NAIRANA ESCAPADES - A Leisurely Sunday Drive

Hard to believe we are, once again, close to the end of our time at Nairana – only seven days and we will say farewell to our little piece of paradise for another year.

Since our return from our annual sojourn to Townsville I have been very slack in my journal and blog writing. It was so quick and easy to access the internet and post to the blog whilst in Townsville that I was very reluctant to get onto the dial-up donkey again and put it off for a couple of days.  Then things got really busy for us around the Park with the decision by the Government to open some of the NPs to cattle from the drought areas of western Queensland, and my blog posting was forgotten.  We have also had a couple of visitors for two days (Auntie Lyn and Uncle Geoff), and I, unfortunately, had a severe allergic reaction to a weed in the Park which I am still trying to fight four days later. No excuses I know, but some valid reasons on my part.

Anyway – all that said, I thought I should give a bit of a run-down on our activities at Nairana over the past month. Moving on from my first entry after our arrival on the 1^st May we have certainly been busy this year.

Setting pig-traps was a new experience for us.  Previous years we have been involved with the “pre-feed” program but not the trap setting.  Pre-feed encourages the wild pigs into the traps and once we established that pigs were visiting the traps regularly we set the trap.  Our first attempt was uneventful as we used some fishing wire that the previous caretakers had purchased for the task and it was too strong to set the trap off. So the OGO found some string in Eric’s Shed (that’s the garden shed at the Homestead) and some bulldog clips in the School Room (the Homestead office) and off we went in the Kubota armed with pig-feed (very smelly) and the appropriate equipment to set the trap.  If a pig is trapped, the caretakers call the Ranger’s office and a Ranger comes out from Clermont to shoot and dispose of said pig.  It means the traps are set in the afternoon and the OGO goes out to check them at 6am.  In the first two weeks there were four pigs trapped (including one that trapped itself).

Travelling around the Park has been made a great deal easier with the Kubota.  One of the Park Rangers, Matt, has been out on four occasions to slash a number of new areas which we now have access to.  This is a 42,000 acre park so there are a great number of areas that we have not yet explored.

However, our main tasks since returning from Townsville, have been to check fences in the main paddocks surrounding the dams and photographing the water levels and any surrounding infrastructure such as windmills and troughs, and to record their condition. This has taken us to some areas we haven’t been into since our first time here four years ago. It has also allowed us to trek along some of the newly slashed tracks – great fun until we find ourselves looking into some very deep wash aways and creek beds! The OGO has become very adept at tackling these sticky moments.

I mention sticky moments because the day before we went to Townsville we decided to go out in the Park for a leisurely Sunday drive to look for a waterhole that we have searched for every year and never found. Matt had armed the OGO with directions and we headed off at about 9am with coffee, morning tea, lunch and energy snacks.  Little did I know that we would be glad of the extra snacks as our leisurely drive would turn into a full day adventure. 

Thanks to Matt’s directions we found the elusive waterhole and after a morning tea break we headed off again intending to return along a different track back to the Old Highway to get home.  Not to be! The Mrs OGO convinced her loving companion that it would be interesting to check out the eastern boundary of this section of the Park. 

So we happily trekked along the boundary fence noting the condition of said fence and recording all the different birds we observed and suddenly the Kubota found itself in a bog hole.  Now how did that happen said the OGO as he cursed a little under his bushy beard.  Looks like a winch job says the lovely lady sitting high and dry, and you’ve always wanted to try the winch, so now is your chance.  Mutter, mutter, mutter – as the OGO does quite regularly these days. Out came the rescue gear – and the video camera, of course – hooked up to the ‘Bota and a fence post (thank goodness ‘Disney’ owners have good solid fences) and after a few more mutterings and a little grunting from the ‘Bota, we were out of a sticky situation and on our way again.

All was looking good for about an hour and we struck another sticky moment when the OGO thought he had cleared the ‘black s***** stuff” and came to a halt to change out of 4WD – you know that funny pedal on the floor that has to be ‘engaged’ or married or something.  Anyway, the ‘Bota said sorry mate too damn sticky for my tread to grip so we’ll just dig in here for awhile!  More mutterings from the OGO as he grumpily handed out instructions to his clean-so-far assistant – yeah, not so clean after this little sticky moment!

On our way again the OGO kept muttering there should have been another turn-off along here before now, did you miss it.  Nope, no quick exit here. Another mutter, If this ends up at Corduroy Crossing we are cooked.  Trust me says the expert navigator, no sticky Crossing at the end of this track. Then a reprieve for Mrs OGO – a mass of flowering wild grevillea trees full of beautiful honey-eaters we had not seen before. Any time photographing birds and wildflowers has got to be soothing to a soul in turmoil.  Yep, it worked – 45 minutes later we re-commenced our trek and Mrs OGO sighed with relief when the long overdue exit track appeared and the OGO says at last he knows where he is.

