Friday, 25 October 2024
So, the thing is I think I like the IDEA of bushwalking more than I like doing it? The problem with the Australian Bush is that I have to worry too much about snakes and last night I learnt that I need to worry about ticks too. Altogether too many things can get you in the Aussie bush.
Anyhow, fear factor aside and despite yesterday afternoon’s storm this morning the sun was shining and the sky was blue and, to start with at least, the temperature was blessedly cool at under 20°C. Perfect to explore Carnarvon Gorge.
Because the gorge is linear there is a Carnarvon Great Walk that starts at the Visitor Area and ends at Big Bend BUT that’s a 22 kilometre, eight-hour return hike so walking the entire length of the gorge was off the agenda. But the question remained, just how far would we go? There was general consensus that we would go as far as the Amphitheatre a Class 3, 10 kilometre, three-hour return walk.
We set out for the Visitor Area without checking if the road had been cleared at Mickey Creek Car Park. All good, the bulk of the tress has been cleared enough for traffic to get through to the Visitor Area, but they were still working on clearing the foliage. We parked the vehicles then had another couple tell us we had parked in the van area and we could take the vehicles closer. We then followed the other couple into the 2-hour parking area so we all had to circle around to move to the all day parking area, ha, ha.
We set out on the main trail and as we were descending the steps I said that I was not liking all the stairs going down because that was going to mean climbing lots of steps UP later on. I could already feel the pain! We made good time to Moss Garden but did not go in because Barry’s tip the other day was to walk into the furthest point you hoped to achieve and then go into the side destinations on the way back because then if you decided that you couldn’t do all you wanted in one day you could return to do the shortest walk(s).
Continuing to the Amphitheatre we started to criss-cross Carnarvon Creek having to negotiate stepping stones across the water. A bit challenging to say the least with the surface of some of the rocks not as large … or flat as I might have liked! But we made it to the Amphitheatre with dry feet. At this point Cathy and Steve decided that they would go into the Amphitheatre and then decide if they could manage any more.
The Energizer Bunny was keen to go as far as Art Gallery which, when combined with Ward’s Canyon, would amount to a 14 kilometre return journey. At this point I felt energetic enough to attempt this so on we went all the way out to Art Gallery which features more than two thousand ochre stencils and freehand paintings along a 62-metre-long sandstone wall. It was definitely the most impressive indigenous art that we’ve seen and considered one of the gorge’s Big 4.
And so the return journey commenced. When we reached the turn-off for Ward’s Canyon this time we turned in to walk the steep 540-metre (return) track into a small waterfall and then continue into the lovely cool Ward’s Canyon where a small pocket of the world’s largest tree ferns flourishes. That’s another kilometre added to the trek and we had ticked off the second of the Big 4.
Phew, it’s getting harder at this point but we (I) slogged on back to the turn off for Amphitheatre. This side-track took us 1.2 kilometres (return) from the main track and involved climbing a series of ladders and hopping across stepping stones through a water-filled chasm to access the the 60-metre deep chamber hidden inside the gorge after being eroded by running water. Once again a breathtaking cool, green oasis inside the gorge, but completely different from Ward’s Canyon. This was the third of the Big 4.
As we criss-crossed Carnarvon Creek again it was Bernie not me who ended up slipping off one of the stepping stones and getting both feet wet. Actually it may not have been such a bad move because it was HOT and this made his feet cooler. I was a little concerned about wet socks rubbing blisters but he didn’t think it would be a problem. At the water crossings there were brilliant red and blue dragon flies buzzing around but they were impossible to photograph.
Arriving at the entrance to Moss Garden I was alarmed to read the sign that said it would be a steep 1.3-kilometre (return) side trip. I was so tired already and still had to hike about 2.8 kilometres back to the car park from this point. I hauled myself in to the amazing Moss Garden where water drips constantly from the sandstone walls to support a lush carpet of mosses, ferns and liverworts. Woo hoo, we have managed all four of the Big 4. Totally worth the effort BUT I’m remembering all those steps we clambered down this morning …
The final run back to the car park was HARD. It was much hotter than when we started but only in the low 30s rather than the high 30s and still mostly in the shade with a very welcome breeze blowing. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and finally we were at the last water crossing adjacent to the Visitor Area. Not helped by thinking that every curve in the track was going to be the last one that would reveal the roof of the Ranger’s headquarters. So many false positives!
I staggered to the toilets to find that I could still pee. Definitely a good sign indicating that I have managed to stay well hydrated. While I was there Bernie returned to the car, cranked the a/c up and picked me up close to the amenities to spare me a hundred metres or so.
Back at our cabin we checked in with Cathy and Steve to pick up some ingredients to make sandwiches for a late lunch. Between Art Gallery and Ward’s Canyon we had scoffed a couple of macadamia and white chocolate cookies for morning tea but now it was well past time for lunch at 3.00pm in the afternoon!
After lunch Bernie got straight onto processing the photos that we had taken today in the spectacular Carnarvon Gorge. I lay around on the couch almost comatose in recovery mode after hiking 16 kilometres and recording just over 24,000 steps. After weeks of sub-par performances today I achieved awards for a New Move Record and Move Goal 200% and an Exercise Goal PB for 185 minutes but went on to record 209 minutes of Exercise today! That’s going to be hard to beat.
Just before 6.00pm we went to stake out the platypus pond again. All I saw was a tortoise and a couple of coots. Only one more opportunity tomorrow evening to try to spy one of these secretive creatures.
Even though Cathy was exhausted after making it to Amphitheatre, Ward’s Canyon and Moss Garden (11.7 kilometres return) she was a real trooper and made our dinner tonight. We had a lovely chicken stir-fry with rice tonight and it was delicious because I didn’t have to make it after today’s exertions!!
Wow! What a beautiful hike, you did so well!