Saturday, 26 October 2024
After yesterday’s BIG WALK my travel rash has put in an appearance. Mainly just above my left ankle but with a couple of spots on my right ankle and lower calf. I have often wondered if the rash is a heat rash so I think this holiday has put that idea to rest. It’s been hot ever since we crossed the border into Queensland so if it was heat related I think it would have manifested before now. It seems that it’s related to walking, lots of walking. My 40-50 minute daily walk at home isn’t enough to trigger it at any time of year but once I start hoofing around sightseeing or bushwalking that brings it out. Fortunately, it doesn’t hurt or itch it just looks nasty.
At the planning stage we decided on three days at Carnarvon Gorge so that we could explore several of the tracks. We planned to complete a couple of short walks on our first afternoon, at least some of the main gorge walking trail one day and possibly Boolimba Bluff another day. Well, best laid plans and all that. On the first afternoon we had a storm making the Mickey Creek Gorge Trail and the Nature Walk inaccessible! Day two went as planned with a decent walk along the main gorge walking trail completed. So, what to do on our third day?
Boolimba Bluff would be do-able … if one had not walked so far yesterday?? It is ‘only’ 6.4km return from the main visitor area BUT it’s a Class 4 track that involves scaling steep slopes and climbing ladders in some sections. Those who make it to the top of Boolimba Bluff are rewarded with views out towards distant ranges from this vantage point 200 metres above Carnarvon Creek. Um, no, just NO! Not today anyway as I am still recovering from yesterday. Last night when I should have been sleeping the sleep of the dead I was up and down walking out cramps and struggling to find a sleeping position that didn’t hurt my poor tender knees and hips!
With Boolimba Bluff off the agenda for this morning we headed to the Mickey Creek car park now that it was accessible again. We walked in to the fork in the track taking the left hand fork first. Compared with the main gorge walking track this track was much easier although still some stairs involved which my knees could certainly have done without. We reached the end of the official (developed?) trail and found ourselves looking at another green and tranquil gully/chasm, this one filled with butterflies. I wondered if there was a favoured plant in the area that the butterflies like to lay their eggs on or perhaps feed on? Whatever the reason the butterflies were certainly attracted to this spot.
We returned to the fork in the track and surveyed the right hand fork. It appeared that Thursday’s storm had blown a very tall Carnarvon Fan Palm over the start of the track, and it had not yet been cleared by the rangers. Not to worry, we were able to clamber over it and the rest of the path was clear. Once again, we reached a point with a signpost to say it was the end of the developed track. Bernie had a conversation with someone on the main gorge walking trail yesterday who had said it’s definitely worth continuing beyond the ‘end of the trail’ further into the narrow-sided gorge. With our park guide also saying that the trail becomes a rock-hopping adventure, we continued.
We clambered along into the section where the walls are so close you can stretch out your arms and touch both sides of the gorge. With the opening to the sky so narrow the gorge is lovely and cool and filled with green palms, ferns and moss. We rock-hopped for a while but with the going getting increasingly difficult Cathy and I decided that we had gone far enough. Bernie and Steve went a little bit further before they too pulled the pin on the adventure! A guy we had seen hiking yesterday came along in his sandals (Teva or similar?) and he overtook Bernie and Steve and kept on going! I guess in sandals you don’t have to rock hop you can just paddle through the creek if it comes to that.
Talking of hiking footwear, we’ve all been in hiking shoes or boots so, you know, serious footwear for serious hiking. Yesterday we saw people hiking in sandals which I guess is OK if you don’t mind getting your feet filthy on the dusty, sandy tracks and leaving your toes accessible to snake bite? However, we saw one guy kilometres from the starting point in his Crocs! How is that even comfortable for hiking? Cathy and Steve saw one guy walking barefoot carrying his thongs which he had taken off because there were annoying him. To each his own I suppose but personally I like having my feet and toes protected from dirt, tree roots, rocks, stones and ants and other bitey things.
After our interlude in the cool canyon we hiked back to the vehicles then ummed and ahhed about whether to complete the other easy walk, Nature Trail from the visitor area along the creek of the Carnarvon Creek. With Steve believing that he had seen an ice-cream fridge at the Ranger’s station we drove into the main visitor area for the short, 1.5km trail. Damn, no ice-creams at the Ranger station! Oh well, we’re here now we may as well do the walk. With the morning warming up it was a relief that it was a short, flat, mostly shaded trail. We were treated to sightings of several species of bird but unsure what any of them were apart from the kookaburra.
Back at the vehicles Cathy and Steve made their getaway but we were detained by a fellow asking about how/where to see the gorge while his wife was using the amenities. We told him that some hiking would be involved to which he responded that his wife has mobility issues so that would not be possible. They had been hoping for a spot to which they could drive to look out over the gorge like you can at Katherine Gorge (apparently?). His wife arrived back at the car and he told her that they wouldn’t be able to see the gorge. She then complained that they had driven 40 kilometres into the park from the highway and it would have been good to know earlier that views are not available from gorge adjacent car parks. What? If you were driving this way it didn’t occur to you to do some internet research before leaving home to learn about what there is to see? Perhaps even more important if you are mobility impaired??
We drove back to the cabins and made some sandwiches for lunch and then discussed going to swim at Rock Pool … where we started on Thursday afternoon before the rainstorm. I said that I didn’t fancy going wild swimming and would remain at the cabin. This was mainly triggered by the fact that the bloke who told us he’d seen a platypus in the pond behind the cabins last night mentioned that they also saw an inland taipan swimming in the creek. I was also worried about ticks and leeches. You get all sorts of nasties in creek/river water, and I am not a fan!
Bernie was undecided, initially choosing not to go and then changing his mind after Cathy and Steve had headed off. He left to catch them up and I enjoyed some time by myself sitting on the deck behind the cabin listening to the birds singing. Before long the threesome was back and still completely dry. Apparently, the pool was a real anticlimax being shallower and dirtier than anticipated. Yup, I would much prefer a nice, safe, chlorinated pool for swimming in thank you very much!
My turn to cook dinner tonight so I’m whipping up some spag bol. We have a two hotplate cooktop in the cabins but Cathy discovered last night that it’s a problem getting two decedent sized pots on at the same time so she struggled a bit with getting stir-fry and rice ready simultaneously. I am thinking that I should start the bolognese sauce soon and then take it off the cooker while I go down to stake out the platypus pond while some water for the pasta heats up. Then after the sun sets, I can cook the pasta, put the sauce back on the hotplate while I drain the pasta and then have it all ready together?? That’s the plan anyway.
With the bolognese sauce cooked and the pot of water on to boil we went down to the river about ten to six to try again for a platypus spotting. Lots of tortoises tonight and we saw a much larger fish than the fingerlings we have been seeing the last two nights. Unfortunately a platypus sighting was not to be. There are so many pond skaters on the surface causing ripples across the surface that we did get a bit excited a couple of times but there was no platypus about tonight for us to see. Very disappointed.
We wandered back to the cabin and cooked the pasta and reheated the sauce for dinner. We’re tucking into my delicious (even if I do say so myself) spag bol when Bernie says – tomorrow night we’ll be able to go to the pub for dinner like he would prefer that to my cooking. Oh, ha, ha, ha. He said he was joking but I think I should have stuck my fork in his arm for his very unfunny attempt at humour! Mind you the pub is easier than cooking on a tiny two hotplate cooktop. And much easier than washing up a pile of dishes!!
