Monday, January 30, 2012

More from the rainforest, then heading for the Gold Coast.......................



During the evening at this beautiful place Paula and I were treated to many lovely things................a delicious Asian inspired dinner with grilled prawns prepared by Michelle and Mark, enjoyed outside on the deck, several (yes one too many for me I think - but it was so luscious!) glasses of Sauvignon Blanc, and the night sounds of the rainforest, late-calling birds, croaking frogs, flitting fireflies, whooshing lizards, slithering snakes, and the hopping pademelons. 

Prior to dinner, dusk fell quietly and were taken on a walk down through the sloping rainforest, picking our way along pathways, down rocks and wooden steps, along a trail well-worn by those who embrace nature and the wonder of being outside in the wild places.  The lizards crossed in front of us, the air became damp and cool, but down we went, through the ancient trees, homes to huge staghorn/elkhorn ferns............

.............until we reached Cave Creek a tributary of the Nerang River, and the Natural Bridge which was formed by a waterfall pouring through a pothole in the rock and eventually creating caves. 

Difficult to get pictures at night, but here is the cave which is home to a colony of glow worms, a truly wonderful sight to see. There were also a lot of bats living here!


Leaving the lodge was really heart wrenching.....so lovely was the scenery, such delightful hospitable hosts to chat with, splendid and unusual territory to explore. I was really sad to leave so quickly.

Michelle and Mark took us on a scenic route to the coast enabling us to see more of Queensland's stunning Springbrook Plateau...................




Love these place names

..............the highest mountain with the pointed summit is Mt.Warning, part of an ancient volcano and the first place on Australia's mainland to receive the sun's rays each day. 

We stopped here at the general store for morning coffee..............


....pretty gardens in back of the store....

.....mama swallow and babes nesting above our heads.....


.............and the most delicious mini-bananas for healthy snacks, very different in flavor from the monster ones we often see here in the USA.

Before too long we could smell the sea air and we arrived at the famous beaches of Australia.........

............beautiful, sometimes dangerous, with sharks and strong currents often found along this coast. In the above image, taken from the the dining deck of the famous Currumbin Surf Club on Elephant Rock where we had lunch, our final destination is just visible beyond the shore, the towers of the beachfront high rise buildings of Broad Beach.


Elephant Rock, Currumbin, Queensland


Next time........meeting more friends, enjoying the coast, and returning to the country one more time before flying home.


Postscript:  Almost forgot - what was the creepiest of the creepy crawlies?  How about a leech!!!!!!  Yes, my first ever encounter.........attached itself to my foot whilst in the rainforest and scared the heck out of me when I was sitting at breakfast and wondered what was itching. Not nice at all - glad Mark was there to help me remove it! 

11 comments:

  1. Really interesting blog with great pictures, Thanks for sharing

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  2. What a stunning place - but you've done it now...ugh! the very thought of a leech - shudder.

    Now, congratulations are in order Mary, I'm pleased to tell you that you have won the Country Diary postcards from my giveaway!
    Please email me you address details so that I can get them off to you.
    (Please change the words 'dot' and 'at' for the normal characters)
    secondhandrose1atbtinternetdotcom
    Rose H
    x

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  3. Thank you Mary, I must visit the Springbrook plateau! What a beautiful place.

    Sft x

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  4. Thanks for letting me be an armchair traveler. Your images are amazing. ~ Sarah

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  5. A leech would have been creepy for sure! Oh I love seeing this place of beauty. Once upon a time I visited a cave in New Zealand with glow worms. What a treat. This whole trip has been a treat for you and a treat for all of us that have gotten to see your pictures and read a tidbit of your story.

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  6. I got a leech on me once too when in a rain forest. Not pleasant at all.

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  7. Aftwer a 5 trip to London, very busy week at work and 10 days in bed with the flu, I finally got some time to catch up with your blog, and as always it was pure delight! Thanks for sharing.... again!

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  8. Wow! You visit the most interesting places! That would have been so cool to see the glowing worms, hubby would have been fascinated.
    Take Care,
    Ulrike

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  9. Ah. I just had to come check out your post on your trip to Australia and see where your friends lived. Lamington Plateau is indeed a gorgeous spot in the Australian landscape, we went there as small children, sadly haven't been for quiet a while now.

    The leeches and other nasties are a drawback to the rainforest occasionally!

    Loved the jacaranda (purple blooms)..and hydrangeas and agapanthus are also more of my favorites, being blue of course!

    The beaches are always wonderful, as are the lady finger bananas. Glad you were able to partake of some Australian hospitality and scenery!! I am currently living up on the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, a similarly lovely spot, and have to find myself a place to buy, having sold my place in Brisbane, coming to live near the children and grandchildren, fun!

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  10. I've think you've nailed the beauty of Queensland with this post Mary! Aren't those jacaranda something! And I never tire of smelling those fresh sea breezes....the sound of the surf rolling in....and tramping along the beach! Just wonderful!

    R

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  11. More lovely photos, Mary.

    I've always loved seeing the stag and elk horn ferns mounted on the palms. They love being fed banana peels. Speaking of which, those little, fat bananas look like Lady Finger bananas...they were my favourite as a child because they were so sweet.

    I know Nerang fairly well. Currumbin Beach is lovely...I loved the giant rocks there.

    Thankfully, I've never had a leech attach to me. They do love the moist, rainforest areas.

    The jacaranda trees look amazing when they're in bloom, especially when they stand in line on a street.

    Thanks again for the link to this post, Mary...I very much enjoyed reading about your experience here in South East Queensland.

    I hope you have an equally amazing trip to Europe! Wishing you safe travels.

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