I am going to be heading down to Hedlow Creek area to see what I can find, I know there are rainbows there and good old fly specked hardy heads, but I am hoping to also stumble across Pacific Blue Eyes or my own personal holey grail of Rhadinocentrus ornatus. I may even get to go down to Byfield and some of the creeks in that general area, where the Rhads are recorded as being in residence. I am eager to actually see what the local type looks like and am hoping they are as stunning as many of the southern varieties.

rhads are dope! i love those little dudes 

Sorry about the delay in this update but I have had some computer issues.

Anyway we went out to Hedlow Creek this first photo is of some of the damage still laying about after cyclone Marcia, considering how flat this area of country is with just a couple of old volcano cores the wind must have really howled across the flats.

One of the extinct volcano cores

The lush green area in the front of the picture I think is called lake Mary but I am nut sure since it is also posted as private property.

Another one of what I think is Lake Mary

Much of the creek has private property signs posted along it, and the few places that apparently you are allowed to get in or near the water, the banks are steep and chopped up from cattle. There is also a pretty thick weed bed made up mostly of lilies to fight you way through if you are going to even try and dip netting for any fish, shrimp or snails. The water is also quite deep and no clear, even though I know people go canoeing and kayaking on the creek I am not that keen to become a croc snack.

Hedlow Creek

The thick weed at the waters edges

Another volcano core

From Heldow Creek we went on to Byfield area and stopped at a creek crossing at a place called Red Rock

This area was very devoid of any aquatic plant life and even the few fish I saw where timid. I did net some gudgeons (and released once I knew they where gudgeons) there was also some rainbows and but they where far too timid and not in large numbers. The water was actually so devoid of obvious food sources that even a small eel emerged to eat the bits of bread I had tossed in as an attractant.

And finally I saw some little sundews growing in the bank at the creek crossing

After doing some further exploring down towards an area known as Stockyard point I think I may have finally found some likely paperbark swampy Wallum country that should house the local Rhadinocentrus species. But that will have to wait for another day. Another place I know of that may house Rhads is north of Rockhampton in the way to Mackay.

 

Thankyou for sharing! Very nice photos.

How did I miss this?!!

Very nice shots @Baccus. Almost like being there in person. Almost.

Next time I head out down that way I will get photos of the paperbark Wallum areas, I may even convince the other half to go for a drive north to some areas towards Marlborough that I have wanted to check out every time we head towards Mackay. I might have to use the "well I spent 14hrs (in one day) with you driving to Warwick for a pup...." card to get to go to my next excursion.

On 02/11/2016 at 8:50 PM, Baccus said:

I might have to use the "well I spent 14hrs (in one day) with you driving to Warwick for a pup...." card to get to go to my next excursion.

LOL