A Colourful visitor to the garden

Among the colourful visitors to my garden recently was this beautiful female Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly, (Papilio  aegeus).  This species is also known as the Large Citrus Butterfly because of the preference of its larvae for feasting on citrus leaves.  The butterfly feeds on the nectar of plants, particularly lantana.  This one however was resting on a flower-laden choko vine. 

The Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly is found in Eastern Australia, ranging from Victoria to Cape York and into PNG.  Its usual habitat is lowland rainforest, dry eucalypt woodlands, orchards and suburban gardens so it is not common to see one here in Paluma.  The female lays eggs on the underside of leaves of host trees and the eggs hatch a week later.  The larvae are patterned in green, brown and a creamy colour and look remarkably like bird droppings: no doubt an excellent camouflage from potential predators.

The female with a wing span of about 105 to 110 mm is slightly larger and more colourful than the male but both attract attention when fluttering through the garden.  This butterfly is sometimes considered a pest because of its habit of feeding on citrus leaves in suburban gardens.

Text and photo by Colwyn Campbell

2019 Pioneers Luncheon

The Rollingstone Community Centre will host the 2019 Pioneers of the Townsville Northern Beaches (TNB) Luncheon on 7 June 2019. The event will be held at the Rollingstone Community Centre, commencing at 12.00 noon.

As part of the greater TNB community, Paluma residents 65 years and over are invited to attend the luncheon. Places are limited to 120 people, so if you would like to attend, please RSVP to the Rollingstone Community Centre by 27 May 2019. The flyer below contains relevant information.


A Celebration of Roy Mackay’s Life

On Sunday 21 April many of Roy Mackay’s long-time Paluma friends and acquaintances joined the Mackay family to celebrate and pay tribute to Roy’s long and wonderful life.

Duncan and David Mackay spoke about their father’s life and work, outlining some of their childhood experiences and reminiscences growing up with their naturalist and explorer parents in the wilds of Papua New Guinea. The Mackay family presented a photo essay of Roy’s life, with some unique and remarkable photographic images capturing Roy’s absolute passion for his family, nature, wilderness and the people of PNG.

The afternoon of remembrance was bittersweet as Roy is no longer with us, but sharing his memory with others was a happy and heartfelt occasion.

The overwhelming theme of Sunday’s celebration was that Roy Mackay was a true gentlemen – he was a devoted family man and his time and generosity in sharing his vast knowledge of the natural world was extended to all people from all walks of life. Roy’s passion for nature and for making the world a better place was ever-present right to the end of his life.

The admiration and respect for Roy Mackay is enduring in the village of Paluma. His spirit resides in all those who loved and admired him and he will never be forgotten by the many people whose lives he touched.

The Paluma community sincerely thanks the Mackay family for arranging this celebration of Roy’s life, for sharing their memories and for the wonderful luncheon in his honour.

The Mackay family who attended Sunday’s celebration of Roy’s life and work.

The following are some selected photographs from the event.

Kerbside Rubbish Collection at Paluma – October 2019

Please note that TCC has scheduled the annual Kerbside Bulk Rubbish Collection at Paluma to October 2019.

The date for collection is yet to be confirmed by TCC but it will be posted to this website when the information becomes available.

For more information go to www.townsville.qld.gov.au/water-waste-and-environment/waste-and-recycling/kerbside-collection

Whilst on the subject of TCC, last Saturday (13 April) a dedicated team from Council attended to cleaning the area around the Community Hall, including the pavement, playground equipment, bbq’s, rotunda and the flagpole. The work team even tested and cleaned the flag pole in preparation for Anzac Day. The Council team was led by Mr. Michael Pine.

The PDCA and Paluma residents extend their thanks to the Council team for their hard work in making this area clean and presentable after the floods, and in preparation for the Easter long weekend and Anzac Day.

Close Encounters with a Serpent

Red-bellied Black Snake   (Pseudechis porphyriacus)

Some recent, and unexpected encounters with Red-bellied (or Common) Black Snakes have prompted me (Colwyn Campbell) to write this article about the slithery reptile. I regularly meet these creatures in my garden and whilst out walking.  My most recent encounter was last week at 7.30 in the morning after a night of heavy rain.  

I was sweeping leaves off the front veranda and had left the door open so that Flossie (my dog) could follow me out. Becoming aware of activity behind me I turned to see, between me and the door, Flossie engaged in a vigorous pas de deux with a very large red-bellied black snake.  Without thinking, I used the broom to drag Flossie close enough to grab her by the collar and throw her inside the house, while at the same time trying to fend off the snake and foil its apparent intention of entering the house. I then leapt inside and slammed the door.  Poor thing – it probably only needed a warm, dry place to escape from the cold and rain-sodden garden.  But I didn’t want it inside my house!  I watched it coil up near my firewood box, then promptly rang my neighbour (Len Cook) who sent the snake on its way by turning the hose on it.  This is the largest red-bellied black snake I have seen in my area so naturally, I am concerned that Flossie does not meet up with it again.

