Oz Adventures, part five.

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From West to East Coast, Next Stop Brisbane.

I started my week in Brisbane with a visit to Fraser Island. I was picked up from my hotel at 7am and boarded a four wheel drive bus bound for the coast a few hours north of Brisbane where the bus drove onto a small ferry to travel over to Fraser. We drove along the beach and then further into the island to visit Lake Birrabeen which was beautiful. Here we ate lunch and then drove to central station which used to be a small settlement when they used to do a lot of logging on the island. We went for a walk through the forest which was lovely and saw parakeets flying in the forest canopies. The trip was really lovely and I was pleased I don't get travel sick as you get thrown around on the bus being as Fraser Island has no roads so it is all a bit of a fair ground ride. Back on the ferry in the afternoon and headed back to Brisbane for a nights sleep before my next trip.
The following morning I was off again and the destination today was Lamington National Park. After being picked up at 8.30am our first stop was in the town of Mount Tamborine. We stopped here for tea and homemade scones and jam, how quaint. It was a pretty little town set on the top of the mountain with small shops and tea places, a real tourist trap and I was starting to wonder if I had signed up for the right trip as the average age on the bus was about 50, no offense but I was hoping for a bit of an adventure? Anyway onwards and upwards we climbed and climbed until we reached our destination, O'Reilly's guest house. I was then told where to go to check in and it was then apparent to me that I had got on a day trippers bus to come up the mountain which drops people off who are staying at the guest house, me being the only person on the bus who was staying. I was starting to wonder what I was going to do on my own for the next 24hours but thought it looked like a nice place to spend some time although it did look really busy, full of tourists and day trippers, paying $5 to feed the parrots all a bit commercial for me. Still you have to make the most of every situation and so in I went and checked in. The girl on the desk bamboozled me with leaflets and information about the park and talks and various walks etc. I took all these and went to find my room, hopefully escaping all the crowds.
Upon entering my room I felt like I had entered Narnia. The beautiful huge bed was overlooking the most spectacular view of mountains without anything between my large patio doors and it. I had been given a room on the edge of the guest quarters so all I could see was this sight and all I could hear was all the many different bird songs from the forest. I then noticed small Kangaroo type creatures hopping around in front of my veranda. I later learnt these were called Pademelons so sweet and how luck for me to be so close. My other companions were the parrots who just came and sat on the table to look at me and say hello. There was nothing else for it the delicious wine chilling in the fridge had to be opened for me to sit and savour this moment.
I then had a look at all the leaflets that I had been given and thought that a couple of the talks looked quite interesting and worked out that there was so much to see and do I'd better finish my glass and get out and explore. I started with a tree top walk, a little like the one I had done before and this was fun and got you up high in the tree tops to see the fabulous views around. I wandered through a palm garden and the botanical garden which were both extremely gorgeous. It was here that I saw my first wild snake since I've been in Australia. It was a carpet python and I actually wasn't scared, I thought it looked quite elegant sliding through the undergrowth. I then did what I thought to be a short walk to something called the “wishing tree” and ended up an hour later deciding it was time to turn back. I saw the tree and walked down to a little stream and sat a while to take in the surroundings before heading back to the guest house. I returned to my room, showered and sat with a glass of wine watching the sun setting over the mountains ah.....
I took an early diner and then went on my first booked tour at 8.30pm. A group of us went along a stream for a while and looked at various bugs and things along the way until we reached a wonderful sight. It was a rock face covered in millions of glow worms. It reminded me of the milky way, all these twinkling lights and when all the torches were turned off your eyes adjusted to see more and more of them. I didn't know that glow worms were in fact the larvae stage of a type of fly who only lives for a few days once hatched as it has no mouth and cannot eat so just mates, flies around a bit and then dies!! However to ask people to go on a maggot tour doesn't sound so appealing so glow worms they are!
The following morning I set my alarm for 5.30am and opened my curtains and patio doors onto this lovely peaceful place. The birds were in full swing and lots of Pademelons were hopping around the gardens. I got up and went off for my morning tour. I went on a morning walk with a bird expert walking through the forest while he pointed out what various birds were and listening to different songs which he could identify for us. I have to say I found it really interesting although I think I've forgotten most of what he told me. I loved it though as he has been walking through this forest for 30years with nuts for the birds at the same time each morning and so some of them are so used to him they come to him when he calls and feed off of his hand. He gave me the chance to feed an Eastern Whipbird which is really rare as these birds are really shy apparently and you rarely get to see one so I'm honored.
Back at the guest house, and so much more peaceful as it was a Monday and no day trippers had arrived yet, I had a fabulous breakfast to set me up for the rest of the day. One of the O'Reilly's family members, who must be in his seventies, makes the toast and has a chat with you as to how you are and what your plans are for the day. I have to say the staff were so friendly and welcoming and when I set out for my walk an hour later the man from the toaster called out to me by name to have a good walk and not to get lost, how sweet. I decided to do a walk to see one of the waterfalls in the area and made my way through the rain forest to Elabana Falls. It was a magical walk as I hardly saw a soul and was totally immersed in the forest, the birds, the wildlife around me I think I may have even skipped at one point! (Should I have kept that to myself?) I few kilometres in and I found the falls. The pictures I took do not do something like that justice as you cannot capture the real beauty of a place as it's everything that makes it special, the fresh smell of the ferns, the warmth of the sun flickering through the canopy, the birdsong, the sound of the water cascading onto the rocks below and just the feeling of being alive with all of this natural beauty and energy around you it truly is awesome. I meandered my way back to the real world and left my inner fairy in the woods.....Back up at the guest house I bought a sarnie and ate it in the gardens whilst I waited for my ride beck to Brisbane. I returned rested and energised, ready for the rest of the week.

Tuesday I met my friend Jo again and went to her son, Bobby's flat where I spent the rest of my week in Brisbane. We spent the week pottering around Brisbane, went to the cinema one day, sat in the gardens and generally just relaxing. On Thursday we went on a boat trip up the river to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. We were told that the Koalas here are so tame and used to being held that they are fine to handle and so I got to cuddle a Koala and I can tell you they are as soft as they look. Obviously they need to be handled with care and under strict supervision but so sweet and smell of wonderful eucalyptus oil. I've enjoyed Brisbane but I am finding the heat a bit much. It has been 30degrees every day and humid but still I know I should be making the most of it before I head back to cooler temperatures!! Onto a new adventure next week so it's bye bye Brisbane and I say goodbye to Jo. It's been lovely spending the last few weeks with her and great to share some of the experiences with someone.

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