Friday, August 28, 2009

A Walk on the Wallum Side

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A Walk on the Wallum side
of the National Park...






I walked into the Wallum
on the southern side
of the National Park headland










and was interested to see
what wildflowers were evident now
compared to the last time
I came through


Heathy Parrot Pea
Dillwynia retorta











especially since we have had no rain
for about three months

but the Wallum Banksias
and the Grass trees
still looked green and healthy











except for these ones

- A controlled burn
had taken place a week ago
fearful of fire threats to the community
in this time of extreme fire danger
in my corner of SE Queensland,
the bush had been partially reduced










while the casaurinas
and the banksias were charred
and mainly black










the resilience
of the grass trees,
Xanthorrhoea,
was quite apparent











and the banksia nuts demonstrated
how they use a fire
to their advantage
to disperse seeds










meanwhile
the wild flowers
on the unburned side of the track

Woollsia pungens stem
pungere = to prick
see the sharp points...










flowered pink










and bright yellow
as if to compensate

Golden Candlestick
Aotus lanigera









we heard a rustle
then all was still...
like a log
the Bearded Dragon sat
motionless
blending so well
into his environment










when we moved in closer
he puffed out the loose skin
under his chin
to create a beard








Wikipedia




my friend and I
were thrilled to see this creature
as both of us
in over thirty years of walking these tracks
had never seen a Bearded Dragon




Evidently they make good pets...








I drove home from the Wallum
via the beach
and realised
that I have not yet shown you







the long stretch of pristine coast
that is called Sunshine Beach



But that will be another day
and another post...






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36 comments:

  1. Don't you get excited when you are lucky enough to see a little native ? I have quite a few Blue tongues in my yard and a possum that lives in my garage, she does no damage and now has a baby on her back, she has lived there for nearly 2 years, comes up on to the deck some nights to get some apple. I once saw 2 water dragons that would come for a feed of insects when called, they lived under a deck near some ponds at a plant nursery on the outskirts of Brisbane...very special.

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  2. Great walk, once again! I love the banksia nuts and that Bearded Dragon!

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  3. hi delwyn, you mention the fire threat and i could be wrong but it seems like you (queensland) made out better this year than last year. if i'm wrong then be gentle - i'm not a dedicated news gatherer!! i'm amazed that you saw a bearded dragon. i've seen them in pet stores here. so much nicer for them to be wandering 'round their own big home isn't it. it was lovely to see mor ebeautiful pictures from your home delwyn. have a lovely late evening by the river. steven

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  4. Hello Delwyn,
    I would guess the Bearded Dragon probably made your day. The banksia nuts remind me of Magpie birds.

    Can't wait to see your pristine Sunshine Beach post. The one photo promises great coastline photos.

    Smiles always,
    Wanda

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  5. Hello Abbeysmum

    It's nice to have you visiting again...

    I had never seen the bearded dragon so was very excited.
    We too have a troupe of possums that cross the roof every night on their nightly meanderings...they make such a noise running across the tin roof...

    I haven't seen a water dragon either...

    thanks for dropping in.

    Happy days

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  6. Hi Karen

    How are you. I'm glad you enjoyed the wallum walk today

    Happy days

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  7. Hi Steven

    The terrible recent fires were in the Melbourne area of Victoria. We do get fires occasionally but not to that extent...Queensland has a rainy period through summer and this year was very wet at the end of summer, then usually a very dry winter...that is why all the tourists flock here - warm, dry, sunny winter weather...

    Happy days

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  8. Hello Wanda

    yes it was a treat to see this lizard...

    The coastal beaches run in a stretch from Noosa down to Brisbane, our state capital city- on the East coast of Au - over 100 miles of beautiful golden sandy beaches...with good surf breaks and swimming.

    The main beach at Noosa faces north in a protected bay and then we also have the beaches around the headland that I take you to on walks so you can see that we have a choice of beaches to go to.

    I will take you there soon...

