Herping Victoria, Australia.

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Nickgale
Posts: 6
Joined: August 14th, 2017, 1:11 am
Location: Melbourne

Herping Victoria, Australia.

Post by Nickgale »

Gday everyone! To introduce myself, I am a keen 17y/o herper and photographer from the city of Melbourne, Australia. I have herped quite alot around Eastern and Central Victoria, but have yet to see what the North-West has to offer!
All that said, here are some herps from the past year or so!
For this thread ill try to include the more interesting herps from my travels, but I will include some of my favourites (Small brown skinks :P)!
We will begin our journey in the South-West of the state, in the moderately sized town of Warrnambool. Well known for its whales and seals, there are many large elapids in the region, some of the prettiest in Victoria in my opinion.
ImageEastern tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageLowlands copperhead (Austrelaps superbus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageShingleback (Tiliqua rugosa) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageSwamp skink (Lissolepis coventryi) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Heading North, we come to the amazing Grampians National Park. Rife with fauna, my friends and myself embark on a yearly camping trip to the nearby Lake Fyans yearly. Although I am yet to photograph a snake in this region (have seen many DOR Red bellies, Copperheads and Little whip snakes ), here are some awesome lizards I recently found in April.
Although common throughout the rest of their range, the Mountain heath dragon is considered critically endangered in the Grampians, and was a real pleasure to see after a fourth attempt!
ImageMountain dragon (Rankinia diemensis) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Some sexy skinkies.
ImageWhite's skink (Liopholis whitii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern three-lined skink (Acritoscincus duperreyi) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageWhite's skink (Liopholis whitii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageWhite's skink (Liopholis whitii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Heading toward back to Melbourne, many large granite hills jut out of the rolling grasslands and farmland. Here can be found one of Australia's best looking geckos.
ImageThick tailed gecko (Underwoodisaurus milli) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageThick tailed gecko (Underwoodisaurus milli) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
We arrive in Melbourne's western grasslands, of which exist as only 1.5% of what they originally were before European settlement.
Here are some of my favourite grassland denizens.
ImageSouth-eastern slider (Lerista bougainvillii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageTussock skink (Pseudemoia pagenstecheri) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageLittle Whip Snake (Parasuta flagellum) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageLittle whip snake (Parasuta flagellum) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageGrowling grass frog (Litoria raniformis) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageGrowling grass frog (Litoria raniformis) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Although heavily built up, some herps are still clinging on even only kilometres from Melbourne's CBD.
ImageTiger snake (Notechis scutatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageWhites Skink (Liopholis whitii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Heading up to Victoria's goldfield region, we take a quick stop off at Kinglake.
ImageBlack rock skink (Egernia saxatillis) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageMountain dragon (Rankinia diemensis) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageMountain dragon (Rankinia diemensis) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Bearded dragons litter the road around Bendigo, and are awesome in the wild!
ImageEastern bearded dragon (Pogona barbata) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern bearded dragon (Pogona barbata) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Bendigo is home to one of Victorias lesser known endangered herps, the Pink-tailed worm lizard. A trip up earlier this winter revealed 4 in some ironbark forest.
ImagePink tailed worm-lizard (Aprasia parapulchella) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImagePink tailed worm-lizard (Aprasia parapulchella) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern stone gecko (Diplodactylus vittatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageThick-tailed gecko (Underwoodisaurus milli) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Grasslands become present afew hours North of Bendigo, and are home to another endangered legless lizard.
ImageStriped Delma (Delma impar) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageStriped Delma (Delma impar) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageMitchell’s Short-tailed Snake (Parasuta nigriceps) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Back down in Melbourne's south-east are some very interesting amphibians!
ImageEastern banjo frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageVictorian smooth frog (Geocrinia victoriana) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageVictorian smooth frog (Geocrinia victoriana) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Further south is the Mornington Peninsula - a popular holiday spot for many, but also rich in some rare herps.
ImageWhite Lipped Snake (Drysdalia coronoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageLowland Copperhead (Austrelaps superbus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageWhite-lipped snake (Drysdalia coronoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageWhite-lipped snake (Drysdalia coronoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageWhite-lipped snake (Drysdalia coronoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageSwamp Skink (Lissolepis coventryi) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
The east side of the peninsula has similar herps but in very different habitats!
ImageCoastal wetlands, Western Port by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageSwamp Skink (Lissolepis coventryi) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageRawlinson’s Skink (Pseudemoia rawlinsoni) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
A small island west of Warneet houses a strange population of brood frogs, with a trip last year seeing my lifer!
ImageSouthern Toadlet (Pseudophryne semimarmorata) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageSouthern Toadlet (Pseudophryne semimarmorata) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageSouthern Toadlet (Pseudophryne semimarmorata) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
One of my all time favourite herp trips was a 6 day trip into East Gippsland, surveying a lake literally a kilometre from the NSW/VIC border. The first night was spent in Cape Conran, and revealed some new frog species for me!
ImageGreen and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageGreen and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageGreen and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageHaswell's frog (Paracrinia haswelli) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
The next day was spent searching for a mysterious dragon on a secluded beach not far away. We didnt find it, however I got some shots of a possibly new species of skink!
ImageSouthern grass skink (Pseudemoia cf entrecasteauxii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageSouthern grass skink (Pseudemoia cf entrecasteauxii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageWhite-lipped snake (Drysdalia coronoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageEastern tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Finally heading off the next day, we set off on a hike from Mallacoota to Lake Wau Wauka. Surviving a thunderstorm, here are afew shots I got out there.
ImageRed-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageRed-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageYellow-bellied water-skink (Eulamprus heatwolei) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Seen but not photographed was a handful of Tiger Snakes, Red bellies and some common frogs and skinks. I was keen to find some Mustard bellied snakes over the border, but they continue existing as an endemic of NSW at this stage. Here is a shot from the known furthest south of their range anyway, from the very beginning of last year.
ImageMustard Bellied Snake (Drysdalia rhodogaster) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
We hiked out, and I am kicking myself for not having a better look around these epic dunes. Many Whites skinks were seen, but I couldn't manage a good insitu shot of one. Climbing up an enormous dune rewarded us with this sight.
ImageLake Wau Wauka dunes by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Camping on the sand dunes opposite Gabo island was hell, as our tiny hiking tents got battered by the wind. I woke up and searched the dunes, revealing a handful of more White-lips. Although I was hoping for a Pygopus I couldn't really complain :P
ImageWhite-lipped snake (Drysdalia coronoides) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Finally arriving back at camp, I had a dozen showers to clear the stink of swamp water off me, and got ready to do some frogging before the drive back the day after.
We drove from Mallacoota to a small stream near the Princess highway, where I was keen to tick off two lifers. I only got one, but I was still ecstatic, even though the species is quite common.
ImageSouthern stream frog (Litoria nudidigitus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
ImageLesueur's frog (Litoria lesueurii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
I had the best sleep of my life that night. We woke up and headed out to try our luck at Mainland she-oak skinks. We failed but it was a nice walk.
ImageJacky dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
We then tried to look for Small-eyed snakes near Genoa but the rain set in, and I was already pretty pumped from the night before.

