The Capella Creek Nature Walk is a slashed track from the Gregory Highway (Great Inland Way) traffic bridge area, along the creek for 1km to the now buried steam railway era weir, across the creek bed and back down the opposite side. It is incorporated in the first section of the Capella Creek Bird Watching Area which is encompassed by the Creek Fire Break Track which extends 2.3km from the Gregory Highway to Bakers Crossing Road and return.
The creek originates in the Peak Range or ‘the Peaks’ as it is known locally. The Peaks is series of volcanic plugs and lava flows, running from north-west to the south-east, approximately 30kms north-east of Capella. The creek itself is dry for most of the year, but it does flow during the rainfall events of the ‘wet’ season and holds water in holes for some time following these events.
The cracking clay soil downs that the creek traverses on its way to Capella and the Peak Range give the district its name: Peak Downs.
One of Capella Creek’s common marine residents is the Freshwater Crab (Austrothelphusa transversa). To escape the dry weather, these crabs construct burrows in the creek banks and bed which they seal with mud. The burrows are usually around one metre long, and are found in the areas which experience annual flooding. The humid air trapped inside the burrows provides the crabs with enough moisture to survive in a state of suspended animation until wet weather returns. Young hatch as juveniles, but can be carried under the mother’s body in an arrested state of development for months while waiting for good rains. Look out for shed crab exoskeletons that can occasionally be seen when walking along the creek edge. The shell (carapace) grows to approximately 50mm (2inches) wide.
LOCAL VEGETATION
Vegetation communities associated the Capella area range from grasslands, dominated by Dicanthium species; to shrubs, such as Tea-tree (Melaleuca) and Brigalow (Acacia); to trees including Eucalypts and Bloodwoods.
Coolibahs can be easily identified by their large size, with rough grey bark occurring only on the lower part of the trunk and smooth light grey bark on the upper part and branches - an adaptation to protect the lower trunk from both animal and fire damage. Red Bloodwoods (Corymbia Erythrophloia) can be differentiated from the Coolibahs by their rough, tessellated bark which covers the entire trunk.
The composition of the district’s grassland communities are quite diverse and can vary considerably over time and space. Queensland Bluegrass (Dichanthium sericeum), is the most widespread and dominant native grass species, however, White Speargrass (Aristida leptopoda), Native Millet (Panicum decompositum) and Yabila Grass (Panicum queenslandicum) are also frequently observed on the downs country surrounding the Creek. Legumes and herbs can also be found amongst these. The grass seen beside the Capella Creek bridge is an introduced Torpedo Grass (Panicum repens).
Shrubs such as Black Tea-tree (Melaleuca bracteata) and Myall (Acacia pendula) are found along Capella Creek. Their flowers are an important source of food for the numerous birds and animals living there, while their foliage provides protection against potential predators.
Coolibahs (Eucalyptus coolibah), River Oak (Casuarina cunninghamii) and Forest Red Gum – also called Blue Gum – (Eucalyptus tereticornis) are the larger tree species found along the creek. These tree species provide hollows which are important nesting and roosting sites for birds and animals.
There is an old time ‘rule of thumb’ that says, where coolibahs grow on lower lying country is where the flood will reach.
