Blackdown Tableland - 1

Blackdown Tableland National Park is west of Rockhampton, and around 2 1/2 hours drive. This is my third trip, but Darryl has been several other times. We brought the camper-trailer, and the Isuzu pulled it up the steep road with ease. At least now the road is sealed for most of the way, (in fact it looks like all steep parts will be totally sealed this week, as they are working on it with the sealing starting next Monday). The very first trip here, many years ago, I remember slipping over on the round gravel which acted just like ball-bearings, when we stopped the car partway up to walk back to the first lookout.

The first official lookout is Horseshoe Lookout, with a very short walk to impressive views of the sandstone cliffs.

Site 6 was the one we had chosen, after poring over the website information, trying to work out sizes, overhanging gumtrees (from the photos), and direction (as we need good sun for the solar panels). As it turned out, it was a great choice, and there was really only one other which would have worked as well for us. We set up and had lunch, and the welcoming committee flew in...lots of Currawongs, and a few Kookaburras. One of the Kookaburras almost landed in Darryl's plate, but luckily I reacted in time, and no food was lost. 

After lunch we went on the walk to Officer's Pocket, now known as Mook Mook (the native name for the Owl). The walk follows down the rocky creek, past steep cliffs and waterfalls, to a view of sandstone cliffs and a distant horizon. 

Back near the camp we detoured to look at the swimming hole in the same creek, which is below the campsite.

During the night it got down to less than 0oC, as my thermometer said -0.0oC (so I don't think it goes below zero, and inside the camper was 1oC and usually outside is a couple of degrees colder. So, it was pretty cold!