Nairana NP is approx 160km north of Clermont and covers an area of approx 17,000 hectares. Apart from 2010, we have returned each year between Mar & Jun, and stay at the park for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. One has to be able to enjoy isolation as there is no TV, Mobile Phone or Internet, and the nearest town is Clermont. Definitely an escape from the worries of the world. We love it.
One of the duties of a caretaker is to record the bird life sighted in the park, a task I can spend many hours undertaking. I have found the bird life varies considerably throughout the park, with some species appearing to be restricted to a small area. Even the 10 dams in the park quite often have different species. Different times of the year impact on the variety of species and their numbers, as does periods of drought.
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| Saltwater Dam 2011 |
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| Saltwater Dam 2013 |
Saltwater Dam is my favourite location in the park for photographing water birds. The photos show the difference between a good season, 2011, and a prolonged period of drought, 2013. I found a marked decline in the variety of species and their numbers in 2013.
Another area in which I spend a lot of time is Mistake Creek which extends approx 350km from South of Nairana to the Belyando River, passing through Nairana NP . This body of water can change dramatically following rainfall, even if it falls outside Nairana. During our time here we have seen the level rise from 30cm to 3m in the space of several hours.
Mistake Creek provides an excellent habitat for a wide variety of bird species.
Throughout the park the geology and flora varies considerably. To the Nth & SE the land is elevated, rocky & dry. The E, S & W tends more towards Black Soil, Sand & Clay. The latter areas become impassable after periods of rain. Despite this, the park can be navigated most of the time and we are rarely prevented from undertaking the tasks assigned.
The flora varies within the open bushland, plains and marshland and is quite diverse throughout. Areas of Gidgee and Blackwood provide a refuge for native fauna. Many varieties of native flora can be observed throughout however, unfortunately at this stage, I am still trying to identify many of them.
Buffel Grass was introduced when the Park was a cattle station and covers large areas throughout. Parthenium Weed is also present however an eradication program is ongoing.
Hopefully this post has given you a brief introduction to Nairana National Park.
Another area in which I spend a lot of time is Mistake Creek which extends approx 350km from South of Nairana to the Belyando River, passing through Nairana NP . This body of water can change dramatically following rainfall, even if it falls outside Nairana. During our time here we have seen the level rise from 30cm to 3m in the space of several hours.
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| Mistake Creek 2014 |
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| SE Rock Formations |
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| Eastern Boundary |
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| Black's Creek Marshland |
The flora varies within the open bushland, plains and marshland and is quite diverse throughout. Areas of Gidgee and Blackwood provide a refuge for native fauna. Many varieties of native flora can be observed throughout however, unfortunately at this stage, I am still trying to identify many of them.
Buffel Grass was introduced when the Park was a cattle station and covers large areas throughout. Parthenium Weed is also present however an eradication program is ongoing.
Hopefully this post has given you a brief introduction to Nairana National Park.
