From Coast to Mountain

Tweed Heads to Mt Tamborine, Friday 27 to Sunday 29 October.

The opportunity to stay in my sister-in-law's lovely unit by the Tweed River, unexpectedly arose Wednesday evening. I am presently trying to crochet a cute cow for a friend's birthday. The birthday was the 8 October, so I grabbed the chance to be able to sit with no distractions. I am not a good crocheter.

A storm had passed through the previous evening dropping just 1 mm. We woke to ominous cloud cover, but up until I left, no rain had fallen. The closer to the coast I got, the heavier the rain. This made for a perfect afternoon to sit and progress with my project. If only there had been progress! I am hopeless, but this post isn't about the cow.

At about 5pm I took a break to buy dinner and drove to Point Danger to see what waves the wind was whipping up. 

Sunrise showed promise of a drier day.

I  had spent a couple of hours, from early morning, crocheting in the unit, but I could see the waves crashing on the breakwater and I could resist no longer. The wind was still fierce, however, and churning up the sea. It wasn't pleasant taking these images.

Up on the headland, I found a very sheltered picnic table, overlooking my favourite spot, Snapper Rocks. I couldn't see all of this view, but I was out of the wind and worked with the background sound of the waves crashing and retreating.

Actual view

Back at the unit for lunch, the river wasn't looking happy.

I continued working on my little cow until near sunset. Knowing that parking at Snapper Rocks would be a problem, I stopped in the next bay and walked around.

This is the view as I approached. Yes, I did get wet, but thankfully it was a sharp, brief shower and I got some protection behind a pandanus tree.

With the passing of the shower, a magnificent rainbow appeared.

Then the sunset colours appeared.

In the West.

In the East. 

Returning to the unit, I was stunned to find the clouds had sunk on the horizon and a full moon was shimmering across the river. The clouds, however, returned all too quickly.

It was an early start Sunday morning to rendevous with Joc and Marlene on Mt Tamborine, to follow the annual Scarecrow Trail. Both cars arrived simultaneously at 7.30 am, so we enjoyed a relaxed cuppa and pastry, while enjoying the vast view across the valley to the Great Dividing Range.

We were disappointed that so many of the entries didn't fit the brief of 'Scarecrow'. I chose not to take many of these.

Entered by an Aged Care Home. Not sure if the old woman is supposed to be leaning, or if the wind had been at work.

I love this one.

And now for the 'almost' scarecrows.

And these fit our scarecrow criteria.

This was a true-blue, dinki-di scarecrow entry!

Toasted sandwiches were bought and enjoyed at another lookout before we journeyed home. 

The extremely dry windy conditions of this spring, continue. Bushfires could be seen on the horizon.

Now back to that cow!

I would love to read your comment.

Searching for Baby Koalas

 Wednesday 18 October

Destination - Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Park, just a few kilometres from the Gold Coast beaches.

Spotting koalas is very rare. Their habitats are now limited because of urban development. When we hike, we tend to look around us and not up. Looking up means slowing or stopping for safety. Certain locations are known for their habitation. Having said that, I have been very fortunate in the past few weeks to see 5. I also read that our local school had a visitor to one of their gum trees. A friend posted these photos of a koala family visiting her garden.  Now that would be just amazing. Their home backs onto bushland.

Mum and joey

Dad 

The Hungry Hikers last visited Coombabah in November last year. On that occasion we were thrilled to see numerous wallabies and kangaroos around every corner, plus 6 koalas. A grand total. I mentioned this to a friend, who said she had been there the month before and saw as many, but with joeys.

I noted on my calendar to return in October this year and we set off expectantly. We arrived about 4 pm, and the field near the car park, was teeming with grazing wallabies and roos. Our hopes rose, eventhough all the flora is struggling with the extremely dry conditions. 

The wide trails of the park, wind their way through a variety of open spaces, melaleuca and mangrove swamps, eucalypt forests, and Aussie bush. We slowly strolled the paths for 6 kilometres with our eyes scanning every inch of the trees but to no avail. Any open grass area, however, was filled with grazing wallabies and kangaroos. We must have seen a couple of hundred during the afternoon. Even when we were in a bushy area, one's eyes would unexpectedly alight on a few, or a lone one, checking out what we were doing.

Thankfully, hawk-eye Jayne was with us and spotted both koalas, that Leanne, Joc, and I had missed.

It was a very relaxed and peaceful stroll and we left the park just before 6 when the gates were closed for the night. Time for a short drive to Paradise Point and a picnic meal of fish and chips in a park beside the water,

I took few photos as I have been here so many wonderful times. I've added some of Joc's and her collages.

The green of last year.

This very sleepy fellow didn't move an inch.

Spot our very active friend.

We must have spent nearly half an hour watching this koala forage for his dinner or, for him, breakfast. Koalas are nocturnal, so to see one as active as this huge fellow was quite an amazing treat.

The melaleuca swamp was totally dry.

Last year.

The red line marks our trail. What are wonderful afternoon in every way. Perhaps in October next year we will be luckier spotting joeys!

I would love to read your comment.