A Delightful Discovery

Tuesday 31 May

Our son Stuart had the day off work. He planned to take us hiking somewhere out of the chilly wind and somewhere flattish for Frank's bad ankle. 

I did some googling and the Dunk River Trail of 7 km return popped up. Oh my, what a find!

Not sure of the exact starting point of the trail, we parked in the parking lot of the International Children's Memorial Parklands. A place of beauty and tranquillity, for families who have lost a child. 

The parkland backs onto Scales Pond, built in 1928 to harvest electricity.

Fish ladders had been put in for salmon and trout migration. Below the wall, several anglers were seen fly fishing. As we concluded our walk another 10 were setting off along the Dunk River, to find the perfect spot.

Our first view of the Dunk River.

The trail commenced a good 500 metres below the dam, on the opposite side of the road to where we had parked. I was delighted to spot the first lupins of the season.

I was rapt from the first steps along the Dunk's riverbank! 

The vivid green canopy of the trees, the crystal clear, fast-flowing, but often gurgling Dunk, through to the flitting, tiny birds chirping and the endless woodpeckers knocking, spelt tranquillity plus! We were also sheltered from the chilly blustery winds that kept the mosquitos absent.

Nearing the trail end, this wooden construction helped us to cross a small tributary of the Dunk River.

Trail end view back up the river.

And downstream!

We retraced our steps very happily back along the riverbank to the car. It appeared that this lovely canopied road would allow one to start the trail from here.

Google map view of our starting point.

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