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Thank You for joining me on my adventures over the past few years, but it's time to close it down.
Tracey =^..^=

02.02.12 Yandilla Farmstay


02.02.13
It had been raining last week with Ex tropical cyclone Oswald, so we were expecting that there would be good water in the creek.  It also rained Thursday, so we were hoping that we could make it there.  I’d called David on Wednesday to make the booking and he’d requested we call back on Friday.  When I called late Friday night, he was surprised that we still wanted to come out, but was happy to accommodate.

All packed and on the road by 0808.  Our expectation was that we would get into the overflow section this time so we’re keeping our fingers crossed.  The trip up was fairly uneventful.  We couldn’t see any flood damage or even debris. 

We stop in at the Kilcoy Bakery for a sausage roll and a pie.  Glenn is rather keen on their sausage rolls, but I’m not so keen on their pies.  The cakes all look lovely, but we usually make “Camp Cake” so I didn’t bother getting any of them.
 
As we turned up Mount Kilcoy Road, we immediately noticed the damage.  The creek has overflowed everywhere you look.  Always good to give creeks a good flush out, but after they’ve been stagnant for a little while.  From what I could see, the extra 25mm they had on Thursday wasn’t really what they required.  I snapped off a lot of photo’s as we drove along.  Glenn had to do a lot of slowing down to ensure we didn’t damage the vehicle or camper on the roads as some had washed away completely.




Once at the driveway, I hop out to open the gate and notice two things.  First one is the “Closed” sign on the gate and the second is David on his tractor at the far end.  We pull up so he has ample room to reverse anywhere and he pulls off the road, giving us a “let’s have a chat” wave.  Engine off, we dismount.  He laughingly grabs our cash, mentions no refunds, and then he explains that he’s just putting the road back together and that we will have to drive around a fair distance to miss all the mushy stuff and double back up to the road.  He says that the rest of the road is good, but he’s not sure how we’d go getting back out of the overflow section he’s calling “The Island”. 
We take a wander over the concrete creek crossing and immediately see the issue he’s spoken of.  The whole road is missing in one spot to about 1m deep and about a car length wide.  I can see why he’s doing some repairs.  They have laid some huge slotted pipe along the bottom and David is going back and forth filling it all in.  It’s going to take him awhile too as the bucket on the tractor is only household sized.  Checking out where he’s requested we take our detour, we set off to ensure it’s good for our vehicle and upon our return to the vehicle, David is back with another bucket load and gives us some further advise.

Due to having to fill in the driveway entrance to the concrete causeway, it’s now a little on the steep side, but nothing we can’t handle in the 4WD.  Crossing over, we take a hard left atop the other side and drive along the bank for a few hundred meters before crossing over and taking the ridge back to the roadway.

Through some more gates and we pull up to check out the creek crossing to the Island (overflow).  Glenn suggests that we just stick to the campground this time and I agree saying that it will also save David having to repair it today or tomorrow … he’ll be able to do it at his leisure.

It’s just after 1000.

Once in the campground, we notice a closed up caravan and a cub camper.  I’m guessing they decided to leave them here through the Australia Day long weekend and scarf it home while they still could.
 
We select our position and set up.  It’s great to see the creek right up and flowing fast.  It is a bit murky although it won’t take long for that to settle down.  It’s warm enough that we can swim if we choose and I do that quickly after setup.
We walk along the creek to see what’s what. 

Over some lunch I mention I’m keen to see our Island spot and see how high the water is there, so head that way first.  We wander along the creeks course noticing fences missing here and there, so must be careful where the dogs go running off to.  Glenn is keen to check out the Deep Hole and we also head up that way after a dip and refreshing drink.  I can’t help but think how much easier moving around the rocky creek is without Dear Old Jack.
 

