Robin and Hairies excellent adventure Part 6

[hairymick]

Hi guys,

After spending the morning at Cave Creek, Robin and I toured the Gold Coast hinterland and basically looking for somewhere nice to stay for the night.

Robin mentioned a Place called O'reillies Mountain Retreat that she had heard of somewhere and at about 1500 we finally found a sign advertising the place. Off we went down even more country roads, following the signs and about an hour later, we started to climb a narrow (1 lane) mountain road. (much more about the ascent later.)

Eventually, we came out at O'reillies and we were suitably impressed I had absolutely no intention of going back down the mountain that night so we booked in at about sundown and settled down to a couple of wines to soothe our shattered nerves and a superb meal.

O'reillies, is a family owned and run outfit. The place has been in O'reilly hands since the place was first settled in 1911. The service and hospitality are legendary and within half an hour of our being there, all of the senior staff knew us by name (and remembered them) and all staff treated us like family. We have since learned that O'reilly is famous in this regard.

To think that this place is within a couple of hours drive from the rat races of Brisbane and the Gold Coast is allmost surreal.

When we woke the following morning, this is the view from our verandah.

We had a bunch of these guys visit us on our verandah and I think they are used to sharing in the guest's breakfasts.

 

[cctyer]

Just to let you know Mick I have thoroughly enjoyed all your posts on the trip. It was almost like being there. The piccies are great and some of the places you stayed are stunning. I need to get over to your side of the world and get wet in some of your beautiful waters.

Thanks Mate, Good On Ya!!

Chad

 

[hairymick]

Hi Chad,

Thanks mate.

I don't have a lot of piccies uploaded to Photobucket yet. O'reillies is worth several seperate posts in their own right.

Mate, If you ever get over here, please be sure to look me up. I got a shed full of boats and you will be welcome to use any of them. I am told the fly fishing round here is pretty good, but I don't know anything about it.

After Breakfast the following morning that was both astonishing in its size and quality, in the communal dining room, Robin had allready decided to stay a couple more days. We re-booked our room and set about exploring the immediate area on foot.

The retreat is perched on top of a fairly tall mountain for here, (3000 feet) and very tall for the surrounding area. It is surrounded by national park and old growth rainforest with over 100 miles of walking tracks throughout. Most of them along the pretty steep mountainside and leading to various waterfalls, swimming holes and look-outs.

The first track we explored was to a suspended walkway in the canopy of the trees. (about 100 feet) and very close to the retreat.

From there, a climb of about another 90 feet up a latter to the very top of the forest.

The view from the top was amazing. :shock:

The bush in this area is teeming with pre-historic ferns and cicads.

To give an idea of scale, here is Robin standing under a birds nest fern.

Again, Robin standing beside a fallen cedar tree on one of the walking tracks.

This timber will be left to rot. Everything in this park is protected and cannot be removed.

 

[hairymick]

OK,

Finally got time to upload some more piccies.

Here is a shot of a main, load bearing beam in O'riellies. It is part of the original building build around 1912 and was hand cut with an adze. There are several of these featured in the main dining area

bar shot

another bar shot

Resteraunt guest.

Mine host, Michael O'rielly. It was the senior staff member on duty for the day who had the job of greeting the guests for breakfast and making them toast. His smile is genuine and is typical of the hospitality of all staff there.

 

[hairymick]

Second walk Robin and I did, was down the side of the mountain. Heavy rainforest all the way (about 13 klms.)

Here are just a few random shots of the walk.

Tree garden

flash chainsaw work

Robin doing macro

 

[hairymick]

Some shots of the bottom.
This is where the track led too.

I didn't expect to be hiking in the bush and as such, didn't take any hiking gear. All I had was shorts and sandals.

When we got to the bottom, I looked down and my feet looked like I had 25 toes on each foot. Bloody leeches. After quickly picking the litle suckers off we got out of there PDQ.

 

[bearridge]

Pichur takin' pal Mick,

I typed some words, but didnt like they way they sounded....not good enuff fer them fine pichurs. I jest hope ya'll take a lot more trips downunder.

respectfully
bearridge

Don't join the book burners. Don't think you are going to conceal faults by
concealing evidence that they ever existed. Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

[Bilgerat]

Thanks for the trip story and all the pictures. Very interesting.

Mike

 

[catfish]

Mick looks like the amazon or something . Looks like a pretty place to swim. Did youa,ll have to pay your little buddy friend a cover charge , was he the shaperone. :lol: :lol: Was he in the rest or outside.

 

[hairymick]

Heya Cat, Do you mean the little feller sitting on the rocks?

He was another bush walker.

It sure looked like a nice swimming hole but the day was a bit cool for us to go in. In high summer, I reckon the water would be icy cold as it gets very little sun.

 

[Wannabe]

Mick,
Ya'll have had a great adventurre, You cannot know how much I have enjoyed it. Thank you. Keep them coming. Wonderful Country you live in.
Bob

 

[hairymick]

Thanks guys,

Lammington National Park is a very special place and has touched me deeply. I had never been there before but will definately be going back as often as I can.

The fact that such a fine retreat is situated right in its heart is a bonus.

Here are a couple of old logging piccies from before the area was protected. Trees like these are now rare outside our national parks.

Road in, along the top of the mountain.

When this piccie was taken, I was having some sort of moment. Robin has called it an Epiphamy. She has much bigger words than me and I don't know exactly what it was.

All I know is that my faith has taken a battering in recent years but it all came flooding back to me here. I made the statement, " How can anybody experience this and not believe in God?"

What-ever it was, it has changed my life.

 

[Wannabe]

Mick
Those pictures reminded mi of the old pictures of a train pulling a load of Redwood logs. They would saw the trees into logs and load one log per flatbed railcar. The railcar looked overloaded. It was an awsome picture. Wonder how many boats one of those trees would make?
Bob

 

[Kayak Jack]

Thanks for sharing those special times with us, Mick. You and Robin are lucky. (HINT: You're a helluva lot luckier than her.)

Observations:
1. You said, "How can anyone experience this and not believe in God?" I fully concur with you. I just returned from a week on Michigan's Au Sable River with my 6 year old Granddaughter. We were in the "Cathedral of the Great Outdoors." Others go to buildings to meet/ worship/ observe/ commune with God. I go outdoors. I never feel close to my Creator when under cover, only when in the open.

2. Your logging pictures are similar to ones of logging in Michigan 130 years ago.

3. I like to see large, wooden beams and structural members in a building. They are so forthright and straightforward in both design and execution. They make sense.

 

[bearridge]

I like to see large, wooden beams and structural members in a building. They are so forthright and straightforward in both design and execution. They make sense.

Friend Kayak Jack,

That iz what Homer King iz doin' nowadays. He run across a good woman 'n iz back in hiz house/factory makin' big pieces fer the high dollar homes. Swamprat saw some paddles inside the door, but I hear he only makes them fer special orders. At the NOC store the fella frum Missouri who sold me'n Swamprat our new paddles sez Homer's double blades carried a $400 tab when Werner done him in.

regards
bearridge

ps I like the big beams showin' who iz holdin' yer place up.

You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do. Anne Lamott