Sergeant Dan Spiller Memorial Reserve

Tuesday 20 April

Sergeant Dan Spiller Memorial Reserve, a  new trail found locally. Perfect for an auutumn walk, but perhaps not after heavy rain.

This reserve was offically named in March 2011, in recognition of Sergeant Dan Stiller's dedication to reducing illegal trail bike riding and its damaging enviromental impacts.

This was not lush green parkland, but a deceptive pond of green algae, surprising given all the rain.

Another stretch of green. This time just water logged grass. We had to bush bash to avoid.

A sink hole to avoid as well.

This dappled path drew us down to a lovely, if brown coloured, lake.

Shimmering, pampas grass, flower stalks.

Further on, a board walk took us through a gurgling brook area.

The Sulphur Crested Cockatoos love to nest in tree hollows.

Tranquill scenes.

More water on the trail.

We came to a halt here, as the creek was wide, unwelcoming in colour and more than ankle deep.

We were hopeful this crossing would get us back to the carpark. It was not to be, and unless we wanted to retrace our steps some 4 km, we had to return to the above crossing.

We felt it was safer to keep our boots on to cross. Thankfully it was only a couple of k's back to the car.

Time for a re-energising cuppa!

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Goodbye Steamy Hot Summer

 13 and 14 April

Welcome Autumn. Finally!

Warm, crisp, blue sky days, walking without dripping with sweat, you are such a relief!

This is how a tropical autumn looks. I must also add, this is how it looks when your country is all but Covid free.

School holidays and everyone is at the beach. No sunburn! 

Wednesday, Hungry Hiker's beach walk.

 

Tuesday, Gaiter Girls.

I had long wanted to hike the Cronan Creek Falls trail, but information  re the trail was limited. Last week I spotted a post on a Facebook Hiking site and low and behold, I discovered the trail was far more accessible than I had imagined.

6am saw Rebecca, Rachel and myself taking the 1 1/2 hour journey to Yellow Pinch Car Park, the trail head. 

It was a perfect autumn morning and we rejoiced for the people soaring overhead, in several hot air balloons.

The trail map for Cronan Creek Falls

 

Having driven along side Cronan Creek for several kilometres to the car park, we were quite surprised to be immedialely confronted by a steep climb. Several more were to follow.

Mt Lindesay in the distance, a favourite childhood peak.

There were several peaks that were eye catching. 

Unnamed

An impressive Mt Barney - a peak I would love to climb, but I fear my body would react on any steep, open gradient.

Mt Lindesay again.

 

The first of 7 creek crossings.

Rachel opted to slide across this tree trunk, rather than take her boots off.

 

Rebecca and I enjoyed the refreshing, coolness of the shallow water.

 

Further on, crossing no 2 was easily negotiated. View below the causeway.

View above and a log begging to be visited.

Alas, not as young as I used to be, so this is a posed shot, making use of the boulder.

Crossing no 3. Shoes off by me.

Nimble Rebecca and Rachel, again managed to succesfully cross with dry shoes and feet.

Looking down after a steep ascent.

Crossing no 4.

View after another ascent.

At this point we were beginning to wonder if we had missed signage to the falls. We had covered the distance suggested in the notes and here we were on another ascent. 

We really didn't want to climb Mt Barney on this occasion, so were very relieved that some 100 metres later, we stumbled on this very clear signage. [Not in the notes]

A short, bushy trail took us back to the creek and our first view of the falls.

Bright smiles before our icy swim. It was incredibly chilly, so much so, that none of us actually managed to swim to the base of the falls. The cold just took our breath away. Totally unexpected.

Sunshine through the gums, on our return journey.

Such an idyllic view of our final crossing, on this idyllic autumn hike!

  

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