Category: Nature

by Jamie Oliver

Orchids are the most diverse of all the flowering plant families with around 25,000 species world-wide and around 1,600 in Australia. They can be terrestrial or grow on rocks (lithophytic), or on other plants such as trees (epiphytic), or on rotten logs. While some have large, showy flowers, many can be small, inconspicuous plants with tiny delicate flowers of various hues.

While there are several orchids that can be found around the Paluma village and surrounding tracks, their scientific names are currently in a state of flux, with 4 of the ‘5 easy species’ listed here having had their names changed by one group of scientists, but contested by another!  Here we will use the names published by the Atlas of Living Australia, but if you use the very good online key to Tropical Rainforest Orchids, you will need to be aware of the alternative scientific name given after the “=” sign).

Remember that it is illegal to collect any orchids from the wild. Several species have suffered from serious decline due to unscrupulous collectors.

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1.    Christmas Orchid (Calanthe australasica)

This is one of the most common and easily recognized species around Paluma.  It is a terrestrial orchid with large pleated leaves.  As its name suggests, it flowers around Christmas time (October – February) with a rather showy mass of white flowers on one or more stems.  Under the shady canopy of the closed rainforest these orchid plants occur at irregular intervals, but in more open areas on the edge of the forest they can spread to form substantial patches. There are good examples of this orchid along all the village tracks.

2.    Slender Cane Orchid (Dendrobium adae = Thelychiton adae)

This is the most common of the epiphytic orchids that can be seen on the upper trunks and limbs of trees along the village tracks. You can also find it at ground level on the limbs of recently fallen trees or on large rock outcrops. It can be identified from the cluster of distinctive pencil-thin, often grooved canes with a few (max. 6) leaves near the tip. It can also be found on rocks.  The white to pale yellow flowers are small (around the size of a 5 or 10 cent coin) and appear from July to October.  There are several good examples of this orchid along the H-Track and in several open areas around the village. This species is restricted to high altitude rainforests and sheltered areas of wet forests from above 700 m from Paluma to the Tablelands.

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3.    Rock Orchid (Dendrobium speciosum = Thelychiton jonesii var. bancroftianum)

This is a well-known and widely distributed lithophytic and epiphytic orchid with large bulbous stems (pseudobulbs) topped by large leathery leaves. It is common in many Paluma gardens where it can form massive clumps. Large clumps of this orchid can be found on rocky outcrops in full sun along tracks around the Paluma Dam (Lake Paluma), but along tracks around Paluma village it forms smaller, less conspicuous clusters, usually high up on trees. Flowers mostly vary from white to creamy yellow and appear from September to November.

There is another species recorded from this area which looks nearly identical (Dendrobium jonesii = Thelychiton jonesii var. jonesii) and can only be distinguished by its slightly smaller flowers and earlier flowering period (September-November). Some taxonomists have lumped both into a single species, so it might be safer to call any of these orchids Dendrobium speciosum/jonesii and leave the final determination to be resolved by the experts!

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4.    Cupped Strand Orchid (Bulbophyllum newportii = Adelopetalum newportii)

This native north Queensland orchid is quite common but often overlooked due to its small size. It has a creeping rhizome that grows up trees or rocks and produces regularly-spaced, small, globular, green pseudobulbs (8-15 mm), each with a small, sturdy, green leaf up to 70mm. It produces bunches of up to 8 small (50mm), white to cream or greenish flowers from September to December.

In areas at the edge of clearings or on fallen trees it can be found near the ground but otherwise it is higher up in the forest canopy where the light is stronger.  It can be found around many of the public areas in the village.

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5.    Buttercup Orchid (Dendrobium agrostophylla = Trachyrhizum agrostophylla)

This beautiful small epiphytic or lithophytic orchid can be found in open forest near the edges of rainforest or on tree branches overhanging open sunlit streams. In favourable conditions it can form dense patches.

It has slender cane-like stems that look a bit like Dendrobium adae (see above) but they are more spaced out along a creeping rhizome rather than occurring in bunches. It also produces leaves along a greater portion of the stem. The perfumed flowers are bright yellow, appearing from July to November.

By Jamie Oliver

This selection of 5 easy mammals includes a mix of monotremes (platypus and echidna), marsupials (kangaroos and relatives), and placental mammals (all other mammals).  While monotremes and marsupials are mostly restricted to Australia, New Guinea and neighbouring islands, there is occasionally a misconception that Australia has no native placental mammals.  This is far from the case. Australia has a very rich diversity of native bats and rats which actually outnumber marsupials in terms of species. Recent scientific work also suggests that the dingo should be considered a native mammal.

