During the recent acoustic recorder deployment on K’gari, fellow colleague, amphibian expert and all round authority on Queensland’s plants and animals, Harry Hines joined Linda Behrendorff and Queensland Parks and Wildlife staff in an opportunity to do some small mammal capture and release in the Central Station area.

They were rewarded with a good number of captures that included the usual visitors, Fawn-footed melomys (M. Cervinipes), Bush rat (R. fuscipes) and Yellow-footed antechinus (A. Flavipes). Both antechinus females had pouches indicating recent young.

The team also took the opportunity to pull the rarely used harp trap out of its hiding hole in the NRM shed, recording two Eastern long-eared micro bats (Nyctophilus bifax). This was followed up by a Wangoolba boardwalk survey sighting melomys and rattus species, long finned eels, cat fish and a short-eared possum (Trichosurus caninus) that casually walked the banister. 

During a night trip to Basin Lake for Harry’s frog-fix and opportunity to use his recording and photographic equipment, we encountered numerous Cooloola sedgefrogs (Litoria cooloolensis), wallum rocketfrogs (L. freycineti), and an emerald spotted treefrog (L. peronii). An owlet night jar and White-striped Mastif bat (Tadarida australis) were recorded calling.   Disappointingly, there was one juvenile cane toad (Rhinella marina) collected.

Thank you to the staff and managers for their support.

Article contributed by Linda Behrendorff and images contributed by Harry Hines
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Great Sandy National Park