Barron Heights — David Taylor - Master Jeweller

Seasonal waterfall near the base, May 2021.

For some time now I have been a bit frustrated down on the river in Barron Gorge, I can just never get the sunset I am after. For a change I have been exploring up the side of the Gorge whilst some of the seasonal waterfalls are flowing. It truly is a different world up there.

Seasonal waterfall a little further up, May 2021.

All of these photos are going to be of the same waterfall. It only flows after the wet for a few months and has about 30 tiers to it as it makes its way up/down the hillside.

About a third of the way up the waterfall.

It is not long before the base of the waterfall seems a long way down and we are only about a third of the way up. If you try to climb up these waterfalls make sure that there is no rain about. The rocks are too slippery to climb when wet.

Mushrooms growing in the shade on a fallen tree.

During the middle of the wet season this waterfall flows quite fast knocking down trees and carrying them down the hillside. Many of those fallen trees are reclaimed by mother nature as a food source for other organisms. In the middle of the ascent up the hillside it is quite shaded and you will see a lot of mushrooms growing on those dead trees.

One of the many spiders webs on the hillside.

Hopefully you see them before you walk into them but there are lots of spiders on the hillside. Many times I have walked straight into a web especially late in the day once the sun is setting.

Above is the species of spider I come across the most as I climb the Gorge. They are usually quite large and this one is just a little smaller than my hand.

Sections of the waterfall are quite rough.

The vegetation gets quite thick in places along the way up and even when it flattens out a little it can still be quite hard going.

Well past half way up and the waterfall gets very steep in parts. The sun also starts to peak through the trees on a clear day as you approach the top.

We are nearly at the top and you really start to notice that the vegetation is changing and the sun is starting to shine through. There are quite a few surprises up here and one really big one.

The landscape flattens out a little at the top.

For some reason I expected the water source at the top to be clearly visible but it appear to just spring out of the ground in various places and then form a stronger singular stream as it makes its way down the hillside.

The view from the top looking back to the other side of the Gorge.

Once at the top there are clearings in the tree line that allow you to look over to the other side of the Gorge. That said I spent most of my time looking the other way exploring the top. You will see why soon.

All alone at the top …well almost alone.

The top of the Gorge is amazing but you will run into feral pigs, the spiders we saw before and also quite a few mosquitoes. So be prepared :) There also seems to be some perching spots for birds up there but I am yet to see which type.

You will also see the occasional snake up there. I am no snake expert but most appear to be pythons. My golden rule with snakes is treat them all as venomous and stay away.

I am guessing I might be the first human this snake has ever come across. It did not seem too worried with me and just looked back at me thinking “too big to eat” I guess. It was so relaxed it gave me enough time to change lenses and get nice shots from a fair distance away.

I broke eye contact with this snake for a very short time and it started to make an exit from my company. That was okay because I had spotted something truly amazing.

I am going to get a spectacular photo of this tree one day but for now this will have to do. I hopped into the photo to make sure you could see the scale of this beautiful old tree.

It sits in a clearing on the hilltop with its roots hanging over the side in the shade and the leaves and trunk basking in the sunshine. What a special place.

Making my way back down the hillside with the water.

When I am in a new place that I do not know very well I try to make sure I am out well before dark. I have seen so many feral pigs in this area late afternoon I doubt I would want to be in there at night anyway. If you pay attention to the ground you will see where the pigs have been.

The last couple of days I have been checking out the river again a little. The water is clearing up and I think I may venture back in there a bit more. One of my kayaking friends from the Gorge is leaving Cairns soon and I want to get a nice photo for him of the sunset after burn bouncing off some clouds and reflecting down on the river and white water. Thought I might get it today, close but no prize :(