Local Landmarks

With no extensive driving planned for today it was time to stay local and explore our mountain.

Setting out on a full stomach of porridge and bananas we headed for Potoroo Falls. Suitable for 2- wheel drive cars on a dry day.  A twenty minute drive along the usual unsealed roads saw us arrive to the road down being closed due to a landslide.

We had all the hiking gear with us so we got kitted out ready for the long hard climb down and even worse one coming back up the slopes.  Just about to set off and a local, Alex and his late teen son Bandan where heading down in their truck.  They moved the road closed sign and were going to see the damage. We cheekily thumbed a lift in the back of the pickup to the bottom.

Down at the bottom they said their goodbyes and headed deep into the bush after giving us directions. They told us how the area had been devastated by fires a few years back and now the floods.

The path was harder to find than expected with debris covering the signs that were still standing.  The route was covered in fallen trees to climb over or crawl under

We had to zigzag our way across the meandering steam that only a week or two back was a powerful surge of water tearing through the valley.

Watch out for leeches and snakes was my advice. Not so lucky, when we got out there was a leech between Sarah’s toes about to go to work.  Luckily,  as it wasn’t our first encounter with them, we had brought the salt.  A pinch later and he was ready to flick off and go on his merry way.

On the way back to the start we passed two separate couples and a young man. One final crossing of the river and trek to the car park. Three cars were parked near the van, we knew the local lads weren’t back for some time so it meant potential lifts up the hill.   

Sure enough we’d walked about  400 metres up the road at a 45⁰ angle and already feeling the strain on knees and calfs when Emanual, a trainee doctor from Sydney, pulled up and kindly gave us a lift the other 1,800 metres thank god.

Back to base camp for some well deserved lunch. Still no koalas but a pademelon (wallaby) hopped out of the rainforest and bounced down the road in front of the car.  It must have been shy because as soon as the camera was ready he turned, looked and bounded back through the lush green forest,  not to be seen again.

When we returned most of the other happy campers had shipped out. Those remaining had packed up and told us they weren’t staying another night as they’d run out of beer and it was 45km to the nearest town, 23km of which on onsealed roads. 

For us though it was time for our second adventure of the day.  As our bodies had been saved a complete breakdown by the generosity of our previous drivers, then why not take a trek to a lookout point. Another 20 mins drive and we came to this sign

Suddenly the wheels started spinning and the car was going nowhere.  After finding some flat rocks and wood we got going again.  With nowhere safe to turn it was reverse for 10 minutes back down the steep hill.  I was walking and directing as there were so many hidden holes and crevices. With a sheer drop on both sides of the car, we erred on the side of caution.

We abandoned the car at the bottom once again and started our ascent on foot. 

After climbing up the mud track we found the stairs to heaven

Between swimming under a waterfall and the trek up the mountains we’d had a great day. There was still time for one last adventure.  Now everyone had deserted the campsite we headed down the local trek. This was very overgrown so we only managed about half.  Not a lot to see or is there?

That was enough adventures for one day so we relaxed in our usual way. So we kicked off our shoes ready for some cards. Low and behold there was a leech stuck to my ankle. 

He was nice and fat as he had been sucking on my blood all afternoon. They start out as little tadpole tail size and then feed and feed until they are full.

The salt is going everywhere with us from now on.