On a safe non-sticky track we stopped for a reviving coffee and energy snacks before heading home along a familiar track in semi-darkness.  Yep – sure was a great leisurely Sunday drive.

With two family visits, a trip to Townsville, the occasional wet day (makes for exciting driving on the tracks), pig-trapping, cattle observation, and fencing tasks, our time here has gone very quickly.  In the past month we have recorded more than 100 individual species of birds around the Park, and recorded nearly 1000 sightings in our treks around the tracks.  We have caught huge red-claw and spotted perch; seen dingoes, red kangaroos, eagles, owls, Jabirus, and brolgas; observed birds nesting, and young ‘roos sparring with older ‘roos; and watched magnificent sunsets and moon-rises around the Homestead.  Our days for most of the month have been warm and dry, with a wonderful balance of enjoyable work and times to relax.

At the end of next week we will leave Nairana and travel to Sarina before heading home to Toowoomba for five days.  We will then begin another travel adventure with nine weeks in Tasmania (no ‘donkey dial-up’ there!!!).  So until then, we hope you have enjoyed joining us on this little sojourn into the Outback and wilderness, and invite you to join us again when we begin our next journey.

A very special thank you to our hosts at the Pera Hilton.  As always the accommodation, food and light entertainment was first class.  Our hosts met our every request as always.  This is always a special part of our travels to Nairana.  See you again next year.

May 5^th

ANGELS

The Angels came to me last night

they wanted me to play

Not tonight, I said

as they sat on my bed,

I think you have the wrong day.

You see, I said

as they sat on my bed,

I have things to see, and things to do

before I can go to Heaven with you.

My place in Heaven will have to wait

until another day

May 6^th

MORE ANGELS

The Angels came again last night.

Hello, they said,

as they danced on my bed.

We’ve come once more

and opened the door

on the pathway leading to Heaven.

The littlest Angel had eyes that twinkled

and a smile that made her look wise.

Hello, she said,

as she danced on my bed.

In this beautiful place you can be pain free

you can dance and have fun, just like me.

Now wouldn’t that be paradise?

and you have a choice said this little voice

somewhere deep inside

Oh no, I said

as they danced on my bed.

So much to see, so much to do

before I can go to Heaven with you.

The pain will go in a little while

and my heart once again will begin to smile.

My place on earth is where I’ll stay,

I’ll join you in Heaven another day.

Tears I shed

as I lay in my bed

and wonder why they came.

The pain gets bad

and makes me sad,

but we deal with it each day.

A visit from Angels has made me strong

may be the reason they came along.

 

Final Day in the Outback

JOURNAL EXCERPT
TUESDAY, 30th April - Porcupine Gorge National Park
Our last day camping before heading off to Nairana for our caretaking duties.
 
We had planned an early start down into the Gorge for the day. However, we spent some time chatting with a father and son from California whom we had met here two nights ago, so we didn't set off until about 11am.

The track down into the Gorge is very steep, rough and rocky - a level 4 walking track.  It took some time to get down but it was well worth the effort - not so sure I felt the same way climbing back up again!

The colours of the gorge walls were amazing - ranging from dark browns to pure white.  There were sandy areas and rocky outcrops and with all the basalt rock it was extremely hot.  However, there was a fabulous swimming hole to cool off in.

After spending a wonderful four hours in the Gorge we made the exhausting 45 mins climb back up the mountain - probably would not have been so bad if I had remembered my "puffer"!

COLOURS OF THE OUTBACK
A dry land, a harsh land
A land unforgiving
Where pioneers came to eke out a living.
A land full of colour
sometimes grey, oft times vibrant
a land where a man needs to be strong and resilient.
Yet out of this harshness beauty abounds
that must have been what our forefathers found
in a land so different from one left behind,
a land to seek fortunes, and a new life to find.
The Outback has beauty that cannot compare
to anything else you'll see elsewhere,
blues and greys, reds and browns,
are all in this land, if you just look around.  
(Written at Porcupine Gorge, 30th April 2013)

On the Road Again

JOURNAL EXCERPT

SATURDAY, 27^th April – On the move again – Old Cork to Hughenden

Packed up and headed off for Porcupine Gorge this morning.  Didn’t quite get there!  We changed our plans and headed along  the Diamantina River Road instead of heading to Middleton.

This was a wonderful decision as the surrounding countryside continually fascinated us with the constant changes we saw.  The scenery was amazing.  Although only 168kms back to Winton it took us almost four hours  - a photographer’s paradise along this route.  After two hours we discovered a small billabong off the track where we found some wonderful water birds – which, of course, set the OGO off on another cross-country trek!

