Cania Gorge - Road and paddling trip.
- Thread starter hairymick
- Start date
LOL,
I think a lil more about the wine tasting thing might be in order here. It was a bloody GREAT NIGHT!
Most of the visitors to this fine park are retired city folk and come to this place based on word of mouth from previous like visitors. Nearly every night, the park staff organize something that sort of represents life in the Aussie bush from a bygone era.
Saturday nights are wine nights, and open air movies, where the lil partners can go and watch a late release "G" rated movie while the adults get a chance to sample the wines of the area and be entertained by the park staff. Most of the staff are also sort of retired, all come from the bush and many of the blokes are fine story tellers and bush poets
The way it works is there is a big shed without walls where we all sit before a very big open fire and the male staff take turns at telling stories, sharing their poems or jokes etc while their lady folk are very generous in providing us guests with lots of tastes 8) I only wish I had the capability to record the night. I can't remember the jokes or stories or poems but they were in the main, very good and some of the wine was outstanding We particularly liked a rustic, sweet. red job oh yeah and a real nice port
After the little show, i got talking to one of the staff -apparently (been known to like a chat now and then) and it seems I asked him about the possibility of a place for a fire near our cabin. Our cabins were pretty new an while most of the others had an outside, stone fireplace, they hadn't got round to providing one at ours yet. No problem it seemed and bright and early, the next day a temp fire drum appeared next to our cabin with wood 8) (more on this soon.)
We liked the wine so much we bought several more bottles.
Next day was a Sunday and after our paddle and the compulsory bird feeding (the birds don't give much choice here) we decided to just kick back by the fire and have a quiet wine or two No piccies of that night, sorry they all turned out crap for some strange reason.
Monday morning, I woke early and got the fire going again to just get warm while I ate some breakfast.
and Robin took these to record some of the damage from the night before.
when I wasn't looking
We originally planned to leave Cania this day but we loved the place so much, we decided to stay another day. besides there was just one more walk we wanted to do.
I had very sneakily eaten my breakfast before the wildlife realized it. Robin, however, was not so lucky. :lol:
and in the end, just gave up.
meanwhile, there was a que for the scraps.
and more were arriving all the time.
I think a lil more about the wine tasting thing might be in order here. It was a bloody GREAT NIGHT!
Most of the visitors to this fine park are retired city folk and come to this place based on word of mouth from previous like visitors. Nearly every night, the park staff organize something that sort of represents life in the Aussie bush from a bygone era.
Saturday nights are wine nights, and open air movies, where the lil partners can go and watch a late release "G" rated movie while the adults get a chance to sample the wines of the area and be entertained by the park staff. Most of the staff are also sort of retired, all come from the bush and many of the blokes are fine story tellers and bush poets
The way it works is there is a big shed without walls where we all sit before a very big open fire and the male staff take turns at telling stories, sharing their poems or jokes etc while their lady folk are very generous in providing us guests with lots of tastes 8) I only wish I had the capability to record the night. I can't remember the jokes or stories or poems but they were in the main, very good and some of the wine was outstanding
We particularly liked a rustic, sweet. red job oh yeah and a real nice port After the little show, i got talking to one of the staff -apparently (been known to like a chat now and then)
and it seems I asked him about the possibility of a place for a fire near our cabin. Our cabins were pretty new an while most of the others had an outside, stone fireplace, they hadn't got round to providing one at ours yet. No problem it seemed and bright and early, the next day a temp fire drum appeared next to our cabin with wood 8) (more on this soon.)We liked the wine so much we bought several more bottles.
Next day was a Sunday and after our paddle and the compulsory bird feeding
(the birds don't give much choice here) we decided to just kick back by the fire and have a quiet wine or two No piccies of that night, sorry they all turned out crap for some strange reason. Monday morning, I woke early and got the fire going again to just get warm while I ate some breakfast.
and Robin took these to record some of the damage from the night before.
when I wasn't looking
We originally planned to leave Cania this day but we loved the place so much, we decided to stay another day. besides there was just one more walk we wanted to do.
I had very sneakily eaten my breakfast before the wildlife realized it. Robin, however, was not so lucky. :lol:
and in the end, just gave up.
meanwhile, there was a que for the scraps.
and more were arriving all the time.
We had heard very good things about one of the walks to a place called "the overhang" and were keen to do it, so after breaky and a liberal dose of paracetemol, off we went - again.
I have commented on the uninteresting nature of the walks here being mostly rock and dry scrubland and nothing could have prepared us for wha we found. The walk started off like so many others, just a track through the grass land leading up a canyon
but gradually, the vegetation and feel of the place changed. The bush got thicker, the trees much bigger
as the sides of the place began to close in, there were even a few local Palm trees starting to show up.
Soon, we were in a complete little ecosystem of rain forest
here in the middle of some of the dryest country around.
More on this remarkable place to come. very tired again.
I have commented on the uninteresting nature of the walks here being mostly rock and dry scrubland and nothing could have prepared us for wha we found. The walk started off like so many others, just a track through the grass land leading up a canyon
but gradually, the vegetation and feel of the place changed. The bush got thicker, the trees much bigger
as the sides of the place began to close in, there were even a few local Palm trees starting to show up.
