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| Carnarvon National Park - The Gorge |
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July 9 2023 |
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First cross the creek. Carnarvon Creek, that flows into
the Comet River. |
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The gorge is quite wide. But the cliffs are tall. |
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At times dark, thick vegetation. It slowly dawns on us that
vegetation on each side of the creek is different. Different light perhaps. |
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We no longer rise before dawn to begin walking. The sun is
already high. Either the cliffs are too bright or the trees too dark. |
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And never goldilocks. |
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We can also no longer walk as far as we once could in a
day. In 1995, or thereabouts, we cajoled, persuaded, carried, our two
daughters, and ourselves, to cathedral cave. And all the side gorges.
But now we limit ourselves to the Art Gallery and back.
It seems odd to me that it isn't labeled by its Aboriginal name. I'm sure
it has one.
Stencils and carvings. I suspect the sandstone is too course for
painting.
After lots of searching I could see the emu prints. |
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The gallery is both a place of burial. With stencilled hand
prints from those who have passed, and also a place of secret women's
business. I think a representation of a rainbow serpent.
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Which extends a long way along the gallery. |
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We could now turn round and return to camp, with a few
detours.
By the end of the day we will have walked about 9km.
This is the entry to Wards Canyon. |
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With a small colony of King Ferns. All the other colonies
in Queensland are near the coast.
These are remnants of when the land here was much more humid. |
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And tree ferns on the way out. |
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On the main walking track we crossed the creek 6 times on
the way in. And 6 times on the way out. With a couple of crossings each
way for side visits. |
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Entry to the amphitheatre is through a narrow triangular
passage. Climb up the ladders.
The floor of the amphitheatre is a layer of Moolyaember Formation (shale
and mudstone). Impermeable. |
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A distinctive colour, very different to the white sandstone
above it. |
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A distinct demarcation line in the strata. |
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The amphitheatre formed as water worked its way down
intersecting cracks, eventually eroding the sandstone all the way down to
the mudstone. |
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I guess as rocks were swirled round and round they left
marks on the walls, on top of the strata. |
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The view from the top of the ladders. I never did like
looking down through checkered floors - something about heights. |
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A quick stop to watch a small flock of white eyes in a
wattle. But we heard without seeing, babblers, we think, throughout the
gorge. |
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The rounded stepping stones across the creek became a bit
of a problem. As well as some being wet, some with a bit of mud, some with
sand like marbles, my balance was a bit off, my feet refusing to land where
I aimed them. I have wet feet.
Which is not too bad as that is how to approach river crossings in New
Zealand. That in itself a big change from "if you get your feet wet change
your socks" of cooler climes. |
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Entry to the Moss Garden. A narrow side gorge. |
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Another example of the join between sandstone and mudstone.
A lot more water this time. Strangely only one side of the mini gorge. |
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With a bit of sun to highlight the bright greens of mosses
and liverworts and ... |
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The line between the rock types. And thence back to camp. |
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| Carnarvon National Park -
Gorge - Mickey Creek |
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July 10 2023 |
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