Bunyips, Birds & Cania Gorge

Despite the attack of the midges, I've had a delightful week!  The weather has been sunny and mild (still cold enough at night to make me thank the flannelette sheets and the dog) and I have been out and about, doing some walks, meeting some lovely people and camping in the best spot so far this trip.

I think this boab tree had some sort of disease or pest ... never saw another like it

And this is what happens to toads that try and cross the rail trail!

Driving north, I stopped at Ban Ban Springs.  This is just one of a series of freshwater springs that lie at the base of the Bin Bin Ranges and the water runs into a beautiful wetlands that was full of Plumed Whistling Ducks.  The springs is a sacred site and has a Dreamtime association with the Rainbow Serpent which is believed to have surfaced there.

I kept tootling on up the Country Way until I reached Mulgildie, where I'd decided to stop for the night at the pub there.  There's not much in Mulgildie ... a second-hand/coffee shop that didn't seem to be open, an Asian takeaway/supermarket that definitely wasn't open, the pub and a statue of a bunyip.  Yes!  A bunyip!  Why?  I'm really not sure apart from someone decided to donate it in memory of his parents.

I SO want a cow seat!

Who knew this is what a bunyip looks like?!?

The pub was quite an experience.  There was free camping next to it and the use of the toilet and shower inside the pub.  It was an old, rambling building covered with paintings, with multiple bedrooms, painters climbing about on the roof and a bar that it took at least 10 minutes to find!  I had a delicious dinner there and chatted with the new owners ... who had bought the pub only 17 weeks ago.  Before that, it had been empty apart from spiders and rats for two years.  So they had done a huge amount of work.  As we were talking, the publican asked where I was from.  "Mansfield" I said. "You probably haven't heard of it but it's ..."  I was about to explain where it was in Victoria in relation to Melbourne, when Shane said "Know it!  I'm from there!"  OMG!  So we discussed friends in common, his parents and sister who are still there and just kept laughing about how small a world it is.

I had been recommended to go to Cania Gorge (thanks Wendy!) which was a short drive from Mulgildie.  There was a caravan park set right on the National Park boundary, with walks starting virtually at the gate.  So I trundled along, thinking I might stay a night or two.  Well, I ended up staying four nights ... it was heaven!  The caravan park was nestled in between two sandstone cliffs, with beautiful green grass, so many birds, rock wallabies and lovely walks through the cypress pine woodland and up to rocky escarpments.  I walked and walked, met some lovely campers, shared a meal and some stories (one couple had worked in Vanuatu in the two years prior to independence!) and enjoyed the bird feeding time.  I would come back to Cania Gorge ... 

Heaps of orchids and staghorns on the rocky slopes

The birds, the birds ...

And wildflowers or weeds ... ???

My camp ...

But I couldn't stay forever.  I've been lucky to grab a spot at Carnarvon Gorge for four nights!  So I headed up to Biloela to restock on some necessities (including some antihistamines - drat those midges) and now am travelling along the Dawson Highway, heading west.