Currawinya NP up north again)

[humdingerslammer]

The next phase of the trip was to get to and explore Currawinya NP. I took a side track and visited Kinchega NP on the way… quite green compared to the last time I visited.

Currawinya Park is huge and abuts the Qld southern border (Hungerford) and the NSW northern border (between Thargomindah and Eulo). The road (track) in was quite rough (like for all the parks I visited). I Jeep camped 1 night at the Myninya camping area which is on the shore of the Paroo River under coolabah, river red gums and yapunyah trees. It was quite cold in the early morning (0-1C). I also stayed at the Corni-Paroo campsite, also on the banks of the 600km long Paroo River. This is the last free-flowing river in the entire Murray-Darling basin according to the website. The river was quite full and fast flowing from all the flooding and water coming down through the channel country.

I did a bit of walking around various points of interest (old wool and shearing sheds) and a few gullies here and there. I also walked through a variety of endangered mound springs and soaks, formed by underground waters from the Great Artesian Basin and that were scattered throughout the low foothills of the ranges and on the sandy plains of the park.

Also some large lakes (saline Lake Wyara and freshwater Lake Numalla) that were quite large and full at the time but are otherwise dry. These were “wetland” homes to thousands of pelicans (the saline Lake Wyara) coming to nest and breed, and other shoreline birds. How do they know that the water is there? According to the Qld NPWS website “these wetlands and waterways are among the most important inland waterbird habitats in Australia. Their international significance was recognised in 1992 with the designation of the Currawinya Ramsar site—one of only five listed RAMSAR sites in Queensland”.

Alas, and apparently, there has been a 40% reduction in pelican breeding numbers Australia wide over the last 30 years or so. It’s true because I heard it on the radio, amazingly enough. Did not look like it to me. I think some conservationists lie a lot for their own causes. Not that I am against conservation. Although I did see several cats (nothing to bang them over the head with), 2 wild dogs chasing 3 Emus, and pig rooting patches along these lakes. I think that the approach to protecting flora and fauna by Qld NPWS is relatively passive at best.

Oh, and you could definitely play “spot the birdwatcher”. There were dozens of them.

From here I went to Bollon!! I don't know why. But that is for the next report.