In general, it will require more effort and a bit of luck to see the “easy” species listed here compared to other groups in this series. They are pretty easy to recognise, but unfortunately, they are not regularly encountered.

The majority of mammals in the Wet Tropics are either nocturnal (most active at night) or crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk). For three of the following 5 easy species of mammal your best chances of seeing them would be along the village tracks or roads after dark with a spotlight.

Dingo and platypus can be seen during the day but more frequently in the morning and evening.

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1.    Northern Long-nosed Bandicoot (Perameles pallescens)

Bandicoots are marsupial mammals with rear- facing pouches.  The northern long-nosed bandicoot is now considered to be a separate species from the long-nosed bandicoot found further south. However, most nature guides will still refer to animals in this region by the earlier name – Perameles nasuta.

The northern long-nosed bandicoot is a common evening visitor in most gardens around the village, where it leaves round conical holes in lawns.  It has grey-brown fur on its back and a pale belly. Its most distinctive feature is its long, finely-tapered nose, which it uses to detect and dig out insects and other invertebrates near the soil surface.

One other species of bandicoot that can be seen in the area is the northern brown bandicoot. It is a bigger animal with smaller rounded ears, a darker brown back with streaks of black, and a shorter, less finely-pointed snout. 

Bandicoots are commonly seen along the local walking tracks at night and can be detected from their eyeshine. They will occasionally make a grunting or squealing sound if disturbed.

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2.    Red-legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmata)

Pademelons are diminutive relatives of kangaroos that live in rainforests and dense bushland. The red-legged pademelon is frequently seen on grassy lawns after dark or foraging near the local walking tracks. They can be picked up from their eye shine if you are using a torch. It is often heard before it is seen, giving one or more thumps with its hind foot at it runs away into the bush. If you get close enough, you will see it has, in addition to ruddy-brown legs, a distinctive pale cheek stripe and horizontal hip stripe.

In the forest pademelons eat fallen leaves, but many gardeners in Paluma will attest to the fact that they are partial to certain fresh leaves of ornamental plants such as Gardenia, as well as lawn grass.

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3.    White-tailed Rat (Uromys caudimaculata)

The white-tailed rat is a placental mammal whose reputation matches its size. It is one of the biggest rats in Australia, weighing up to 1 kg and is nearly 30cm long.

It is active at night in the forest and around homes. You are most likely to see the results of this rat’s nocturnal activities around village houses rather than sighting the culprit.  These rats have tremendously strong teeth and jaws and readily chew through wood and hard plastic – including wheelie bins!  Some locals call it the “tin-opener rat” and swear it has opened tins to get at the contents!

If seen, the rat is easy to identify from its size (like a small cat) and its distinctive tail, which is half to two-thirds white.

White-tailed rats can be seen along the tracks as well as throughout the village at night and can be picked up by their eyeshine if you are using a torch.

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4.    Dingo (Canis dingo)

The Dingo is a placental mammal and has frequently been considered a subspecies  of the wolf (Canis lupis) together with domestic dogs. Recent scientific papers have argued that they should be considered a separate species (Canis dingo) and that they are true native mammals to Australia.

Dingos are very similar in size and shape to some domestic dogs. They are most frequently light golden brown in colour with a white chest, belly, paws and tail tip. There is a second colour morph that can be seen around Paluma that is dark brown and tan.  Dingos used to be very common around the village up until the local tip was closed. Now you are most likely to spot them in the early evening or morning along the side of the road out to Hidden Valley and to the Dam.  Like all mammals they can be detected by their eyeshine at night if you are using a torch. Like other canines, they hunt in packs and eat a variety of other mammals, lizards, birds as well as carrion.

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5. Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

The duck-billed platypus is one of two monotreme (egg-laying) genera of mammals in Australia (the other is the echidna).  Platypuses are often considered be a rare inhabitant of the bush, but they are actually quite common. Semi-aquatic, they can be found in most medium-sized streams and billabongs in a variety of habitats throughout eastern and south-eastern Australia and Tasmania.

They are mainly nocturnal but can be readily seen in the early morning or late evening diving down to catch a range of invertebrate prey, which they locate using electromagnetic sensors in their bills. Once hunted for their soft fur, platypuses are unmistakable! If you are lucky enough to get a good view, notice the leathery bill, webbed feet, and flattened naked tail when it comes to the surface to chew on the food it has gathered from the bottom. They are an irregular visitor to larger streams around Paluma, including Ethel Creek, Birthday Creek and the Village weir. Permanent populations can be found on Paluma Dam and Running River

By Colwyn Campbell and Jamie Oliver

Trees are the principal structural element of rainforests, creating a variety of climates and microhabitats for numerous plants and animals. The Wet Tropics hosts a huge diversity of trees (about 920 species) with over 100 species typically found in just 1 hectare.

