Travel Australia
Natural Wanders…
exploring the natural world through writing
| Wander the Articles | Next | Home |
Travel Australia
Views Magazine
Summer
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
From Way Up High to Way Down Under
by Linda Lee Rathbun
Photos by Steven David Miller
When I was a young--er woman, my husband whisked me off to Australia shortly after our marriage in California. We lived there for twenty years. Though we loved it, we returned to America for a variety of reasons, yet somehow, I can never get Australia out of my heart. Why? Because there are so many places and animals there that are my favorite in all the world.
Australia may seem like a long way away. In fact, for those of us who live
in the southern United States, it is about as far away as you can get.
Yet by hopping on a plane from Atlanta to Los Angeles, and then another
from Los Angeles to Australia, you can be there in less than a day. So,
let me lead you away from the mountains of north Georgia and give you another
view of the world; let me take you to the places "Downunder"
that I have loved the most.
Lord Howe Island
Located 320 miles northeast of Sydney, this subtropical gem is bathed by
the equatorial currents of the Great Barrier Reef and set into the most
southerly coral reef on earth. From the towering peaks of Mt. Lidgbird
and Mt. Gower (the remnants of an ancient shield volcano in the submerged
mountains of the Lord Howe Rise), to the dramatic cliffs of Malabar, every
view is utterly ravishing. How do I love Lord Howe?, let me count the ways. I love walking through
its sub-tropical rainforests, delighting in the countless endemic plants.
I adore hiking up its cliff tops to watch red-tailed tropicbird soaring
in the updrafts. I am endlessly enchanted by all the bird species, especially the white terns that fly across the blue skies like pairs of angels. The 500 species of fish, and 94 varieties of coral, make the underwater world as fascinating as the land. I never have to think of what it will be like when I die and go to heaven. All I have to do is visit Lord Howe Island.
The Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is one of the world's best scenic drives with one
"great" view after the other. Stretching between the surfing
havens of Torquay and Warrnambool, it hugs a coastline famous for surf
beaches and hazardous seas that have claimed hundreds of ships since Australia
was first settled. The Twelve Apostles, in Port Campbell National Park,
are the eroded limestone stacks of cliffs that once reached further into
the sea. Though the coastline is lovely, I have to confess that what makes
this one of my favorite places is the chance to see Australia’s unique
wildlife. The southern right whale calves in these waters in winter. Flocks
of assorted parrots: crimson rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, sulfur-crested
cockatoos, are found without even looking. Who could resist the hundreds
of eastern grey kangaroos living on the Angelsea Golf Course: have you
ever teed off with a kangaroo contemplating your swing? On our last trip
to Australia, we spent several heavenly days viewing the koalas in Otway
National Park and in the Angahook-Lorne State Park at Kennett River. Technically,
one could complete this 150-mile drive in a day--it took us a week with
so many nice places to stop in along the way.
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island does not impress me with its beauty, though its pasturelands
and eucalyptus trees are pretty. On the other hand, there are certain sections
of Flinders Chase National Park that are remarkable; take The Remarkables,
for instance. Here, massive granite boulders have been sculpted by the
Southern Ocean winds. How, I wonder, did they ever get there? However,
what truly makes Kangaroo Island special is the abundant wildlife. We have
camped there with koalas sitting in the trees right above our campervan.
In the grass around us, Kangaroo Island kangaroos and tammar wallabies
grazed quietly beside us as we ate our dinner at a picnic table. Cape Barren
geese, almost extinct from over-hunting, live in large flocks at Flinders
Chase. White-tailed black cockatoos screech across the sky like a dark,
noisy cloud. In the main town of Kingscote, a man feeds pelicans every
night by the pier: the birds gather by the dozens. In that same town, as
the pelicans head off to their roosting trees, little penguins emerge from
the ocean to return to their burrows along the coastline. At only a foot
tall, they are adorable. The highlight of Kangaroo Island has to be Seal
Bay Conservation Park. Here, you can walk amongst Australian sea lions.
We have spent many hours there watching mothers tend to their pups, young
bulls strutting their stuff, older bulls bullying the females, and seals
surfing gleefully in the waves.
Tasmania
Tassie, as the island is affectionately called by the Aussies, has a rich
colonial history, and has almost one-third of its landmass set aside as
wilderness. The most accessible of this protected region is Cradle Mountain-Lake
St.Clair National Park, and I adore it there. If I ever win the lottery,
the first thing I am going to do is treat myself to a week atCradle Mountain
Lodge. The view of Cradle Mountain, reflected in the deep blue waters of
Dove Lake, has to be one of the best in the world. From there, you can
walk through temperate rainforests and alpine meadows, and see some amazing
wildlife. Late afternoon and early nightfall is when Tassie comes to life.
Mountain brushtail possums emerge from their daytime hiding places to forage
for food. Pademelons, a tiny species of kangaroo, step shyly across the
ground. Bennett’s wallabies linger in the last light of day. One of the
best memories of my entire life is sitting on a hillside above a massive
warren of wombat burrows. A baby wombat kept popping out of an entrance,
and if we sat as still as statues, it would come out to gallop around like
a joyful puppy: adorable beyond words. A motor tour of Tasmania, staying
at the many historic Bed & Breakfasts, is a great way to see this little
island in the Tasman Sea.
