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Mount Lewis National Park - Clearing

Mareeba Shire, Queensland  >  Australia

Situated at approx 1000m this site is a must for high altitude endemics and the rainforest here is some of the most beautiful anywhere.

Added* by Edward Bell
Most recent update 11 December 2023

Description

The opportunity to get Golden Bowerbird, Fernwren, Tooth-billed Bowerbird , Bridled Honeyeater to name a few all in one place. In fact this is one spot that has all 13 of the Wet Tropics Endemics along with a host of region specific subspecies and hard to get rainforest birds.

Another draw for the clearing and the main reason people journey up the mountain just before the wet season is the Blue-faced Parrotfinch. There is plenty of birding to be had anywhere really along the road from the clearing and those that are more adventurous can brave the leaches and explore the track off the side looking for a few of the more cryptic and skulking birds.

Details

Access

The clearing is approx 12 km along the National Park access road. This road is gravelled and has rain diverting humps. This site requires a 4x4 or alternatively a high clearance SUV. There are no defined parking areas but for the clearing it is advised to pass the clearing and park 20m on from it out of site as not to disrupt the birds.

The road is closed often after periods of bad weather but National Parks are pretty quick to clear the road. It is shut during the peak of the wet season each year (Jan - Mar approx) to preserve the road surface. Parts of the road and the track off the clearing are actually on Brooklyn Nature reserve that borders the National Park and is managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

This is a remote site with limited patchy cell service so prepare accordingly for the conditions. Queensland National Parks website is kept up to date and best checked before any attempted trip.

Terrain and Habitat

Forest , Mountain

Conditions

Mountainous , Wet

Circular trail

No

Is a telescope useful?

No

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Summer , Autumn

Route

Unpaved road , Narrow trail

Difficulty walking trail

Average walk

Accessible by

Foot , Car

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

Extra info

While birds are the main reason you'll be visiting the National Parks offers the opportunity to see other rare wildlife, various species of Possum, Echidnas, and Boyds Forest Dragon can all be seen.

Links

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

Top 5 birds

Golden Bowerbird
1. Golden Bowerbird
(Amblyornis newtoniana)
Blue-faced Parrotfinch
2. Blue-faced Parrotfinch
(Erythrura trichroa)
Chowchilla
3. Chowchilla
(Orthonyx spaldingii)
Fernwren
4. Fernwren
(Oreoscopus gutturalis)
Mountain Thornbill
5. Mountain Thornbill
(Acanthiza katherina)

Other birds you can see here

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