Televising of the Olympics is certainly playing havoc with our routine these days however I hear that the closing ceremony is to be Monday morning our time, and then perhaps life will return to normal.
This morning we hummed and hah-ed about heading out touring; it would
have been so easy to have fudged out with the weekend newspaper, but then we
would have berated ourselves for our laziness by the end of the day. And so we
headed across the city to Mount Coot-tha which stands 287 metres ASL just six
kilometres west of the city centre. We had driven up here way back in November
2010 when we came to Brisbane to purchase the caravan and land cruiser, before
returning to New Zealand to pack up our household. Then the haze had obscured
the distant views to the south and east from the lookout and kiosk at the top.
Today, as then, there were dozens who had arrived before us, all enjoying the
sunshine and the superb panoramic views.
Back then I was still dazzled by the mere fact that I had finally
arrived in Australia, today I have a fair understanding of the lay of the land,
at least in this half of the continent and a better understanding of the people
who inhabit it.
Pleased to escape the throngs of tourists, we donned our walking shoes
and set off down the mountain on a track to the J C Slaughter Falls, just short
of a couple of kilometres. It is always lovely to walk in the Australian bush,
even so close to such a highly populated city. As we made our way down through the blooming
wattles, flame trees and gums, birds of the tweety variety kept us company. We
had little expectation of the falls given that the creek we followed down the
gully seemed bone dry. Above the weir crossing at the top of the falls, pools
of water lay waiting for the rain and home to clouds of midge-like insects. We
found a bench in the sun at the picnic area, a very pretty spot, alone but for
three young people lying on the grassy slopes smoking a joint, a couple of
crows who kept watch on all the proceedings and the growing number of walkers
as the day wore on. Our return up the steep path took less time and effort than
I had expected; perhaps I am becoming fitter?
We drove on down the mountain, passing the television stations for
Channel 7,9 and 10, and then north through the suburb of Jubilee and west to
the Enoggera Reservoir. We had hoped to find recreational areas around the
lake, but there were really none at all. We parked at the end of the road,
slipped through the narrow gateway and walked toward the dam, hoping to find
something more. Fences were all that were on offer along with a sign suggesting
that there might be blue green algae present in the water and that it should
not be drunk. Interestingly the reservoir is a water source for the city; however
it was only in the February floods of last year that the water inflows returned
to usable levels. Presumably the water is treated before it is piped into the
local suburbs.
From here we drove on over this eastern end of the Taylor Range, which
includes Mount Coot-tha, through the Mount Coot-tha Forest, a slow but very
pretty road and came down through the Kenmore Hills and other lovely western suburbs,
then back across to the camp following the river edge much of the journey. Not
a big day but another lovely one confirming yet again that Brisbane has much to
offer.
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