Day 12: Eungella Dam

The other campers packed up this morning, so we’ve got the place to ourselves. They recommended a drive from here along the Mt Barker Rd to Collinsville – very pretty they tell me, 4WD (we didn’t do it – just here for future reference).

Our morning chorus!

Our morning chorus!

I spent the morning sitting in the camp with binoculars and bird book to hand. Here we get not only the water birds, but lots of land birds too – kookaburras, currawongs, butcher birds, straw-necked ibis, pee wees, friar birds, white cockatoos, greenies and squatter pigeons. This is a truly idyllic spot – grassy site, sandy shore, freshwater, good swimming and kayaking, and bird watching. I believe it gets very crowded on weekends and school holidays, with good reason. This afternoon we took the kayak into deep water and  practiced flipping it and getting back into it. Although a little ungainly we both managed pretty well. Enjoyed a lovely swim afterwards. Happily, until we got back onshore and realised Steve did it with his glasses on, and now they weren’t on anymore! Hmmm. Lamb Hotpot for tea (love my Dreampot) campfire and another lovely quiet night.

View a few photos we took at the camping area by clicking here.

Watching the locals pass by.

Watching the locals pass by.

That's alotta bull!

That’s alotta bull!

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Day 11: Moonlight Dam to Eungella Dam

Slow pack up this morning – I really didn’t want to go, it was so lovely. Saw a couple of gallinules under the fig tree before we left. Got away about 9.30 and headed off to Eungella Dam along Turrawulla Rd, then right into Pipeline Road.  All dirt or sandy road and some of it rough rocky – 4WD preferred.
Eungella Dam supplies the water to the local area via the pipeline we followed on the road in. It’s a beautiful setting at the western foothills of the Eungella Range. Surprisingly it’s green grass, treed and shady with a 2 metre-wide sandy beach around the edge and sandy bottom – no mud!  When we arrived there were several families set up for the day with kayaks and picnics and children swimming, and a few water skiers, jet skies (pox on the water according to Steve) and fishing boats. We chose the quieter side away from the boats to set up camp right on the grassy foreshore, with one other couple camping here. Come mid afternoon everyone left except the other camper.
We put the kayak in and went for a decent paddle – at least an hour – had a swim and earned our wine o’clock! Once more the bird life entertained us – pelicans, cormorants, darters, coots, Pacific black-faced and Australian wood ducks, white-faced heron, lapwings.
We had a campfire and into bed early.

Eungella Dam

Eungella Dam