Gheerulla Falls
There are some other waterfalls just out of Mapleton called Gheerulla Falls and we had decided earlier in the week to visit them on Anzac Day but after our eventful morning, we were in two minds as to whether we should go. In the end, Becca appeared to be just fine and I had read that it wasn't a long walk into the falls so we went. There were two walking tracks to the falls and I had it in mind to enter at a carpark just up the road from the Mapleton cemetery. When we arrived and I checked the national park signage, it was actually 7.2 kilometres from that point which was too far for us so we drove further down the road to another less conspicuous entrance off the side of the road. This walking track was only 1.2 kilometres into the falls so we took that option.
It has been quite chilly up here over the last few days and after her morning Anzac march, Erin decided to rug up in scarf, beanie and woolly gloves which, to be honest, was totally overkill but she insisted. However when we got out of the car, Steve and I put our foot down about all the extra accessories because we knew that once she started walking, she would quickly peel off all the extras and we would end up carrying them. She wore her gloves and took a jacket tied around her waist. I carried a water bottle and all my camera equipment which made me look a bit like the paparazi with lenses and cases hanging everywhere. Steve carried Becca although she initially wanted to walk. In the end he had to hoist her onto his shoulders otherwise we wouldn't have gotten out until dark. Little miss 'Attenborough' just stops and looks at every leaf and twig on the path which, on one hand, is great because she is aware of the finer details of her surroundings but it's time consuming.
The track was fairly wide, enough for a ranger vehicle to drive through and followed around a hillside so on one side was rocks and shrubs and on the other side was a steep drop into the rainforest. Once we reached the bottom there was a nice creek running through and the track headed away and up the other side of the ridge. We followed another track along the hill to the falls. With all the rain we've had in recent months, the falls were running beautifully. When we visited the Mapleton Falls before Christmas last year, they were just a trickle so it was nice to see some real flowing water. After some silent contemplation by the falls (something that is not entirely possible with a chatterbox and a squealer), we walked back to the creek so the girls could dabble in the water for a while. Steve and I tinkered with the camera a bit taking photos of different things and then we trudged back UP the hill to the main road.
Erin was expressing her enthusiasm for the walk and telling me how much she was enjoying it on the way down. It was a different story on the way up. She likes to hold my hand which is fine except she uses me as a tow and drags herself behind me. It's better in these situations to swing your arms anyway but Erin could not be convinced. By the time we were nearly back, there were tears and whingeing about how hard it was and I had to distract her by talking about things on the path. Steve wasn't helping by telling 'the princess' to stop grizzling and keep up. Of course half way back she took her gloves off and gave them to me (how surprising). When we got back to the car and I dumped all my stuff on the seat, I realised that we only had one glove!! Again the tears started and Steve grumbled as he headed back onto the track to look. Luckily, I had only dropped the glove by the fence as we climbed back over it at the road so I was relieved that he didn't have to go too far or Erin would have never heard the end of it. You would think that we would be more organised and experienced with walks considering that we have done a few since leaving Adelaide but no....we still have our dramas. Oh the joys of the great outdoors. Naturally both the girls crashed (asleep) in the car on the way home so Steve and I eventually got some time for quiet contemplation.....whatever that is.
There are some other waterfalls just out of Mapleton called Gheerulla Falls and we had decided earlier in the week to visit them on Anzac Day but after our eventful morning, we were in two minds as to whether we should go. In the end, Becca appeared to be just fine and I had read that it wasn't a long walk into the falls so we went. There were two walking tracks to the falls and I had it in mind to enter at a carpark just up the road from the Mapleton cemetery. When we arrived and I checked the national park signage, it was actually 7.2 kilometres from that point which was too far for us so we drove further down the road to another less conspicuous entrance off the side of the road. This walking track was only 1.2 kilometres into the falls so we took that option.
It has been quite chilly up here over the last few days and after her morning Anzac march, Erin decided to rug up in scarf, beanie and woolly gloves which, to be honest, was totally overkill but she insisted. However when we got out of the car, Steve and I put our foot down about all the extra accessories because we knew that once she started walking, she would quickly peel off all the extras and we would end up carrying them. She wore her gloves and took a jacket tied around her waist. I carried a water bottle and all my camera equipment which made me look a bit like the paparazi with lenses and cases hanging everywhere. Steve carried Becca although she initially wanted to walk. In the end he had to hoist her onto his shoulders otherwise we wouldn't have gotten out until dark. Little miss 'Attenborough' just stops and looks at every leaf and twig on the path which, on one hand, is great because she is aware of the finer details of her surroundings but it's time consuming.
The track was fairly wide, enough for a ranger vehicle to drive through and followed around a hillside so on one side was rocks and shrubs and on the other side was a steep drop into the rainforest. Once we reached the bottom there was a nice creek running through and the track headed away and up the other side of the ridge. We followed another track along the hill to the falls. With all the rain we've had in recent months, the falls were running beautifully. When we visited the Mapleton Falls before Christmas last year, they were just a trickle so it was nice to see some real flowing water. After some silent contemplation by the falls (something that is not entirely possible with a chatterbox and a squealer), we walked back to the creek so the girls could dabble in the water for a while. Steve and I tinkered with the camera a bit taking photos of different things and then we trudged back UP the hill to the main road.
Erin was expressing her enthusiasm for the walk and telling me how much she was enjoying it on the way down. It was a different story on the way up. She likes to hold my hand which is fine except she uses me as a tow and drags herself behind me. It's better in these situations to swing your arms anyway but Erin could not be convinced. By the time we were nearly back, there were tears and whingeing about how hard it was and I had to distract her by talking about things on the path. Steve wasn't helping by telling 'the princess' to stop grizzling and keep up. Of course half way back she took her gloves off and gave them to me (how surprising). When we got back to the car and I dumped all my stuff on the seat, I realised that we only had one glove!! Again the tears started and Steve grumbled as he headed back onto the track to look. Luckily, I had only dropped the glove by the fence as we climbed back over it at the road so I was relieved that he didn't have to go too far or Erin would have never heard the end of it. You would think that we would be more organised and experienced with walks considering that we have done a few since leaving Adelaide but no....we still have our dramas. Oh the joys of the great outdoors. Naturally both the girls crashed (asleep) in the car on the way home so Steve and I eventually got some time for quiet contemplation.....whatever that is.
No comments:
Post a Comment