Sapphires !

This road trip was all about exploring Carnarvon National Park and we had no definite plans as to where we would go after that. With such a big country to explore we never retrace our route so after leaving Takarakka Bush Camp and rejoining Carnarvon Way we turned left and headed north with the idea of going to Emerald. [ Were there emeralds in Emerald, I wondered?]

We knew that we were not going far so I let the van amble along peacefully while we reflected on the past five days and then began to wonder what we would do next. Rolleston was a mere 100km along the way and it was there that we refueled the van and then decided to see if the pub there had coffee.  It did. I am unused to pubs but this one felt very odd with the bar person very tense and constantly telling every one, most of whom were travellers like ourselves, that s/he was very stressed and having a really bad day. When we decided to order some food we were told that we should ask the chef if he was willing to take an order, so, after some time I found him in a cupboard in the kitchen and approached him very cautiously with my request. "No Prob!" was the answer. "Ready in fifteen."

Emerald was 140 km from Rolleston and on arrival we called in at the supermarket to replenish our groceries. Our arrival there had my phone going crazy with  a week's worth of messages beeping in, only one of them really important. We then found a great Information Centre where we made the decision not to stay at Emerald but to visit the sapphire mining precinct around Sapphire 53 km further along the way

As we ambled happily along the Capricorn Highway we spotted this intriguing weather event which we calculated was very near to Sapphire. It looked like a waterspout such as those we saw in Montana however we later saw no signs of any precipitation.

Railway station, Anarkie

Forty five km from Emerald we came to the turn off for Sapphire and Rubyvale however instead of turning right I made a left because another sign amused me - ANARKIE ! This remote, still village displayed no signs of anarchy whatsoever although things were probably quite different one hundred years ago when a great many men were fossicking and mining for sapphires ! It had an attractive, but apparently deserted police station, a peaceful school, pub, garden nursery and a few houses. We saw only two people.

Sapphire

Back to the main road we went and across the highway to Sapphire. Apart from the cows that roamed freely between cattle grids the significant features along he way were the remnants of gem mining gear and mounds of earth, sometimes vegetated, sometimes not.

After a quick look around we continued to Rubyvale, a mere 7km down the road where we found a pleasant caravan and camping park, set up camp and enjoyed a quick dinner of pork curry, chick pea curry and salad accompanied of course by a cool chardonnay.

Muggachino's Strudel Hill, Rubyvale

Our adventures next morning were severely curtailed - It was a Sunday and everything except for the few gemstone shops was firmly shut! All we could do was to look at all the polished sapphires in one of the shops and what a joy it was to see sapphires of all colours. They were so pretty! I do have quite a collection of sapphires however they are all blue and, although I admired the pink, purple and yellow shining stones, I resisted the temptation to acquire any more feeling that I really had no need for more material items.

After drooling over the big range of these colourful gemstones we were in need of a coffee and remembered the newly opened cafe which had been recommended to us by the Emerald Information Centre volunteers. We found it on Keilambete Road behind another gem shop and thankfully, it was open. What a cute place it was! The lady left the gem shop [unsecured, I noticed] and came to the back courtyard to brew fresh coffee and to serve us apple strudel and freshly baked scones. She then stayed to have a chat with us about local sapphires as well as sapphires they get from other countries, including Sri Lanka.

Fortified we then decided to take a drive around the gem fields and this is what we saw . . .

Final process of sapphire mining - getting the sapphires from the wash

lots of them and rusty bits of mining equipment lying about. The notices warned us off! 

So, Sunday was a day of enforced rest. Watched by our kookaburra, we finished it off with kangaroo stew, rice, beans, carrots and a glass or two of red wine.

Kookaburra

Monday morning saw us with our repacked van waiting for the Rubyvale Miners Heritage mine tour  to begin.  Not that deep below us was the bed of a seriously ancient river which had carried volcanic material along it. This volcanic matter included the precious sapphires that, in the late 1890s and early 1900s had hundreds of men rush to the area in search of wealth.  Stories remain of many who had lucky finds several times over, only to squander the efforts of their underground toil on drink, gambling and women.

Shafts are dug out first as they provide the vital air source and also an outlet for the wash which has to be rocked, rolled, smashed washed and sieved to catch the hidden sapphires. These shafts go down only until they hit granite beds - the line of wash sits on top of these beds. 

At the bottom of the steps we stopped to learn that we were in "Monkey Drive" the tunnel section of this mine which was dug by hand shovel around 1906. It had been worked then by two men, one worked underground while his partner winched the buckets of wash up to the top and also kept a look out to check that the man underground was safe. The underground toiler would really need to be able to trust his partner on the top, I thought.

Underground tunnel, Sapphire mine at Rubyvale

The tunnels were wide enough to allow two people to pass and tall enough to stand upright. Apparently if they were any wider it would have been necessary to shore them up. It was quite warm underground with the year round temperature varying  between 21 - 23C,

There's a couple of sapphires in them rocks!

The present company worked this mine in 1982 and opened the tour a few years later after moving their active mining a little further along the property.

