Today we drove up into the hinterland, the beautiful forested range behind the Gold Coast. The destination was to visit the Springbrook National Park, in particular, Natural Bridge.
The Gondwana rainforest is dense and cool. It is also a remnant of prehistoric times, especially the antartic beech trees and the hoop pine, which also is one of the most primitive of the world's conifers.
Climbing strangler figs.
The tall straight trees towering high above us.
A vast number of ferns growing on the trunk of their host tree.
The bright blue berries, in the photograph below, were lying under the pine trees. Hundreds of them. We were not sure if they were edible, and lacked the confidence to find out.
We walked down into the ravine, in order to see the Natural Bridge.
Nick tasted the water in the stream. Delicious and cool, was his answer.
Walter and Jackie took a moment to catch their breath.
The Natural Bridge. Once the waterfall came over the front of the rock. But over time the force of the water on the basalt cave roof, caused erosion, and eventually the water came through the centre of the cave.
People swimming in the water, which according to signs, was not permitted, due to the damage to the glowworms in the cave.
The sheet of water spilling through the roof of the cave.
Even more people ignoring the signs. I must admit the water looked very tempting, although the idea of swimming with eels did not appeal to me. Yes there were eels in the water here, having come from warm tropical waters, thousands of miles away.
It was very dark in the cave. A great opportunity to use some of the settings on my camera.
We climbed up the track, high above the pool.
The photograph below shows the water falling down through the hole in the roof.
A very tempting pool of water, high above the waterfall.
The peaceful stream, leading to the waterfall.
After completing the 1 1/2 km walk, we returned to the car and headed off to a cafe, which had a lovely view over the valley.
And they served great coffee too.
Very pink flowers.
On the return journey we visited the huge Hinze Dam, which is where the Gold Coast draws its clear and almost pure water.
The sign stated that the dam was named in honour of the Hinze family, who farmed here.
However, one Hinze member, Russ Hinze, was a member of the Queensland Government, at the time the dam was being built. Now Russ Hinze was an extremely overweight bombastic man, so it was no wonder the dam was called the Hinze Dam. There must have been other farmers in the area, and the dam was not named after them. Russ Hinze also walked on the edge of the law, and he conveniently died in the early 1990s, before a corruption charge could be laid against him. Not a nice man.
The very steep overflow channels.
The rocks on the inside of the dam, all excavated from the surrounding cliffs.
A really lovely day out in the magnificant ranges behind the Gold Coast.
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