For some reason we were very slow out of bed today (6:30AM), a bad move if you want to do anything that involves walking any distance. After buggerising around and breakfast I had to setup a clothes line. After doing that I had a brain wave that the 2T ratchet strap that held the fuel tank together would be perfect for the hammock between the two trees right on the river. After a bit of juggling with the positions of the straps camp Mopoke has a great hammock (thanks Jen) with a great view of the river. No time for lazing around as we had a walk planned.

From the river looking back to camp

Quick try out

Champagne Springs Walk was first up but as we quickly discovered we had left too late and the sun was way too hot to walk on the exposed ridge line. You do everything up here at a much slower pace and drink heaps of water all the time. The forecast was for 36 degrees today and it felt like it. We saw some crocodile tail marks on the river bank along this walk and our first snake, black and about 1M long. We reached the half way point at the biggest Boab tree we have seen, it was HUGE and covered in burls and even had a wild bee hive in one branch, way bigger than the Boab prison tree. We decided to return here as the rest of the walk was very exposed along a ridge line for another 2.4Km with no shade.

After getting back to the car and another Tassie car parked right next to us we decided to do the Amalia Gorge Walk as it was short (3.4Km return) and offered some shade and a swim. About half way we came to some ganky looking pools as they are in full sunlight so there was plenty of alge in them and the rocks were slippery. Gen Y were here with their dog and lack of all thought for others! We had lunch and continued past them to further water holes. Eventually we came to the last one and had a quite cold dip to lower the core temperature, well I swam and Sharon got her legs wet. The pool was also in direct sunlight so plenty of alge and slippery rocks. Not our favorite gorge and the scenery on the way in was pretty rugged and not very appealing.

The final water hole

My legs are tanned (honest!)

Back at camp Mopoke we found an infestation of ants in the camper! Lots of swearing and killing them off and spraying. They had come up the wind break we had setup straight in the front door! After that we gave the hammock a good workout and had a few veno’s before we ventured out to walk up Telecom Hill the old relay station on a high point above the township to watch the sunset. Todays sunset was pretty average compared to the last few, just our luck. The view was nice though and the hills around us looked like paintings in the soft pink hue of the falling sun. Tomorrow is our last full day here and we have planned to go to Zebedee Springs early before the crowds arrive (7AM). Zebedee Springs are thermal pools with water coming from deep in the earth at a constant temperature of about 28 degrees.

Hammock heavan

Some of the hills around El Questro

It actualy got slightly better as we left.

El Questro from Telecom Hill

Telecom Hill just after sunset