Looking up the mine shaft

There are three types of mining licences: fossicking, hand mining and machine mining. For a small fee, anyone can do fossicking which is finding gems in riverbeds, land on a more casual basis. Nowadays many regard it as a fun thing to do for recreation. Hand mining involves the use of jack hammers and winches which are used by the hand in contrast to machine mining during which machines are used. There is no machine mining in this area.

Hand mining - jack hammer

Here's Fred an old time miner! The final stage of sieving and washing  the wash to pick up the sapphires was done above ground though.

The ladder below was one used a hundred years ago.

Once the tour was finished we again browsed the shop and succumbed to the temptation, buying a couple of necklaces for our daughters.

Then we were on the road again, retracing our path as far as Emerald, heading to Emu Park on the coast.

Boolimba Cliff Walk, Carnarvon National Park

The following morning we were up earlier than usual, and by 8am we had had a quick breakfast of porridge.Then, with our snack packs and lunch box, we were soon shaking our way in the van along the four kilometers back to the Park Headquarters where we noticed the Caloundra students' bus in the car park. 

At the start of the main track, students and their back packs were waiting, obviously somewhat impatiently in some cases, for the rest of their group to join them. A conversation with them revealed that we were all taking the same track, the Boolimba Bluff Walk! 

Yes! Sam had decided that the most difficult track in the park was the easiest one for him because, at 3.2km it was one of the shortest and offered the end reward of extensive views across the gorge. I was quite relieved to hear that we would have company along the way, should the going cause any problems. Off we went, leaving the eager, energetic students to wait for one of their teachers and a couple of students to arrive.

Cycads along the main walking track

The first part of the walk was quite easy, following the creek in the opposite direction to the one we had taken the day before. Then, leaving the main track, we headed uphill which involved some step climbing. Although it was early morning and still cool, this activity soon had us warmed up and we paused a few times to sip water or take a breather. Before long we were overtaken by the students as they bounded up the steps, mountain goat style at times. A short distance later we caught up with them as they stopped to look at something, perhaps disguising the need to catch their breath, I thought! They offered to stand aside to allow us to pass however I said that their legs were about sixty years younger than ours and that we would see them at the top, eventually!

Boolimba Walk, Carnarvon National Park

A few minutes later we heard excited laughter. The students had arrived at the start of the cliff face climb, so we found out when we came to the warning sign a few minutes later. Well, considering the health issues we live with, doctors tell us that we are in excellent shape but I did wonder if it could be said that we were physically fit. Three heart episodes, one of them truly major, our decision has always been to take the challenge once risks have been calculated. No point sitting on the couch watching useless TV and calling that "living".

Start of Cliff climb

The first of four ladders

Sam has always found clambering up steps and walking along trails easy, thanks to living in a beautiful hill top village for the first twenty years of his life, so he led the way. He also had proper walking boots whereas I had left mine at home - the only thing forgotten on this trip.

Boolimba Cliff Walk

We really took our time, going slowly and stopping. It was easy to go slow through the cool, still, crevasse through the cliffs and we felt engulfed by the beauty of the shining cliffs that sometimes seemed to be snow rather than white and yellow sandstone.

Cave

For a while we sat on a rock in a mossy cavern watching some butterflies and two small birds darting around.

Mossy part, Boolimba Walk

Sandstone caves

We must have spent the best part of an hour covering the 300 metre cliff climb. No one followed us. No one came down. We had this spectacular place to ourselves!

The track goes up to the top right corner of the picture

After the fourth ladder we could see some blue between the trees and knew that we were at the end of the climb. The problem was that the track had disappeared and we were initially unsure whether to scramble up through the centre of the rocks or turn right. Closer inspection revealed that the rocks to the right were slightly impacted and more stable. Up we went!

Top of Boolimba Bluff

We then found ourselves on the flat top of the mountain with a 800 metre walk ahead to the lookout. As we arrived there we met the school group leaving and were surprised by their cheers and high fives making a big fuss that we had actually made it to the top! I didn't think we looked weak and unlikely to achieve this but who knows what others think when they see us!

On top of Moolimba Bluff

Happily I thought to hand my camera to one of the group so that we could record the event! [ Nothing frail looking about us is there? Just looking happy and hot!] After this photo, we were left alone to take in the extensive views.

Carnarvon Gorge from Boolimba Bluff

By now it was after 11 o 'clock and time for a snack however we had to constantly chase off a very large raven that wanted to eat our snack for us.

It was not at all cold atop the Bluff so Sam dispensed with his precautionary warm shirt.

Knowing that going down was definitely going to be harder than coming up added to our reluctance to leave our top of the world picnic spot. What goes up must come down so we defeated our reluctance and down we went.

Many more stops were needed to take control of my wobbly knees with Sam waiting patiently for me to catch up. It seemed to take far longer coming down than the ascent had taken.

Tree splits rock

By the time we arrived back at the car park it was well past 1 pm. Thankfully we collected our coffee flask and lunch from the car and pulled off our hot footwear, well satisfied with our efforts and the rewards they had brought.

