Airlie Beach - Eungella
Trip Start
Jan 2003
1
105
200
Trip End
Dec 2003
Eungella,
Australia
Friday, July 4, 2003
After an eventful and entertaining ten days in Airlie Beach, we've swapped the Howards Way cum backpackers lifestyle for the more tranquil setting of the Eungella National Park. We've also traded in the soggy tents for a more luzurious log-fired cabin and on our first night here, we managed to stay awake playing games until nearly midnight. With seemingly infinite things to get up for and the physical and mental demands of our PADI course (first time in a while we've had any physical exercise or mental stimulation) we've been in bed by nine most evenings so this was a notable achievement.
Eungella is situated in Eungella National Park (no surprises there then) and its main attractions are its views, walks and one of the best chances in Australia to see a platypus. The scenery, while it makes for a pleasant change, are reminiscent of the Yorkshire Moors with the added bonus of a couple of waterfalls. I've now come to appreciate the word 'waterfall' is often a loose term and the usually conjured images of free-flowing water falling great distances are generally inaccurate. Finch Hatton Gorge's waterfalls (just down the road) make for a nice photograph but the volume of water is not inspiring. The platypus viewing was also disappointing. While a couple of these odd-looking and shy creatures dutifully briefly appeared, they are much smaller than I imagined and only afford you a fleeting glance before they duck back down into the murky waters of the creek. What was more entertaining were the hordes of vocal tropical birds squawking at each other and generally causing mayhem. It still seems surreal to frequently see in the wild birds I've only previously encountered in zoos or musty cages in pet shops.
