With the Uni holidays winding up, and my need to find herps still far from itched, I decided on spending a week in beautiful, sunny, warm South Australia.
I flew over on a tuesday and spent the week catching up with the numerous (almost too many) family members I have in Adelaide. After thousands of cups of coffee, millions of slices of toast and innumerable slices of cake, the weekend finally rolled around and it was time to meet some friends and go herping.
Leaving fairly early on the Saturday our hopes were high, we expected to find lots. Some discussion was had on our way to the first stop about our disappointment that the wonderful sun of Friday hadn't showed that morning. Irregardless we wouldn't be turned off target, Pygmy Copperheads. Unfortunately it did turn out too cold for those, but it wasn't too much longer to the next site where we instantly turned up a new snake species for me.
![]()
Parasuta spectabilis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
and a Skink I needed better pics of.
![]()
Morethia adelaidensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
This site turned up a bunch of other new species for one of my friends, but with limited time I didn't photograph any of it. We soon left trying to keep on schedule to get to our next site. Meeting up with a knowledgeable bloke we were led to a good site for our next 2 targets, and found them within a few minutes.
The Gulf Delma.
![]()
Delma molleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
A Flinders Worm Lizard
![]()
Aprasia pseudopulchella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Aprasia pseudopulchella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Aprasia pseudopulchella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
A Tawny Crevice Dragon
![]()
Ctenophorus decresii by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
And a Southern Rock Dtella
![]()
Gehyra lazelli by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Still on a schedule we headed off to our next site in the semi-arid zone. With only one suicide Roo blocking our path we managed to arrive just after dark and quickly get bogged half a tyre in sand. After a few minutes of digging and laying sticks saw us out of the whole, and straight back into a new one.....
4 attempts, and 1 hour later we finally managed to get back onto solid road and decided to quit our attempts of driving further.
Happy to be un-bogged we quickly started looking for reptiles. Within 30 seconds too of us near-simultaneously spotted 2 of these beautiful little geckos.
![]()
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
After much talk about how we would be lucky to see them, we ended up finding over 30 of them that night.
![]()
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flick
Further searching yielded 2/3 of my other targets.
First off a Marble Faced Delma
![]()
Delma australis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Delma australis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Then a Butler's Delma
![]()
Delma butleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Delma butleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Delma butleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
As well as some more common things including this Eastern Stone Gecko.
![]()
Diplodactylus vittatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
The next day we started our way back, but stopped at a couple little areas to see a few things.
Bynoe's Geckos
![]()
Heteronotia binoei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Stopped at one of the guys family farm.
It had beardies.
![]()
Pogona barbata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Pogona barbata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
More Gulf Delmas.
![]()
Delma molleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
And a new frog species for me.
![]()
Neobatrachus pictus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
![]()
Neobatrachus pictus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
After such a good weekend it was a shame to go home, but with Uni beckoning the next day I got dropped off at the airport, ready to review my pictures, post some threads, and dream about my next trip to South Australia, warmest, sunniest and nicest of Australia's states.
I flew over on a tuesday and spent the week catching up with the numerous (almost too many) family members I have in Adelaide. After thousands of cups of coffee, millions of slices of toast and innumerable slices of cake, the weekend finally rolled around and it was time to meet some friends and go herping.
Leaving fairly early on the Saturday our hopes were high, we expected to find lots. Some discussion was had on our way to the first stop about our disappointment that the wonderful sun of Friday hadn't showed that morning. Irregardless we wouldn't be turned off target, Pygmy Copperheads. Unfortunately it did turn out too cold for those, but it wasn't too much longer to the next site where we instantly turned up a new snake species for me.
Parasuta spectabilis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
and a Skink I needed better pics of.
Morethia adelaidensis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
This site turned up a bunch of other new species for one of my friends, but with limited time I didn't photograph any of it. We soon left trying to keep on schedule to get to our next site. Meeting up with a knowledgeable bloke we were led to a good site for our next 2 targets, and found them within a few minutes.
The Gulf Delma.
Delma molleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
A Flinders Worm Lizard
Aprasia pseudopulchella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Aprasia pseudopulchella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Aprasia pseudopulchella by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
A Tawny Crevice Dragon
Ctenophorus decresii by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
And a Southern Rock Dtella
Gehyra lazelli by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Still on a schedule we headed off to our next site in the semi-arid zone. With only one suicide Roo blocking our path we managed to arrive just after dark and quickly get bogged half a tyre in sand. After a few minutes of digging and laying sticks saw us out of the whole, and straight back into a new one.....
4 attempts, and 1 hour later we finally managed to get back onto solid road and decided to quit our attempts of driving further.
Happy to be un-bogged we quickly started looking for reptiles. Within 30 seconds too of us near-simultaneously spotted 2 of these beautiful little geckos.
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
After much talk about how we would be lucky to see them, we ended up finding over 30 of them that night.
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Strophurus elderi by Stephen Mahony, on Flick
Further searching yielded 2/3 of my other targets.
First off a Marble Faced Delma
Delma australis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Delma australis by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Then a Butler's Delma
Delma butleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Delma butleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Delma butleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
As well as some more common things including this Eastern Stone Gecko.
Diplodactylus vittatus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
The next day we started our way back, but stopped at a couple little areas to see a few things.
Bynoe's Geckos
Heteronotia binoei by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Stopped at one of the guys family farm.
It had beardies.
Pogona barbata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Pogona barbata by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
More Gulf Delmas.
Delma molleri by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
And a new frog species for me.
Neobatrachus pictus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
Neobatrachus pictus by Stephen Mahony, on Flickr
After such a good weekend it was a shame to go home, but with Uni beckoning the next day I got dropped off at the airport, ready to review my pictures, post some threads, and dream about my next trip to South Australia, warmest, sunniest and nicest of Australia's states.