Carnarvon Gorge had delivered its promise of beauty and grandeur.

[ Dinner: Yummy meatballs, spaghetti and salad with Merlot]

Carnarvon Gorge and National Park

Knowing that there was no petrol or diesel available inside the Carnarvon National Park we filled the tank at an Injune service station that evoked images of the wild west of old in the USA. We had 110 kilometres to go to reach the turn off for the Carnarvon Gorge, followed by another forty kilometres into the Park, twenty of which would be along a metal road.

Dawson River

There were very few cars on the road which, not being flat for as far as the eye could see, was especially enjoyable. As we rounded a bend I was quick enough to spot a lay by so pulled up for a coffee and snack break beside the Dawson River near Mulcahy Road and, as we soon found out, just before the turn off. While we enjoyed our sandwiches we watched a falcon soaring in circles, too far and too high for my camera.

Road into Carnarvon Gorge National Park

Once I learned to watch out for the cattle grids across the road every few kilometres, the first twenty kilometres were an easy drive . A couple of impatient 4WD vehicles didn't miss a beat as they tore along and over these metal bars whereas, even taking them cautiously, our van shuddered and shook horribly.  Fence free cattle roamed in search of the tastiest grass taking no notice of the fast moving metal monsters racing by.

Cattle on the road to Carnarvon.

The metal road slowed us down a bit, especially the more corrugated parts but as there were only a few other vehicles on the road, the dust factor wasn't great.

Metal Road into Carnarvon National Park

As the sandstone cliffs of the gorge showed themselves our excitement and anticipation increased!

Approaching the Carnarvon Gorge

I had been informed that there were three river crossings along the road but that only one of them was likely to have water over the road. In fact, all three were flowing, one of them quite swiftly. I found that my fears that this would be a problem for our van were unfounded as we steadily and easily forded through!

Ford across metal road into Carnarvon

A somewhat bumpy twenty kilometres later we arrived at Takarakka Bush Resort which was to be our "home" for four nights.

Takarakka Bush Resort, Carnarvon National Park

There are three places where visitors can stay within the park. The National Park campsites are open only during school holidays and are very basic - meaning that there are no showers or electricity. The Carnarvon Wilderness Lodge is the most luxurious accommodation in the Park however Takarakka suited us because it had all the comfort we needed - hot showers, electricity, shade and natural beauty.

Safari tent, Carnarvon National Park

For those who don't like the idea of camping in a real tent, Takarakka has an alternative. Safari Tents! There are also ensuite cabins, at least one cottage as well as powered and unpowered campsites. It's a large area, divided into cul de sacs with amenities blocks near each area. We were in the main area near a large, well equipped camp kitchen and fire circle. 

There's no shortage of tents of various sizes and styles in our house yet, after our last trip a few months ago, we went and bought another one!  This one came with the assurance that it could be erected in a minute. Yes! We achieved that goal and it was soon set up with the dining table and storage cupboard that make our camp comfortable for multiple night stays.

With our camp now set up, we went off to explore the campground, climbing the hill to the look out.

From Takarakka Bush Resort Lookout.

That night, after a delicious dinner of pork curry and rice we sat with our brandy under the sharp, starry sky around the fire circle  and chatted with campers from around Australia as well as some adventurous visitors from countries such as Belarous, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and Korea! What tales they had to tell!

The campground was far from full however, one afternoon, screams of enjoyment, splashing and excited voices came from the river behind our campsite. I went to investigate and found about fifty students having a great time in the river. Year 7 students from Caloundra, they were on their final primary school camp and had arrived that afternoon. They had set up their tents in a circle in a different area and were having a great time! In the days to come, we met them as they explored the park and gathered memories that I am sure will last a lifetime.

River Walk, Carnarvon National Park

There are several walks you can follow to explore the uniqueness of this sandstone National Park where five rivers begin their lives - the Maranoa, Warrego, Dawson, Nogoa and Comet. For our first day we chose to visit the ranger station and information office four kilometres down the road from Takarakka. Here, we were able to pick up a map of the area and then chose to take a leisurely stroll along the easiest trail, the Nature Trail. This simply followed the Carnarvon Creek for 1.8 km and required very little effort. This short distance took us well over an hour as we stopped twice for quite a while watching catfish looking fish, trout and schools of small fish cruising and weaving in the mirrored water. Although we sat still and long, we weren't lucky enough to see even one platypus or turtle.

Carnarvon Creek

The real rain season was over so the creek was not high and the feeder streams were dry.

Carnarvon

Just before the entrance to the car parks there is a track leading to a lovely swimming hole, Rock Pool. This is the only spot where swimming is permitted - platypuses and turtles only elsewhere!

Following our pleasant walk, we consumed our lunch under the bored gaze of the local kangaroos. Map on the table, we looked at the longer signposted walks to choose one for the next day. With enticing names such as Cathedral Cave, Aljion Falls Moss Garden Baloon Cave, Art Gallery with its famous aboriginal drawings, Boolimba Bluff with its sandstone caves and ladders up the cliff face it was  difficult to choose!