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Banks of Tinamirakuna

Featured species
Southern banjo frog
Common galaxias
Short-finned eels
Naming guide
A guide how and why we use common, palawa kani and scientific names.
1
Peppermint on dolerite
2
Sandstone escarpment
3
Beneath the plateau
4
Where eagles nest
5
Stocker’s Bottom
6
Banks of Tinamirakuna
Fish and frogs

This tour begins inside Tinamirakuna/the Macquarie River, where many native species reside. 

Here we’ve detected environmental DNA (eDNA) from the semi-translucent common galaxias (Galaxias maculatus), as well as the burrowing southern banjo frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii) — although you might know it as the pobblebonk, nicknamed for the lyrical bonking sound it makes. 

Short-finned eels (linguminya) (Anguilla australis) are also present. They’re mainly carnivorous, feeding on small fish, molluscs and water-borne larvae, and are important to the river ecosystem as predators. Their life cycle is remarkable too. They spawned thousands of kilometres away, in the Coral Sea, and made their way to Bass Strait, swimming up kanamaluka/Tamar River, to plipatumila/South Esk, then to this river. 

Here, they’ll live for 10 to 35 years, before swimming back downstream to start the cycle again.  

Listen to a pobblebonk army
‍Invasive species

In addition to native species, we also collected eDNA from invasive species, including tench (Tinca tinca) and redfin (Perca fluviatilis). Both are European species introduced to Australia in the 1800s. 

Redfin was introduced for angling and is still a popular sport fish. However, redfin is considered a serious pest. This is due to its ability to out-compete native fish — in some cases, eradicating entire native populations. 

Anchoring the soil

On the river’s banks are lines of diverse shrubs with extensive root systems that anchor the soil.

As the river expands considerably in the wet season, these shrubs slow and spread this flow, reducing its destructive power and filtering out organic debris. 

The water cycle

This root system is critical because The Quoin plays a small but important role in the local water cycle. 

When rain falls on the plateau’s 546-metre peak, it runs down into the wet forest ecosystem, and into the lowland grasslands via chains of ponds and underground springs, before joining Tinamirakuna/the Macquarie River at the property’s bottom corner boundary.

Explore by ecosystem

The Quoin is home to a diverse range of ecosystems—from grassy woodlands to dolerite escarpments—each with its own distinct appearance, species composition, and vital role within the broader web of life.

1
Peppermint on dolerite
2
Sandstone escarpment
3
Beneath the plateau
4
Where eagles nest
5
Stocker’s Bottom
6
Banks of Tinamirakuna
1
Peppermint on dolerite

A dry eucalyptus forest with nectar-rich banksia and wildflowers

2
Sandstone escarpment

A critical lowland native grassland transitions to rocky shelter

3
Beneath the plateau

A cool, wet forest with ferns, shadows and a thick layer of moss

4
Where eagles nest

Steep slopes and tall trees surrounded by undulating valleys

5
Stocker’s Bottom

A wide, open expanse dominated by introduced grasses

6
Banks of Tinamirakuna

Deep-rooted, diverse shrubs shade habitat for native fish

Explore by species

Wedge-tailed eagle

(kurina) (Aquila audax)

Southern brown bandicoot

(linira) (Isoodon obesulus)

Black peppermint

(lutharakumina) (Eucalyptus amygdalina)

Flame robin

(puwina) (Petroica phoenicea)