Harvey creek Cairns

[northboy]

Hi All

I thought I would kick off the Field trip section with some old photos from good old Harvey creek, most fish keepers that have even looked at natives will know this one because of the Harvey ck Blue eyes.

It will be a photo heavy one with photos from several trips and a little info.

Info first

Harvey ck starts on QLDs second highest mountain Mt Bellenden Ker, at 1593mts and covered in Rain forest it is spectacular and any one driving to Cairns from the south will drive right past it.

The water conditions change through out the year, it is actually warmer in Winter than summer by a couple of degrees, the reason for this is, in summer the rain water rushes of the mountain fast and has no chance to warm up so runs around 18 to 20c, in winter it is running slow and is around 24 to 26c, this is influenced by ground water.

PH also changes through the course of the year, at low flow and late Spring there is a massive leaf drop so PH can be as low as 6.2, then at high flow it can be up to 7.4 because of the water rush and oxygen in the water.

Hardness changes very little from 0 to 2

Harvey is a moss rich area as well as other emergent clinging plants, rooted plants are rare because of the flow of water. When Harvey reaches the low lands it only runs about 1.5k before becoming Brackish.

Photos! they are a random selection just to get started.

I will add more photos

Bob

[northboy]

Some of the critters that live in Harvey.

Enjoy

[Kimbo]

Awesome thread Bob! Great read! What sort of rays are they?

[northboy]

Hi Kimbo

It a mangrove ray, don't have the Latin name handy, but they will live in hard fresh water quite well. Harvey is not the best one around, next time I go to Cape Tribe I am hoping to get some photos of the Fresh water Damsels to add to that filed trip report from there.

Bob

[BlueBolts]

Hi Bob, great thread, and in-valuable ! Thanks for sharing ! Absolutely beautiful..... Got the natives !

[Forevermango]

Very nice, the native bolbitus and mini pellia is lovely.

Are these from a few years back?

[northboy]

Yea got all but the Ray, it went back to big.

They are old photos but I have some new ones to put up.

The moss on the wood in the tank was grown from the moss in the 3rd photo from the bottom in the 1st lot. Some are tank shots because some critters don't work in the wild or wont stay still long enough.

I will have a look for the new photos and under water video now.

Bob

[yotis]

Very nice pics, thanks for sharing. Any other fishie or shrimp species?

[northboy]

Only one Caridina species We have found so far, C. longirostrus and 2 Macrobrachium species.

Fish, they are all there except M. maccullochi despite the capture of a couple of specimens there (supposedly) there is more side streams to explore yet. I don't have photos of the other species to put up.

Bob

[yotis]

kk thanks for letting me know bob! Sounds like I'll have to come visit you when I finally do go up to Cairns for a roadtrip, last couple of times I had cyclones pushing me back home from Mackay. Anyway thats a different story :)

[sajica]

Nice photos and writeup there Bob. No mention of Harvey Creek's most famous resident?

I rate these guys as one of the most awesome freshwater fish. Very entertaining to watch and very unique. For those not in the know they are the "Harvey Creek Pacific Blue Eye". Last I heard there was talk about them not actually being Pseudomugil signifer and were going to be assigned a separate species, or something along those lines.

[northboy]

There is a massive 3 year project coming up, where the scientists, one in Australia and one in the USA, recon they will triple our native species through splitting and new discoveries. They are going to look hard at things found way outside there range and there is a good number of them up here and differences in species.

I am lucky enough to be involved in the project.

I will do some field trip reports on that to.

Bob

[sajica]

Awesome.... I'm not sure if you're on the ANGFA National forum/ ANGFA member, but I saw Peter Unmack is moving back down under :)

[BlueBolts]

Hi Bob, That's great...... there's soo much beauty in our Natives....

Sajica, you should convince Oli, to have a specialist native section at Aquotix.... From a preservation, and knowledge/education perspective, is selling them at LFS, thus encouraging breeding programs etc seen as a positive or negative move ?

[bailey88]

Wow look at all the native mosses I wish Mackay had some cool creeks like this the ones I've looked at have nothing but pollution or are to fast flowing to even get into :( great pics bob thanks for sharing

[northboy]

Peter is one of the ones doing the study, it is going to be exciting times ahead.

Mackay head out to the mountains, you will find good stuff out there.

Bob

[wiz]

wow bob you have a ball mate always love your trips bob.

[northboy]

The best are still to come!

Bob

[fishmosy]

Great stuff Bob. Agree with sajica, was expecting to see more on the Harvey Creek blue-eyes but great nonetheless.

[northboy]

Chris I should have read your post right the first time.

The Harvey ck Blue eye is through out the Russel / Mulgrave system, because where the are collected by every one is only about .75km from where it joins the Russel river and at flood time it is one massive system, I do see how ever they grow much larger in Harvey, Fig tree, Behana, Fishers and a few other creeks it might be something to do with food?

I think this should be one that Peter U looks at.

Bob

[ChrisLukhaup]

Hey Bob,i will organize my next Aussi trip in 2014 ;-). This year i already have 3–4 other trips but when i see these pics i would like to jump on the next plane and come over.

Cheers

Chris

[northboy]

Hi Chris

Pick Winter May. June. July. August you will get the best conditions then. I am happy to show you around.

I missed your call tonight because I was spotlighting on Harvey creek LOL sorry

Bob

[ChrisLukhaup]

no worries mate ;-))))...i will call you right now

[moyiesy]

i've got to get up there soon i would love to have a look through that creek its so clear and untouched

[fishmosy]

So finally sorted through the last of my pics from Cairns and got them uploaded. Ended up going to Harvey Creek on the final day. Fans of mosses, this is the creek for you.

Pellia

Further up the creek

Spot the shrimp

Mini bolbitis in the bottom left hand corner (darker leaves)

A side branch to the main creek.