Chasing waterfalls - Part 1
Screech, screech, screech. The alarm is goes off. Up I get. My ninja skills need some work as I wake some in the house. I reassure them it is way too early to be up. They go back to sleep and off I go.
Today I am chasing waterfalls in Lamington National Park.
On the way up the mountain I see some wallaby’s grazing on the green grass beside the road. I should have stopped and got my camera out to take some photos, but I didn’t. I was in a rush to get to the waterfalls. Lesson 1 for the day - stop rushing.
I make it to the car park at O’Reilly’s and bound out of the car. On my backpack goes. I am over prepared, and my pack is heavy. I have far too much camera gear. I reassure myself that I will use all the camera gear. Spoilers, and no surprise, I hardly use any of it. Perhaps lesson 2 for the day. I tell myself though that the extra weight would help test out how much I can carry on some overnight hikes I have planned in the not-too-distant future.
Off I go with a spring in my step, and I see a group of people feeding some birds. What magnificent birds they are, king parrots and rosellas. I wasn’t going to stop and take photos until I noticed the regent bowerbird. It was then that I realised I forgot my mask. Back I go to the car to get the mask. Once I am at my car, I realise that my mask was in my pocket the whole time.
Take two. Back up to the bird feeding I go. Thankfully the regent bowerbird is still there. It doesn’t stick around for long, but I manage to take a couple of photos with my 200mm to 500mm lens.
Now it is time to hit the trail. The plan for today is to hike up to Chalahn Falls on the Toolona Creek circuit and then head back to Box Forest circuit. Through the famous Lamington National Park arch I go and for some reason I take the first track to the left. This of cause is the West Canungra Creek circuit. Oops. It takes me about 750 metres to realise my mistake. Back up the hill I go, and I am now on the right track.
The morning is such a great time to be in the rainforest. There is mist still hanging about, and the sun is trying to shine through. The birds are also in full song.
Down to picnic rock I go on the lookout for waterfalls. The lower you go, the greener and lusher your surroundings get. The waterfalls are not hard to find and soon I have the camera and tripod out taking photos around picnic rock.
After picnic rock I start to make my way up Toolona Gorge. After a few more waterfalls I take a breath and stop for a snack. The trail mix with added chocolate tastes rather good. Perhaps I should have packed more food than camera gear? Lesson 3? I am learning a lot today.
Fuelled up, I continue the climb to Chalahn Falls. By this stage my pack is becoming rather heavy. Perhaps 10kg of camera gear was not the smartest idea.
I cannot describe how beautiful all these waterfalls are. At each waterfall I stop and try to take it all in – the peaceful sounds of the water rushing over the rocks, the vibrant greens of the mossy rocks, and the smell of the rainforest. Hopefully the pictures I have taken do this rainforest justice.
Will my back and shoulders last? Does something happen at picnic rock after I leave? Do I make it to Chalahn Falls? Do I go to the Queensland and NSW border? Check Part 2 to find out.
