Platypus

Wednesday 14th
Finch Hatton Gorge was nice. We had to do a lot of walking and sometimes climbing over rocks across the river but we were all able to do it. We didn't have our bathers on but if we had everyone would of had a swim even though the water was cold. The walk was through dense rain forest most of the time but the walking track was well made.

The walking trail.

The first waterfall. Very nice pool.

The kids are on the other side exploring and Tim this side.

A lizard we found inside a log. He is about 30cm long and was happy to pose for a picture.

This is a strangler fig tree and we are seeing a lot around. Apparently the seed lands up in another tree then sends down roots to the ground and around a host tree. So the start of the tree is up the top of the picture and is the left trunk going out. The main original tree has it's trunk right in the ground and goes all the way up.

Would you look at those muscles. That's why I married him!!! Manning and Baylee there considering if they could climb it.

This was the other waterfall and the kids again did some rock exploring and got a little wet!

We found this lizard climbing the tree. He was about 60cm long.
After lunch we went to Broken River at Eungella National Park to try and see a platypus. The road  there was steep and windy! We got there and straight away saw a platypus. He/she was small and it quickly swam around then dived under water. We moved onto the viewing platform and saw heaps of turtles and an eel! Eventually we saw a platypus from here too and it swam quickly from a log to it's burrow in the side of the river.

This bush turkey was distracting us from looking for platypus!

On the way back we stopped at the Sky Window lookout and that was spectacular!

It was too far away to see our caravan but it gave us a good look at the valley.

After we were down the windy hills Ethan has a very true statement to share with us all. I really can't remember how this came about but it made the car load roar with laughter. Ethan " I like cow patties made with meat much better than cow patties made with poo! Cow patties made with meat are so yummy" . Just funny. Like you would even compare the two.
There are signs in the toilets where we are staying that say please keep the doors shut so no unwanted visitors come in. Please turn lights off when you leave to keep away unwanted visitors. Then there is a sign to explain this and we are very happy to keep the door shut and the lights off! Lights attract insects. Insects attract frogs. Frogs attract snakes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is our site with the hills in the background. There has been smoke coming from them all the time we have been here as I guess more burn off is required. This morning an anonymous person left two new packaged McDonalds coke glasses on our table outside for us which was a nice surprise. The kids have wanted us to get some but we hadn't and then they turn up on our table. We just need to get them home without breaking them.