Leaders: Ken Green, Glen Sinecki. Monday 30 January 2006.

We headed off on the 7.45am bus after another hearty breakfast. Everyone was in high spirits after the previous day’s trek up the mountain. Once we entered Kosciuszko NP we spotted several adult Red-necked Wallabies from the bus, checking us out as we passed by.

First stop was on the pot-holed Link Road between Smiggin Holes and Guthega, where Ken Green and Glenn Sinecki, alpine ecologists, were waiting to greet us. They had been mammal trapping in the area. They explained the reason for the shade cloth we had seen along Link Road. This is an experiment to study different methods of rehabilitating bog communities after fire. Shade cloth is used vertically and horizontally. Fertilizer is also used. Light, temperature and plant growth are monitored.

Population crash. Ken informed us that there was a population crash in their studied animals (antechinus, Southern Bush Rat and Broad-toothed Rat) in 1999. Possible causes were foxes and poor snow. These populations had begun to recover until the fires of 2003. The winter of 2005 was a poor snow year so another crash is expected and recent trap data is confirming this fear. He showed us a Dusky Antechinus. The females survive winter by feeding on invertebrates in the subnivean space between brief periods of torpor. Elliot traps baited with peanut butter and honey are used to survey animals. 1080 has been used to reduce the fox population by 75%, but the 2003 fire had no impact on foxes. Ken has concern for the future of these small mammals, as there has been a 30% decline in snow over 40 years, which has allowed the movement of native and feral mammals to higher altitudes.

Predators. Glen is monitoring the impacts of resorts (which take up 1%of the National Park) on the small mammals. They have a significant impact through potential introduction of feral species. He showed us an omnivorous Southern Bush Rat (the most common species in south-east Australia). On the following day he was able to show the group one of two Broad-toothed Rats trapped the previous night. Foxes selectively predate the Broad-toothed Rat because it is more docile than the bush rat. Unlike the Pygmy Possum, the 3 species studied by Ken and Glen do not hibernate, but survive winter in the subnivean space.

At Guthega. We went to Guthega Dam for morning tea. Six Great Cormorants were basking on the shore. Water flows through tunnel and pipes to reach Guthega Power Station, which was our next stop. On nearby tracks there were lots of introduced and native grasses with resident insect life – crickets, wasps, beetles, moths, butterflies and an alpine cricket. The Dargo or Spinning Gum was flowering along the Snowy River.

The lunch spot was at Island Bend beneath Candlebark and Black Sallee trees.

Jindabyne surge tank. Following lunch a brief stop was made at the Jindabyne surge tank. The purpose of the surge tank is to avoid possible damage to the pumps and ancillary equipment when the nearby pumping station is turned off, with resultant back pressure and reverse flows in the pipeline. Many skinks up to 50cm long were seen sun baking on the surrounding rocks.

Liz Duck, Chris Gleeson, Trevor Stoneman

Katydid, being firmly held. At Guthega Power Station.	Trapped Antechinus nibbles the Ranger's finger. Guthega. Photos: Rosalind Smallwood.