On the way up to the Deep Hole, we notice some “road” missing here and there and the water’s roar is much louder this time for sure.  Once at the Deep Hole, we swim as it’s still rather sweaty walking weather.  Water here is indeed up and we can see small waterfalls further upstream that just weren’t there last time.  Reckon the 10 metre falls would be spectacular right now, but we have no way of getting up there over the rocky creek.  Glenn wants to investigate a way around, but we can’t recall the exact directions given last time.  Mental Note to ask again and maybe get a mud map.
Heading back to camp, we amble down to another large fall for a short time.  It’s about now that I realise I’m getting eaten alive by something and am starting to get rather itchy.  Biting Midges it seems.  Great! 
These are part of the whole Richmond Birdwing butterfly habitat, but I’m really wishing I had something lacquered on me … sunscreen – bug deterent – mud … anything would be good about now!  I don’t realise it at the time, but I’m going to come up in big red pimple like spots and scratch them whilst asleep.  (After Note:  It’s nearly 4 weeks on and I still have the red marks all over my legs and arms … which is rather attractive I must say … although they aren’t itchy all the time now).  We head back to camp, and a flock of them follow us.  I start drinking alcohol till I no longer notice.

Throughout the day we (of course) throw the ball or frisbee for Telashi.

We are going to use the campfire leanto for our dinner tonight.  It will give Glenn a break from the OzPig construction and deconstruction and we are having a roast so many coals will be available.  We’ve collected some drift wood from along the creek sides and are particular on what we gather (must be dry … must be small enough to burn without too much axe work).  I notice that we don’t seem to have any eggs so looks like Camp Cake is not on the menu alas.
We settle into sitting by the fire, cooking, throwing the ball and generally relaxing our butts off whilst we can.  You see, Glenn has ideas that we are going to “find that track to the waterfall” tomorrow.  Bless his heart I’m certain he doesn’t mean a 4WD one either.  This could be a very interesting day from my point of view.
 
17.7AH

03.02.13
We waken early and start to get breakfast underway.  Leftovers!  YUM!  Once the kitchen is cleaned up a bit we notice the odd “poo” here and there on the table and benches.  Oh No!  I think we have a very small mouse eyeing off our goods.  Someone’s nibbled on my bread loaf in the pantry!  ARRRRGGHHH!  So we spend a bit of time finding out where else the suspected small furry felon has been.  Top pantry draw, back of kitchen, top of kitchen, table top, chairs, kitchen box … only place he hasn’t been is inside the tent itself.  We don’t find the furry felon at all.

So now all that cleaning is out of the way, it’s time to pack up the bags and see if we can find the way to the upper waterfalls.  We head upstream to find a place to cross that we noticed yesterday.  It seems to be a cow path that’s been used by lots of water lately and almost takes us back to camp.  Heading north we come across a lot of brush that we aren’t dressed to go through so we head back … always looking to find a way up.   We don’t see anywhere we are able to go up without scratching the heck out of our legs so we head back to the deep hole and try to get around the lantana that is on the opposite side.  We can’t.  It’s too thick and goes way up the valley.  We’ll have to find another way.  I hope we see David today as I want to ask him again which direction we need to go to find the “track” I recall him talking about.  I thought it was on the southern side, but Glenn says the northern side.

We swim for awhile and then head back to camp.  We’ve got to pack up and go home today but we aren’t in any hurry. 

Slowly doing the usual pack up routine, we notice that David has come down to visit so one of the first questions is how to get to the upper waterfalls.  He mentions a very steep track cut into a hill on the other side of the creek and details what to do once at the top of the steep track.  We feel confident that next trip here we should be able to get there.  I don’t do steep very well  so how long it takes is another question that can only be answered in the actual doing.  As I’ve only just started my routine daily walks again since Jack passed, my fitness level isn’t what it used to be.  There are also two dogs and a forest full of snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies to add into the equation.

We get a brief lunch out of the way and continue the pack up, stopping to rest and swim when required, which means we are on the road about 1330 or so.  We’ve decided to take another route home, leading us away from Mount Kilcoy valley near the school. 

I didn’t realise till we got home and checked the maps that we weren’t all that far from another campsite about that time.  I knew they were in the area, but wasn’t sure exactly where.  Maybe its one for another trip in the future when we have some time to spend there … it’s a two night minimum I believe.

Noticing the debris of flooding almost everywhere, I hate to think what it would have been like actually camping through all that rain.

After an uneventful trip home along the highway, the usual unpack occurs and then it’s back to insanity for another fortnight.
28AH

Trip Kilometres:  291
Trip Duration: 48 hours

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