Bunyas

Another camping trip, south to the Bunya Mountains NW of Brisbane. A long drive, ~2300km return. The official reason for the trip was a tour of the Acland Mine, but I couldn't resist throwing the tent in the car as well, and taking the scenic route back.

The Bunya Mountains are a high range, with a cool, wet climate. The rainforest is one of the only localities of Bunya 'Pines', a conifer related to Norfolk Pines (also not a pine) and Monkey Puzzle trees. Fossil Bunya leaves date back to the Jurassic - dinosaurs probably ate them! The cones are the size of a pineapple and weight about 10kg, so you don't stand under them when they drop in Spring!

Old house near Monto

Acland Mine. Thin seams, lots of them.

A mad Cuckoo Clock shop near Toowoomba. What's German for kitsch?

A pair of Bunya Pines

The Bunya Mountains have open grasslands called 'balds'. One minute you're in a dark, lush rainforest, the next you're in the open, with views for 150km.

Last rays of sun on the tree tops

Campgrounds are always busiest in winter, and often feature bush poets or singers around the campfire. The wooly hats aren't for show - even in the tropics, the temperature can drop to freezing overnight.

On the way back home, I stopped at Gladstone. Here's the harbour, and a tree lit up with green floodlights at the lookout.

Oh yes, and there was a pile of Triumph parts I'd ordered from the UK waiting when I got back. More on them soon...