Peacock Creek Campground

A creek with dark green water, surrounded by lush rainforest.

Visited: late winter

Recommendation: A remote campground with some access issues but if you can get here, it is stuffed full of birds and wildlife.

Peacock Creek Campsite is deep within the Richmond Range National Park. We came up from the south, from Casino along the highway to Tenterfield. When you turn off to go north up to the campsite, the drive is over some farming areas and the track is really, really rough. It's not something I would do if there had been any kind of rain. Once you enter the National Park though, the tracks are very good and well maintained.

The campsite itself is a small clearing in the heart of the forest. There's only six or seven campsites, but it's very lovely and backs onto the creek. The waterway was very beautiful but inevitable, there was quite a lot of biting insects there. When we arrived in the afternoon, it was sunny and the late afternoon light was just beautiful. For the 3 days we stayed, there were always lots of Superb Fairywrens on the grass. Young males were coming into colour and it was lovely to watch them all chattering and bouncing about.

A small grey bird with a long tail. The head has some blue speckles on it.

Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)

Welcome Swallows were trying to nest in the picnic shelter, despite the fact that there were bird prevention spikes in there. I suppose they are to stop detritus and mess on the picnic table but I had to laugh. The swallows were clearly sitting inbetween the spikes and there was some evidence that they were trying to build nest incorporating them. When will humans learn.

In the afternoons, they would collect mud and dried grass to build their nests.

Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)

Small swallow with dark blue back and rusty front.

We were lucky enough to see a Lace Monitor emerge from the forest to soak up the late sun. It was very sluggish, which meant that it was great for getting some photographs of it as it moved around the edge of the grassed area and posed against a tree. Eventually it climbed a tree, much to the consternation of the Bell Miners!

A very large lizard with black and cream markings including a distinctive white chin strap.

Lace Monitor (Varanus varius)

Olive green noisy song bird with a yellow patch above the bill.

The Whipbirds were calling relentlessly but stubbornly refused, as usual, to show themselves. The main noise in the area were the gorgeous Bell Miners. I've never seen so many in one place and so active too. They were chasing each other around, singing, bathing in the creek and feeding youngsters. More reminiscent of their Noisy cousins!

Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys)

A scene of open fields running to hills in the distance.

The view of the surrounding countryside from the farmer's track was stunning.

And as the light went down, there were lots of Red-necked Pademelons that came out onto the grass to graze. These very sweet marsupials were very shy but we could watch them from the cover of the campervan.

Red-Necked Pademelon (Thylogale thetis)

A small marsupial animal with grey/brown fur and reddish neck.

The first night we heard a Boobook calling, but we were actually looking for the Marbled Frogmouth. We didn't see either birds but were treated to a very, very nice looking Tawny Frogmouth instead. This rufous bird is a subspecies found on the east coast of Australia. While we are used to seeing the common plumage of mottled grey, white, and black, some birds, particularly females, have a distinct russet or rufous phase.

An owl like bird with grey mottled patterns that blend in with surround dead trees.

Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides)

A medium sized green parrot with bright red underparts..

Around the park we did regularly see King-Parrots flying overhead, as well as Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. We think we also possibly heard Glossy Cockatoos, but we couldn't be sure. Only the King-Parrots landed but even then, not close unfortunately.

Australian King-Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)

I spent some time sitting by the creek after we thought we heard a Noisy Pitta. Sure enough, it called frequently from the other side of the creek and we never actually saw it. The Bell Miners would dip in and out of the water and and Azure Kingfisher put in a brief flyby. It was very pleasant.

Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea)

A small bright blue kingfisher with orange under parts.

A grey backed robin with a bright yellow breast and belly.

Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis)

Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica)

A large, stocky grey pigeon with white on the breast and scallops down the side.

There were lots of other birds that came and went around the clearing and to the water. The Eastern Yellow Robin and Grey Shrikethrush would regularly investigate the barbeque and picnic table and even some to the van inquisitively.

We often heard the Wonga Pigeon calling from the canopy but it only once showed up at the campsite.

Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca)

One of our most frequent visitor was a pair of male Satin Bowerbirds. These stunning birds would stand behind the open door at the back of the van and watch us. Only a couple of times did the female appear and she appeared to be escorted by a male looking for food in the clearing.

A large, stocky bird with brilliant violet plumage and bright purple eye.

Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)

An open field in a rainforest with a shall shelter.

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