An Abundance of Water

How does one know the animals are content after all this rain? Look closely at this trough.

One can see that livestock are not trampling the herbage around the trough......which means they are drinking from creeks, gullies and channels. There is an abundance of ground water to be found in Western Queensland at the moment.

A Content State of Affairs

How spectacular is our countryside in Western Queensland at the moment? It is a privilege to be out and about amongst the abundant plant and animal life that exists at the moment. The bird population is so chirpy at the moment; the lizards fat and lazy and there are caterpillars under every leaf, or so it seems. The insects exist in their millions, and the larger marsupials are living a very contented existence, as the distance travelled between food and water is negligible.

Why not come out to Western Queensland and check out this content state of affairs?

A Scrumptious Buffet

Check out the lush green herbage on the river and channel country at the moment. If you were a cow, this would be a scrumptious buffet.

Thanks for popping by.

When is a Rock Hole not a Rock Hole?

When is a native well or rock hole not a native well or rock hole?

Check out this tree growing in a naturally formed pot. Actually, this pot is a very old native well or rock hole which over many years has gradually collected dust and debris, and filled up. In due course, a eucalyptus plant has germinated here.

When you are exploring the ridges of Western Queensland, keep an eye out for such ‘potplants’. There are many to be found.

Native Wells or Rockholes

Native Wells or Rockholes
A native well or rockhole is usually a naturally formed dish in solid rock and can be found in ridges and deserts throughout Australia. These holes collect rain and run off water, however they are not permanent sources of water. They do eventually dry up.

Many of these rock holes can be found dotted throughout the Channel Country in Western Queensland, and at the moment they are full to the brim. These native wells or holes can be found on stony, ridge country.

From Mackellar to Shakespeare

From Mackellar to Shakespeare


"The glorious sun
Strays in his course, and plays the alchemist:
Turning with splendour of his precious eye,
The meagre cloddy earth to glistening gold"

Shakespeare, King John, Act 3, Sc 1.

The Filmy Veil of Greeness

The Filmy Veil of Greeness

"Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the rainbow gold,
For flood and fire and famine
She pays us back threefold.
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greeness
That thickens as we gaze....."

(From "My Country" by Dorothea Mackellar).

Bearded Dragon lizards can be found sunbaking on roads all through out Western Queensland at the moment. They too are enjoying the bountiful season, with a feast of grasshoppers, caterpillars, spiders and beetles within easy reach.


They are the most amazing creatures - with a tendency to run very quickly on the flat ground as well as up a tree!

The Boom Before the Bust

The Boom Before the Bust

Throughout the Channel Country of Western Queensland, there are thousands of temporary gullies, channels and braids filled with shallow water snaking their way across the landscape. Each of these miniature water ways supports a variety of insect life, amphibian life and fish. These creatures all form part of the food chain that explodes into action after a flood event.

If you look carefully at this photo, you will see schools of little fish. Sadly, these water ways will dry up within the next few weeks, and the insect and fish life will cease to exist. And that, my friends, is the bust part of the boom and bust cycle.

Thanks for visiting the blog of the Western Rivers Carer.

An Easter Tradition

An Easter Tradition

For many families in the Channel Country, 'going yabbying' is a holiday tradition. The many channels and gullies have an abundance of water in them this year, and the blue claw yabby catch was most rewarding.