Harry Driessen found two snails for Kevin to identify 
(Caryodes dufresnii and a Helicarion). Helicarion 
means 'snail-slug' which is appropriate as it looked 
like a slug with a small shell attached. 
Helicarion cuvieri. Photo: James Wood 
We were all delighted to see several devil and 
wombat scats on the track. Around 11.15 most of 
the group stopped for morning tea halfway up a 
steep section of track and took in the view of the 
reservoir, Risdon prison and surrounding hillsides. 
We arrived at the summit just after noon where a 
large two metre tall rocky cairn marked the turning 
point of our walk. The views to the south and 
Hobart were obscured by tall eucalypt trees. To the 
north were the Derwent River, Mt Falkner, and 
Bridgewater Bridge. Gunners Quoin was in shadow 
and the view of it was not as impressive as it was on 
the way up. 
On top of Mt Direction. Photo: Michael Driessen 
Among the short grassy tussocks were wallaby scats 
and lots of digging which might have been made by 
bandicoots. Under a few rocks were red mites, an 
Asilidae fly larva and a spider guarding her web. 
Simon Grove heard an eastern spinebill. We had 
our lunch huddled among the rocks and tussocks to 
shelter from the chill breeze. On the return journey 
we found greenhood orchids that were yet to 
flower as well as metallic and ocellated skinks 
sheltering under logs. Near the reservoir where we 
had earlier observed many bandicoot diggings we 
found the skeleton of a brown bandicoot and a 
Bennett's wallaby. Janet Fenton found an egg case 
which Robyn Gates identified as belonging to a 
praying mantis. We arrived back at the cars around 
3.30. Several yellow-tailed black cockatoos were 
putting on a show in the trees above the cars. Other 
birds observed in the vicinity of the reservoir were 
grey fantails, grey butcher birds, grey currawongs, 
eastern rosellas and brown thornbills. Thank you to 
Qug for suggesting the walk but whom 
unfortunately could not make it. 
Excursion to Coal Mines August 2012 
Jane Catchpole 
ixteen of us gathered at the old Coal Mine penal 
settlement on a cool sunny morning. Our mission 
was to search for the elusive forty spotted pardalote in 
the surrounding white gums (Eucalptus viminalis). We 
had learnt from Dr Sally Bryant who provided a talk to 
the club the previous Thursday, that these birds have 
suffered a dramatic decline in population in the last 
decade or so. 
Unfortunately we did not spot any forty spots, but we 
did have a very enjoyable day pottering amongst the 
ruins and reserve, following in the footsteps of the 1949 
Easter Camp. Then, 60 field nats camped at Plunkett 
Point having travelled to the site by a six ton lorry, a 
modern bus hired from the Transport Commission and 
three private cars. They were also very resourceful in 
providing evening entertainment for the trip. Around 
the campfire, the night air was filled with the sound of 
tuneful favorites and an animal/bird themed fancy dress 
parade was held on the final night. Apparently audience 
was treated to a parade of creatures of the most 
extraordinary shapes and names! 
We found a lovely lunch spot, sitting in the sunshine on 
the sandstone cliffs of Plunkett Point, overlooking the 
clear blue waters of Norfolk Bay. We observed a sea 
eagle being harassed by a couple of terns. We also saw 
two hoary headed grebes on the water. Earlier Anna 
McEldowney spotted several dolphins. We then strolled 
up the hill, following the old inclined tramway to the 
mineshaft at the top of the hill. This tramway was used 
to transport the coal to the jetty, when the coalmines 
were operational in the 1830's and 1840's. From the 
summit we looked across the water to the misty ranges 
in the distance. As we descended to the car park, the 
Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club 
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BULLETIN 348 Oct 2012 
