Back on the Bruce Highway inland to Eungella National Park, west of MacKay, and Broken River (such a romantic name). Drove through mountains with amazing views to a cabin in the 'cloud' rainforest. A totally new experience again. Still hot in the sun up here but distinctly cooler in shade and positively chilly at night; a blanket for the first time in weeks!
We have a self contained home again, with deck overlooking the gardens down to Broken River where we have seen the dear little platypuses this area is well known for. Lots of turtles too. The gardens are full of the screech of sulphur crested cockatoos and at dusk, laughing kookaburras! Yippee, finally heard what my Mum can so expertly mimic!
We were taken on a searchlight walk at 8pm to see what wildlife and fauna we could; a bush tailed possum eating a banana, who eventually turned his back on us, not liking being in the spotlight, and later a (rarely seen) sugar glider possum, tiny with frilled flying 'wings' folded around him as he clung upside down to a branch. More magnificent trees, red and white cedar, tulip oaks and palms. The red cedar has been reaped too much and there are few now. And cyclones have wiped out canopies, causing depletion of some birds (fruit pigeons? in this area, apparently). Also, strangely platypuses struggle to survive in floods, they can drown. We saw these strange parasite 'strangler fig' trees, that look like aliens, melted into their host tree which they eventually reduce to a hollow. You can tell our guide, Miles, was very informative and a total enthusiast, miserable about the road workers who drive crazily through here and kill kangaroos, possums and wallabies with no regard.
Wednesday did a 5mile walk along river through forest. Best bit was stopping to sit on granite rocks by rushing water in hot sun. Pete managed to photograph a Ulysses Swallowtail butterfly; the bright blue symbol of the rainforest. Not easy to catch on camera.
The owners of this resort are English. He was telling us that they have Christmas in July, when it gets quite cold here. They light the open fire in the lounge area and decorate the place with fairy lights and do a Christmas dinner menu for a few days. Some of the bigger cabins have log burners, so I expect it's quite a cosy atmosphere. His wife is something of an animal rescuer and has been known to help baby wallabies, whose mothers have been killed on the road by putting them in a sock in an electric frypan. Hmmmm, hope she gets the temperature right, can't think what's worse; the smell of heated sock, or frying wallaby!
entrance to restaurant
our garden
our hut
sugar glider at night
We have a self contained home again, with deck overlooking the gardens down to Broken River where we have seen the dear little platypuses this area is well known for. Lots of turtles too. The gardens are full of the screech of sulphur crested cockatoos and at dusk, laughing kookaburras! Yippee, finally heard what my Mum can so expertly mimic!
We were taken on a searchlight walk at 8pm to see what wildlife and fauna we could; a bush tailed possum eating a banana, who eventually turned his back on us, not liking being in the spotlight, and later a (rarely seen) sugar glider possum, tiny with frilled flying 'wings' folded around him as he clung upside down to a branch. More magnificent trees, red and white cedar, tulip oaks and palms. The red cedar has been reaped too much and there are few now. And cyclones have wiped out canopies, causing depletion of some birds (fruit pigeons? in this area, apparently). Also, strangely platypuses struggle to survive in floods, they can drown. We saw these strange parasite 'strangler fig' trees, that look like aliens, melted into their host tree which they eventually reduce to a hollow. You can tell our guide, Miles, was very informative and a total enthusiast, miserable about the road workers who drive crazily through here and kill kangaroos, possums and wallabies with no regard.
Wednesday did a 5mile walk along river through forest. Best bit was stopping to sit on granite rocks by rushing water in hot sun. Pete managed to photograph a Ulysses Swallowtail butterfly; the bright blue symbol of the rainforest. Not easy to catch on camera.
The owners of this resort are English. He was telling us that they have Christmas in July, when it gets quite cold here. They light the open fire in the lounge area and decorate the place with fairy lights and do a Christmas dinner menu for a few days. Some of the bigger cabins have log burners, so I expect it's quite a cosy atmosphere. His wife is something of an animal rescuer and has been known to help baby wallabies, whose mothers have been killed on the road by putting them in a sock in an electric frypan. Hmmmm, hope she gets the temperature right, can't think what's worse; the smell of heated sock, or frying wallaby!
another 3 stunning postings about your ever thrilling travels.
ReplyDelete"how're y'u gonna keep 'em down in westbourne now that the've seen Airlie?
Pink soooo wetsuits you Sara"
We were told they were not 100% protection against the stingers but that was many years ago when bathing suits were very loose fitting.
love P'n'O
Yes, be strange being back in our small village after this huge land! I'm thinking of sporting the stinger suit look in the Stags Head. What do you reckon?!
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