The Flinders Ranges
Fancy a real adventure? Then hire a 4-wheel drive in Adelaide and drive yourself on up to the Flinders Ranges. Go to the southern section and stay at Wilpena Pound, and then leave Flinders Ranges National Park via Brachina Gorge. Head north to Leigh Creek, then east into the Gammon Ranges, or North Flinders Ranges. Here, a former sheep station has been turned into the Arkaroola Wildlife Sanctuary, a private property of 61,000 hectares. The ancient mountains, rich in minerals (including uranium), seem to illuminate the red rocks from within. Breathtaking scenery, endangered yellow-footed rock wallabies, Common wallaroos, emus, numerous bird and reptile species, all make this a true outback experience. Some of the waterholes at Arkaroola are legendary, and besides, who could resist
places with names like Nooldoonooldoona and Bolla Bollana?
If you think you can stand more of the unpaved roads, then try one of the
famous South Australia outback 4-wheel drive tracks. They all converge
in the dilapidated town of Marree: the Strzelecki, the Birdsville, and
the Oodnadatta. The sheep station of Muloorina is bursting with birdlife,
as are a few of the natural mound springs one finds along the way. Do not
venture here unless you have off-road experience and you don't mind trading
discomfort for adventure. On the other hand, you can do a guided tour and
leave all the worries to someone else.
Nambung National Park and Kalbarri National Park
Western Australia is massive, taking up more than a third of Australia.
It has some stunning highlights--with eternal distances in between. If
a person only had a week to spend in Western Australia, this is what I
would suggest. Go in early spring, and hire a campervan in Perth. Head
north along the Brand Highway--the drive alone will make it all worthwhile.
Here, the road is lined with shrubs that are bursting with the blooms of
banksias, grevilleas, wattle, kangaroo paw, eucalypti, and hundreds of
intriguing ground covers. Set against a blue sky and red earth, this botanical
wonderland is almost too lovely to be true. Do not think you can drive
through here quickly; we usually average 25mph, stopping to take photos
every hundred yards or so. After about 100 miles, there is a turn-off to
Nambung National Park. Again, it is slow going because the ground is carpeted
with native iris and native peas and native violets. In the town of Cervantes,
one has the choice of a truly terrible campground, or an even worse motel.
In Australia, you sometimes have to overlook where you stay for what you
see. The Pinnacles is a perfect example. These sandstone pillars, the remains
of an eroded limestone plateau, are weird and magical and fascinating.
Seeing them in the red glow of sunset will remain forever in my mind's
eye.
Next, is a coastal drive on up to Kalbarri National Park. Gorges and cliffs carved out by the Murchison River make for one scenic view after the other. Again, the roads are landscaped by the green thumb of Mother Nature. Watch out for lizards along the way: Shinglebacks with blue tongues, and thorny devils studded with tiny thorns. Save time for the ride back to Perth, because yet more wildflowers await you.
Karijini and Millstream-Chichester National Parks
This might be one of those places you would rather hear about than visit. It is stunning, but with roads that will rattle your bones from the corrugation, and shred your tires like confetti. Let me show it to you quickly then.
-Karijini, with iron-ore rich gorges that plunge 300 feet straight down in tiered blocks of rock--waterfalls that spill from one pristine pool to the other--canyons so narrow you can scarcely squeeze through.
-Millstream, a spring of crystalline water that erupts from the arid landscape creating a Garden of Eden: numerous kangaroo and bird species gather here to dwell in the lush oasis.
-Python Pool, a dramatic tableau that appears in the middle of nowhere--it looks like a Hollywood set for the next Indiana Jones film.
We blew three tires in four days (heavy truck tires that are killers to
change), crushed a tire rim, and almost severed our lug bolts on the road
connecting these places. We loved every minute of our adventure there--even
the terrible minutes.
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland is famous for two things: pristine tropical rainforests, and fringing coral reefs. The Daintree, in Cape Tribulation, offers saturated woods laced with orchids, climbing vines, palm fronds, and little jeweled frogs tucked into green leaves. Suddenly, a bolt of iridescent turquoise flashes before your eyes: a Ulysses butterfly careening through the air. Equal in beauty and size, is the emerald-green and black birdwing butterfly. A variety of kingfishers, one more dazzling than the last, land in tree branches like the crown jewels of the tropics. Waterfalls and rivers, engorged with daily rainfall, thunder down mountains in their search for the sea. Fruit bats roost in large colonies during the day, hanging upside down from the trees. A number of parrots can be found in the Far North too. The towns of Cairns and Port Douglas offer day trips to the Daintree, or you can hire a 4-wheel drive. If you go, be sure to stop in at the Rainforest Habitat in Port Douglas, the best wildlife-tourism operation I have ever been to.
The Hinterland
Lamington National Park, set into a green mountain range that rises above
Queensland’s Gold Coast, is as alluring as our own southern Appalachians.
