Let me be perfectly honest. This was certainly no rugged adventure. I didn’t get hurt or lost. There were no epiphanies. I didn’t reach a profound conclusion. There was a risk that I would never want to return home though. Continue reading
My last post was about a recent walk in the rain through lush subtropical rainforests in mountainous country. This week I’m dragging you back 15 years in time to Porcupine Gorge, a walk my young family did in hot, dry open country, 1500 km north-west of Brisbane. Continue reading
Whenever my hikes don’t run to plan, I’m reminded of the words, “The best-laid schemes of mice and men,” from a Robert Burns’ poem. This in turn brings to mind a couple of grim scenes from John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men. I doubt that the English teacher who chose this book for my class envisaged that 30 years later one of her students would still be having flashbacks. My recent hike at Mt Maroon involved another visit from the now controversial Steinbeck classic. Continue reading
“Spontaneity is a meticulously prepared art” – Oscar Wilde
Several months ago I wrote Ngungun: Glass House Mountains – Part I. Today’s post continues my memories of this special area with a walk at Mt Tibrogargan and Mt Beerburrum. New followers or those old followers wishing to remind themselves of the geography and history of the region can read Part I here. Or if you prefer, check out the National Parks Site for more information. Mildly Extreme Jane is not feeling very well this week so she can’t guarantee any of this will make sense. I’ve lost some writing mojo, but as they say, “The blog must go on.” Perhaps grab a cup of coffee or something stronger before you start…
I faced my nemesis while visiting Mt Tibrogargan. Continue reading
Recently Neil from Bushwalking Blog kindly invited me to contribute my first guest post. Neil is an enthusiastic, friendly guy who is very supportive of other adventure bloggers out there. His site contains a wealth of information about Australian bush walking as well as overseas adventures. For handy information about trips, competitions and gear reviews take a look at his comprehensive site.
To read my guest trip report about Mt Cordeaux, a beautiful place I’d go back to again and again, click: Falling in Love with Mt Cordeaux – Main Range National Park -QLD .
Mt Cordeaux has spectacular views of the Fassifern Valley and is part of Main Range National Park, included in the World Heritage listed Gondwana Rainforests Region. My post A Tale of Ticks and Other Terrors describes the Mt Mitchell walk which is just over the road from Mt Cordeaux. The views from that walk are a good example of what Cordeaux has to offer. But don’t worry, the paths at Cordeaux are free of weeds so you won’t have to do the dreaded “tick dance” to escape them. It’s one of those walks that for little effort gives you a big reward, unlike some of the suffer-fests I have sweated through! Main Range National Park has many great walks to offer and is a great place for experienced hikers and families. It’s not as well known as some other tourist destinations in Queensland but definitely has a lot to offer those seeking some nature therapy.
Since starting my blog just a short time ago I’ve been surprised and delighted at the encouragement given to me by the blogging community. Thanks Neil and all those other supportive bloggers out there. And thank you to the lovely readers who have given me such kind feedback and some fascinating blog statistics to ponder. I think this is the first time that statistics has interested me! I may be a hiking hermit but I do enjoy the online interactions with so many interesting people from across the globe and within my own country.
“Butterflies are self-propelled flowers.” – Robert A. Heinlein
Why didn’t I ask Carol? Although she may seem like a quiet, conservative, middle-aged grocery store check-out operator, don’t be fooled. Carol is a hard-core weekend adventurer. Whenever she serves me we always manage to squeeze in a conversation about our latest hikes. When I told her about my Goolman Lookout walk, she chastised me. “You did that in summer! It’s much too hot. There’s not much to see anyway. It’s all dry scrub.” As I said before, why didn’t I ask Carol first? She always seems to know the most up-to date information about walks. I’d been waiting for Mt Cordeaux to open for months and was checking the website regularly, but it was Carol who first informed me it had reopened. She needs to set up her own hiking guru website or maybe “Carol’s Hiking Hotline”? Continue reading
“Today is your day ! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way.” — Dr. Seuss
I think my vitamin pills may have been spiked last weekend! Some of you may have gathered by now that I am a bit of an introvert. For me, a quiet walk in the wilderness is a way to replenish my emotional energy. For this reason I try to avoid popular hiking spots and school holidays. However, last weekend I actually enjoyed the noisy crowd on top of Mt Ngungun. What has happened to Jane’s mind? Was it heatstroke? Have I finally achieved, dare I say it…“normality”? More about this strange phenomenon later… Continue reading
The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time. – David Henry Thoreau
“I can’t believe we’re really going!” I had to agree with my daughter. It was September, 2011 and it was difficult to believe that after the prolonged stressful events of the previous months we were finally on the road and escaping the city for a few days. It took a couple of hours of driving but slowly, like heavy fog rising to reveal a dazzling blue sky, our tension lifted and we were laughing and sighing with relief. We hadn’t even reached our destination but the anticipation of being immersed in nature was already having a therapeutic effect. Continue reading
