Chiltern Bird Trail 4 |
Australian Birdwatching, Cockatoos, Eagles, Hawks, Robins, Parrots.
Bird Trail Number 4
Mt Pilot and the Barambogie Granite Country
The Barambogie Mt Pilot Ranges to the south of Chiltern are of different origin to the Chiltern hills. Instead of the mostly low hills of sedimentary rock at Chiltern the Barambegies are granite, the northern edge of the extensive Beechworth granite country. The different geology produces a distinctly different forest to that of Chiltern. Ironbarks are absent and the granite hills have extensive areas of native Black Cypress Pine. This allows for birdwatching of a different species of Australian Birds than at nearby Chiltern. Mt Pilot link. The hills also offer extensive views and an important Aboriginal site, Yeddonba, which is well worth visiting. The rainfall is higher in the Barambogies and a number of wetter forest birds such as Spotted Quail-thrush, Gang Gang Cockatoo and White Browed Scrub Wren are present or more common there than around Chiltern.
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From the main crossroads at Chiltern head south, go under the Freeway and continue along the Beechworth Rd. At 12.6km from Chiltern is the turn-off to the Yeddonba Aboriginal site. This is well worth a short detour to take the self guided walk through this site of the Duduroa people. Follow the signs along the short drive to the car park. Rock art at the site includes a faded picture of a Thylacine, the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger.
White-browed Scrub-wren, rare just to the north at Chiltern, is common here in the thick bracken fern.
Return to the Beechworth Rd and continue towards Beechworth. At the crest of the ridge, 17.1 km from Chiltern, turn left on to the Old Coach Rd, towards Mt. Pilot. The road goes through typical granite country forest of Long-leaved Box and Blakely's Red Gum.
Keep an eye out for Spotted Quail-thrush on the ground and Koala in the trees. Take the fork to the left at 1.6 km from the Beechworth Rd. Half a kilometre later you come to the Mt. Pilot car park. A short walk leads to the fire-tower on the summit with spectacular views across the Murray Valley plains to the north.
Common birds in the woodland here include Scarlet Robin, White- throated Treecreeper, Spotted Pardalote and Buff-rumped Thornbill. Scan across the updrafts along the cliff for Peregrine Falcon and Wedge Tailed Eagle. You can walk along the spine of the ridge to the west through lovely vistas of native pines and granite rock gardens.
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Left a Scarlet Robin, centre a White -throated Treecreeper, right a Spotted Pardalote.
To continue through on a loop back to Chiltern, backtrack to the Old Coach Road and turn left. At the crossroads two kilometres from the Mt. Pilot car park, turn left onto McGuinness Road (which may not be sign-posted). Follow this downhill through open forest for another 2.2 km to the junction with Pine Gap Road, which veers off to the left.
Continue north along Pine Gap Roa
d stopping at any likely spots. Birds are diverse along here including Turquoise Parrot, Common Bronzewing and Scarlet Robin. Continue on to the Deep Creek Road out of the Mt Pilot Forests and north back to the Beechworth Road near Chiltern
Australian Birdwatching Tours of Chiltern |
Endangered Australian Birds |
| Regent Honeyeater | Scarlet Chested Parrot |
| Bush Stone Curlew | Square Tailed Kite |
| Swift Parrot | Turquoise Parrot |
Chiltern's |
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