    Happy days

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  9. Delwyn:

    Another lovely walk with my favorite Australian naturalist. I learn so much about Australia and appreciate being in the palpable company of your love for this planet. I'll be looking forward to some time on the beach with you.

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  10. I love seeing vegetation and flowers indigenous to a country...and that bearded dragon...that's amazing!!

    I look forward to the post about sunshine beach...from the teaser you've shown it looks lovely!!

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  11. Boy, I'm glad you're back out on the trails again and taking your camera and bloggy friends along with you. The bearded dragon is amazing, and like Steven, I'm glad he's where he belongs.

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  12. Hi, Delwyn: I am here via Nancy at Life in the Second Half. Gorgeous photos - great combination of modern art and Asian. I love your work here, and I will be back again.

    Best to you.

    ExpatFromHell

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  13. Nancy suggested a visit to your blog, and I am so glad I did. Your entry is beautiful, coming along with you I felt in a state of Mozartian joy. You showed me wonderful sights and sounds of your part of the world. Then I read several of your past entries and I really enjoyed each one of them.
    I live in Spain, but am in Portugal for the summer. I also started blogging three months ago, so I am still learning and "meeting" interesting blogs.

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  14. I was so wordy in my last comment, I must be brief: glorious, exciting, unexpected photos! I love the banksia nuts! But - the dragon!! Putting that camera through it's paces, I see.

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  15. What a blessing to take a walk with you, on the Wallum side or whereever. Gems for the day.

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  16. The banksia nuts are very cool! I've never seen anything like them.

    And, the bearded dragon is a gem. He seemed like he must be almost tame since he let you take multiple photos.

    Thanks for the glimpse of a very different world from mine!

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  17. Thanks for letting us tag along on your little stroll. Beautiful country. Wow - loved the little bearded dragon, how cute was he?!

    Can't wait to see more of your neck of the woods.

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  18. Controlled burns are ugly but necessary! I love the Bearded Dragon!

    I saw a meme that looked like fun so I have decided to try it and send it out to a few bloggers.

    So, here is the ritual:

    1) Open up you first photo album

    2) Scroll down to the 10th picture.

    3) Post that picture and write the story that goes with the picture.

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  19. Good morning Bonnie

    Oh and I so enjoy your company on these walks my friend...

    I will get over to Sunshine Beach this week...we used to go over every weekend to take Kealia to the dog beach at Castaways...but alas the dog has gone...

    Enjoy your weekend...

    Happy days

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  20. Hi Sherry

    I too loved seeing that bearded dragon...and I am always amazed at the wildflowers on display...

    Dan suggested once that I have regained a child's perspective and I think that is true - where everything looks new and fresh...

    Happy days

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  21. Hi Titus...

    yes much of Au's flora and fauna appears like that...

    Happy days

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  22. Hi Dan

    oh it is good to be back on the trails...and the ankle is faring well...I am just a little slower but that can be an advantage...as we both know...

    I also hate to think of these wild creatures of the bush in cages...

    Happy days

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  23. Welcome expat from Hell,

    it is nice to meet you and have you visiting down here in AU,

    thank you for your generous remarks and I look forward to your company and chats in the future...

    Happy days

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  24. Celeste Maia

    welcome to Qld, and thank you for coming over on Nancy's suggestion...

    I am pleased to have met you and will come up and visit you shortly. I was supposed to attend a wedding in Portugal this month but it fell through - she fell pregnant!!!
    Maybe next year I will get there...

    I have enjoyed having you here and look forward to a developing friendship...

    Happy days

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  25. Don't be brief Barb...

    there is no compulsion for brevity...that is something that we think is attendant with blogging, we post short stories, we jot short remarks, but if the mood takes you ramble on...I for one will love it...I do it myself all the time...

    Unfortunately most of my dragon shots were unfocused. I was shooting through the foliage and he was a distance away and we were scared to approach too close, lizards can run up your legs...and did you see those spikes, and also imagine the germs he was carrying...I think is is quite old and battle worn, his tail looked faded and pale in parts and his skin ancient...

