In December 2011 we left Brisbane and spent just over 2 weeks driving up to Cook town, North Queensland, before heading back down to Cairns to spend christmas and new year. In total we covered roughly 2000kms in that time, and managed to find and photograph so fantastic animals along the way. The quality of these images isn't the best as they have been loaded from my facebook account.
Eastern carpet python, Morelia spilota mcdowelli - Magnetic Island
Spotted python, Antaresia maculosa - Magnetic Island
Scrub python, Morelia kinghorni - Daintree village area. Scrub pythons were one of the most common species we encountered. We got them in Port Douglas, Mossman gorge, Daintree and Cape tribulation, ranging from 4-9ft in length.
Water python, Liasis mackloti - Daintree village area
Habitat shot for the water python
Eastern carpet python, Morelia spilota mcdowelli - Mareeba area
Spotted python, Antaresia maculosa - Cooktown area
Brown tree snake, Boiga irregularis - Cooktown area
Red-bellied black snake. Lacking any red colouration is apparently common for red-bellies found in north Queensland. We caught several in one afternoon.
The closest I have been to finding a wild coastal taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus scutellatus. This was DOR near Mareeba.
Northern death adder, Acanthophis praelongus - Cairns area. This has been one of my favourite finds of my entire Australian trip so far. This one was found whilst walking a road early one evening.
Chameleon gecko, Carphodactylus laevis - Mareeba area
Northern Leaf Tailed Gecko, Saltuarus cornutus - Mareeba area
Carlia jarnoldae - Cairns area. These colourful little skinks were common around our campsite.
Tommy roundhead dragon, Diporiphora australis - Mareeba area
No points for guessing what this lizard is! Frill-necked lizard, found in Mareeba.
And finally, we took the time to visit the grave site of Kevin Budden. He was killed by a coastal taipan when he was 20 years old back in 1950, whilst on a solo expedition in north Queensland to catch a live taipan for use in producing the first antivenom for this species.
Thanks,
Tom
North Queensland Reptiles
Moderator: Scott Waters
Re: North Queensland Reptiles
Fantastic post!!! My only Coastal Taipan find was found DOR near Mareeba too. But I hope to be there in October/November this year for another try.
Richard
Richard
Re: North Queensland Reptiles
I had no idea Kevin Budden was so young! I know the story about how he wouldn't get help until they promised not to kill the snake but to take it to be milked, but never knew he was only 20 at the time.
Great post, I loved the lizards!
Great post, I loved the lizards!
Re: North Queensland Reptiles
Awesome post! Some really beautiful finds!
- TNWJackson
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Re: North Queensland Reptiles
Great post Tom - lovely photos! The praelongus is indeed a cool find
- Kevin Messenger
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dammit, I want to get back to Australia so bad. Even though the DOR pic sucks, it is still a pretty cool pic - having the neck region and what not skeletonized, yet the head still having skin.
- Hans Breuer (twoton)
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That Trumpet Gecko from Hell is an epic shot...but so are most of the other pix
Re: North Queensland Reptiles
man, I still can't get over how beautiful the carpet pythons are
nice shots, as always
-Ian
nice shots, as always
-Ian
Re: North Queensland Reptiles
Excellent post, man. Great shots.
Re: North Queensland Reptiles
Fantastic thread with some Awesome Pics!! i love that carpet you found in Mareebe, very attractive
Re: North Queensland Reptiles
Thanks everyone.
Tim, i've been keeping an eye on the adder pics you've been putting up on facebook - I drove that road every weekend for 5 months whilst we lived in Brisbane and didn't get one! The Stephen's banded almost made up for it though...TNWJackson wrote:Great post Tom - lovely photos! The praelongus is indeed a cool find
- TNWJackson
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Re: North Queensland Reptiles
Azemiops wrote: Tim, i've been keeping an eye on the adder pics you've been putting up on facebook - I drove that road every weekend for 5 months whilst we lived in Brisbane and didn't get one! The Stephen's banded almost made up for it though...
Haha it's funny like that isn't it? I have seen Stephens' up here in the past but still haven't seen one since moving here....which is becoming a bit annoying! I've looked for wild praelongus a number of times, both in North Queensland and in the Top End....found a few very fresh DORs but haven't seen a live one yet so I'm pretty envious of that find.