I realize this is a little disjointed! I posted some about Granite Gorge the other day, and I started the 18th, 19th, 20th series in a separate posts. Since it's not like I'm giving a test on what happened which day, it will be all right.
Alan picks us up about 7:30 and we head out to Granite Gorge. It's fun with him driving because he knows so much history and natural history. We pass banana, mango, and macadamia nut orchards, and learn a little about each as we go.
We proceed to granite country, and the massive upthrusts of granite that form the landscape.
There are a few bird stops on the way, and then we are looking for the frilled lizard (correct name?). We spot one in the road, come to a stop, and the darned thing takes off. And, instead of running right up a tree and freezing like they usually do, it just keeps going.
On we go, and after Alan pulls into the lane at the Granite Gorge Nature Park he pulls off into a field.
There's a Great Bowerbird bower to see! This one is very cool,lots of white snail shells,white rocks, flowers, pull tabs. But, there are also some red clothespins, red flowers, and green fruits. I meant to ask Alan about this but forgot.
Most of the ornamentation is up front, but there is also some decoration in the back--just in case the female approaches from that side. Inside the bower is a small platform of sorts. Alan points out how the male has used scale and perspective to make himself look bigger. So cool.
I do have pictures and video that I will try to get uploaded.
I've already posted about the Rock Wallabies. It was so fun to feed them, and watch them. These are not captive wallabies. It's amazing to see them move about on these massive boulders. I swear they look like little monkeys when they hop about.
We walk back a bit and there are tons of butterflies, damsel and dragonflies. I attempt to take some photos and they thwart me. I watch and film a babbler for awhile.
It's a really cool area that you can hike about. There's a certain amount of danger as they are after big rocks that could be slippery, so one should take care just as with any other nature hike. Any one of these places we visited I could spend days at!
Steve and Alan chase some birds and I sit to read for a while, then we head down the road, this time stopping at Tolga for lunch. Here I tried another Bundaberg soda, this time Pink Grapefruit. I haven't managed to try the famous Bundaberg rum yet, but their sodas are good! I've been getting sleepy so I get a flat white to go and off we go.
We stopped at the Malanda Visitor Center to see if any tree kangaroos had been seen. There hadn't been, but it was a really cool area. The center is one of the better ones I have seen, with lots of cool nature exhibits. It's a sort of modern design, all angles, and in the toilet I visited you wouldn't want to be very tall as the ceiling angles in pretty sharply!
There is beautiful mosaic in the car park, describing the area. Then, down the steps, you can see the falls, and how they have created a public pool that is filled by the falls, with spillover when it gets too full. Although it is cool and rainy there are people swimming and picnicking.
As Alan said, he promised me some falls, so we went on then to Millaa Millaa. Some brave souls are still swimming. The rock face that the falls, well, fall over, are interesting in formation. Long vertical blocks of basalt.
Pictures, a few birds, some botany lessons, and we move on from the rain to Lake Eacham to chase mistletoe birds. These are Steve's nemesis and still they taunt him. We move on to Lake Barrine. Steve and Alan moved into the rainforest to seek the tooth-billed bowerbird but I balk. This is the only place I got leeches before and my ankles don't need any more assault. I enjoy myself walking around the grounds, looking out at the lake, and sitting in the sun. They do get the tooth-billed so it is a success.
It's been a long day (Alan must be sick of us!) and so we get takeaway pizza from Nick's and read, write, and watch a little tv (I think the first time this trip).
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