“A smorgasbord of rarities” is how Dr Tonia Cochran and Steve Davidson describe Inala’s new tour of Southwest Queensland.
The tour kicked off in Mount Isa with the range-restricted Kalkadoon Grasswren, Purple-necked Rock-wallaby, and a host of honeyeaters, including Grey-headed and Golden-backed (the stunning northern subspecies of Black-chinned Honeyeater). On their travels through the remote Channel Country, the group has spotted itinerant and hard-to-find Letter-winged Kite, Grey Falcon, Inland Dotterel and Gibberbird. They have also seen Hall’s Babbler, another range-restricted species, plus Bourke’s Parrot, Pink Cockatoo and hundreds of Flock Bronzewing.
The route has taken them through quintessential Outback towns such as Birdsville, Windorah and Quilpie, with a private tour of the Eromanga Natural History Museum to learn about the fossils being uncovered in the area. Next on the itinerary is a visit to Bowra Sanctuary, a haven for rare species. The tour finishes in Longreach on the weekend.
