Queensland Term Abroad
Lamington National Park
Lamington National Park I — 13 October
Our last field trip in Australia was to Lamington National Park in southeastern Queensland. The park includes 20,500 hectares (one hectare is 10,000 square meters or about 2.5 acres) of rugged landscape in the McPherson Range, which forms part of the border between the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales. What drew us to Lamington was its undisturbed Australian "rain forest". I'll be honest, though, after working in the South American Andes for a number of years, these forests--though beautiful--didn't look like the rain forests I know. Like many things, the Australian version is unique. We stayed at the O'Reilly's guest house, a resort at the edge of Lamington. (More on the O'Reilly's later.) Although the park frowns on it, O'Reilly's maintains a feeding station where the local Crimson Rosellas (Platycercus elegans) and King parrots (Alisterus scapularis) flock for handouts from guests. Ever eager to interact with wildlife, our group dove right in.
Max and Alyssa
Waiting by the pool
Linda, Christy, and Claire
What are you looking at?
The bus is here (finally).
Almost ready
Vista at O'Reilly's
She literally has them eating out of her hand
They look cool, but one nearly bit my ear off
We make friends easily in Australia
Satin Bower Bird