Soon, we were in a complete little ecosystem of rain forest
here in the middle of some of the dryest country around.
More on this remarkable place to come. very tired again.
Yep.....that means ya had a dang good time. [chuckle]hairymick said:I can't remember the jokes or stories or poems but they were in the main, very good and some of the wine was outstanding
Thanks Bear,
Sorry about the late reply mate. We have been home for a week or so now and are still uploading and sorting images. Will try to finish this post today. It is cold (for us) and rainy here now and is a perfect day to sit by the fire and get it done.
As we headed into this gorge, there was just so much that was in complete contradiction to the dry area it is in that it made little sense to me. A mini ecosystem of ancient plants and trees left over from much wetter times. Somehow, they have managed to survive and even thrive in here.
Like much of the rest of this area, this place just took my breath away and I could have happily just found a spot to sit quietly and try to take it all in. Not to be however, we still had several miles to cover.
Eventually, we came to a set of steps carved into the cliff face leading down.
This one was taken on maximum zoom of a Tamron 18 - 250mm telephoto lense. (just to give an idea of scale
These steps led to a place in the bottom of the canyon, allmost at the head of it, called the "overhang" - Towering cliffs on either side with a gap of about 50 feet between them near the bottom.
Sorry about the late reply mate. We have been home for a week or so now and are still uploading and sorting images. Will try to finish this post today. It is cold (for us) and rainy here now and is a perfect day to sit by the fire and get it done.
As we headed into this gorge, there was just so much that was in complete contradiction to the dry area it is in that it made little sense to me. A mini ecosystem of ancient plants and trees left over from much wetter times. Somehow, they have managed to survive and even thrive in here.
Like much of the rest of this area, this place just took my breath away and I could have happily just found a spot to sit quietly and try to take it all in. Not to be however, we still had several miles to cover.
Eventually, we came to a set of steps carved into the cliff face leading down.
This one was taken on maximum zoom of a Tamron 18 - 250mm telephoto lense. (just to give an idea of scale
These steps led to a place in the bottom of the canyon, allmost at the head of it, called the "overhang" - Towering cliffs on either side with a gap of about 50 feet between them near the bottom.
At the bottom, were pools of water!
and prehistoric tree ferns that have survived since dinosours roamed this area
Just a few more images
Surprisingly, It started to rain while we were in here. We had expected and planned for only a short walk into another pretty uninteresting area, so had packed lightly with little in the way of food or water and no rain gear so we opted to head out before the tracks got too slippery.
Next time we go in here, we will be better prepared with proper gear and food and spend the full day exploring this magical place.
We came home the following day after yet anothr night of fine food and wine and very good company. Robin has seen and experienced very little of our regional inland and this has well and truly whetted her appetite to see much more. 8) She has given me tacit approval to research campers 8) 8) and to buy or build one in the very near future. 8) 8) 8)
We both really hope you have enjoyed this part of our little holliday this year. I have bloody enjoyed sharing it here.
and prehistoric tree ferns that have survived since dinosours roamed this area
Just a few more images
Surprisingly, It started to rain while we were in here. We had expected and planned for only a short walk into another pretty uninteresting area, so had packed lightly with little in the way of food or water and no rain gear so we opted to head out before the tracks got too slippery.
Next time we go in here, we will be better prepared with proper gear and food and spend the full day exploring this magical place.
We came home the following day after yet anothr night of fine food and wine and very good company. Robin has seen and experienced very little of our regional inland and this has well and truly whetted her appetite to see much more. 8) She has given me tacit approval to research campers 8) 8) and to buy or build one in the very near future. 8) 8)
8) We both really hope you have enjoyed this part of our little holliday this year. I have bloody enjoyed sharing it here.
Mick, your rocks & boulders look similar to the granite in the Sierra Nevada's. I really like volcanic mountains.
Okay. . . .ten more quarters in the Queensland Vacation Bucket. .. Adding 4x5 and 8x10 cameras to packing list for trip. . . Mick, can I have Kodak ship the film to you and Robin? . . . Susie'll be in the first package to arrive. . . just hang her in the corner somewhere out of the way and I'll pick her and the film up when I get there. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Dang. . . she jes' walloped me hard fer dat one. . . . . :lol:
But it all good.... 8)
Mick, you and Robin have yourselves some excellent scenery around there, my friend. You really do.
Dang. . . she jes' walloped me hard fer dat one. . . . . :lol:
But it all good.... 8)
Mick, you and Robin have yourselves some excellent scenery around there, my friend. You really do.
Steve, LOL
ya gotta knew we will take better care of Miz Suzie than that mate.
The front spare room is made up, (and yes, its a double ) Sweet Aussie red is chilling in the fridge as we speak as is a big joint of lamb 8)
Oh yeah, Can Miz Suzie fillet a fish? light a fire? chop wood?
ya gotta knew we will take better care of Miz Suzie than that mate.
The front spare room is made up, (and yes, its a double ) Sweet Aussie red is chilling in the fridge as we speak as is a big joint of lamb 8) Oh yeah, Can Miz Suzie fillet a fish?
light a fire? chop wood?