Hutchison Monument

Visited: winter and spring

Recommendation: I love it here. This is a huge area for free camping and while it might be hard work looking for wildlife, there is the potential to see some fantastic animals here.

The Hutchison Monument is a historic landmark located just south of Coober Pedy. It commemorates the life of Thomas Hutchison, a prominent early European settler in the region. The monument itself sits in a wide layby next to the highway running from the south at Port Augusta to Coober Pedy and beyond.

The place gets interesting when you venture behind the rest area. The land opens up into a huge expanse that available for caravanners and the like to camp. There is so much space that you can find shade and privacy. It is a great alternative to staying in Coober Pedy itself. The night sky is the cherry on top.

Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus)

Several groups of woodswallow were present here and their constant chatter is always nice to listen to. I watched them during my stay as they socialised, preened and bonded. At first light they would all gather on a convenient low branch and during the hot parts of the day, cuddle up in the shade of the bushes.

On my last visit I was looking for the Chestnut-breasted Whiteface. There had been several reports from the area and I was hopeful. This species of Whiteface is endemic to South Australia and primarily found in the arid and semi-arid regions of the state, particularly in stony deserts and open shrubland. The stony deserts around Coober Pedy fit this bill and Hutchison Monument is perfect with its low bluebush, saltbush, and grasses.

Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus)

I had no luck with this elusive little birds but my consolation was to find many Pied Honeyeaters. I was first alerted by their high pitched but quite solemn call. Once I figured out who it belonged to, I was able to find several territories around where I was camping. The females were usually hidden, only popping up a couple of times but the males would sit up high and sing.

Also hunkered down in the low bushes were White-winged Triller. The female is often overlooked or so well camouflaged that she is not found but this bird sat nicely for me in between searching the bushes for shade and bugs alternately.

White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor)

As well as the haunting call of the Pied Honeyeater, the single (but still quite melodic) tone of the desert kingfisher could be heard across the area. Red-backed Kingfishers primarily inhabit dry and semi-arid regions of Australia, such as Outback South Australia.

But, they are still often found near water bodies, such as rivers, creeks, and dams, as well as in areas with dense vegetation, like scrubland and mallee.

Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius)

A highlight of my stay here was finding a tiny lizard after dark, whilst looking for owls and other nocturnal birds. The Helmeted Gecko is a species of gecko native to Australia and they are found in a variety of habitats, including rocky outcrops, scrubland, and mallee. It's known for its distinctive appearance, with a bony "helmet" on its head that gives it a somewhat knight-like look. This bony protuberance on their head is used for display and possibly for defence. They typically have a mottled brown or grey coloration that helps them camouflage in their natural habitat. I was lucky to find this lizard as they are so small, with a body length of around 10-12 centimetres.

Helmethead Gecko (Tarentola chazaliae)