The unveiling of the refurbished Tom Petrie memorial was an amazing experience for many reasons.
I’ve written severalarticles here previously about Tom Petrie. The man was remarkable for the way he learned the ways and language of the local Turrbal Aboriginal people, and showed them a respect and honor that was more than a century ahead of his time. It was fitting to remember him on the 100th anniversary of his death.
I also had the chance to meet Maroochy Barambah, an elder, Songwoman and Law-Woman of the Turrbal Aboriginal people. This talented and dignified woman is the great grand-daughter of Kulkarawa, a young Aboriginal girl who ran off with a Sri Lankan man named Shake Brown in the 1840’s. Brown was killed in the 1840’s on the banks of what is now called Browns Creek. By some strange co-incidence I actually took some photos of this area and wrote an article about it a few months ago. So I was overwhelmed to meet someone who was actually related to Kulkarawa (Granny Kitty) and Shake Brown (Grandfather Brown).
This event was the first formal occasion that descendants of Tom Petrie and the Turrbal people had met face to face since Petrie’s death. It gives me hope that things like this happen. The mutual history of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia is something that can unite us, and strengthen our souls. It reminds us how precious is the place in which we live. It gives us continuity and reminds us that each of us is here for such a brief time, while the land is always here.
Liz and I took the kids up to Mt Nebo this afternoon for walk through the rainforest and a bit of afternoon tea.
There’s something spiritually regenerating about walking through a forest. I feel like I’m “soaking up” the peace as one of the trees would soak up the rain. They seem to live at a different rate from us. Our lives come and go many times over while they’re still growing, reaching up to the sky and sighing in the breeze.
A majestic example of the strangler fig growing at Mt Nebo along the Boombana boardwalk.
This specimen is approximately 400 years old.
These trees begin life as vines, taking root in the crevices of other trees. They grow and slowly envelope the host tree, “strangling” it, and growing up to 50 metres in height.
The view above as we walked through the Boombana rainforest walk at Mt Nebo this afternoon.
Liz and I took the kids for a walk around Forgan Cove today.
It’s a short, easy 4.5km walk through some peaceful bushland that borders Lake Samsonvale.
We thought we’d take the opportunity to add to the photo log of Carla, a Toy Voyager that we’re hosting at the moment.
Toy Voyagers are fun because they challenge you to have a more child-like view of the world, and to look for events and pictures that would be appropriate for a toy on a voyage. I like them because they help me appreciate the place in which I live.
My ten year old son, Harrison, and I rode some of our favourite tracks this glorious Sunday morning.
We went out via some old stock routes and came back along the shoreline of one of the local lakes.
He kept up pretty well. I’m aware that sometime in the next ten years our roles will probably be reversed and I’ll be keeping up with him pretty well.
For now I’m content to show my boy some of the fantastic tracks around our area that you never see when you speed by in a car.
We have to slow down to enjoy beauty.
I had the distinct feeling I was being watched by dozens of pairs of eyes as I cycled through the wetlands at Deepwater Bend this morning.
This beautiful reserve at the mouth of the Pine River has many hectares of swampy pastureland inhabited by a large number of kangaroos and wallabys.
It also has some picturesque fire-trails that are perfect for riding around early in the morning!
Photographing these guys while riding a bike is almost impossible. In fact at the first opportunity I found for a photo, I forgot to un-clip from my pedals, and fell off. I could almost hear the Kangaroo snickering (or maybe saying "Tut tut tut" as he bounded off.
In full flight they’re magnificent to watch – muscular, streamlined and effortless.
I finally managed to cycle to the top of OldSchoolRoad – a very steep dirt road in Cashmere with gradients in excess of 27%.
This hill has beaten me a few times. At times I’ve fallen off trying to climb it, or just given up. But today I kept my head down, kept up a good rhythm, and powered to the top.
Although exhausted at the top, I still felt like doing a "Who da man" dance, punched the air, and let out a loud "Whoop!!!".
Harrison and I took a quick ride by Lake Samsonvale this afternoon. As the sun was setting over the D’Aguilar Ranges, I was fortunate to get this quick picture. I’m so happy to be living in such a beautiful place and to be able to explore it with my son.
We did an epic ride around Mt Glorious again today – this time with some amazing mountain bikers from MTBDirt.com.
This involved some tough climbs to Mount Glorious, and then a bone jarring steep downhill ride down the Lepidozamia Track. This track has to be seen to be believed with some incredibly steep sections, strewn with rocks, sticks and logs. It was doubly difficult for me this time as it was my first serious bash on dirt using my new clip-in pedals which still occasionally refuse to free my feet when I need them, which results in some humiliating “gumby stacks” where I come to a stop and just fall sideways for no apparent reason.
I was impressed with the skill of the other riders – powerful hill climbers and amazingly nimble over some of the more rocky sections. Despite this, they were patient with me, waiting for me when I dropped behind, and never complaining about it.
The view at the top was breathtaking.
Some of the spiders on this track are huge. Here’s one that hitched a ride part-way down:
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