FInch Hatton Gorge

After spending a week in Townsville it was time to head to Mackay.  We had a lovely visit with some relatives who we’d last seen in Tasmania! It is exceptionally nice to see someone you know after months on the road.  This lifestyle offers continuous opportunities to meet new people, but those relationships are fleeting.  Life on the road can actually be quite lonely despite being surrounded by other travellers, so meeting up with someone you know is both comforting and rejuvenating. While we were in the area I was desperate to see a platypus in the wild and the best place to do that is Eungella National Park.  We made a day of it and spent the afternoon at Finch Hatton Gorge.  After about an hour’s drive we then had a 1.5km walk to the Araluen Falls.  You can do a longer walk to more falls, which I am sure are worth seeing, but that would have been too much for us.  Look at these falls, aren’t they gorgeous? Did I mention the waterhole?  The one you can swim in?  Awesome.  The hope of a swim at the end of the trail kept the kids moving.  The water was cold and deep but that didn’t stop them! The only downside was the lack of an area for this little guy to play in.  There was no shallow entrance where he could safely play.  I found a spot where he could put his feet in but I couldn’t let go of him the whole time.  He enjoyed himself anyway, he found a puddle to play in and a stick to put in the puddle.  What more could a toddler need? Hard to make out, but there’s Dad and the two boys at the very right of this picture. There were a couple of big rocks to stand on, but none in the middle next to the cliff.  (Do you see where I’m heading?) Look at the lichen clinging to the cliff face, so colourful! Looking the other way there were giant rocks to climb and more water to play in, but the kids seemed to prefer the main waterhole. I think I’ve mentioned I’m a wimp when it comes to cold water, so this was as far as I went that day. Remember the cliff?  The kids decided to play a nice game of ‘Let’s Scare Mama!’.  Actually, it was Dad that went first.  Let’s blame him. When we’d first arrived at the waterhole a young couple was jumping off this cliff into the water so I prayed told myself it must be safe enough despite the nearby ‘no jumping off the cliff’ signs. One of the boys was hesitant the first time around and one barely paused before jumping right in.  I’m sure anyone who knows them could never guess who was who! Then there was the poor 5yo who we wouldn’t let jump.  She really, really wanted a go.  But she hadn’t been quite comfortable enough swimming in the waterhole, she really clung to Dad so the jumping was a no.  She’s quite at home on a 5m diving board, though!  Never fear, she made friends, as she does, with the young couple that was there so she soon forgot her sorrow and cheered her brothers on. As we were leaving the light had changed and the falls looked just beautiful. Someone was tired and quickly resorted to clinging to my legs for a cuddle.  Is this not a familiar sight to any parent of a 2yo? We had a long walk ahead of us, with no waterhole waiting for us.  That little 2yo got his cuddle and we were off.  On the way out I took another look at those ‘no jumping’ signs and discovered there would have been on-the-spot fines if anyone had been checking.  Ooops. On the way back I made sure to grab a pic of the mohawk rock. At the car we had a snack while these hungry birds looked on.  These innocent-looking creatures  stole the lunch of a couple at the next car.  We were reminded of the sausage steeling kookaburra we’d met earlier in our adventures.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen four lined up like this, and there was another one in a different tree.  Someone walking by suggested that these were the mum and babes while dad was in the other tree. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!  The kids would have been satisfied to go home after that but we had more to see that day.  I still hadn’t seen that platypus….