The red-bellied black snake is so much part of the Paluma rainforest environment that most of us take its presence for granted. Gardeners know to make a few thrusts with a rake to move snoozing serpents away before starting to weed the garden, but what do we really know about these beautiful (but to some, evil and rather terrifying) creatures?

Red-bellied black snake basking in the sun in a Paluma garden (Photo by Jamie Oliver).

The red-bellied black snake is a member of the Elapidae Family – venomous snakes with fixed poison fangs at the front of the upper jaw.  They occur mostly in the tropics, however the red-bellied black snake ranges through much of south-eastern Australia and up to the Atherton Tableland, inhabiting well-watered areas such as woodlands, swamps, creeks, river banks – and Paluma gardens. Its preferred diet is frogs and small lizards, but fish and small mammals may also be included on the menu.  A handsome creature, growing to an average of 1.25 metres, the snake’s sleek, glossy black scales shimmer on the upper surface, while the underbelly can vary from a brilliant red to a pale, creamy pink. 

Although the red-bellied black snake’s venom is capable of causing significant illness, fatalities in humans are rare, its bite being less venomous than other Australian elapids, such as the king brown snake or taipan.  The venom contains neurotoxins, myotoxins, coagulants and has haemolytic properties.  Fortunately, the red-bellied black snake is not an aggressive species and will move out of the way rather than face an unpleasant encounter.  When provoked, it will assume a striking stance, hiss loudly and flatten the neck and body in a display that is mostly bluff.

That Flossie has not been bitten during the course of her many confrontations with black snakes is proof to me of their docile nature.

Red-bellied black snake at Paluma (Photo by Jamie Oliver).

Snakes entered Australia millions of years ago from Asia, probably when the continental land masses were still joined.  Two main groups of Elapids developed – one group comprised small nocturnal species with specialized feeding habits; and the other group, larger snakes, diurnal (active by day) and with more general diets.  This group includes some of the deadliest snakes in the world: brown snakes, black snakes and taipans.

Live-bearing arose in two different lineages of Australian elapids. In one lineage, only a single species is viviparous: the common red-bellied black snake.  It is alone among its closest relatives in bearing live young and because of this was able to expand the range of the genus into cooler, south-eastern parts of the country, whereas most egg-laying elapids such as taipans and king brown snakes, are found in warmer or tropical regions.

In bearing live young the female has the advantage of a shorter pregnancy. Eggs retained inside the mother’s body are kept warmer and develop faster than eggs laid in the earth, where in cold climates a low soil temperature impedes development of the embryo, even to the extent of preventing hatching before the arrival of the frosts of autumn.  Live bearing benefits the young: enabling them to be born much earlier in the season, thus allowing them to feed and find shelter before the colder weather arrives.  The baby snakes are born in a clutch of between ten and twenty, each encased in an amniotic sac from which they emerge within a few minutes ready to fend for themselves.

Black snakes like to maintain a body temperature close to 30 degrees Celsius.   Many factors will determine how quickly a snake heats up: the intensity of solar radiation, wind, air temperature and the amount of the snake’s surface that is exposed to the sun.  They can regulate their temperature by selecting a warm or cool position to lie, often by moving only a few centimetres, from lawn to beneath a shrub, for example.  The snake can position its body so that only a small part is exposed but the warmed blood will carry heat to the rest of the body.  If food is scarce, the snake benefits by being inactive and cool rather than expending energy and heat by hunting.

In spring, black snakes emerge and bask in the morning, heating up rapidly.  They maintain their optimum body temperature all day even though the air temperature may drop below 20 degrees.  In summer however, they generally do not bask, even if the morning is cool and their body temperature is quite low.  Rather than heat up immediately they choose to remain cooler.  Black snakes are actually cooler when the weather is hotter.

Pregnant females bask longer than non-pregnant females as warmth accelerates development of the embryos and is advantageous to both the mother and the young.  An interesting observation is made by herpetologist Rick Shine (whose excellent book  Australian Snakes: A Natural History, I have delved into for most of this information regarding black snakes). He describes the gathering together in summer of small groups, of two to six pregnant females when near to giving birth. They share a common night-time retreat, usually a burrow, and emerge together in the morning to bask.  Female black snakes in late pregnancy do not feed so they remain in the vicinity of their burrow for weeks.

Although tending not to roam far from their own territory during the year, males in the spring mating season may travel up to 1 km in a day in search of a female. That is when you are most likely to come across one on the Paluma walking tracks!  

Snakes have an undeservedly bad reputation, starting from the Biblical serpent who tempted Eve, to the wicked Mrs Black Snake who menaced Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.  Other cultures have revered the snake and for many it was regarded as a symbol of knowledge and wisdom.  Next time you come across a red-bellied black snake in your garden, pause and admire it for the beautiful and complex creature it is.

