Advertisement
Published: December 7th 2014
Edit Blog Post
WILD TASMANIA...Mole Creek Karst N.P...in search of King Solomon's Mine.
We left Cradle Mountain the way we came...not because we chose to but because to get out you travel north. We had a destination...the only one in our trip that had a date of arrival...and that date was approaching.
Which of Tassie's other National Parks can we discover before we get there?
Tasmania is one of the World's ancient lands...moulded by ice ages...glacial scouring...tectonic forces.
We have meandered through its wildernesses...marvelling at its unique geology, flora and fauna...and let's not forget the fungi.
Time to see what is under the ground...time to do a bit of caving.
******
The great adventure to find hidden treasure in Africa epitomised by H. Rider Haggard's famous novel "King Solomon's Mine"...saw the film many years ago...suddenly returned to my psyche when I saw the brochure.
There's King Solomon's Cave at Mole Creek...and Marakoopa Cave...an indigenous name.
Enough said. We are heading to Mole Creek.
It's only about 80kms from Cradle Mountain and about a two hour drive for me...but a lot quicker as Denise drove it.
There are 300 caves in the National Park
but these two are the well known ones so it was my job to check the opening times on Den's ipad. Lucky we did because you have to time it carefully if you want to do one then the other.
The only way we could do it was Marakoopa Cave first which meant driving past the turnoff to King Solomons and doubling back to do the latter after.
And doing this in the afternoon paid dividends in spades as it turned out.
******
Marakoopa Cave Having done a fair bit of caving in my day I quite enjoy visiting tourist caves as well. They are the ones with a guide leading along concrete paths...flicking switches to illuminate crystal pools, chandeliers, stalactites and stalagmites...limestone formations to make one ooh and aah...then flicking the light off when you move on.
There are tours to non-tourists caves as well for $120 a half day or $240 a full day. Your discoveries are at the end of a torch or headlamp. Frankly if you have never done caving this way before I would recommend it. The rush is incredible to venture into blackness. But here knowing you are
safe as the guide would not take you if it wasn't.
And then when you have tried that...join up with some speleologists and do it for real.
There were about 15 of us who had paid $19 for this tour of Marakoopa Cave. And the formations were mighty grand.
There's an underground river that fortunately we were not asked to enter...been there done that...no need to do it now.
And then we were told to be quiet and still...all the lights were turned off...and we all smiled inside and oohed and aahed to ourselves.
The largest cavern of glow worms in Australia...sparkling and shimmering like a fairy castle.
******
King Solomons Cave We passed the poppy fields on the way to Marakoopa Cave so we had to stop on the way back. There are lucrative poppy fields throughout Tasmania...for medicinal purposes only of course...for morphine. They are strictly controlled...electric fences...appropriate signs to Keep Out.
So time was tight when we got to King Solomons Cave just in time for the day's last tour.
While Den parked the van I belted through tree-fern groves to score our tickets,
Its a
lonely place and there was one National Parks ranger in the office and another still in the cave with the previous tour.
So I got to talking and she was fascinating and widely travelled.
Den turned up and we were chatting like old friends.
If I had my Travelblog pack of cards on me I could have shuffled...said pick a card...and one of us could have told its story.
But I didn't have such a pack of cards...nor did I need them.
The other group came out...and there was only us.
So our new friend said its your lucky day...and led us in for a Private Tour.
Now Private means Special...and special it was.
She showed us those special places. Sure we saw what others see on a tour...but with torches we saw them in a different light...which was exciting and fun.
It reminded me of Africa...of an adventure through forbidden tribal lands...looking for treasure...in King Solomons Mine.
******
Of Tasmanian Tigers, Canadian Rangers and Playing the Blues We camped at the Mole Creek Caravan Park...right on the bank of the crystal clear bubbling creek.
We reserved
our spot then headed into town for a meal at the pub.
Tasmanian Tiger Ale was the local in these parts and like all of Tasmania the food was great.
There was a girl in the bar by herself that we recognized from the caravan park so we persuaded her to join us.
Wow. She was a Canadian National Park Ranger...on holidays cycling around Tasmania alone. And didn't she have some good stories!
Back at the caravan park we set up a roaring fire and continued our yarns.
And then I heard it.
The magic lilts of a blues harmonica...the guy at the next fire self medicating into the night.
So we asked him to join us.
He was a cabinetmaker from Perth...planning to start life anew...planning to buy locally and ply his trade in the rural community.
I left him with a Gayle Page CD...Colours that Run.
Left him playing the CD...playing the tracks with his harp...smiling...that smile of someone who understands what the blues are about.
Relax & Enjoy,
Dancing Dave
Advertisement
Tot: 0.091s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 14; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0464s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
King Solomons Mines...
you didn't mention whether you found the treasure. We are still enjoying your blogs about your adventures around Tasmania!