Day 21 – Fri, 30 Jul at Cobbold Gorge

Today was a day at the Gorge. It started with an easy morning as I was booked onto the afternoon Gorge tour. The camping here is so easy, had a great night sleep and we were in for another warm day.

I did a bit of forward trip planning and booked a couple of nights camping. A chat with a number of grey nomads who have been travelling for a while and getting information on various locations took in most of the morning – where did the time go.  I also had a short walk around the place, but nothing too energetic.

The Gorge tour was 3hours and left at 1:30 – well what a great place and the guides were full of information. It is actually private property and a working cattle station. It is around 1290 sq km (yeah about 330,000 acres) and is run by 4 sons who have various parts of the property for cattle and one son & wife run the tourism part.

Back in the late 1800’s it was a mining lease known as the Sherwood lease, but when it was bought for cattle it became known, and is still called Robin Hood Station. The station runs around 12,000 head of Braham cattle – most suitable for this environment – and they are endeavouring to manage the whole site in an eco friendly manner, with the Gorge area being classified as a Nature Reserve.

Another interesting point is because of the Cooktown Iron Bark tree which wild camels would eat, there are no camels in the Savannah region. Being very toxic (leaf, trunk the lot) it made short shift of the camels. The termites obviously can’t eat it so it was great for fencing and building. Just don’t throw it on the fire and breathe in the smoke.

After a 4WD bus ride around part of the property we did a walk up from the ravine to the plateau, through old aboriginal camp areas with views over the terrain and looking down into the Gorge. Then it was time for the flat bottom boats using small electric outboards for a tour up through the Gorge. The boats could only get about 600m up the Gorge which then went on for some further kilometres – but wow what a fabulous 600m.

Well the Gorge is magnificent - the sandstone plateau was cracked probably by volcanic activity and the water now passes through in the wet and gouges and wears the rock away creating fascinating angles and hollows. Sandstone is not the only rock type, with significant volcanic deposits and conglomerate strata layers.

The boats could only just fit through in some places and the water reached depths of 12m – and this is in the dry season. Sightings of freshwater crocs and numerous bird life made it a real pleasure – oh the serenity. This place is quite unique and pictures can’t capture the scenery nor the feeling of tranquillity.

The day has been hot – I guess in the mid 30C – and now it is pleasant sitting around the camp area in the shade of the trees, writing this blog with birds talking and the pleasant air temperatures. Although hot there is little humidity so more then bearable.

Tonight is going to be relaxing (sound familiar) – I am going to avoid the restaurant and have a camp cooked meal, again – and then have an early night with my book as I want to be up early tomorrow and hit the road - 60km of gravel at the beginning followed by around 400+km is planned.