The main visible parts of trees in a mature rainforest are the trunks, which are not particularly different among most species. This makes tree identification difficult for the inexperienced visitor. Three of the 5 easy species listed here are among the few with highly distinctive trunks and bark. The remaining two are common along the main roads of the village where their distinctive leaves and fruit are easy to see.

1.    Paperbark Satinash (Syzygium papyraceum)

This is one of the most distinctive trees in the Paluma rainforest and is quite common, especially along the Andrée Griffin Track. It has bright orangey-brown flaky bark and roots. It grows to a height of 20 to 30 metres and often has buttresses.  While the flowers are not very distinctive the bright purple fruit, which litter the ground under the tree from December to February, are readily identifiable. Leaves are glossy dark green obovate (with the narrower end towards the leaf-base).

Cassowaries, Bush Rats, White-tailed Rats and Musky Rat Kangaroos eat the fruit.

For more information on this species see the Rainforest Tree of the Month (July 2018).

2.    Refrigerator Tree (Gossia bidwillii)

This tree gets its name because its trunk, when compared with other surrounding trees, is very cold to touch.  It is also known as the Python Tree perhaps because its mottled green and tan colouring and slightly twisting trunk resemble the marking and sinuous form of a large python. This combination of a smooth mottled bark and cold feel is what makes the tree easy to identify.

Growing to a height of about 25 metres it this tree can sometimes form buttress roots.  The simple leaves are about 80 to 105 mm long and elliptical or ovate in shape.  When crushed they have a slightly eucalyptus smell.

While not abundant in the forest track around Paluma, specimens can be seen on the Rainforest Track, H-Track and the main track towards Witt’s Lookout. See if you can spot them, growing among trees similar in appearance. 

For more information on this species see the Rainforest Tree of the Month (May 2018).

3.    Bleeding Heart (Homalanthus novo-guineensis)

The striking feature of this tree is the scattering of brilliant red and orange heart-shaped leaves. Rather than a mass seasonal colouration change, only a few a leaves at a time turn bright red before dropping. Its leaves are simple with a smooth, glossy upper surface and a glaucous (pale) underside. The stems exude a milky sap when broken.

The tiny flowers are white or cream, have no petals making them difficult to detect. Flowering can occur in any month. The fruits which follow are small green to purplish. The fruit is eaten by many bird species, notably Rifle-birds, Bower-birds and Pigeons. Possums eat the leaves.

These trees are most easily seen along the roads in the village. A good example of the tree can be seen along the McClelland’s Lookout path and they are also commonly found along the village roads.

The Bleeding Heart is also the host tree for the Hercules Moth, which is the largest moth in the World.

For more information on this species see the Rainforest Tree of the Month (September 2018).

4.    Northern Silky Oak (Cardwellia sublimis)

This tree is also known as the Bull Oak. Although it is quite common along the forest paths, the trunk is not particularly distinctive, so it is most commonly identified from the carpet of “butterfly seedlings” that occur near mature trees during the late wet and early dry seasons. A month or so after germination the first true leaves develop and the butterfly shape is lost.  Around the village roads there are several good specimens of the Northern Silky Oak that can be identified by the large prominent seed pods.

The fragrant white or cream flowers grow in terminal racemes or spikes, crowning the tree spectacularly from October to December. Then, in January, standing proud on long stems above the tree canopy, the large oval seedcases are silhouetted against the sky. The empty seed capsules are brown and woody and lie like miniature cobblestones on a bumpy pavement but they quickly decompose back into the soil.

The dark, oak-like timber of this tree is highly regarded and sought after for furniture and cabinet making. It once made up 15% of all timber production in the area.

For more information on this species see the Rainforest Tree of the Month (March 2020).

5.    Pimply Ash (Balanops australiana)

This species is one of the larger common trees along the rainforest tracks, with a round symmetrical trunk whose diameter can exceed 1 metre in mature specimens. It can be identified by its distinctive trunk, which is covered in pale “pimples” or lenticels. Larger trees also have distinctive raised, round, sinuous roots extending out several metres from the trunk.

All species in this genus have separate sexes with individual trees being either male or female.  The orange fruit on female trees are small, solitary and oval.  They are eaten by pigeons.