After a few recent trips to Uloola Falls in Royal National Park – I was keen to return to photograph the falls in higher water and in subdued light. It had been raining a bit, and on the night before this walk there had been a big storm. The Audley Causeway was even closed for a while. So I set off from Waterfall.
Not wanting to push through wet bushes I though the fire trail route may be the best. It is easy fast walking and it only takes a bit over an hour to reach the falls, which are about 6 km from Waterfall.
On the way I stopped a few times to photograph wild flowers and trees. At one point, my mobile phone which was in my pack, gave the signal that it had picked up a text. As I took my pack off – I noticed a small brown snake slithering away. Too fast for my camera however! I read the SMS (it was only announcing a sale at a city bushwalking shop!) – and then noticed a very striking orchid. It was a type I had never seen before – a Large Tongue Orchid (thanks Dan for the i.d.).
I was soon at the falls. I first headed a short way up the creek to photograph the smaller waterfall just above a nice swimming hole. Then back down to check out Uloola Falls. They were not too high – but higher than on my previous trips, and the lighting was subdued. Perhaps a bit too subdued as it started raining a little. I had to shelter in a small overhang nearby.
Mission accomplished. But the day was still early – so I set off along the trail heading towards Audley. This is along the attractive Gurrumboola Ridge. There are quite a few interesting rock formation along the way. More camera stops.
I had lunch on a large rock slab – sitting in the sun. Where was the forecast rain?
After lunch I continued along the ridge and was soon at Roberston Knoll. Decision time. Continue to Audley and then to Loftus or drop down to Kangaroo Creek and then to Heathcote or Engadine? Clouds had come over again – and I thought – good, more subdued lighting. I may be nice to photograph Kangaroo Creek in high water. As long as I could cross it…..
Reaching the creek – it was up quite a bit, but I could cross in a big leap from a rock to a platform on the far side. So another session of photo-pfaffing – playing with camera and tripod, swapping lenses and filters etc. All good fun.
While I was doing this I had some visitors. About a dozen people turned up. They had paddled up in canoes from Audley. Like me – they stopped and took a few photos.
The last part of my walk was the easy climb out to the Bottle Forest. Last visit, I had walked to Heathcote. This time I walked out to Engadine – about the same distance, but along a bush track all the way rather than along roads.
A very nice day out in the bush. More photos are on my website here.
The grevillea is probably G. sericea, a nice pink form. The Hibbertia on your website might be one of the undescribed ones around Sydney, although a few of these have been named in the last year or two by Hellmut Toelken.