My Thursday Walk Around the Neighbourhood

Just thought you might like to take a look at my regular Thursday afternoon walk.  I have been walking this  track for a while now and every week when I head up this little hill I am blown away by the absolute beauty of this pristine tropical rainforest.   This beautiful National Park is just down the road from the Valley - so I like to think of it as a walk around my local neighbourhood.   The pipeline  carries water from the headwaters of the Gorge to the city (some 25kilometres to the north) and the walking track follows the pipe all the way to the top.  The track itself is 6.4 kilometres up and back and takes us about an hour and a half to complete.


At this time of the year most of the causeway crossings are flooded and we have to tip toe across river rocks.    There have been a few occasions when I haven't quite managed to get the right footing and ended up ankle deep in the water.  Wet joggers and soggy socks - yuk!

This is the little creek we pass at the half way mark.   On the way back it is a great place to jump into and cool off!

We call this "heartbreak hill" - because that's what it does!  "Wait up Kendall........" 

Up and over "heartbreak hill" and we pass by these magnificent rocks and waterfalls.  This is where Kendall wants to have her wedding photos taken (not that she is planning on getting married anytime soon!!)   It would be a magnificent backdrop but somehow I think the logistics of getting an entire wedding party to trek here might be a bit much. 

Just past "Wedding Photo Falls" we get our first glimpse of the river snaking its way down the Gorge.

After a couple more steep inclines we round the corner and are met with this magnificent sight

Doesn't matter how many times I do this walk I never tire of this view.  Simply stunning!