Scratching the Surface at Durikai State Forest

Author: Glenn Leiper

Published: Journal June 2022

Image above: Recent rains have greened up Durikai and filled creeks and melon holes

After many visits to Durikai State Forest now in the past few years, I realise I’ve only scratched the surface of this amazing area. These visits have certainly whetted my appetite as they’ve indicated that this large state forest has an interesting plant diversity because of varying eucalypt forest habitats and an unusual geology.

Situated approximately 40km west of Warwick in south-east Queensland, Durikai SF, stretching roughly 35km north to south and 24km west to east, is crossed by the Cunningham Highway. Most of the State Forest is south of the highway, with a few Scientific Areas within. There are three main entry points plus a handful of other tracks, all off the highway, and once in the forest there are myriad dirt tracks most of which are quite heavily used it appears, and the terrain is mostly flattish or undulating. A 4WD is useful especially after rains but many of the tracks seem trafficable close to the highway by 2WD, although some are very rocky.

Durikai has special interests for a range of people. Fossickers and prospectors relish the area with a rich history of mainly gold fossicking by both European and Chinese miners, and as a result the government has designated three areas open to the public to continue fossicking. Old mining equipment and mines can still be seen throughout the area apparently. On one recent visit, a 4WD stopped beside us on a track and the driver asked what we “were up to”. He was an obvious prospector with his range of metal detectors, shovels and picks strapped to the roof, and when we replied that we were looking at the plants, he looked at us as though we were obviously 'nutters' and replied “Oh!?” and drove off.

Bird watchers also visit Durikai. Many websites are focused on the wide variety of birds there, such as the critically endangered Swift Parrot, and the endangered Regent Honeyeater. There are many waterholes in the area which provide great opportunities to see and photograph birds coming in for a drink or a bath.

The diversity of plant species was obvious when I first visited Durikai, and this diversity is often an indication of interesting geology. I asked a couple of friends who know far more about geology than I ever will for some information. Here are their responses —

The small understorey multi-trunked Durikai Mallee Eucalyptus infera

Botanically, there are many interesting species including a couple of mallees. Durikai Mallee Eucalyptus infera, classified as vulnerable, is a small multi-trunked smooth-barked gum tree that is endemic to the region, and quite common in some sections of Durikai. The similar Green Mallee Eucalyptus viridis with its smooth grey bark and multi-trunked growth habit, is a well-known honey producing tree popular with beekeepers further south in its range.

The dominant canopy trees though are usually ironbarks. In northern sections, Broad-leaved Ironbark Eucalyptus fibrosa subsp. fibrosa and Mugga (E. sideroxylon, with both pink and white flowering forms) seem to dominate and flower heavily in spring with lorikeets, friar birds and other birds visiting them in large numbers. In some of the more southern sections, Caley’s Ironbark Eucalyptus caleyi, Tumbledown Gum Eucalyptus dealbata and Spotted Gum Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata are common.

Pink-flowered form of the ironbark gum Mugga Eucalyptus sideroxylon

Dense clusters of flowers of Green Mallee Eucalyptus viridis

I’ve been fortunate to date by visiting Durikai each time after periods of rain, but I’ve been told that the area can be very disappointing during long stretches of dry weather. Each trip we’ve followed various dirt roads by vehicle in Durikai and stopped regularly as botanical opportunities arose. Of course, as any native plant enthusiast knows, that means we often don’t get very far. In some areas, extensive thickets of Forest Germander Teucrium corymbosum provided a very green understorey below the tall eucalypt canopy. Usually growing with this was White Burr Daisy Calotis dentex in massed numbers, with occasional mauve flowers too.

Forest Germander Teucrium corymbosum has responded well to the recent rains forming understorey thickets and flowering heavily

There are far too many species to list here, but following are some of the interesting plants we’ve seen to date – Mint Bushes Prostanthera cryptandroides subsp. euphrasioides and P. species Baking Board, Manybranched Olearia Olearia ramosissima, White Boronia (Cyanothamnus occidentalis, previously known as Boronia occidentalis), Sticky Wallaby Forest Bush Beyeria viscosa, a couple of spiny Peach Heath species Lissanthe strigosa and L. pluriloculata, an upright Darling Pea Swainsona oroboides, possibly), Finger Flower Cheiranthera borealis, Little Hibiscus Hibiscus sturtii, Senna species – S. artemisioides subsp. zygophylla and S. aciphylla and a large variety of wattles and daisies. In poorly drained areas there are large populations of the showy but small Early Nancy Wurmbea biglandulosa amongst the grasses, along with some Pink Fingers orchids Caladenia fuscata and occasional mats of Swamp Isotoma Isotoma fluviatilis subsp. borealis.

In some shady areas under some She-Oaks Allocasuarina littoralis, there were small groups of Bearded Orchids Calochilus robertsonii with an uncanny resemblance to a bearded old man. On a couple of rocky ridges, we also found Nodding Blue Lilies Stypandra glauca and many little upright carnivorous Pale Sundews Drosera hookeri. A recent find of the previously listed extinct burr daisy, Calotis glabrescens, has also been made by an Herbarium botanist, and we managed to find more populations of it recently too.

White form of the sticky Mint Bush Prostanthera cryptandroides subsp. euphrasioides

A mint bush Prostanthera species Baking The needle-leaved Lissanthe pluriloculata
Board with typically aromatic leaves and
lovely massed purple flowers

The showy flowers of Much-branched Daisy
Bush Olearia ramosissima stand out in the
forest

Sticky Wallaby Bush Beyeria viscosa

Summer flowering Finger Flower Cheiranthera borealis. Photo by Greg Spearritt

The 50 cent piece sized sulphur yellow flowers of a dense low form of Sprawling Senna Senna aciphylla

Pink Fingers orchid Caladenia fuscata

Bearded Orchid Calochilus robertsonii

The critically endangered Hairless Burr Daisy Calotis glabrescens has appeared throughout Durikai after the rains

Durikai fossicking area