A walk down Klein Creek, Highfields

22nd January 2016

KLEIN CREEK - WILLIAMS PARK - HIGHFIELDS

It has been a while since we have done the walk along Klein Creek in Williams Park at Highfields (just north of Toowoomba).  This beautiful wildlife corridor is a life-line for many native wildlife species in the Highfields area and is the last connecting section of native bushland to the north. Butterflies, Dragonflies and Birdlife are prolific, and the scenery of beautiful tree ferns and gum trees is very picturesque. There wasn't much water during this visit and it was only trickling under the old timber footbridge.  The creek gets wider towards Reis Road bridge, but as it wasn't running very much, this section was a little stagnant, but home to plenty of Eastern Water Dragons and birds.

We removed an abandoned or forgotten Opera House Trap from the creek, which looked like it had been there for some time.  These traps are often forgotten, and then can cause drowning potential for native animals such as Platypus.  Legislation was changed in February 2015 to restrict use of Opera House traps east of the Great Dividing Range, which includes the Toowoomba and Highfields area. More info and map here:  https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries/consultations-and-legislation/legislation/upcoming-legislation-changes

I note that while weeds seem to grown when nothing else native does in periods of drought, it was disappointing to see so much residential garden wasted dumped into the park at the Mavis Court entrance.  This area was particularly infested with environmental weeds and household plants, that will have grown from garden cuttings and waste. 

Williams Park can be entered from three entrances, being Cecil Street, Mavis Court and Reis Road near the bridge (note there isn't anywhere to park at the Reis Rd entrance).

J, C & K

Klein Creek, Williams Park, Highfields. Qld.

Female Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly

Male Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly

Pedestrian Footbridge crossing Klein Creek, Highfields

Just one of the many enormous Gum Trees on the Klein Creek Bank

Eastern Yellow Robin - Williams Park, Highfields 22/01/16

Pale-headed Rosellas on Klein Creek

Red-browed Finch at Williams Park, Highfields

Common Bronzewing - not the best photo, but I had to add it to show it's beautiful bronze colours in the sun.

White-faced Heron on a log in Klein Creek, Highfields

White-faced Heron in Klein Creek - note also the large head of an Eastern Water Dragon to the left of the log in the foreground (bottom right of photo)

Beautiful Tree Ferns along Klein Creek

Baby Eastern Water Dragon on Klein Creek, Highfields

Male Fiery Skimmer Dragonfly (Orthetrum villosovittatum)

Female Fiery Skimmer (i.d. thanks to Deane Lewis)

  

Klein Creek - taken from the footbridge crossing.

Beautiful remnant bushland along the edges of Klein Creek, Highfields.

Pretty sure these are a weed - Wild Raspberries - but still beautiful all the same!

Removing an old Opera House Trap from Klein Creek, Highfields 23/01/16

Mavis Court Entrance to Klein Creek and Williams Park - unfortunately this section contains a high amount of environmental weeds and it appears that locals have been dumping their garden waste into the bushland, creating a terrible mess and further weed invasion.