I am visiting UQ and attending the 2012 World Conference on Natural Resource Modeling to present a paper on desalination technology choices. UQ is a top international university in academic terms but I also want to say it is one of the most beautiful campuses I have seen anywhere. A tropical feel about its native vegetation and, being beautifully (and conveniently) located on the Brisbane River flood plain, makes it distinctive. The campus also interesting in terms of nature – the birdlife here good. Hugh Possingham took a group of us around the campus this morning on a birdwatching tour. After the walk he advised me of a carpark (off Mill St) where you could see Bush Stone curlew. Sure enough in the middle of the campus I found 3 in a couple of minutes. Tracking back from this sighting I saw 3 Helmeted Guinea fowl near a campus lake – a new tick for me. All in all a very pleasant morning.
Update: Here is my talk on desalination investments. (1633)
It’s a pity that you bought the Melbourne weather with you, though!
I know nothing much about birdwatching, but I thought that the Boondall wetlands park on the Northern outskirts (if you have a car) had a good reputation for, well, wetlands birds.
Link: http://tinyurl.com/d9spwpt
In my opinion UWA is the most beautiful campus in Australia. The reflecting pool, sunken garden, are gardens are truly impresive.
I spent my undergraduate years at UQ studying architecture when it was very non-descript in appearance. I visited for the first time in decades a few years ago and was absolutely knocked out. It’s magnificent. Giving Circular Drive over to landscaping was a smart move. And in summer there’s nothing quite like having to step around one metre lizards on the walkways!
Hi Harry
I live in hope that the bush stone curlews, which I often heard at night in suburban Brisbane as a child, will become as ubiquitous as the ibis. Last year I was restauranting at Southbank (the Qld one of course, ) before an evening concert, and there was a pair of curlews doing the rounds of the rubbish bins. I have a photo of them – they came within 15 feet of me.
Re UQ grounds. The spurwing plovers used to try and nest on the front lawn before it got encrusted with carparks. Some of the groundsmen would try to leave the birds in peace for a few weeks, but I think the birds have given up – the powers that were seemed to get a power lift from looking at acres of denuded environment (aka lawn.)
As the UQ guineafowl aren’t a self-sustaining population most people wouldn’t tick them. There are, I believe, Helmet Guineafowl populations further north in Queensland that most people regards as tickable. Its up to you what you tick, of course.
Andrew, I got a somewhat confused story but I heard they have reproduced at UQ so I assumed they would be classified as self-sustaining. It is not a big issue since my bird count is not huge – I won’t be challenging anyone.