Sunday 26 October 2014

Cycling Southport Broadwater

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How quickly the year passes. Yet again the jacarandas are reminding students that final exams are only a week or two away. Last week driving along 'Jacaranda Avenue' to work, I decided our weekly walk should start in New Farm Park, on the banks of the Brisbane River.
This park is reknowned for its spectacle each year of magnificent old jacaranda trees. Unfortunately the drought years around 2006 / 2007 saw several die and then wind storms took more a couple of years later. We delighted in the vibrant contrast of the colour of the remaining jacarandas against the clear blue sky, soon realising that our walk was being delayed by one of natures most stunning displays.

Jacaranda flipogram - click on this link.

This week I spotted our collapsible bikes standing forlornly in the shed and decided that with such pleasant weather, a bike ride was in order. Both Margot and Laurel are overseas, so both bikes fitted easily on the back seat of my car for the 40 minute drive to Labrador, on the Southport Broadwater.

The Gold Coast is hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Visitors are going to be more than impressed with this beautiful stretch of water and areas for relaxation, swimming, picnicing and
dining. We cycled to Main Beach, ate an ice-cream and watched the waves gently roll in, before retracing our route.

On the return journey, we chanced upon nearly 100 pelicans clustered on the sand. We quickly established that they were opposite the Labrador Harbour Seafood Markets and were waiting to be fed fish carcasses at 1.30pm.
Such an impressive bird both in flight and at rest.



















 Our late lunch was eaten overlooking Pearl and Nemo, so we decided to go for a spin before returning home.

Yet another special day in the great outdoors 'Down Under'!


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Wednesday 8 October 2014

Awesome Nature in Suburbia

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8am saw us heading into the bush in the Logan City suburb of Springwood. We had entered Springwood Conservation park at its upper elevation. It made for a very interesting hike of over an hour, following the ridge line and dropping down to the edge of suburban streets. Large boulders, balancing rocks, caves, cliffs and a gorge, all within the 36 hectares of open eucalypt forest. We were hopeful of spotting a koala or two, as this area is a popular area for them. We took time, whilst climbing the stairs of the return journey, to look up and observe, but to no avail.






At one point we had to hike along a suburban street before reentering the scrub. The vibrant flowering bottle brushes and gums made this less onerous.




A 21 kms drive across several suburbs, brought us to Berrinba Wetlands. After a refreshing coffee and cake under the gum trees, we set off around the man made wetlands that were created from sand mining operations. Mining had ceased in the 60's. It is over recent years that Logan City Council has had the foresight to make 40 of the 120 hectares accessible to the public. The temperature by now was in the 30's [C] but the dappled shade,  occasional breeze
abundant wildflower and bird life, kept our energy levels up.










Banksia - from this to this.

  


Beginning termite's nest. Mud! Where do they find it? Such determination.

Grow to this.







Mulberry picking





Magpie geese


Another baby brown





Another fabulous day walking 'down under'. Unbelieveably, as we try to watch the full moon and eclipse, we are rugged up, but are still shivering.

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