Lamington has two fantastic places to stay: O’Reilly’s Guesthouse at Green
Mountains, and Binna Burra Lodge at Binna Burra. I love this area because
it is easy to get to (a two-hour drive from Brisbane), and it is graced
with a number of walking tracks that lead you through eucalyptus forest,
sub-tropical rainforest, and Antarctic beech forest. Bowerbirds decorate
the forest floor with their intriguing bowers. Parrots scream down from
on high. It is my idea of bliss to walk all day and return to one of these
lodges at night to stuff myself with home-cooked food. In the evenings,
brushtail possums and sugar gliders come out to feed. Nightjars, frogmouths,
and owls fly silently through the black night in search of prey. Water
dragons, a type of lizard, can be found along with many other species of
reptiles: we once found a diamond python curled up in a pool of sunshine
beneath a tree.
Carnarvon National Park
Carnarvon Gorge, a very long 330 miles northwest of Brisbane, is carved
into the Consuelo Tableland of the Great Dividing Range. I have been there
several times, always staying at the Oasis Lodge just outside the park
boundary. From the charming safari-tent cabins, I have walked up and down
the gorge floor numerous times, and never run out of things to see. The
Moss Garden is a waterfall-fed poll encircled by moss-draped walls. The
Art Gallery, Balloon Cave, and Cathedral Cave are sandstone murals of the
best Aboriginal stencil art in the country. Ward’s Canyon is fed by a stream
spilling past Angiopteris ferns, and a climb to panoramic views of the
gorge and ranges. Waterfalls tumble out from endless arterial canyons.
Birds, marsupials, reptiles, amphibians, platypus, butterflies, and wildflowers
decorate the landscape like Christmas ornaments.
The Great Barrier Reef
Perhaps the most famous feature of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, is
actually a series of coral reefs and cays running from Bundaberg to the
tip of Far North Queensland. Several islands offer places to stay, but
only a few are true coral cays right on the reef itself. Lady Elliot Island
and Heron Island, in the Capricorn Group, have resorts on them (my favorite
is Heron). Other cays, like Lady Musgrave, have bare bones camping. Many
towns and cities along the coast offer day trips out to the reef. My best
experiences on the Barrier Reef include swimming with mantra rays and sea
turtles at Lady Elliot; watching baby turtles hatch on the light of a full
moon and scramble down the beach to the shore on Lady Elliot and Heron
Island; a helicopter ride from Gladstone to Heron, gazing down at the jewel-studded
reef surrounded by waters that looked like dyed silk; camping on Lady Musgrave
where I bathed in the lagoon every evening and slept under a twinkling
blanket of stars. The entire reef is packed with endless tropical reef
fish adorning hundreds of varieties of coral, and the abundant birdlife
that nests on the secluded cays make each island a natural history paradise.
I will never forget the five-day dive trip we took aboard a boat that dropped
us at dive sites like Pixie Pinnacle, the Cod Hole, Lizard Island, and
other underwater coral delights.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Kakadu National Park
Ayers Rock, or Uluru as it is now known out of respect for the traditional Aboriginal owners, is almost a tourist cliche. I say almost, because although the park is regulated and controlled to the point of being ridiculous, it is still an awesome sight to behold. Sunset and sunrise over the rock make it look as if it is draped in scarlet satin. To the west, are the orange domes of Kata Tjuta, once called the Olgas. The name means "place of many heads", and the region is rich in legends of Dreamtime ancestors who roamed across the landscape forming its many features. This is quintessential Australia. It is also a place to find wonderful Australian reptiles: bearded dragons, thorny devils, central netted dragons, goannas, and numerous snakes.
On the Stuart Highway, bisecting the Northern Territory from top to bottom,
are the Devils Marbles. Aboriginal legend holds that these are the eggs
of the Rainbow Serpent, probably the most active of all the Dreamtime Ancestors.
They are the highlight of the two-day drive from Alice Springs to Darwin.
Kakadu National Park is a place of contrasts. The drive into the park is
dry and dull, making one wonder if it is worth the effort. It is, because
certain spots have wetlands dripping with birdlife, and rock art that is
some of the best in the world. The Yellow Waters Cruise on the East Alligator
River offers a sunset trip that is sublime. Storks, cranes, herons, egrets,
kingfishers, hawks, and eagles were just a few of the birds we saw on our
last visit. Saltwater, or estuarine crocodiles dozed by the riverbanks,
ferocious predators that can and have eaten Kakadu tourists. Kangaroos,
dingoes, brumbies all come to drink at the water's edge. The drier parts
of the park, actually only dry in the dry season, host the rock art. X-ray
style depictions of the animals that inhabit the area were painted on rock
surfaces by the Aboriginal people. Walking to the various art sites at
Ubirr Rock and Anbangbang and Nourlangie, you might be lucky enough to
spot a frilled lizard lazing in a tree.
So, I hope I have given you some good reasons to leave Georgia for a little while and visit the Land Downunder. The Aussie dollar runs at about two for one, traveling is safe, the people are friendly, the wildlife is beautiful, the country is fascinating.
If you do go, can I come too?
The End