Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge

11/06/2026

I have an admission to make..... I was just a little sceptical but didn't say so, when our newly arrived foreign guests claimed that a Victoria's Riflebird had just been visiting the banana feeder beside their room. Their description matched an immature or a female and better still, they had a photo! Best news of the week! The last one here that we know of was also a fem/imm on the feeder during the week of 29th June-5th July 2025. It makes one wonder if it's the same bird, back for its winter holidays off Mt Lewis again, staying at Kingfisher Park where avian guests receive a daily banana or two. I was later able to reward the guests for their report by pointing out a Red-necked Crake bathing in the gloomy dusk light but clearly showing that red neck :-)

10/06/2026

Local Access - Sunday 14 June 2026
2026 Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns will involve temporary Changed Traffic Conditions in Cairns and Palm Cove. Please read the information below outlining these changed traffic conditions during the event to ensure you are aware of alternative routes in place for you to access these areas and safely cross the course if necessary.

*This map is subject to change.

Changed Traffic Conditions & Local Access Map

Changed Traffic Conditions
Parking & Venues Affected
Cairns CBD
Road Affected Time Details
(Esplanade) Spence St to Aplin St Fri, 12 June 4:00am - Mon, 16 June 12:30pm Full Road Closure
(Esplanade)Aplin St to Minnie St Sat, 13 June 6:30am - 10:00am Full Road Closure
(Esplanade) Aplin St to Upwards St Sun, 14 June 7:00am - Mon, 16 June 1:30am Full Road Closure
(Esplanade) Upward St - Lily St Sun, 14 June 7:00am - 7:00pm Northbound traffic permitted only
(Lily St) Esplanade to Lake St Sun, 14 June 7:00am - 7:00pm Westbound traffic permitted only
(Lake St) Lily St to Airport Ave Sun, 14 June 7:00am - 7:00pm Northbound traffic permitted only
(Airport Ave) Captain Cook Highway to Lake St Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 7:00pm Delays may be expected


Cairns CBD to Northern Beaches & Palm Cove
Road Affected Time Details
(Captain Cook Highway) Airport Ave (Cairns) to Yorkeys K**b Rd) Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 8:00pm Changed Traffic Conditions
- Expect Delays
Yorkeys K**b Rd / Dunne Rd (Smithfield) Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 7:30pm Changed Traffic Conditions
- Expect Delays
(Smithfield Village Dr) McGregor Rd to Reed Rd Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 7:30pm Northbound traffic permitted only
(Reed Rd) Smithfield Village Dr to Johanna Rd Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 7:30pm Westbound traffic permitted only
(Captain Cook Highway) Reed Rd to Veivers Rd Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 12:00pm Changed Traffic Conditions
- Expect Delays
Palm Cove - Warren St Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 12:00pm Full Road Closure
Palm Cove - Cedar Rd Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 12:00pm Full Road Closure
(Palm Cove - Williams Esplanade) Veivers Rd to Cedar Rd Sun, 14 June 4:00am - 12:00pm Local Access only
(Palm Cove - Williams Esplanade) Cedar Rd to Gold Finch Car Park Tue, 9 June 4:00am - Tue, 17 June 12:00pm Full Road Closure
(Palm Cove - Williams Esplanade) Cedar Rd to Gold Finch Car Park Tue, 9 June 4:00am - Sat, 14 June 10:30pm
Sun, 14 June 1:00pm - Tue, 17 June 12:00pm Caravan Access Permitted
(Captain Cook Highway) Veivers Rd, Palm Cove to Trezise Rd, Craiglie Sun, 14 June 5:30am - 5:30pm Full Road Closure


Palm Cove - Craiglie
Road Affected Time Details
(Captain Cook Highway) Veivers Rd, Palm Cove to Trezise Rd, Craiglie Sun, 14 June 5:30am - 5:30pm Full Road Closure
(Trezise Rd) Captain Cook Highway to Mowbray River Rd Sun, 14 June 5:30am - 5:30pm Full Road Closure
Spring Creek Rd Sun, 14 June 5:30am - 5:30pm Local Access only
(Captain Cook Highway) Trezise Rd, Craiglie to Beor St, Craiglie Sun, 14 June 5:30am - 5:30pm Full Road Closure

08/06/2026

For months we have had 2 large female Golden Orb Weavers in their enormous webs attached below the eaves of our personal residence. The low sun a few days ago really showed the intricate, precise nature of the webs these spiders spin.

08/06/2026

While taking part in a guided botanical walk on Babbler Hill, behind Mount Molloy School yesterday, I was happy to see a Square-tailed Kite rocking over the tree tops. These birds used to breed there but now we have only visitors, mainly in winter, it seems. Pied Currawong was there, and back home at Julatten a Torresian Crow flew over, calling - also a winter/cane-season visitor presumably from west of us as they are regulars around Mount Carbine, just over the mountain.

08/06/2026

https://birdlife.org.au/how-to/ethical-birdwatching-guidelines/

BirdLife Australia's Ethical Birdwatching Guidelines prioritise bird welfare and habitat conservation – lead by example and ensure responsible birdwatching at all times.

24/05/2026

As well as doing drive-by-birding of "Lake Maclean" tonight, Andrew and I walked from Maclean Bridge over Rifle Creek around the corner onto Wetherby Rd for some way. That corner was jumping with bush birds. The list included a pair of confiding Lemon-bellied Fly-Robins, Grey, Rufous and Northern Fantail, Varied Triller, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Grey-headed and Rufous Whistler, Rufous Shrike-thrush, Scarlet, Brown, Yellow and Cryptic Honeyeater, a distant, hunting Black-shouldered Kite, and a number of swiftlets overhead. The temperature was perfect close to 5pm as the lowering sun filtered through the trees and, as I have so often said, some of the best birding happens when many birders would have packed up and gone home for a beer. :-)

24/05/2026

Anyone birding the Julatten area might like to factor in Wetherby Rd and Maclean's Bridge Rd. The farmland on Maclean's Bridge Rd which floods in the Wet to form what we like to call "Lake Maclean" is now starting to dry out. A couple of days ago there were clearly a lot of stranded fish and frogs in a very small pool, judging by the birds lining the edge, spearing repeatedly. There was a Royal Spoonbill, Great and Intermediate Egret, a couple of White Ibises, a Straw-necked Ibis and a Pacific Heron, all getting a feed. Scanning the paddock revealed five White-faced Herons, a Little Egret dashing to and fro, a lot more ibises, egrets, Masked Lapwings and Black Ducks. In fact, that one flooded field had more waterbirds than I'd seen in months. By tonight at 5pm the small pool had gone but there was still plenty of wading and poking going on and a Red-backed Fairy-wren on the fence.

17/05/2026

Some of you may recall how upset we were a week or so back when we removed a redundant strip light fitting from the veranda ceiling, only to realise it was housing two bats! That same day I hung up this empty bird feeder on the wall nearby, with the fond, but clearly deluded hope that the homeless bats might, in desperation, take up residence. Needless to say, they didn't but this White-lipped Tree Frog did.

16/05/2026

Please note, we are unable to accept any further bookings for accommodation for this 2026 season. Also a reminder: we do not allow day visitors. Remember to visit Abattoir Swamp Environmental Park where the car-park usually provides the best birding, and visitors who have a 4WD can drive (with care) the 10.6km up Mt Lewis Rd to the Clearing for all those desirable, high-altitude Wet Tropics endemics. Happy birding!

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16/05/2026