Solitude and a Rainbow
26th December 2022
Water bubble floating at the base of a waterfall in Barron Gorge. 24th December 2022.
That little bubble on the surface of the water at the base of a waterfall in Barron Gorge pretty much sums up how I feel in that magnificent place. Total solitude in a wave of activity.
Barron Gorge late November 2022.
I love a late afternoon walk in Barron Gorge up past the bridge. When the water is a seasonal low as it was in late November 2022 it is very easy to get around. Below the bridge however is a very different story depending on the time of the day.
The path from the road to the Rooster’s Tail. 24th December 2022.
I like to get away from a crowd so I am often deep in the rainforest especially when I am below the bridge. That said even the walk from Barron Gorge Road down to the river you are passing through some heavy rainforest. This is the path from the road down to the Rooster’s Tail, a section of the river that the kayakers love.
Rooster’s Tail. 11am on the 24th December 2022.
Up until about 3pm each day the water level below the bridge in Barron Gorge will be quite low. You can rock hop in many spots from one side of the river to the other. You can even rock hop across near the Rooster’s Tail.
If you do cross the river make sure you make your way back before about 2pm. The water rises rapidly once the power station starts releasing and by late afternoon the Rooster’s Tail transforms into a kayakers delight. That is the same spot! Good luck trying to make your way back across that.
However at 11am the rocks that would later that day be metres under very fast water I was able to crawl around under as the sun poked through.
Rooster’s Tail 11am on the 24th December 2022.
I sat and watched the small flow of water down the Barron for a while but as the sun started to pop out from behind the clouds I decided to make my way out.
On my way up to the road I looked out for the insects in the vegetation as I often do……and straight ahead for spiders waiting for me to face plant them :)
Why I do not share the pretty spots I find to everyone
Barron Gorge Road, 24th December 2022.
That morning I decided to take another path back to the road via a waterfall that flows down the hillside, under the road and into the river. People often park there to watch the waterfall when it is flowing and to fill up with the mountain water.
They also throw a lot fo rubbish over the side of the road. I came back at the end of the day to remove the shopping trolley and carry two large garbage bags of trash out. As soon as you make access to spots easy this happens. Very sad.
Wait-a-while at the base of a large fig tree. 24th December 2022.
My plan for the rest of the day was to head up the hillside and take a swim under a waterfall rainbow. Much of the hillside is very steep and covered in wait-a-while which keeps those people who are too lazy to carry their rubbish out of the Gorge off the hillside.
If you are not familiar with wait-a-while it is a plant that is best described as mother natures attempt to recreate the attributes of barb wire and fishing hooks in a single plant form.
The hillside is covered with it and the first time someone new to the rainforest will notice it is when they are hung up on one of the thin 2 -4mm wide stems that drop down from the palm like leaves.
Unlike the plant base and main branches that are straight spiked, these long and thin stems have fish hook like thorns on them . Once caught up the best way to release yourself is to walk backwards.
I have walked past a large fig tree many times trying to avoid the wait-a-while that surrounds it. On the way up the hillside on this day I decided to spend some time inspecting it. In the first photo you can see how the fig uses a neighbouring tree as support wrapping itself around it and eventually killing it.
Water dripping down a rock face, 24th December 2022.
It did not rain on this visit to the hillside but we have had a fair bit of rain in the last week. Everything is wet and water is starting to flow down the hillside. The waterfall season will hopefully start again soon :)
When I arrived near to the top of the hillside at my favourite swimming hole it was quite overcast. I had a swim to wash of some fo the sweat from the climb and then made lunch.
As I ate my lunch I was joined briefly by a butterfly. I do not usually see many butterflies this high up the hillside so it was nice visitor to have.
One of my regular companions at this waterfall was as expected present. I see the Tropical Rockmaster Dragonfly nearly everywhere in the area I live.
My rainbow appears on time, 24th December 2022.
In a previous post I mentioned that I often swim at this waterfall under a rainbow that appears in the afternoon sunshine permitting. This day I did not expect the heavy rain cloud to permit it to happen but it did :)