Eungalla (pronounced Young gulla)

[Tyrone]

Now that I have broadband I can check out all these travel threads and put some of my own on. In Oct 05 my wife and I drove from Brisbane to Cooktown visiting all palmy places we could. In the past I posted pics from Brisbane to Rockhampton BG but ran out of time for the rest with dial up. I've been going thru my old photos as we're going to do the trip again with a couple of palmy friends of mine in July/August. The trip should just blow them away as it did us. Queensland is the state of the palm IMO.

These photos were taken at Eungalla pronounced "Young gulla" about 80km inland from Mackay and a few hundred metres of elevation. This place can get cool to cold in winter and very wet in the rainy season. The locals told me that one winter it snowed and burnt the treeferns that emerged. It is where Archontophoenix alexandrae meets Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, and although I never saw any Bangalows, I feel the Archontophoenix alexandrae there are different, with more of a Bangalow round seed. They are alexandrae though as they have the white undersides to the leaves.

Enjoy.

A typical Archontophoenix haunt.

[Tyrone]

Sorry that pic is huge. Will try something else to stop that.

[Tyrone]

This is a creek downstream of Finch Hatton Gorge. These seem to be different Archo's IMHO, with more round Bangalow style seeds.

[Tyrone]

Archontophoenix sp Eungalla in fruit.

[Tyrone]

A group of Archo's

[Tyrone]

White underneath leaves

[Tyrone]

Typical mountain rainforest of the area

[Tyrone]

Looking back in direction of the coast and Mackay 80km away.

[Tyrone]

Looking down into a valley of palms, treeferns etc.

[Tyrone]

Looking up into a treefern

[Tyrone]

Calamus australis in full flight, armed and ready to fight.

[Tyrone]

Livistona sp Eungalla

[Tyrone]

Another of Livistona sp Eungalla

[Tyrone]

Looking up into a huge very old Livistona sp Eungalla. Pictures do not do them justice. These were large and very tall, totally awesome to experience. There were not many young seedlings around, and no viable seed, just the odd rotted out seed. It's my thought that these don't seed every year, or only seed when the weather is suitable for seedling survival. How they know is a mystery.

[Tyrone]

A Calamus and Asplenium bird nest fern.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Great photos!  That Calamus australis in post #11 is awesome...  It is definately looks ready for battle!

[Tyrone]

No forest is complete without fungus. This looks like some Gannoderma fungus, but I don't know if it's the one that eats palm trunks. This sort of shelf fungus seems quite common. I've even had this growing in my garden here in Perth on dead mushy wood.

[Tyrone]

A typical forest track.

Next stop, Cape Hillsborough for some Ptychosperma elegans fun.

regards

Tyrone

[STEVE IN SO CAL]

You're one lucky dog....

[Daryl]

Great photos of Eungella Tyrone! Keep 'em coming.

Daryl.

[epicure3]

Those are fantastic pictures. Amazing archontophoenix and ferns. Thanks for sharing.

[Kris]

Dear Tyrone  

great stills and the fern tree bowled me over !

thanks for those lovely stills,

Love,

Kris  

[paulgila]

very cool!can't wait to see more!

[osideterry]

I'm very jealous of your hiking options.

(no offense pines and conifers)

[JakeK]

Looks like an amazing place to hike at. Thanks for the tour.

[Zac in NC]

Wow!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing.

Zac

[aussiearoids]

I have a few palm friends living in the area [Mackay & Sarina] but have yet to visit this area . My sister spent several days with her kids up there and told me it was heaven  :laugh:  One of the few places it is easy to see our rare and shy platypus .

Excellent pics Tyrone .