Article by Colwyn Campbell

References & More Information:  

Rick Shine – Australian Snakes: A Natural History and Graeme Gow – Complete Guide to Australian Snakes.

This drawing of a red-bellied black snake in 1794 was said to be the first scientific illustration of an Australian snake.
(Image reproduced from Zoology and Botany of New Holland (1794) from an article on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-bellied_black_snake).

                   

News From Our Rollingstone Neighbours

Good morning,                       

Hope you are starting to dry out a little up there. We have a school holiday activity on the 11th of April, if you would like to share if there are any younger members of your community.

We enjoy checking out your webpage and try to keep up to date with any events you have, so as we can share to Rollingstone and surrounds.

Attached is some information about a Circus Acrobat group that will be held at Rollingstone Community Centre next week. Please feel free to share.

Kindest regards,

Mark Eberle
Community Centre Assistant
Rollingstone Community Centre
Ph:  07 47707855
E:  rollingstonertcreception@gmail.com

Stumped…..The Story of a Tree Trunk

A young Riflebird displaying on the ‘stump’ at No. 13 Mt Spec Road

Well, it was a sad day on Sunday 31 March 2019 at No. 13 Mt Spec Road, Paluma. I have to report that the world famous stump and the dancing perch for many a Victoria’s Riflebird over nearly two decades – is no more. The tree trunk finally succumbed on Sunday morning to the natural elements, wood rot and ongoing decay, to collapse beyond repair. 

The story goes………….

When Andy and Ann Bishop built the cedar cottage at No. 13 Mt Spec Road nearly 20 years ago they wanted to maintain as many of the native rainforest trees as possible on their ‘bush block’. They felled only enough trees to allow them to build their dream house amongst the rainforest. 

Don Battersby reports that it was about 2004, well after the house was completed that one of the sizeable trees close to the house presented some problems. As the tree continued to grow, the foliage was intruding onto the roof and the verandah. Andy decided to lop the tree, leaving only the tree trunk standing – some 5 metres tall with a flat-top within arm’s length of the verandah.

It was not too long before the local Riflebirds noticed this purpose-built, elevated dancing platform in the canopy. Thus, it soon became a hive of activity for performances and courtship rituals during the breeding season (July-December). Every year since, countless birds have displayed on this stump and it continued to be visited and utilised – right up until it collapsed last Sunday. 

Adult male Riflebirds regularly used the stump for their courtship displays.

The stump at No. 13 has been a draw-card for locals, visitors, bird enthusiasts and photographers from around Australia and the world. Brian O’Leary’s superb photographs and video of the Paluma Riflebird’s courtship rituals were captured on this very stump. (These images are included on the Birds of Paluma DVD). Indeed, some years ago Sir David Attenborough called in at No. 13 to view the Riflebirds. 

Many a leisurely Sunday morning at No. 13 has been (pleasantly) interrupted in the early hours by enthusiastic bird photographers dropping in to see if the Riflebirds are displaying on the stump! 

Quite remarkably, I made the decision to buy the house at No. 13 largely based on this stump! It was a rather chilly Sunday morning in May 2016 when I first visited Ann and Andy to look at the house. I walked onto the verandah and soon after my arrival the Riflebirds landed on that stump and started displaying. I decided there and then that this was the house for me! At that stage, I had not even been inside to look at the interior of the house. Quite an expensive stump really….!!

It was about 18 months ago that it became clear that the tree trunk was virtually hollow and that it was succumbing to wood rot and decay. With the expert assistance of Don Battersby and Brian O’Leary (who were lamenting its inevitable loss as much as I was) we undertook some repair and remediation works. Don put a strong steel brace around the tree trunk, attaching it to the verandah to provide some much-needed support and stability. This worked well for a year or so.  Riflebirds continued to use the platform, even though the dance floor was getting smaller and the trunk had started to wobble quite considerably when the dance moves became too frantic or enthusiastic.

The steel brace that Don placed around the tree trunk for support during its decline.

In more recent times and especially since the relentless rainfall this wet season, my frequent inspections had revealed that further repairs would be fruitless. It was going, going, going and on Sunday the tree trunk collapsed at the base. It was gone. 

Beyond repair…….

But this story doesn’t end here…….

The search is now on for a replacement tree trunk. With the help of a certain local timber-cutter we hope to find a 5 metre tall straight and solid tree trunk that we can erect and secure in the same place. Our mission is to have the new ‘dance floor’ prepared, installed and reinstated before the commencement of the Riflebird breeding season in June-July.

Once it’s in place, we plan to host Paluma’s first ever ‘stump-warming ceremony’ – to officially welcome the Riflebirds to their new performance platform in the canopy at No. 13 Mt Spec Road.

Text & Photos by Michele Bird