Breakfast, then packed up and left Eungella Dam – surprising how fast we are getting at packing up – we were on the road by 8.30, heading to the mountain top and a camping ground called Explorers Haven. Took a small detour through Crediton on the way – very pretty country here. Lovely to see the paddocks green after all the brown fields of the last couple of weeks.
The camping ground has the most incredible location – right on the precipice at the top of the range – views down the valley for as far as you can see. I’m sure there is no more beautiful camping area anywhere. We booked in, chose our spot and decided to do one of the walks.
This is the starting point for the Mackay Highlands Great Walk. We did the last leg when we were at Moonlight Dam to Mt Britton, and today we did a little of the first leg – from Eungella to the Sky Window, and back – 6K. I’d love to do the whole walk – it’s 4 nights, 5 days. It’s on the Bucket List.
Eungella is noted for platypus! Yeah, yeah you know how I feel about them. Anyway I dutifully went and stood quietly whispering on the viewing platform overlooking Broken River with the other tourists in the cold waiting for dusk. Well, blow me down if the little blighters do actually exist. One swam right past where I was and I could see it clear as day. Fancy that! So cute.
While waiting I amused myself looking for other wildlife – scrub turkeys, white cockatoos, azure kingfishers, a funny little brown bird that blended perfectly with the leaf litter and stayed on the ground at the waters edge, turtles … that was just so that if the platypus didn’t show up it wouldn’t have been a total waste.
We left the west because it was getting a bit hot, but I think we overdid it – I spent today in a track suit trying to stay warm. I guess we are at 800 metres! Speaking of which, at the Chalet (ie the pub) there is a launching ramp for the hang gliders. It’s a straight fall down 800 metres if they don’t get airborne! Many years ago sister Deb and I thought we’d be brave and walk out on the ramp. I still distinctly remember having to crawl on hands and knees back to terra firma. Needless to say I didn’t try that again this visit.
Today was a day spent catching up – washing, reading, work, internet … you know how it is. Click here to view a few other photos taken at Eungella.