Redcliffe foreshore - evening walk.

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On Friday as we sat in the Australia Day long weekend traffic jam, north of the airport, we were feeling quite dubious about the eventual success of our planned walk along the Redcliffe foreshore. 

On Wednesday afternoon Jenny and I had planned to walk at the Gold Coast after completing our business near by, only to be thwarted by the hot, salty, gale force winds blowing across the Southport Seaway.

The next night, [Thursday] another heavily rain laden thunderstorm hit at 5pm, causing chaos throughout Brisbane. At midday Friday, dark ominous clouds again gathered but dispersed. Should we really be travelling so far when the weather Gods were unlikely to be kind?

Thankfully the answer was a big YES!

The views, temperature and breeze were perfect, giving us that 'so glad to be alive' feeling and making us comment "I wonder what the poor people are doing?"

We set off at 4.30pm from Woody Point, walked to Redcliffe and had fortunately returned to the car at 7.30 just before the fish & chip shop shut. We then relaxed until nine, enjoying the balmy evening  and twinkling lights across the bay to the Hornibrook bridge.

 View as we emerged from the car.

 I'm always looking for pelicans.

 HMAS Gayundah

It’s hard to believe the rusty hulk at the foot of the cliffs of Woody Point was in the 19th century the Navy’s proud premier warship. As one of the newly established Australian Navy’s first ships, a flat-iron gunboat Gayundah was built in Newcastle-on-Tyne in the 1884 at the behest of the Queensland Maritime Defence Force, commissioned to protect the many bays, inlets and estuaries along the east coast from the enemy-of-the-day which at the time was believed to be the Russians.

By 1886 it had been acquired by the fledgling Australian Navy as one of its ten ships. In its short lived defence career the ship never encountered the enemy, although other achievements included the first warship in Australia to use wireless telegraphy.Up until the end of World War I she was used as a mine sweeper and sea tender ship and by 1919 had been decommissioned, sold to civilians and was thereby stripped and demoted to a gravel barge.By 1957-8 she was retired and towed to the base of these cliffs where she has since acted as a breakwater, protecting the shore not from the enemy but from erosion.

                                              How the other half live.

Redcliffe's tribute to their son and world famous pop group, The Bee Gees.

                                                 

 

Sunset colours encouraged us on the return leg.

 No wonder we didn't rush home!

Happy Australia Day

Life down under is hard to beat!

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Mt Ngungun - Glasshouse Mts

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The massive storm on Monday afternoon had brought welcome relief from our soaring temperatures, so on Friday, our group  quickly revised our walking plans.

The bush was calling. Scattered showers were predicted, but they weren't a deterrent.
Just over halfway to our destination the heavens opened and we were assessing if we had brought enough wet weather gear. 

This is the imposing monolith, Mt Tibrogargan - the most photographed of the Glasshouse Mts, a volcanic plug of a vent of a volcano, 27 million years ago. In Aboriginal lore, Tibrogargan was the father of all the Glasshouse Mts.

On arrival at the car park at the base of Mt Ngungun, the rain had appeared to have cleared, so we relaxed with our coffee and cake before setting off.

We were grateful that we spent this time relaxing, as the next shower came through and we were able to organise our wet weather gear, before setting off.

Mount Ngungun,  one of the most impressive of the Glasshouse Mountains, was discovered by Captain James Cook during his epic voyage along Australia's east coast. The word 'Ngungun' is actually an Aboriginal word believed to mean 'black'. Like the other Glasshouse Mountain peaks, Ngungun is held sacred by the Aboriginal people. The area was actually a special meeting place to the Gubbi Gubbi Aboriginal people. The mountains themselves are rhyolitic volcanic plugs left by volcanic activity millions of years ago. 

It was over 4 months since  we had hiked in the bush together and we were rapt in the sounds, colours and aroma's which  attacked our senses. Their impact was heightened by

the refreshing power of the falling rain.

 The rain enhanced the colours of the shedding bark.

 This tree was weeping. Most unusual. 

Halfway up we had an open view of the rear of Mt Tibrogargan.

There are a number of caves formed from wind erosion on rock softened by the flow of ground water.

Climbing further, we had our 1st view to the west and I spotted these raindrops clinging to the grass like leaves of the grass tree or yacka plant.

Nearing the 1st crest we had our 1st rock scramble.

It was not long before we were standing on a narrow ridge, our breath taken from us by the beauty of the ever changing panorama, orchestrated by the heat and rain induced low clouds.

 Mt Coonowrin or Crooked Neck, standing in front of his brother Beerwah. Coonowrin disobeyed his Father during a storm. His Father bashed the back of his head and turned away never to look at him again.

The showers had returned. We found protection in the lee of a rocky outcrop and enjoyed the changing view and the arrival of those less prepared, in their sodden clothing. 

Half an hour later we continued the short but rockier path to the summit, with views again of Tibrogargan.

Our return hike down was equally enjoyable and shower free. 

We drove to Centennial Park on the banks of the Cabulture River to enjoy our lunch, while watching the antics of ducks, geese, water fowl and egrets on the pond.

This hike most definitely whetted our appetite for more bush walking  'Down Under with Friends'.

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Summer is here!

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 The past week has seen temperatures soar into the 40's C / 1OOs F. Our Walking Down Under group decided that late afternoon walks should be the order of the day.

5pm, Friday 27th December saw us walking the Wynnum foreshore with the temperature still above 30C / 86F.

An off shore breeze was blowing. This thankfully dried the sweat we created, as we tried to increase our pace for a worthwhile post Christmas workout.

As we neared the end of our walk, the colours of the setting sun were reflected on the clouds and across the bay in pastel shades of pink and blue - so very peaceful.

We then relaxed on the foreshore with fish and chips and a glass of wine.  The temperature still hadn't lessened, when we set off for home at 8.30pm.

 

A week later, Friday 3rd January, we had intended to do a longer walk along the Redcliffe foreshore, but the temperatures were higher and the distance to Redcliffe further, so we opted to return to Wynnum.

A hot gale was blowing, so it wasn't at all pleasant, but we were glad we had made the effort. The wind forced us to eat our fish and chips inside the corner take away and the tropical downpour had us running to our cars as we left.

The following day, Saturday, saw temperatures breaking record highs throughout the state. By Monday the temperature was less, but the humidity felt like 100%. Severe thunderstorms were forecast to break the heatwave.

At 4pm, as the massive storm raced towards us, the sky darkened to the extent that one thought the sun had set. The street lights switched on and our garden solar lights glowed. Soon after, the skies opened and 2 inches of rain fell in 40 mins. Thankfully this storm was not as destructive as anticipated. 10 000 lost power and a few roofs were lost. Our son's train journey home from work took 2 hours instead of 45 mins. The lightening was mild, so I relaxed and tried to capture nature's dramatic moments.

 Storm front passing east.

 Darkening bulk following from the west.

 Torrential rain lashing our pool.

Gusting winds blowing the rain, had me retreat inside. 

 Solar lights  glowing at 4pm.

 Storms passed and sunlight returning - 5pm.

 At 6pm the storms from the north were tracking south and made for another drama filled sky.

Golden glow of the actual setting sun - 6.50pm.

 

The heat of the passed few days abated as the sunset faded into night.

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