of a snow clad Hartz Mountain. I posted photos of this place earlier in the year. There would not be any herps active there now, not even the tough little Snow Skinks.

I saw a pair of Scarlet Robins feeding along the road. This male was fairly cooperative although it did not want to perch in good sun.

Here is a better shot of the "Aurora Australis". If any of you decide to head down to see the penguins, whales and seabirds of the Antarctic, well, this is an option.

Regards,
David

 

[moloch05]

I am back home today and checked the plant identifications.

This plant is not Epacris but rather, Richea scoparia, a member of Epacridaceace.

I read something very interesting about this plant. It is pollinated by Southern Snow Skinks (Niveoscincus microlepidotus), a common lizard at the summit of Mt. Wellington. I cannot imagine that there are many plants around the world that are pollinated by reptiles.

Here is a link that discusses the plant/lizard relationship:
http://www.apstas.com/skinklink.htm


Regards,
David

 

[Homebrand91]

did u go to magic curries in hobart?

 

[msvandieman]

Gorgeous shots!! Makes me miss the ole homeland. Cold but breathtaking scenery everywhere you go.

 

[Geronimo]

Yeah me too!!! I don't miss the cold though

 

[MAIA77]

wow beautiful

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

i went there years ago,and it was the most awsome place
but that was summer i think winter would be a bit too chilly

 

[BlindSnake]

I was one of the people who went aboard tha Aurora Australis just before its maiden voyage from Hobart to Antarctica. Its pretty massive..
Its trippy to see Mt Wellington again, I used to see it on the way to school every day. I lived in Hobart twice when I aws younger, and we still have a block of land on southern Bruny Island.. nothing between our block and antarctica but water! We are right on the cliff and beach, and the block is un touched natural scrub. I would really like to do a survey, and see what we have living there. I dont know of any herp specific surveys done on the island, so it would be very interesting... and cold, very cold!!!

 

[moloch05]

Thanks for the feedback.

Homebrand, I have not tried "magic curries".

BlindSnake,
Bruny Island is a beautiful place. I have heard that it is good for Tiger Snakes. Do you see many? Your property sounds wonderful.


Regards,
David

 

[moloch05]

I am back in Hobart again for a week. Today at lunch, I went for a walk up at Mt. Knocklofty reserve. It was only 12C and there was plenty of snow on the nearby Mt. Wellington. I found several snow skinks active in sunny but sheltered locations. Here are pics of a couple.

Ocellated Skink

... I think that it has a tick in its left ear

Tasmanian Tree Skink -- I think.

Regards,
David