From Adelaide to Mount Barney, Queensland

Easter usually falls in April, and moves around from year to year. But to see out March, and to celebrate my birthday early we decided to take a few days out and try out a B&B at a place just over the border in Queensland along the inland roads to Brisbane via Beaudesert. We headed to Mount Barney and booked the delightful Lakeside Bungalow and Barney Creek Vineyard Cottages. This first picture will convey the peace, tranquility and beauty of the location with the vines to the north east behind the cottage. The second the rugged nature of the surrounding environment highlighting the grandeur of Mount Barney.

Early morning at Lakeside Bungalow

Midday cloud cover on Mount Barney

I also found this panorama which shows the view to the south east with "cake tin" Mt Lindsey in the middle right in the shadow of Mt Barney rising of the very right of the shot. Shows the broader rugged view to the left (south east) of the Mt Barney view above.

This was a wonderful few days of quiet sitting, reading, watching, walking and photographing and then being spoiled with a variety of home-cooked dinners delivered each night to the bungalow. As I browse back through my photos from this visit, I recall I created a photobook and called it "Pondlife - Barney Creek Vineyard Cottages 2017". Rather than have one big long post, the range of photos fall into two broad categories I will use as a theme for two posts to share our first visit to this magical setting. This post I shall devote to non-birds and the next just to birds.

I cannot resist sharing some of the other delightful pond life and nefarious critters that dropped by to see what we were up to ... I'm sure you will enjoy! 😊

First up a couple two beautiful roses at the head of a row of vines in the vineyard ...

Next some life on the pond attracting bugs and insects which in turn attract the dragonflies and birds. In an earlier post I had referred to this source for my attempt to identify the dragonflies - not pretending that I could be infallible.

A graphic flutterer

A wandering percher

Not just on the pond, but on a walk through a eucalyptus plantation to the river and across a cleared meadow there was a a single lesser wanderer butterfly and then we came across a kaleidoscope of them (Google informs that is what a group of butterflies is called, though it did qualify to suggest sometimes they are referred to a swarm ... which just sounds way too harsh for something as fragile as a butterfly and absolutely ignores the colours eloquently captured by "kaleidoscope" 👏). I stand to be corrected with my identification but this is my source.

And back at the pond late in the afternoon wallowing in the weed just below our bungalow jetty was one of the pond turtles. 

Then early the next morning, paying much closer attention to the life among the water weeds from the same bungalow jetty, all the frog noises at night made a LOT more sense ... BUT what a surprise (not unlike some birds I guess) to notice just how tiny the green frogs were. Much more prolific than these couple of shots convey.

Blue skimmer - Mt Barney a long way from Adelaide!

Eastern billabongfly (apparently a damsel not a dragon!)

Next a very healthy and chubby-looking koala allowed me a great shot and opened the eyes for a good peek as I wandered past walking up the gravel driveway for a walk around the property and for the earlier shown views to the south ... ah, they look so comfortable and relaxed! Long may we respect their habitat.

And finally, on our second night as we sat down at the dining room table just to the right as you view this photo (and thankfully from behind the window!!) we noticed another very relaxed and healthy individual who had found quite the resting place in the louvered opening at the end of the verandah. Kind of took the relaxed nature off our meal I have to say, though it was good to see the spot had been vacated by breakfast 😋 ... and, of course, nature takes many forms and each has its own unique charm and beauty when we have the time the stop and notice. Such diversity.