Unplanned Encounters - Cape Conran, Australia
Cape Conran, Australia
We woke to clear blues and the sound of bird calls in the canopy of trees over our campsite. There was a chill in the air that required an extra layer of clothing to keep out the cold while we scratched around getting breakfast. Our plan was to explore the walking paths in and around the campground, before venturing further afield tomorrow. We set off after breakfast to walk the tracks that would take us around to West Cape, a distance of about 13 km return. First up we headed for the beach and were greeted by the sight of pristine blue-green waves breaking on the sand, with quite a number of surfers trying their luck in the clean 1.5 metre waves. We were surprised by how many surfers there were, given there were so few people in the campground. We turned right and followed the sweep of the beach towards Cape Conran. Signs at the end of the beach directed us to the Cape Conran Nature Trail that climbed to the top of the coastal dunes then made its way through dense stands of ti-tree and melaleuca. In no time we were peeling off the outer layer of clothes as both ourselves and the day warmed up. At one stage Chris attempted to grab hold of Wendy's back pack to hold her back from walking way too close to a brown snake that was making its way off the walking path and out of our way. With adrenaline pumping through our veins, we continued on our way with increased vigilance scanning the track ahead for further unwanted surprises. Our arrival at Joiners Channel (and the ruins of the Joiner family homestead) coincided with morning tea time - or was it an excuse just to sit back and take in the view from the picnic area? The Joiner family were commercial cray fishermen who lived in this area in the 1920s; all that is left of their former home are the remnants of a stone chimney. Our walk concluded at the boat launching ramp on West Beach, not far from the old homestead. We watched a number of boats return from fishing on calm seas before turning back to return to our campsite. Another snake sighting interrupted the serenity of our return walk. This time it was quite clearly a red-bellied black snake basking in the sun on the edge of the walking track. A tentative step or two closer to capture a photo had it slithering off into the undergrowth in a flash. With yet more adrenaline pumping through our veins, we continued on our way, this time scanning the ground ahead more thoroughly than a spy satellite over Syria searching for IS operatives. It wasn't long before Chris again called a rapid halt to proceedings; this time to gesture about 5 metres up a tall ironbark tree to a large goanna that was scaling the tree in search of a nest that might offer up a meal of fresh eggs. We watched for some minutes as it climbed slowly, but with purpose, flicking its tongue and sampling the air before grabbing another clawful of bark as it continued upward. At about 2.5 metres long and with an ample girth, it looked to be in control of everything as it went about its business. We were now faced with a dilemma - do we scan the path ahead for snakes or the trees above for goannas? During lunch back at our campsite we were entertained by a resident goanna that lumbered through the campgrounds. Both the goannas we spotted today were almost black compared to the ones we have encountered along the Queensland coast which are typically much lighter in colour. Attempts to catch a photo of the campground goanna failed, as it proved to be camera shy and headed for the undergrowth when Chris got too close. After lunch we headed off in the Prado to explore the Estuary View Trail where the Yeerung River empties into the ocean (when the sandbar is open). We set off, first to an observation deck that overlooked the estuary before venturing further along the track that provided access to the beach. Very shortly we were again stopped in our tracks by yet another - very large - red-bellied black snake basking in the afternoon sun by the side of the walking track. A family of country people soon caught up with us and, after assessing the situation, continued on - startling the snake and clearing the path ahead for us. We checked out the beach before climbing the track back to the carpark. This time we spotted the 3rd red-bellied black snake of the day coiled up beside the walking track and basking in the sun. By this time we had had more adrenaline-pumping experiences for one day than you would get at any of the Queensland theme parks! We continued our exploration of the eastern part of the park with a drive through old-stand ironbark trees to a walk that led down to a small gorge formed by the Yeerung River. A reptile-free walk followed before we turned for our campsite. It wasn't long before another couple turned up with what looked like a brand new Tvan. Given the time it took them to set things up they were either novices or incredibly meticulous about how they went about things. Later on a chat with them confirmed that it was only their first night in the bush in their new "toy" and they were still working out the sequence for setting things up. We were later joined by a former work colleague who Chris had reacquainted himself with while on the Internet. Ian had moved to East Gippsland a number of years ago and, like us, had bought a second-hand Tvan to see Australia. With three Tvans in one small corner of a rather large camp ground, it was starting to look like a Tvan convention. Many travel tales were exchanged around the camp fire, while a few glasses of red wine were also consumed. A bandicoot blessed us with its presence after dark, scratching around in the undergrowth at the edge of the shadows cast by the campfire. We slept well and were never woken by the sound of another creature that found a packet of savoury biscuits in our external kitchen, eating through the packing to get at the contents during the night.