One of the birds that will make use of all the fallen leaves is the orange-footed scrub fowl (jarruga). It is more shy than the common brush turkey that inhabits the forest too, but it also incubates it’s young with the assistance of a compost heap. Eggs are laid in a large pile of leaves made into a heap (to 4.5m high and 9m across), often against a tree. Megapoius reinwardt.
There are several large Black Walnuts in the park, dropping large nuts with a green-yellow dry skin. These nuts are much sought after by rainforest rats and were also an important aboriginal food. Explorer Christie Palmerston states this ‘coohoy’ or (guwaa) was not as poisonous as most similar nut species, and only required cooking before eating. Black walnut became an important timber species once veneer technology started. Endiandra palmerstonii.
The most common flower littering the forest floor is from the Lemon Aspen (yarrgii). This is an important bushfood. The white fruits ripen during winter and have a very strong lemon flavour, making it unpleasant to eat raw for most people. It is an excellent fruit for cooking however, as a small amount goes a long way; for instance, put some with fish wrapped in tin foil – awesome.
Acronychia acidula.
On a tree by the car park is a Native Pepper Vine (jibaa) with very attractive long red fruit. Another species is flowering near the entrance to the turtle viewing area, and another pepper fruited last month. Although possibly edible, like our black pepper they are very sharp and not recommended.
Piper macropiper. Piper interruptum. Piper novae-hollandiae (now hederaceum var. hederaceum).
A rainforest nasty which can make life very unpleasant is the March Fly (bunuu). Also known as a horse fly, it gives a nasty painful bite. Luckily they usually occur only in small numbers around Malanda, and being slow, are easy to kill before they bite. They can ruin a picnic however when they are out in force … usually not in March, but in the summer months! Much like other insects, it is only the female that hunts for blood, and not all the Australian species do this. Family Tabanidae.
(Where known, local Ngadjan dialect words are given; Ngadjan people were a separate ‘nation’, but have linguistic similarity to other groups south to Cardwell).
Also fruiting: Elaeocarpus ruminatus, Syzygium gustivoides, Austrosteenisia stipularis, Archidendron whitei, Sarcotoechia serrata
Flowering: Parsonsia straminea, Solanum seaforthianum, Castanospermum australe, Marsdenia straminea, Freycinetia excelsa, Melodinus baccellianus, Melodorum urhii, Wikstroemia indica, Neolistea dealbata, Trophis scandens