On reaching the Kurilpa Bridge we decided to extend our walk by crossing to the Southbank The bridge marks the point where the Turrbal people crossed long before European settlement. It is the world's first and largest tensegrity bridge and has won the World Architecture Award for Best Transport Project. By day it soars overhead like the masts of a magnicent sailing ship; by night it becomes a rainbow of colour lit by solar powered lights. |
Our little walking group was one short this week with Helen off galavanting around Prince Edward Island. Margot, Jenny and I chose to do a city walk from the dead centre of Toowong to the centre of Brisbane. We took a bus to the Toowong Cemetery to explore the past and enjoy some wonderful views from its hilltop position. The Toowong Cemetery is situated on the slopes of Mt Coot-tha and was once Brisbane's main cemetery. There are a number of past Qld Governors, politicians and Premiers buried here (probably not enough if you listen to some people), a past Prime Minister of Australia (Frank Forde), Steele Rudd (the famous Australian author) and quite possibly even Jack the Ripper. Walter Thomas Porriott, according to Qld historians, Jack Sim and Paul Tully, was in the Whitechapel area of London at the time of the murders and later migrated to Australia. Governor Blackall's grave caught my eye, not only because it is such an imposing one near the top of the cemetery, but because of his past. Having lived in the Commonwealth of Dominica in the West Indies for a number of years I was interested to find out that this man, the second Governor of Queensland, had been Lieutenant-Governor of Dominica for six years. He was the first to be buried in this cemetery. The graves ranged in style from very old and traditional to modern and very personalised, such as the table setting for a father and child killed together in an car accident or the very large Temple of Peace memorial built by Richard Paul Carl Ramo and dedicated to his sons, three of whom died during World War 1. So many fascinating stories lie within, but we needed move on and made our way down to the Brisbane River where we found a nice spot to enjoy our picnic lunch. No matter how often I visit the Southbank I never tire of it. I love the laid back pace it exudes, the colour and the art work, the gardens and the water, the people savouring life, strolling, skating, chatting, chilling, riding, sitting, soaking up the winter sunshine. The Southbank is like a good yoga session - it simultaneously soothes and stimulates the senses, relaxes and energises, and makes you feel glad to be alive. Feeling totally relaxed despite our 10 kilometre walk thus far, we left the Southbank and crossed the Goodwill Bridge to the Queensland University of Technology. The grounds here are also inviting, but passing through we made a brief stop at The Cube, one of the world's largest interactive learning environments in the new Science and Engineering Centre. Research-inspired projects across science, engineering, maths and technology are displayed on more than 40 multi-touch screens set over the six walls of The Cube. The virtual reef wall was breathtaking and we enjoyed watching children have fun interacting with it. (Okay, I admit it, we had fun playing with it too.) Leaving the Uni we made our way back to the Brisbane Farmers Markets which are held every Wednesday outside the Treasury Casino in Queen Street. I filled my backpack with fresh fruit and vegies and enjoyed taste-testing delicious treats on offer, but was careful to leave room for the final treat of the day - coffee and cake at The Kitchen in the Casino. This mouth-watering bargain at $7 has only one drawback - it is extremely difficult to choose from the tempting selection. Ah well, as making that decision was our greatest hardship all day, I am not complaining. Walking in the city has a lot going for it.
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Binna Burra is another amazing place of beauty close to our home that begs to be explored. Set in the mountains surrounded by Lamington National Park, its extensive walking trails wind through a tranquil wilderness that need more than one day to do them justice., so we took a winter break and stayed a few days. My walking buddies (two of whom are in training to do the Camino Trail in Spain) drove to O'Rielly's and walked the 23 kilometre Boarder Track to Binna Burra on day 1. Reg and I skipped this bit and drove straight to Binna Burra. (Well, not exactly straight. The road winds though the mountains as it rises 800 feet above sea level.) We passed through the wonderfully named Wonglepong and Biddaddaba (I kid you not), stopped to enjoy a coffee under the warm winter sky at a cafe in Canungra, then continued on and upward through Beechmont, passing spectacular views until finally we snaked up the last section of a single lane road to arrive at Binna Burra Lodge.
They did eventually stumble in, just in time for a spectacular sunset followed by wine and cheese in front of a warm fireplace, then dinner and bed. (N.B. The long distance hikers have expressed unhappiness with the verb 'stumble' and would prefer that I replace it with 'saunter' or 'sprint'. So be it. They deserve kudos for their trek and can describe how they arrived using whatever word they choose.. They did, however, stumble to bed after a few wines the next night.) Day 2 began with a glorious sunrise and a yoga session with a breathtaking view - a combination guaranteed to calm any jaded nerves that may have lingered from the drive up. Fueled up on a hearty breakfast, the Camino Trail trainees tackled another long hike while Helen, Jenny and I explored some shorter trails. We completed the Bellbird Circuit easily, but still felt we had earned a break for morning tea. Next we headed off on the Possum Trail and completed a circuit on a narrow, mountain-hugging track around the Lodge. After lunch we took a guided walk offered by the Lodge. The Caves Circuit provided a wonderful display of volcanic rock which was built up by the Mt Warning volcano. Mt Warning now is the remnant core of this once massive volcano, and the dramatic landscape of radiating ridges and cliff-lined valleys resulted from 20 million years of its erosion. We passed through eucalypt forest and rainforest gullies before reaching the Kweebani Caves where we stopped for afternoon tea. These caves were created by wind and erosion and were used for shelter and cooking by the aborigines. After passing through the caves the track then climbed through rainforest back to the summit of Mt Roberts. As we neared the summit, the sun, about to set, blazed through the thick bush, setting it aglow in a magical light. With the sun set, we headed to the library for more wine and cheese in front of a roaring fire that chased the night chilled air. It is hard to believe we are only an hour from home. We weren't terribly impressed with last night's meal. It was quite basic and served cold. And the dining room was full of noisy children (Curse school holidays - that time I once adored.) So this night we pooled our snack supplies and dined like kings alone in the library with the fireplace to ourselves. Day 3 dawned majestically again. A cocktail of sunrise and yoga cleared my head, and after a leisurely morning we headed for home. A day visit to Binna Burra would be fine, but staying a few nights is well worth it. We stayed in motel style rooms, but there are camping facilities for those so inclined, or more luxurious fully contained units for those who want to splash out. Although the food was disappointing, everything else was faultless. Many activities were on offer such as archery, abseiling, flying fox, night camp fire, night walks, guided day walks that are immensely informative, and a well-stocked library to name a few. You have got to love Binna Burra.
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