A song for your heart

[shapeofthings]

Mount Warning from the Pinnacle look-out (Wollumbin, the cloud-catcher)

The mountains are my heart country. Although I miss the ocean I can never leave my silent green gods. Over the Christmas break we went up into the cool green for a day of re-charging. A cool shower for my soul, I love these places.

The scenic rim - looking sourth from the Pinnacle

This is the Border Ranges National Park, headwaters of the river I grew up on, the Tweed. Dad used to take us out here on day trips years ago, and Mum would pack a picnic to enjoy, settled next to the creek. It had been far too long since I'd been back, so when I heard Adrian and Mari were up for a day-trip while here on holidays I suggested we go.

The scenic rim - looking north from the Pinnacle

Dad lent us the 4-wheel drive and I made us a picnic of left-over Christmas turkey sandwiches, coffee and biscuits and off we went. West from the coast, following the river to Murwillumbah, then out past Mount Warning (Wollumbin) and follow the signs to Kyogle, then turn left at the top of the ridge. It feels like coming home, pushing deeper into the rainforest as the bellbird calls fade into silence.

A native member of the ginger famile

We spent several hours exploring the details and grandeur of forest and lookout and creek. We saw a crayfish foraging along the creek bed, oblivious to our watchful eyes above. The lace-work trunks of Arctic Beech hung with long strands of dripping moss. We breathed the clean, damp air and lamented that we were not alone: the peril of national parks in the holidays.

Brindle Creek bush walk this way!

The day quickly became late, and having run out of coffee before lunch we departed, heading for home past a pair of pretty-face wallabies grazing on the verge. We stopped in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimbin to give Mari a cultural experience and were pleased to see the place and people looking better than they had in years. After a coffee and a wander it truly was time to drive back to the coast for a warm shower and sleep at the in-laws house.

Brindle Creek

Stay tuned for the upcomming missive: close encounters of the Border Ranges kind!