Arriving Winton mid-afternoon (much later than planned) we re-stocked our liquid beverages, disposed of our rubbish, refuelled both car and bodies, and the OGO bought a new mobile phone.  Yahoo – now have Telstra coverage – at least in the town areas.  After all that excitement we decided to push on towards Porcupine Gorge.  Only made it as far as Hughenden – oh dear – a night in a hotel room – a chance to wash some clothes, have a decent shower, and a change into some ‘not-so-dusty’ clothes for the evening.
It was also a chance to call home now we had mobile connection.  Not so comforting when we discovered our beautiful Phantom had been at the vet again with another paralysis tick.  Thank you to Tam and Helei for taking such good care of him - and for covering the $1200 bill at the vet! that was above and beyond the call of house-sitting duties.  Murphy's Law I guess - if something  will go wrong, it will be when you least expect it, need it, or want it!!

SUNDAY, 28th April - Hughenden to Porcupine Gorge NP
A restless night thinking of home (and a damn dog barking all night next to the motel unit) but having been reassured that all was under control and in very capable hands at home, we continued on our journey to our next stop at Porcupine Gorge.  A short stop at the local Info Centre, where there was a very, very helpful volunteer who plied us with all the info we needed (and more), and we were on our way.
There is self-rego at Porcupine Gorge NP with a maximum of 8 tent sites and 5 van sites. What a beautiful camp area this is - and bonus - NO FLIES  and NO DUST!!!!
After assisting to set up camp, I took a short walk to the lookout for my first glimpse of this Gorge.  What an amazing site.  After all the flat and dry country we have covered in the last 12 days this was just wonderful. Tomorrow morning we plan to walk into the Gorge before going back into Hughenden to the bank and post office.

MONDAY, 29th April - Porcupine Gorge NP, Basalt Drive and Hughenden

Well, no walk into the Gorge this morning. It was a beautiful start to the day so we headed back into Hughenden to get the banking done early and send mail to the UK. This is a very friendly outback town - much smaller but much nicer than Winton. There are some wonderful metal artworks around the town and along the Flinders river walk.

On the outskirts of town there is a tourist drive - the Basalt Way - that the lady at the Info centre had told us about.  So after the bank and post office duties were completed we headed off with our little mud map to discover more about this diverse countryside.

The total drive was about 98kms - all dirt road of course - but it was fascinating to see the changes from solid basalt rocky ground to an almost fertile valley below, albeit quite dry.  On one ridge it was completely rocky, no grass at all, yet there were a large number of cattle gathered here around a water trough - quite strange. The drive also took us across the Flinders River, which is currently very dry and sandy, but it would no doubt be raging during the wet season.

On the road from Hughenden to PG there are a few points of interest.  We stopped at some of these on our way back to the campground today - a whistling bore was interesting with no explanation for the "whistling" sound often heard emanating from this bore; the grave of a pioneer mailman whoo was speared to death by Aborigines from the ridge above where his marked grave is now found - what a hard life out here for our pioneers! 
Parts of the great Dingo Fence can be seen along this road, and the Eagle Hawk Gorge Lookout, which is the start of the Porcupine Gorge range.  We also crossed a number of dry creeks, including one named "Matchbox Creek" - so called because a wagonette of matches exploded close by in the early 1900s.

Back at camp we enjoyed an evening of entertainment with the locals - the cheeky and curious Bettongs.

 

Ilfracombe Photos Great Machinery Mile

Ilfracombe Meter Maid

Dinosaurs, Ruins and Relaxation

JOURNAL EXCERPT

FRIDAY, 26^th  April:  Old Cork Waterhole

Emotions were a little high yesterday so I chose to wait until today to write up Thursday’s adventure.  Today (Friday) we are just relaxing around camp beside a permanent

waterhole below the Old Cork Homestead ruins. More about Old Cork following the activities of yesterday (Thursday – ANZAC Day). After the very hot and dusty day travelling yesterday we are happily relaxing beside the river – reading, creatively writing (another three verses to finish my poem Outback Reflections), fishing, and stitching (yep – I managed some cross-stitching away from the dust!), and someone has even had a Poppa nap – now who could that be? 

A lovely soft breeze has kept the temperature down a little today, but the flies are just as bad here as everywhere we have been.  It was full moon last night and was as bright as day around the campsite.  Heard dingoes during the night.

Bough Shed Camp, Bladensburg NP to Lark Quarry and Old Cork Waterhole:  (Thursday’s adventure)

Once again we were awake at first light to hear the sound of birds and watch another magnificent sunrise over the park.  I was lucky enough to see a small Night Jar Owlet just on dawn (on my way to the Thunderbox, so no camera again!).

