Though it sounds like a made-up name, the wombat is in fact an Australian marsupial, closely related to kangaroos and koalas. Wombats are cute and cuddly-looking creatures, but they can also be feisty, territorial animals that stand up to predators—even humans—if they feel threatened. Though they may look adorable and small, these little guys can… Read More »
Quolls are carnivorous marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea. They are primarily nocturnal and spend most of the day in a den. Of the six species of quoll, four are found in Australia and they are common throughout the Blue Mountains. Quolls can survive in many different types of habitats, including alpine woodlands, rainforests,… Read More »
Eastern Blue-Tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides) By Troy Hovenden, The Reptile Bloke The Eastern Blue-Tongue Skink is a common lizard species in the Blue Mountains. We actually have two species of Blue-Tongue here in the Mountains. In the upper mountains, we find the Blotched Blue-Tongue Skink (Tiliqua nigrolutea). Often times when I’m searching for snakes in… Read More »
The Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) is the most common species of bowerbird in the Blue Mountains, inhabiting an area from Penrith to Jenolan Caves. If you’re lucky enough to spot one, here are some interesting facts about the fascinating Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus). How do they build their bowers? The bowers of satin bowerbirds are… Read More »
The Sydney Spiny Crayfish, also known as the Blue Mountains Spiny Crayfish, Euastacus Australasiensis, or just spiny, is a native species to Australia. The Sydney Spiny Crayfish are found extensively through the Blue Mountains. What does it look like? The Sydney Spiny Crayfish is a small, blackish to dark brown or maroon coloured crayfish with… Read More »
The eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus) is an insectivorous passerine bird native to the east coast of Australia. A member of the family Psophodidae, it belongs to the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species in the world, and the superfamily Sylvioidea. Eastern Whipbirds are notable among songbirds for their group breeding… Read More »
The walk to Butterbox Point is a great walk family that offers outstanding views all the way along the walk. Butterbox Point is a large, high rocky outcrop on the edge of the Grose Gorge, 800m northwest of the northern end of Mount Hay Road, Leura. WHERE: https://w3w.co/leaper.tabs.brainstorm Carpark: https://w3w.co/deviations.immorality.risky KEY POINTS • Distance: 2.2km… Read More »
March flies, are common across in the Blue Mountains during summer and are known for their short, sharp and stinging bite. Many a time have we felt the shock of a bite on your leg and then been surprised when you look down to find the culprit is a fly. There are about 400 species… Read More »
Flannel flowers are so named because of the soft woolly feel of the plant. Growing throughout the Blue Mountains, south coast region, extending to Narrabri in the Central West and up to south-east Queensland, its white flowers can bloom all year long, with an extra burst of colour in the spring. Here are some facts… Read More »
The superb lyrebird has a spectacular tail of fanned feathers, when spread out in display, looks like a lyre, which is a musical instrument of ancient Greece. The male superb lyrebird is 80-100 cm long, including his 55-cm-long tail. He is dark brown on the upper part of his body and lighter brown below, with… Read More »