Carnarvon Gorge

 

Tuesday 6^th July

Today we are heading to Carnarvon Gorge. We have wanted to visit here ever since my mum and dad did so in about 1988 and raved about it. We have arranged to meet up with Heather and Michael Munro here too, they are travelling up from Ballina and we will travel together for the next ten days or so. We first met this couple in Singapore in 2013.

We left Emerald and stopped in at Rolleston to top up fuel and water. This is the last place you get to do so. Lovely coffee van in the local park run by volunteers was much appreciated by many travellers. It has been a lovely drive today with lots to look at on the horizon as we passed by the Minerva Hills National Park with its spectacular peaks. Although the sky looks brilliant we are starting to feel the chill. Notice Eric's stance in the next pic, he remained in that posture for the next couple of days. 

Heather and Michael drove up from Roma.  We pulled into the Sandstone Park reception just as another van did and realised it was them; we’d pulled up at exactly the same time. What were the chances?  The park is situated right above the gorge; no power, no water, but 360 deg uninterrupted views so everyone gets to enjoy sunset over the towering bluffs or sunrise across the open plains. It would be bleak here on the coldest days and stinking hot in the summer but we are enjoying quite still and comfortable conditions, at least during the daylight hours.

The afternoon was bright and sunny as we set up together and after a quick bite to eat we walked the Mickey Creek Gorge trail which is only 3kms return. Michael drove us down to the park and as soon as you were below the sunbeams the temperature plummeted. Need to keep moving. The trail follows the creek which has carved its way through huge cliffs. Very pretty.

Back at the camp we lit a fire and sat outside, eating dinner and catching up. For the first time we noticed the mice. The plague of NSW has come this far north, but there are only a few and I feel sorry for them, how do they keep warm? It got cold, very cold and eventually one by one we went indoors. I pulled out one of the quilts Mum had made and added it to our bedding. Nice to be thinking of her in this place she loved so much. Nice to have warm feet too. I wore my beanie, a pair of socks, a thermal vest and two other layers on my torso as well as jimjams and I was snug under the doona. H &M also donated one of their hot water bottles.

Wednesday 7^th July

Woke early and noticed the glow of orange light sneaking in behind the shade. Had to go out and have a quick peek. I must be the only one mad enough to do so I thought, but then I heard a car drive off. Shortly afterwards, and back under the doona, I heard the chopper fly over as it met the sunrise. That would be a spectacular way to start the day. Instead, we enjoyed a bowl of steaming porridge, breakfast of champions, and also dairy farmers as I recall as a kid. 

We weren’t moving quickly with it being so cold. You needed to catch the sun but be out of the wind. According to BOM it is now 12.5 but feels like 5.5 deg. It took me a long time to work up the courage to plunge my hands into the laundry bucket. Eric still has that hunched shoulders look about him. We packed a picnic lunch and drove down to the Visitor area, passing a café that sells coffee and French patisserie delicacies but closes at 3 pm. That set the timetable for the day.

Our walk began with a creek crossing made up of stepping-stones. I thought this was such a lovely way to entice you into the gorge. At the time I wasn’t to know that I would be crossing about 12 more of them during the trek and their quaintness wore off. 

All the trails branch off the main gorge walking track. We skipped the option to do the bluff as to scale those tall cliffs looked too tough. 

Instead, we made our way first to the Art Gallery, a sandstone wall which displays 62m of stencil art, etchings and free-hand paintings.

Then we returned to the main gorge track and walked back to the Ampitheatre, stopping for lunch in a sunny spot on the way. The last climb to get inside the walls of the chamber was quite steep. 

Oh, but it was worth it. This was extraordinary, a 60m deep chamber gouged out by running water, hidden inside the gorge walls. It was amazing and I would have loved to heard a viola soloist playing in there, or a didgeridoo.

We returned to the car park just in time to catch the café and indulged in coffee and a Parisian treat. Well earned. We estimate we walked more than 12 kms today on well-formed, but at times quite rough tracks.

The sunset was glorious to complete a fabulous day.

Thursday 8^th July

Retracing our 200km drive from Emerald just two days ago (even the coffee stop at Rolleston) we returned to the same Tourist Park as it had sites available, and we immediately booked the Pensioner Pack dinner for the evening. On the way we moved from D to E and the first track was an R.E.M. hit, ‘E-Bow The Letter.

After showers Eric and Michael headed straight for Mitre 10 for a handyman fix and then we went into town to see the world’s biggest copy of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in Morton park. Emerald was once famous as a major sunflower producer, hence the connection. This painting is mounted on an easel which sends it 25m high. In the same grounds is a mosaic pathway which leads you through 100 years of the colourful local history and a sculpture of a dragon made from recycled metal by a local artist.

Since Michael drives us around town, unlike us having an empty back seat, we offered to shout them a drink in the local Irish Pub and he didn't need to think about it twice. It was just across the road from Emerald's Railway Station which is heritage listed and still caters for travellers on the 'Spirit of the Outback' train service. Then we returned to our vans for fish and chips. We have a leaking tap! Bugga, another maintenance issue to be attended to, plumbing not being our thing. 

Friday 9th July

A much more comfortable night though we did hear rain, but only gentle. With the laundry done, and contact made with a caravan repairer, we were ready to move beyond the park. The morning was pleasant so Eric, Michael and I headed to the golf course and Heather went birding in the Botanical Gardens. The course looked lovely from the pro shop, but we soon discovered the grass cover on the black soil fairways was minimal and the mud stuck to ball, club, shoes and buggy wheels. I felt like I was wearing someone else's shoes. It was a bit of a struggle from tee to green, but the greens were in great shape. 

Our new mate Dave has replaced the tap in the en-suite and we are ready to move on to Barcaldine.