Goonengerry Survey

Goonengerry National Park in New South Wales Northern Rivers district is another of the magic sub-tropical forests on the mountains that surround the ancient Mount Warning volcano. A survey count of 39 species included Logrunners, Varied Sittellas, Emerald Doves as well as eight threatened Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves and six Albert’s Lyrebirds.

Surveyors deftly avoided contact with this local resident coiled in the middle of an overgrown bush track.

This Brown-headed Emerald Dove, glowing in the early morning light on the road at the park entrance.

Hiding in the foliage were two Eastern Crested Shrike-tits, an uncommon visitor to this national park.

Goonengerry National Park

Goonengerry National Park is one of several national parks in the “Tweed Caldera”, part of the ancient Mount Warning volcano in far north New South Wales. Parts of this area form the “Nightcap Range Important Bird Area”, designated because of the population of Albert’s Lyrebirds, Pale-yellow Robins, Paradise Riflebirds, Green Catbirds, Regent Bowerbirds and Australian Logrunners.

Goonengerry Falls plunge into an enormous gorge.

The Varied Sittella is an infrequent visitor to the park which falls on the boundary of the ranges of the Orange-winged and White-headed sub-species. As the name Varied Sittella suggests there are many variations in the appearance of this species.

Two sociable park inhabitants; the Eastern Yellow Robin and Grey Fantail.

Grey Fantail feeding from ground on one of the parks well maintained trails.