    The camera is proving to exceed my expectations so I am a very happy chappy...

    Happy days

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  26. Welcome Loon

    I am happy to meet you. Your blog roll has some of my favourite, most genuine, people on board...so I can see we share some common elements...

    Thank you for coming along today and I will pop over to visit you later...

    Happy days

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  27. Hi KB intrepid mountaineer,

    If you look back in the link to previous wallum entries you will see the banksias have the propensity to reveal cute faces...

    I didn't get too close to the lizard..he didn't look too tame to me...a bit scarey really, claws spikes and teeth...and he did puff out hos beard to show his displeasure...

    Happy days

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  28. Hi Nancy

    thanks for your company today and also thank you for encouraging your readers to sail way down here to visit.
    I appreciate that sharing and deepening of connections. I love to see the blogworld spin into communities that strengthen and develop little identities...

    please come along any time now that my ankle has almost healed I will resume my more far flung walks...

    Happy days

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  29. Hi Lorac

    yes better than homes and lives destroyed...

    I will put your meme on the back burner for now, but thank you and I will pull it out one day. I find that I have too many ideas for posts and am always sitting on a backlog of stories that I have prepared...

    My mind and walks conjure up several posts everyday...but I appreciate the thought and the effort to connect in this way.

    Happy days Lorac

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  30. Such a lovely post: words, pictures, and intentions.

    Glad I found you....

    Hawaii salutes a sister paradise with aloha--

    Comfort Spiral

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  31. Hi Delwyn! No rain for three months and most everything is propering amazingly well! Beautiful, colorful blossoms and such greenery. Is there really something called "Dillwynia retorta" or was that a play on words with your name?:) The swooshy green bush could be a kind of dill... Interesting to see the elusive Bearded Dragon! But could you imagine having one as a pet?!:)
    The beatiful blue of the water is appealing as always, but I've been hearing Australia has many great white sharks. Have you seen them? Is there food for them such as seals and smaller fish? Thank you for showing us the variety in nature. It makes me more determined to look around more... And how's that foot, Delwyn? Are you 100% yet? Love, Margaret xxox

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  32. Cloudia
    welcome to down under here in Queensland Au, thanks for your kind words.

    It is a pleasure to meet you and I hope that we can share many chats...

    I have left you a message on your page..

    Happy days

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  33. Hello Margaret

    Yes our vegetation is accustomed to dozens of inches of rain in the rainy season the drought over winter...so while it appears dry it is mainly the home gardens, lawns and exotics that suffer unless you water - and we have sever watering restrictions all year round.

    We have a spear bore that pumps rather brackish water out of the ground but at least it tides us over...

    I wondered if anyone would comment on that scientific plant name - and there you are, the observant Margaret...that is the real name...

    Yes we have sharks and the surfers see them, we have sharks nets to deter them from the beaches and shark alarms to clear the water...we have very few attacks up here because of the abundance of fish in the warmer waters but surfers are regularly bitten during the year, just as they are in any territory of the sharks...

    But we also have beautiful dolphins, migrating whales and the incredible coral reef - so we won't focus too much on the sharks...

    the foot- thanks for asking, improves everyday and while I am aware of every step I take I wouldn't say it really hurts. It swells every day but I believe that is normal. I have resumed gym and body balance classes and walking slowly for 2 hours in the park. I have not yet tackled the bumpy uneven surface of the rainforest walks...I will let it get a little stronger first as lengths of those trails are sand...
    and other sections are very uneven tree roots etc...

    have a lovely weekend Margaret..
    Happy days

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  34. i came here from Lorac's; intruiged by the Hazy Moon. That walk was spectacular and i wasnt at all tired after. What a world we live in full of wonderous life forms! your blog is so beautiful. I will be back :-)

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  35. Hello Val and welcome to Au,

    It is nice to have you here and I hope that we can share some of the treasures of our distant countries and learn from each other...

    thank you for dropping by and for your sweet comments...

    Happy days

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