today was probably not the best day for a walk in the grampians: a bit cool but above all the mountaintops were wrapped in dense clouds.
the type that feels like rain but you know it’s just the moisture of the cloud. we were not sure if this was the far end of the cyclone off the western australia north coast, as the gentleman at the park reception suggested, or if the grampians really have their own climate, as the infomation video at the visitor center suggested.
you would only catch a few idiots out in that weather. this photo was taken at one of the best places to take sunset photos, reeds lookout. not today.
mackenzie falls … we were wrapped up tightly and had our raincoats on.
a little further down, under the clouds, it was the perfect weather for a stroll through grand canyon and up to pinnacle.
the multiple layers of sandstone, cut by rivers from a huge prehistoric mountain range and deposited in this area, then through million years of pressure formed these sandstone cliffs …
… only to wear them back down over time. and you thought your job was meaningless …
the grand canyon. the short walk through canyon takes a surprisingly long time when one has a camera around one’s neck. it’s only stones, but there are so many ways wind and water have shaped them.
the rock below is rather precariously perched on the ground. several companions around it have already succumbed to the forces of erosion & gravity. it’s only downhill from here, but it may take a few thousand years to topple it.
the silent way, a narrow gorge on the way to the lookout.
at the end of the walk is the pinacle, one of the outcrops where the cliffs drop away.
the view towards the north, across halls gap.
in the meantime natalie explored the local wildlife. heaps of skinks around.
day 2 – the weather looks a lot nicer, especially since you can’t see the freezing cold wind in the photos. we went around to a few of our favourite spots again to see what they were like in the sunshine.
the sandstone is still striking. so many layers, different levels of resilience resulting in so many wild shapes.
sometimes it feels like vic parks should either mandate hard hats or make sure their liability insurance is up to scratch. surely these things will come down at some point.
reeds (or reids) lookout today: definitely better than the milky soup yesterday.
however, have a look at this: see the lake & the dam? then see the little white dots just beneath it? that’s halls gap lakeside tourist park, where we are staying. looks like i’ve been reading ‘lakeside’ all wrong, from here it looks like it could become the underside of a lake in a flash. maybe i won’t sleep as soundly tonight.
came by this guy on the way down from pinnacle lookout today. that was as close as i wanted to be to a brown snake but i knew nat would never believe me if i didn’t take a picture. after the snap we parted ways peacefully.
the rosellas are much safer to touch, also easier than the cockatoos which according to our resident expert (nat) have more powerful claws.
and as an added bonus a bit of footage from zippy the drone. the roos don’t seem to mind the little flyer at all, the emu was a bit more apprehensive.
looks like we are starting to get the hang off flying zippy the bush drone.