• Canarvon Gorge & Mickey Creek

    March 31, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After yesterday’s turn back, we got the ok to continue on to Carnarvon Gorge and Takarakka Bush Resort. The first creek that was flooded yesterday had dropped from 1.6m to 100mm so good to cross. We crossed a number of creeks on route, some of them had quite fast flowing water but the Kluger and camper did it fine.

    Many stranded campers had left early in the morning and we were the first new campers to arrive at Takarakka.

    Camp: Takarakka Bush Resort / 4 nights
    Takarakka has big open sites to camp on by Carnarvon Creek and we are surrounded by tall Eucalyptus trees and Blackbutt trees. Birds chirp and are busy fossicking for food, Currawongs call in the distance and Kookaburras glide from vantage point to vantage point looking for opportunities (food).

    This is such a peaceful and relaxing place and there are plenty of short and more challenging hikes to do in the gorge.

    Carnarvon Gorge take you on an unforgettable journey deep into a spectacular step sided gorge, where towering white sandstone cliffs envelop a creek-side oasis.

    From Takarakka Bush Resort, we take the main road and a few more creek crossings for 4km to the Carnarvon Gorge Visitor Area. We wander on a short 3k hike in the afternoon to Mickey Creek Gorge, rock hopping over slightly submerged rocks to cross Carnarvon Creek which is still flowing high and fast after the rainfall. Platypus live in these waters so hope to see them at dawn or dusk.

    The first thing we notice in Carnarvon Gorge are the remnants of a severe bush fire that had swept through in January. Its so colourful, and feels like an Autumn’s day.

    Many of the tall tree trunks are charred but are rejuvenating to a soft brown or creamy white by shedding bark. The trunks of the ferns are a deep charcoal black and through fire, their seeds have opened up and dispersed. The leaves of smaller plants are copper and golden. Yet, the canopy is lush and the limbs of new ferns and Cycads have uncoiled and are a vivid dark green contrasting with the black fire damage. After the fire and now rain, there are indications of new growth and grasslands are beginning to reappear.

    Mickey Creek meanders over a clear sandy base with coverings of grasses and ferns and we are privileged to see the creek in full flow as often it can be dry.

    A side track leads us to the base of Warrumbah Bluff and we follow both sides of the gorge as they become taller and narrower. It’s like entering a cave, only with a skylight. and it feels like we are the first to visit this place since water and time formed its cavern.. We push on as far as we can but the final section is still flooded. It would have be a raging river through the gorge yesterday.

    WILDLIFE:
    Swamp Wallabies
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