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I always admired the Glasshouse Mountains from the distance. One of my favourite photo was a shot of a family fishing on Bribie Island with the
Glasshouse mountains in the backdrop, which is featured in my
previous blog . We always drive past the mountains everytime we go to the beach at the Sunshine coast. It’s one of
Queensland’s iconic natural wonders after
Fraser Island, Whitsunday and
The Great Barrier Reef. After all these years, we’ve never set foot on these mountains until recently. It was another long weekend, so we thought to take the opportunity to go camping again. It’s only been 3 weeks since our first family camping trip at Fraser Island, which we enjoyed immensely (though stressful at times). Now that we have acquired all the necessary camping gears to make holidaying out in the wilderness a lot more comfortable, we are going to try to camp as often as possible from now on. In fact, I find it more comfortable sleeping on air mattress than in soft luxurious beddings in hotels. I can “make do” with a
bucket wash instead having hot showers twice a day. Also, I guess I can get used to bugs (eventually 😉) … and
spiders don’t really scare me (I used to play with them when I was a kid - yes, I'm one of those
odd ones. I even wrestled against my cousin over a cockroach when we’re just toddlers). 😊
I never thought I’ll actually enjoy camping. There’s just something wonderful waking up with birds chirping, breathing in crisp fresh air as you step out of the tent and sip a hot cup of coffee under a tree - Ahhh ....
We set camp at
Coochin Creek camping ground. Jamie booked it through the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website. We didn’t have to pickup the information pack and maps from the EPA office ‘cos the info. and basic maps downloadable from the website will suffice. Unlike camping on Fraser Island, I had to pickup the information pack, camping and vehicle access permits, tags and topographic map from the EPA office in the city where I used to work years ago (employed to manage and coordinate the implementation of the
Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA) state-wide project within the agency throughout Queensland). The best thing about my old job is the side-trips…having the chance to visit and snorkel in one of the
natural wonders of the world -
The Great Barrier Reef after I've conducted training/seminars and meetings with GIS analysts and Geologists at the agency in
Cairns.
Our first day at the camp was just setting up tents and settling in. The second day was spent hiking around and up the mountains. The highlight of our camping trip was the hike up at Mount Beerburrum. The climb to the summit is very tiresome. The ascent is very steep (almost up to 70 degrees recline at times), and had to take breaks every 50 meters or so. But as we reached the summit, the aches and pains simply melted away with the breathtaking panoramic view of the Glasshouse mountains. A nice breeze is softly blowing as we soak in the breathtaking scenery of a cluster of mountains surrounded by pine trees and lush (fruit and vegetable) vegetation. The pine plantation which takes decades to grow is a reforestation project of the Dept. of Primary Industries (DPI), also to support and sustain Queensland Forestry/Timber industry. The trees are logged in 20-25 years cycle and then new trees are planted. The fruit/vegies farms are privately owned (I think). On our way to Mt.
Cake baked by the campfire
Not bad huh ?!...slightly burnt though (haha!) Coonowrin, we stopped by at the un-attended fruit stand to buy fresh avocados and custard apples ($2 a bag), which is really a modest price considering they cost 3 times more at the grocery store. So I bought 2 bags and dropped the payment in the money box where “honesty is the policy” applies.
We also bought some firewood on our way back to the campsite. As winter closes in, it gets chilly during the night. We lit the firewood at the designated fire ring and sat by the fire whilst roasting marshmallows and bread roll. I was also able to bake a cake in the campfire which I’m very proud of. I don’t usually cook, let alone bake a cake. Jamie is in charge of the cooking department in our household while I take care of the other chores. Though I take over cooking when my sister comes over and on special occasions like birthday parties, Christmas, NYE and when I'm craving for a particular dish 😊. Anyway, I gave the first two slices of my cake to our camp neighbours (Olivine and Brad) for helping us setup the campfire. It's nice to meet new people who
share the same passion and interests along the way.
To sum up the experience on a positive note: I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets. It has given me blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern day. It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful. Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and benumbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail; ... my cares fall from me - I am happy.
~Hamlin Garland~
P.S I'm now baking cakes at home more often due to popular demand. 😊
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