1995/11 Australia trip - Hat Head |
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We headed off north again, using the punt. Yep, two big clangs again. Actually, four, as there was another NQ rental camper following us. This was a pretty drive through Taree and Port Macquarie, hugging the coast and the lakes just inland. We were headed for another national park called Hat Head. This is squeezed between a river and another of those endless crescents of glowing yellow sand. It was still warm when we got there, but blowing like crazy off the sea. Hat head is a big rock about 500’ high, sitting at the mouth of the river.
We decided we had enough time to hike around it before dark. (Somehow we always think we have time!) The ocean side of Hat Head is all jagged rocks with breakers rolling in and churning everything into a mass of foam. Despite the wind it was still warm and we climbed our way along the cliff top, trying to stay on our feet. Even up there we found new plants to look at. We made our way out to the furthest point and then looked for the path back on the lee side, hoping to enjoy the calm. We never found it as the path we took headed straight up and over the summit, back into the gale.
All that morning we’d been looking for kangaroos in what seemed like ideal surroundings, and I’d just asked Sandie if she was still looking. I was kidding of course as mountain goats would have been more appropriate for that inhospitable place. So, suddenly, there’s one kangaroo, then another, even some young ones, all come out to see the stupid tourists. I hope the pictures come out, as it was almost dark. Up on the summit someone had built a cairn of rocks and planted one of the “Watch for kangaroos” road signs.
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Hat Head & kangaroos (6.13) |
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The area was interesting enough that we went back early next morning, Monday, this time to the other end of the park, along yet another diabolical rock road. This one was steep enough that everything fell out into the back of the camper. Just spectacular scenery, with rocky headlands and about 10 miles of sand dunes and blue sea with the breakers rolling in. Just us there. And the kangaroos. We came nose to nose a couple of times in the thick undergrowth but each time their hops were faster than the camera. Then we tried stalking them to get some pictures. I think if we’d hopped along with our feet together we’d have had more success, but they seemed to know that we weren’t kangaroos and they stayed out of sight thereafter.