The Great Gorge Trek

Last night was definitely stark contrast to the prior- I actually reached such a level of warmth inside my multiple comforter layers that I began to get hot. Unheard of! I slept so hard that the entire left hand side of my body became completely numb. That definitely qualifies as a good night’s sleep.

Today began the same as yesterday with a stunning sunrise. Did you know that it actually happened 8 minutes before I witnessed it? I learned that from the stargazing session. From there we hurriedly got ready for the day long hike and were treated to a full pancake breakfast before departing on our adventure. 

Perfect scenery.. if the cockatoos would stop squaking

The opposing side of the sunrise

Once on the trail Simon told us about all sorts of little critters and plants such as the quinine tree which bears fruits that can cause abortions, and if given in high enough doses it can make the ovaries stop working. The Aboriginals actually used this to their advantage for population control.

A spectator as we departed

He also showed us Australian mistletoe which “reads” the DNA of its host tree and mimics the leaves. This is especially helpful when it resides on the eucalypt tree which has toxic leaves but of course the mistletoe, disguising itself, is completely harmless.

a gum tree

 Throughout the 8-hour hike we visited the “art gallery”, Ward’s canyon, the Amphitheater, and the Moss gardens. The path itself was something to note, winding along the base of forests which played host to Seuss trees and Jurassic park foliage alike. We crossed ways with a Sydney spotted blue gum tree, which greatly resembles a koala’s bum, named “Frank” who is a home to arboreal termites. Passing by, he received a lot of love from the group as many of us gave him a big fat hug. 

Looking off of the trail

The gorgeous creek we crossed to reach the trails

The first stop we made was the art gallery which is actually quite an inappropriate name. Its significance to the Aboriginals is something more akin to a cathedral or a religious site. The walls are adorned with both engravings and stencil paintings alike. It’s hard to fathom that these relics are thousands of years in age.

Art or worship?

Another creek in the gorge

  Next up was the glorious Ward’s canyon where we enjoyed a late lunch. It was more or less a utopia; complete with fragile king ferns and red-tinted stones from the amounts of iron. It was just stunning. Words cannot even describe the place! Imagine rock city on steroids with some moss thrown in and you’ll be somewhat in the ballpark.

In the gorge

En route to the heart of Ward's canyon

Thinking that it couldn’t possibly get much better, we proceeded to hike onwards through streams and valleys to the amphitheater. After climbing the rickety metal staircase, it seemed like we entered into an alien landscape. The cold air gushed out and revealed a stunning patch of greenery within a deep cavern, only receiving light from a relatively small opening at least 100 feet above. I definitely had a few candids snapped as I gawked at the rock formations and the other-worldly atmosphere. Simon told us about incidents where little critters actually will fall from the land up above into the cavern below yet somehow only suffer from broken limbs… poor koalas.

Rocking the super stylish glorified fanny pack- awaiting the ascent

Is this earth?

Looking up: what a fallen koala sees

 One the way back home we made a stop at the moss gardens which exists due to the amount of sandstone on top of the residing shale. The permeable sandstone acts as the largest water filter I’ve ever seen. Once the water trickles down to the shale it pours out, creating as gorgeous waterfall and an abundance of moss. Simon treated us to some ANZAC biscuits which last an upwards of 6 months (and the recipe can be found thanks to the CWA on the net). Since we were running a bit ahead of schedule he allowed us some “fun time” for a quick scramble up the creek bed. What a sight to see! There was a gorgeous pool sporting blues, greens and yellows. If it wasn’t so bloody cold I would have LOVED to have gone for a swim!

Moss gardens: God made.

Would make for a refreshing swim!

Along the way in we also saw a raven carrying a prized cane toad, eating it belly first, no doubt. It brings back so many memories…

Tuckered out and ready for a nap and some food, we trudged back to the campsite. Steve and Colin prepared us a lovely meal of stir fry and orange cake for dessert which was wolfed down in no time. Not a second to spare, we packed up the bus and headed to Simon’s for star gazing. In the smack middle of a cow field all 35 of us laid down in our sleeping bags, eyes cast towards the immense sky. The stars were positively stunning, and we could see Saturn, Scorpio, Virgo, the Southern Cross (with the right technique it will guide you south) and, the brightest, dog star (Sirius!). We could also point out the emu dark constellation from the night before. 

I was harassed a bit for my get up since I was toting around a comforter from the cabins and refused to peel off any layers for fear of exposure to the unbearable cold. I suppose I must have looked a little ridiculous waddling around a cow pasture in pitch black, resembling giant larvae. Whatever, I was warm for once.