Grampians Herping - SMALL BROWN SKINKS!!!!

[NickGeee]

The Grampians are such an underrated place to herp.
With close to every single species of temperate victorian skinks confined to the area, it is absolute paradise.
I headed up to the area on the easter weekend for a camping trip with a mate, and when we arrived at the camping ground at Lake Fyans, we were alarmed to see the water was so low, exposing an almost desert like area.
I did not see a single frog this trip.
Lake Fyans by Nick Gale, on Flickr
We soon came across an old and rusting yabby trap, so we threw some bait in it and chucked it in a nearby dam.
Whilst waiting, we headed up to Halls Gap and went for a walk up one of the highest peaks in the Grampians.
I went off track abit, and saw a skink run into a burrow under a rock. After some investigation I was ecstatic to have found a young patternless form Whites Skink! The joy was shortlived, as it was a pain in the *** to photograph.
Whites Skink (Liopholis whitii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Arriving back at the dam, we hauled up the net to find some of these monsters.
Common Yabby (Cherax destructor) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Common Yabby (Cherax destructor) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
But anyway, back to herps.
Not far away from where we were camping is some amazing Granite Hills habitat, which is my fave habitat to herp!.
Unfortunately there appears to have been some damage done by poachers on the habitat, as rocks have been picked up and lobbed all over the place!
After observing some aboriginal artwork, we soon went for an explore.
Not long after looking we found the second ever record for the Ragged Snake-Eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus pannosus)from the greater Stawell area, and the most southerly record of this species in Australia!!!
Ragged Snake-eyed Skink (Cryptoblepharus pannosus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Soon enough we where finding lots of Marbled Geckos! This guy was photographed further north, but we did find plenty of them in the Granite Hills.
Marbled Gecko (Christinus marmoratus) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
After many run ins from Robust Skinks (Ctenotus Robustus) I had found another species I had never seen before, the Dwarf Skink! this individual could have easily have fitted onto a 5 cent piece.
Dwarf Skink (Menetia greyii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Dwarf Skink (Menetia greyii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
Soon enough we had found one of my fave geckos, this one was stunningly gorgeous!
Thick Tailed Gecko (Underwoodisaurus milii) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
As the sun began to fade we headed back to the carpark, and whilst taking a quick wizz behind a tree I eyed off a very nice looking log. I flipped this skink under it, and initially thinking it was a much larger Dwarf Skink, I later found out it was just a weird looking Boulengers Skink- boring!
Boulengers Skink (Morethia boulengeri) by Nick Gale, on Flickr
After a very successful day we collapsed back at camp.
Such an awesome part of Victoria, Greater Grampians is a grouse place for a herp!
Cheers.

 

[BredliFreak]

Nice skinks there mate! Any snakes?

 

[NickGeee]

Nice skinks there mate! Any snakes?

There was a roadkill Parasuta on the road, we didn't find any live ones :/

 

[CrazyNut]

I have been past the grampians so many times on my way up to Nelson along the Glenlge river. I really need to stop and hero there one day. Any Varanus varius there? Whats really funny is Lake Fyans is the spot where my local fishing club go for trout fishing each year haha. I was at Apollo bay this easter. No herps or anything but I did photograph a black carniverous snail (Victaphanga compacta) along with numerous plants aand fungi.

 

[NickGeee]

I have been past the grampians so many times on my way up to Nelson along the Glenlge river. I really need to stop and hero there one day. Any Varanus varius there? Whats really funny is Lake Fyans is the spot where my local fishing club go for trout fishing each year haha. I was at Apollo bay this easter. No herps or anything but I did photograph a black carniverous snail (Victaphanga compacta) along with numerous plants aand fungi.

hey man, I've heard you can get Aprasia striolata down at Nelson.
Nah no varius this time, the top temp was like 24 haha, doubt there would be anything big moving around, but I know that there are lacies and sandies up at the Stawell spot. Nice job with the carn snails, I went down to Apollo bay ages ago, I remember someone telling me they have seen white lip snakes down near the beach there!

 

[CrazyNut]

I don't know with Apollo bay. First time I have been down there since I was like three. I didn't go herping (I had hoped for some frogs but sadley didn't see any even after a good shower). Haha yeh I'm happy I saw it considering that they are a bit of a rarity. It was one thing I really wanted to see. I didn't even find one, it was my mum who found the one I photographed lol. Damn a gouldii would have been awesome lol. As for nelson it wouldn't surprise me. I haven't seen any but there is so much wildlife especially elapids I mean I nearly stepped on the tail end of a grown snake and my mum nearly stepped on a huge tiger lol. Seen plenty of lizards. The lizards I see are mostly skinks but have seen a couple of agamidae, no varanids or pygopods though, not to say they arn't there buy I've just haven't seen any.

 

[pinefamily]

Great photos as always, Nick.

 

[Wally]

Congrats on the Ragged Snake-Eyed Skink and Dwarf Skink Nick. Great finds mate!

 

[NickGeee]

Congrats on the Ragged Snake-Eyed Skink and Dwarf Skink Nick. Great finds mate!

Cheers mate much appreciated!

 

[Sdaji]

Great pictures and some great finds! I've spent a lot of time in the Grampians and agree it's a brilliant place. Surprising not to have any mention of two of the most noteworthy skinks in the area, Eulamprus tympanum and of course the good old stumpy!

I've seen plenty of small skinks in the Grampians, but shamefully I haven't identified them. Good on you for making those finds so much more meaningful than someone as lazy as me has!

You're making me a little homesick

 

[NickGeee]

Great pictures and some great finds! I've spent a lot of time in the Grampians and agree it's a brilliant place. Surprising not to have any mention of two of the most noteworthy skinks in the area, Eulamprus tympanum and of course the good old stumpy!

I've seen plenty of small skinks in the Grampians, but shamefully I haven't identified them. Good on you for making those finds so much more meaningful than someone as lazy as me has!

You're making me a little homesick

haha cheers Sdaji!
Suprisingly enough I did not see a single Eulamprus this trip, even though I went to some spots where I saw plenty last time, not sure if it just the dry spell. I reckon it's probably too late for the season for stumpys, but I did see a young one up at Bendigo recently.

 

[Sdaji]

Yeah, true, the stumpies can be very seasonal. You can go to some places and see literally hundreds then literally none or maybe just one or two of them only one or two months later. I haven't spent much time in Australia over the last couple of years, I've spent most of it in the northern hemisphere tropics and my head is quite out of synch with Australian seasons!