Thanks for sticking around! Hope you enjoyed and ill stick some shameless plus right here :))
Instagram : nickgalephotog
Flickr : https://www.flickr.com/photos/127392361@N04/

Happy herping!
User avatar
Jeremy Wright
Posts: 144
Joined: December 14th, 2015, 4:56 pm

Re: Herping Victoria, Australia.

Post by Jeremy Wright »

Welcome to the forum Nick! Some absolutely incredible photos and finds. Can't wait to see more!

Jeremy
Nickgale
Posts: 6
Joined: August 14th, 2017, 1:11 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Herping Victoria, Australia.

Post by Nickgale »

Jeremy Wright wrote:Welcome to the forum Nick! Some absolutely incredible photos and finds. Can't wait to see more!

Jeremy
Thanks man, much appreciated!
User avatar
RenoBart
Posts: 354
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 10:22 am

Re: Herping Victoria, Australia.

Post by RenoBart »

Good stuff! Thanks for posting. Some really nice looking frogs you have over there.
Nickgale
Posts: 6
Joined: August 14th, 2017, 1:11 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Herping Victoria, Australia.

Post by Nickgale »

RenoBart wrote:Good stuff! Thanks for posting. Some really nice looking frogs you have over there.
Cheers! Only have one more species to see in the Melbourne region now.
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