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Overview
Springvale Road is something of an accident of location. It just happens to be a road that pushes through an area of dry bushland immediately to the west of the Wet Tropics; an area that due to its high altitude and conditions similar to areas further south, contains species that are not typically associated with Far North Queensland. As a consequence the area has considerable interest to local birders looking for species that would otherwise be difficult to find in this part of Australia.
Birds
Notable Species
Species of interest include: Brown Quail, Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Magpie Goose, Australasian Grebe, Little Black Cormorant, Australasian Darter, White-faced Heron, Little Egret, Eastern Cattle Egret, Great White Egret, Straw-necked Ibis, Australian White Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Black-shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Sarus Crane, Brolga, Dusky Moorhen, Australasian Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, Painted Buttonquail, Comb-crested Jacana, Bar-shouldered Dove, Crested Pigeon, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Sacred Kingfisher, Rainbow Bee-eater, Red-backed Fairywren, Striated Pardalote, White-throated Gerygone, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Noisy Miner, Noisy Friarbird, Little Friarbird, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Fuscous Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Dusky Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Jacky Winter, Eastern Yellow Robin, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Eastern Shrike-tit, Grey Shrike-thrush, Leaden Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Olive-backed Oriole, Dusky Woodswallow, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Torresian Crow, Double-barred Finch, Red-browed Finch, Mistletoebird and Welcome Swallow.
Rarities
To do
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
To do
Other Wildlife
To do
Site Information
History and Use
Much of the area around the Springvale Road has been settled for farming since the 19th century, but a fairly sizeable chunk of bushland remains, most of which is now State Forest, including some of the more interesting locations along this road.
Areas of Interest
The entire area is worthy of exploration and good birds can be had anywhere where there is tree cover, but also in the open paddocks as well. Also check the skies for Birds of Prey. As one progresses along the road, one comes to a lagoon on the left. This can hold a reasonable selection of water birds and the surrounding paddocks will sometimes host Sarus Crane and Brolga.
It is worth stopping at regular intervals along the road to listen for some of the more elusive species. This is a good way of locating Eastern Shrike-tit.
After a while one comes to a dip in the road where it crosses a small creek, park up here and check the surrounding trees for a large variety of Honeyeaters including the localised Fuscous Honeyeater. This is also an excellent area to view a variety of other species and at times one can literally be surrounded by birds!
Access and Facilities
The entrance to Springvale Road is approximately 35kms from Atherton and over 100kms South-West of Cairns.
If coming from either Atherton or Cairns, follow directions to Mount Hypipamee National Park. Continue south past the park entrance on the Kennedy Highway. After a few kilometres, turn right onto the signposted Longlands Gap-Herberton Road as if heading for the township of Herberton. After several more kilometres, and once past the settlement of Wondecla (little more than a few houses), start looking for the signpost on the left for Springvale Road. It can be easily missed as this is a very minor road so keep your eyes peeled. If you see signs for Flaggy Creek Road or even get as far as Herberton itself, then you've gone past it.
The road itself is unsealed but of reasonably good quality in all but the wettest conditions. The tall trees immediately after turning on to the road are worth checking for Honeyeaters. After a short distance the road takes a sharp left and then a sharp right. Stop regularly to check paddocks and bushland alike for birds, as well as the lagoon further along on the left.
There are no facilities along the road and nowhere to camp. Most of the land in the area is private but fortunately excellent birding can be had from the road itself. The nearby township of Herberton has a few shops and other basic facilities.
Contact Details
Refer to the article on Atherton Tablelands for links to websites on the region if one is looking for further information or accommodation.
External Links