The onerous task of taking up camp was very dusty and very tiring for me but this is a partnership adventure and I will not be defeated despite a suspected broken bone in my foot! Yep – I had myself a little balance problem last night and took a nasty fall in the tent – the foot and small toe are badly swollen and I did say a few unprintable words at the time.  However, build a bridge and get over it – these good tight walking boots are very good support.  All camp gear was finally loaded into The Truck and we headed for Lark Quarry Dinosaur Conservation Park about 160 kms south.  This would be our first stop on our way to our next camping spot at Old Cork Waterhole.

Lark Quarry is a very interesting area.  Even the landscape looks pre-historic with amazing red rock mesas and strange ironstone ridges.  A camera cannot really depict the sheer beauty found in this area but we have tried to capture the differing landscapes and I am sure everyone will enjoy the photos when I can eventually get them uploaded to our blog.

Authorities have constructed an ecologically sustainable complex to protect over 3,300 fossilised footprints that have been uncovered in this area.  We spent a fascinating hour with a tour guide who gave an excellent account of the history of these unusual footprints that have been uncovered by palaeontologists from the Queensland Museum. There is a wonderful walk to a lookout behind the complex but in 39 degree heat, with a very uncomfortable foot, the track was a little too treacherous for me to walk.

On the route to Lark Quarry we just had to stop and take a photo sitting under the sign to Cotswold Hills Station.  Named after the Cotswolds in the UK, this country is absolutely nothing like the wonderful lush area of its namesake.  This was the start of the mesa country and the road runs along the top of the Tully Range for about 70kms. In this region we saw beautiful white trunked Ghost Gums and bright red-orange barked Bloodwoods.

We were enthralled with the ever changing scenery. We delighted at the spectacular views over the escarpment and Williams Valley seen from the top of a mesa plateau. When we descended into the valley we drove along ironstone ridges glistening like silver on one side of the road and glowing bright red on the opposite side. The scene changed dramatically once again as we drove through a mesa valley and out onto a Mitchell grass plain.

Jump-ups near Old Cork

The landscape here is intriguing with ‘jump-ups’ (steep escarpments rising from flat plains), mesa formations that reminded the OGO of Monument Valley in the US, red sand-hills, ironstone ridges where nothing grows, flat paddocks covered in Mitchell grass which is the mainstay of beef production in this region, Mulga forests considered to be the most important fodder tree in Australia, flat clay-pans, dry creek beds and river tributaries, and the mighty Diamantina River channels which, in the wet season, drain into the Lake Eyre Basin.

Mini Monument Valley

It is on the banks of one of the permanent waterholes of the Diamantina that we are camped for two nights. On the hill behind us are the ruins of the old sandstone homestead. Our campsite is surrounded by magnificent white river gums and we are, once again, the only campers here.

Old Cork ruins at sunrise

Old Cork Homestead:  One of the original properties of Western Queensland the property was first settled in the 1860s and the Homestead built between 1880 and 1885 from local sandstone and timber brought in from the Toowoomba region. It was the local mail distribution point before the establishment of Winton. Families of farm workers lived at the Old Homestead up until 1980 when it was abandoned.  Little is known about the history of Old Cork as station books and records often disappeared when the property changed hands.

BLADENSBURG NP:

Good things:   Magnificent sunrises; plenty of red-claw; river gums; loads of wildlife; Scrammy Drive highlights

Not such good things:  FLIES!  DUST!  Wind when packing up camp;  falling over

Most memorable things:  ANZAC sunrise;  Night Jar Owlet

WINTON:

Good things:  Waltzing Matilda Centre (worth a visit); North Gregory Hotel (glass etchings indoors); free showers in Hollow Log park; Arno’s Wall; OzzieNana’s shop

Not such good things:  Long Waterhole ; early closing times;  rude woman at C&F reception; no fabric shop

Most memorable thing: playing junk yard percussion at Musical Fence

END OF JOURNAL EXCERPT

At Old Cork I was once again inspired to put pen to paper and I added another three verses to my poem, Outback Reflections (I apologise to the OGO for waking him at 4am when I was inspired to write these verses!).

OUTBACK REFLECTIONS (verses 5 to 7)

Camped by a river or camped in the bush

Nothing compares to the beautiful hush
That settles upon this vast harsh land

Where few have chosen to make a stand.

Sunsets we’ve seen in many a place

But none as striking as in this vast space

Sunrise brings beauty all of its own

I now see why some have called this home.

Moonlit nights and sundrenched days

Ironstone ridges that gleam in the haze

Mesa plateaux, and clay pan plains

Scenes of the Outback where it seldom rains.