We’re back to ourselves this week.
After taking a bit of down time, we drove up to Springbrook National Park on the Queensland/New South Wales border. It was the first really, really fine day, weather-wise, that we had had for the week. That was a very good thing as in one of the guidebooks that Tracey left with us, someone had commented that there are 450 curves in the road up to Springbrook, and clear, dry weather was essential to my driving comfort.
Springbrook is a delight. We were a bit famished and addled by the curves and stopped at a small but friendly café, the Gourmet Gallah that is located by a lookout. The coffee was excellent and even better; the proprietor gave us a small map and pointed out the best places to visit. She was spot on and we had a blast!
She said to visit Purling Brook Falls, which was nice, then we went to Twin Falls and did a 4 km trek through magnificent forests and underneath the falls! The track then continues back up to the ridge we started at and has amazing vistas. Finally we went to the “Best of All” lookout and it didn’t disappoint.
We got back in the car and drove to Natural Bridge, about 40 minutes away. It is a water formed cave grotto that has interesting glow-worms (not that I saw any) and a waterfall into a rock pool that was magical! If not for very loud and obnoxious children, it would have been a heaven on earth. Note to self – visit mid-week and not on weekends!
Yesterday we went down to see the sights of Iluka, NSW. It is a very small fishing village surrounded by two national parks, the Bundjalung and Iluka national forests. There is serenity to the place that comes from not being developed for tourists and simply catering to the needs of fishermen. In the parks there are a number of picnic places and vistas, along with a very well maintained camping area that we intend to try out next week. We spent hours walking the coast and taking photographs of the wild rock formations and sea life in the small pools.
Allie has the maps out and is planning next week’s adventure!
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