Wednesday 30th October 2002

Yap, another early morning. Up around 06.00 AM. We've got to make the most of it, right?

We wanted to do the famous 'Tree Top Walk' again before breakfast. During dusk and dawn the animals are most active ... So we hoped to see or at least hear some in action.

This walk amongst the rainforest canopy, is in fact a series of suspended bridges, hung about 15m off the ground, also including 2 look-out platforms (one at 20m height, and another at 30m).

We took it slowly this time. Taking enough time to seek out the birds' location according to it's call ... Spotted some interesting ones, but sadly we know too little them to name them (we'll have to look them up when we get all our pictures done) We also went onto one of the platforms for a different perspective of the rainforest. Amazing how just a few meters difference shows a whole new world ... We ran into some cute little padmelons again (on the ground of course! d'oh?! haven't spotted a flying kangaroo yet ;-)

Then back to the guesthouse for some 'breakie'. Blimey! So much to choose from ... We better fill our stumachs good, cos we have a 'heavy' walk ahead of us. After breakfast we check out and wait in the lobby for our guide.

We had booked ourselves for the 'Blue Pool' walk via 'Bullant Spur' (7 Km - 3 1/2 hours) at 9.00 AM. Started off with another ' vintage schoolbus' ride to our starting point 'Bullant Spur' and then we were off ...

The programme mentioned it was quite a difficult walk, so we ended up only being with 6 people (cosy group). We descended a steep 400 m in only 2 Km through rain- and remnant eucalyptforest, towards 'Blue Pool', a very nice spot along the west Canungra Creek. We had a little break there before starting off our 5 km climb up the graded path. More huffin' and puffin' ... and losing our breath completely when we came very close to 2 (yes two! as in 1+1=2) of the 'top ten deadliest snakes in the world'. First we ran into 'number 9', a gorgious specimen of the 'redbelly blacksnake'. Basking in the sun, minding it's own business ... but sadly a little too close to our path for comfort ;-) We were just about to make a sharp turn, so we could see our path laying a few meters beneath us, near the bottom of the creek ... with Mr. Deadly snoozing snake, now moving around, awakened by our scent, making his way towards our path. O-oh! Now what? Our guide, super-cool dude Murray, mozied on down the path slowly, watching the snake's every move ... and then ... it came crawling upwards ... towards us! Yikes! Move it!!! Almost shitting our pants man ... Phew-ie! Only half an hour later we ran into 'number 7', a tiger snake. Coiled up above us, at only 1m50 or so from our path ... And odly enough, after our encounter with the first snake, Murray had told us a little story about a previous walk, where they had both seen the redbelly blacksnake and the tiger snake ... That time, Murray had 'casually' walked passed the snake, without realising it, when he did realize what he had observed in the corner of his eye, only a few seconds later ... two more people had passed the tiger snake, at less than a meter distance!!! Well withing striking distance. Just our luck today huh! And who do you think the two people were this time that passed the tiger snake, at striking distance, without noticing it!? Yap, yours truely ... Djeezes! Well, luckily it was in a good mood, cos tiger snakes can get a bit 'agro'. They are not exactly the kind that 'wouldn't harm you if you don't bother them'. ;-)

We spotted a couple of other critters along the walk, inluding 2 baby 'angle headed' or 'spikey' dragons, several 'blackfaced monarch' birds, rosellas, king parrots, a rufus fantail bird ... etc.

At 14.00 we arrived back at the guesthouse, only to say goodbuy and commense our roadtrip up north. First stop, Hervey Bay! Our gateway to Fraser Island.

We had a 400+ Km drive ahead of us still (approx. 5 1/2 hours!). Our drive went down the mountain this time, had a quick stop a Canungra for a take-away lunch (deliscious and inexpensive: beef sandwiches and a mango smoothy! Yum!)

Passed Brizzie again (last goodbye), and arrived after dark, around 7 PM in Hervey Bay. We had some trouble finding the resort in the dark ...
When we did, it was a bit of a dissapointment in comparison with our cabin in Lamington. A simple motel room, with our car out front. And to make it worse, we went out for a stroll to find a nice place to eat, but there is absolutely nothing to be found in Hervey Bay. Prehistoric! That's about it. So we got an early night ;-)

night-night,
Radica & JJ