81.) Mt Barney

The Platypus

I like the duck-billed platypus
Because it is anomalous.
I like the way it raises its family
Partly birdly, partly mammaly.
I like its independent attitude.
Let no one call it a duck-billed platitude.

by Ogden Nash

We headed to the hills for a few days to escape and to explore Mount Barney National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves Australian World Heritage Area over the Scenic Rim. We found camping at a great little ecolodge at the foot of Mount Barney, and set up our tent in the chilly corner of the paddock. It is indeed still winter here and some of us were regretting not bringing the down coat!

The platypus above lived in a deep pool in the Logan River (creek). We saw him in the morning (5:30) and right at dusk. Great patience was involved as they are really shy/skittish. He would come to the surface for 60 secs to chew something, and then dive down 3-4 minutes. Frequently you would comepletely miss where he surfaced again until the next round. This made for some quite short glimpses over a long period time.

Platypi are fascinating, we just have to share this info: "in the 1990s researchers at Monash University and the Australian National University discovered that the platypus has an ‘electric’ beak, a dense set of nerve endings across the shield on its bill that enables it to find its food. Platypuses shut their ears and eyes when diving for food and from considerable distances retrieve their meal of shrimps and insects from the riverbed by a process of electrolocation. From this striking evidence researchers concluded that the platypus left the mainstream and evolved a completely new and distinct sensory system that differed from any other animal. Hence, far from being a primitive animal, as 19th century scientists believed and insisted, the platypus has emerged as the most highly evolved animal in the animal kingdom. Monotreme expert Mervyn Griffith calls it ‘the animal of all time’." (http://www.wisenet-australia.org/issue59/Controversy-the%20platypus.htm)





One of Dirk's great sightings was this Azure kingfisher hanging out at the platypus pond. He cruised up and down the creek - just a spectacular (but tiny!) bird.















Nancy took advantage of the inaugural "Mount Barney Lodge Birdweek" activities and saw some super birds and met some fun birdy people and feels compelled to invest in new binoculars to actually see the birds flitting about in the foliage.

















Scaley-breasted lorikeets playing in the bathtub/horse trough in the paddock
















Dirk thrashed through the forest, saw beautiful spring flowers and climbed the treacherous Mount Barney.

It has a double summit - he did only one because the last few hundred feet are total bushwhacking through piles of boulders, slabs, and vegetation (undoubtedly with numerous lethal creatures!). Without the Flatirons, Bear, S. Boulder and Green Mountain in the backyard to trot up at any whim, it is easy to forget that a 1000 m climb ... is still 3000 feet to come down. Dirk's knees were whining (running steps for training just doesn't cut it!) and he decided to hobble down through the 1000' of jungle-boulder-hopping and come back another time to bag the other mighty summit. But the flowers (below) were pretty good.....








































































































Your basic Ozzie ant. The thing was huge and Dirk is sure it was one of the type you just *do not* want to mess with!











This just *looks* like a pleasant little swing to play on on a hot summer day (which this was not). But, lurking in those placid depths is -- a platypus. Which, of course , has a venomous rear claw/spur thing.

Since the platypus eats worms, crayfish, insect larvae... and it evolved with a venom-filled spur/claw thing... just imagine how tough the worms and crayfish must be!













The grounds of the lodge were also planted with bird-attracting plants and flowering trees.









Looking across the the upper reaches of Mt Barney, Dirk could count a dozen small fires - it is coming on spring and everyone is burning off the old grass.











We also enjoyed the local "Firedance spectacular" evening complete with bonfire, African drumming, firedancers, little kids with homemade lanterns, and a Phoenix "rising from the ashes"

































Mount Barney and the "Homestead" of the Ecolodge. (http://www.mtbarneylodge.com.au/)