For this week's walk we went west - first stop Ipswich to find out about walks in the area. The Tourist Information Centre was full of helpful people, interesting brochures and local souvenirs with surprising twists. Loaded with information, we drove about 20 minutes south to Hardings Paddock, a lovely picnic and camping area where we parked the car and from where we began hiking. The Flinders-Goolman Conservation Estate is over 1900 hectares in are and is an important wildlife refuge. . The Ugarapul people consider Mt Flinders a sacred site and resting place of Yurrangpul, a powerful guardian of traditions and sacred places. The start of our hike was a bit chilly, but we soon warmed up as we climbed upwards through sunshine and eucalypt woodlands. After catching our breath at Rocky Knoll Lookout we continued on, up and down, but mostly up, to Goolman Lookout. From here, a short walk around Chalk Circuit provided us with some insight into local bush tucker plants. We completed the day reflecting on our fortunate lives over an afternoon cuppa by a tranquil lake. Tired bodies, sore soles, refreshed spirits and energised souls. Pure peace.
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More city walking this week, this time exploring Dutton Park, Fairfield, Yeronga and the University of Queensland across the river. This week I also took my new iPhone for a test run and am rather pleased with the quality of photos it took. (Remember to click on photos to enlarge for a better view.) If you are reading this blog on a mobile device I would recommend opening it in Safari to see the correct order of photos and text. Beginning at the Fairfield apartment of one of our little group of walkers we made our way to, and through, South Brisbane Cemetery. This heritage listed cemetery was established in 1866. It is often (incorrectly) called Dutton Park Cemetery and, while it was closed in the early 1960s, additional burials and interment of ashes in existing family graves continue to occur.
From the dead centre of Dutton Park to the magnificent buildings and grounds of the University of Qld we enjoyed a sun that grew warmer by the minute. Although the university was a hive of activity with students present for exam week and market stalls lining a walkway, the place oozed serenity due to the warm winter sunshine and the glorious setting of gardens and sandstone buildings. The cloister and buildings around the Great Court feature distinctive sandstone, carved with historical scenes, figures, the names of great thinkers and teachers, coats of arms, and carvings of Australian flora and fauna.
Returning to the other side of the river, we continued our walk along the Brisbane Corso, winding by the river through parkland and houses newly renovated after the disastrous 2011 floods. Everything looks so pristine that it is hard to imagine what it must have looked like buried in mud and water. We returned to our friend's place and ate a late lunch in her sunlit courtyard. And as we sat there thinking things couldn't get any better, they did. Margot produced a chilled bottle of bubbles to accompany our picnic fare. Is life good or what? A toast to retirement!
This week we decided to be city slickers instead of bushwackers, and chose to do a riverside walk from New Farm Park to Newstead House.. We parked at the Powerhouse under a grey sky, but were still delighted to be setting off in the mildest of winter temperatures. On the northern bank of the Brisbane River, the Powerhouse was developed from a decommissioned power station to become an arts and cultural hub opened in 2000. Its industrial red brick facade and interior steel beams exude a rustic charm and modern grunge that serve as a fitting backdrop to a large array of creative events and displays. The Powerhouse website provides a wealth of information about the building, events, on site restaurants, etc..
The walkway along the river was very quiet with hardly another walker or cyclist crossing our path. Although a grey day, some riotous colour was splashed about by local flora to brighten our journey, while the birdlife flaunted softer hues. There are many historic buildings which have been turned into blocks of modern apartments along this section of the Brisbane River. We passed the Colonial Sugar Refinery, which was built in 1893 and only ceased operations in 1998. Plaques along the walkway provide an interesting timeline of events. The boardwalk continues to Teneriffe, dotted with relics of the days as loading docks for the wool stores, including a submarine heritage trail, the old red brick engine room that was a kind of early 20th century refrigeration room for shipped meat to be kept cool, and a scattering of old rusted dock bollards.
In a hollow of Newstead Park on our way up to Newstead House we passed through an Alice Through the Looking Glass themed play area, with a talking tree, a maze, an interactive chessboard and a magical mirror that made our legs long and hips slender. We finally arrived at Newstead House, Brisbane's oldest surviving home. Being able to visit on a weekday meant no crowds and we thoroughly enjoyed a tour provided by a volunteer who gave us many interesting snippets of information about the house, its furnishings and its history. Dating from 1846 when it was constructed for Scot Patrick Leslie, the house has evolved over the years from a cottage of Colonial Georgian style architecture into a classic homestead. Cool breezes and sweeping views of the river are availed on the wide verandahs.
While original contents of the house are few, it has been furnished and decorated to represent the late Victorian period. We returned to New Farm Park via some hilly, leafy backstreets, admiring the local architecture and local shops. A stop at an amazing deli on the old Gasworks site significantly increased the weight of our backpacks. Gasworks is now an upscale retail precinct which includes restaurants, cafes, shops and a public plaza inside the old gas holder. We drove to Kangaroo Point and had a late picnic lunch, enjoying views of the city across the river, followed by a stroll along the cliff tops to lap up more views and admire some more art and architecture.. By now the sky had cleared to a beautiful blue and the sunlight gave a warm glow to the attractions.
We began our walk from Gertrude Petty Place and climbed to Mt Gravatt Lookout via the Summit Track. The views were extensive, though rather hazy. The indigenous people called Mt Gravatt "kaggur-mabul" - place of the echidna. No echidnas were sighted here today, but once there were many on this mountain. They were used as a food source and the quills were used for jewellery and as a weaving tool. Hiking through the open eucalypt forest we saw bloodwoods, ironbarks, grey gums, and in the sandstone areas, grass trees. Wattle trees were beginning to burst open in flower and brighten up the bush with golden yellow fluff. Some areas had been recently burnt off and were already showing signs of regrowth. Scribbly gums also graced our path at one stage, greeting us with graffiti of the bush. The scribbly gum is a eucalyptus tree with a very smooth, pale trunk. The distinctive brownish 'scribbles' are made by the larvae of the tiny scribbly moth and are harmless to the tree. Toohey Mountain and Mt Gravatt are made of tough, very old quartzite formed 380 million years ago when the coastline was far to the west and the region was deep under ocean. We ate lunch atop Mt Toohey in an area where the landscape was littered with large rocks making up an interesting landscape. The walk back to the car involved more climbing (somewhere in there we must have done some descending) and more huffing and puffing. Finally, after 22,000 steps taking us over 16 kilometres of walking tracks, we decided to drive back to the top of Mt Gravatt to enjoy an afternoon tea picnic of coffee and scones with jam and cream while also feasting on the view. A fitting finale to another fabulous day of hiking.
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