Back from Binna Burra

From Monday 24th July to Friday 28th July, a group of seven of us from the Canberra Photographic Society journeyed to Binna Burra, Lamington National Park, Southern Queensland:  Ulrike and Hugh, Alan, Luminita, Greg and Murray and Jools.

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Gold Coast and Hinze Dam from Beechmont Rd by Greg Wei.

On our way to Binna Burra and the wilderness of Lamington National Park, we caught a glimpse of the distant Surface Paradise, spare and bizarre, like a distant giant petrified forest.

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View from Alcheringa, Monday evening by Murray Foote.

We stayed at the wonderful accommodation of Alcheringa, a house and associated cottage easy walking distance form the Binna Burra Lodge but not part of that complex.

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View from Alcheringa, early Thursday morning by Greg Wei.

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View from near Alcheringa, early Friday morning, by Luminita Quraishi.

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Tree ferns and tree stump, Daves Creek Circuit by Alan Pomeroy.

On our first full day, we set off on the Dave’s Creek Circuit.  This is a 12km round trip but we made the mistake of walking to the car park, which added about another kilometre to the journey.  This passed though rainforest, eucalyptus forest and open heathland.  We all found that our fitness levels were not as good as we might have hoped, especially Hugh, whose bad back played up on him on the return journey.

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Curious red flower (Drosera rotundifolia) beside track near Molongolee Cave, Daves Creek Circuit by Luminita Quraishi.

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Xanthorrhea flower stalk and hakea branches, Daves Creek Circuit by Murray Foote.

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Natural Bridge by Greg Wei.

After the exertions of the first full day, we decided on a quiet day for the second.  Ulrike and Hugh just relaxed at Alcheringa.  The rest of us went for a short walk on the Tallawallal Circuit (no images to show you here) and then for an afternoon drive to Natural Bridge at the edge of Springwood National Park.  We experienced subdued late afternoon light, which was fortunate for photographing the waterfall.

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Natural Bridge and River by Murray Foote.

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Huge tree left from river flood by Alan Pomeroy.

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On the Coomera Track by Luminita Quraishi.

On our last full day, Ulrike and Hugh went for a drive to Natural Bridge and Springwood National Park.  The rest of us undertook the 17.5km Coomera Circuit, with rainforest and many waterfalls along the Coomera River.  This was to be our most productive day.

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Bahnamboola Falls, Coomera Circuit by Greg Wei.

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Bahnamboola Falls, Coomera Circuit by Alan Pomeroy.

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Below Bahnamboola Falls, Coomera Circuit by Luminita Quraishi.

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Bahnamboola Falls, Coomera Circuit by Luminita Quraishi.

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At Moolgoolong Cascades by Greg Wei.

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Below Moolgoolong Cascades by Alan Pomeroy.

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Forest on the return track by Murray Foote.

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Paragliders, North Tambourine, by Murray Foote.

On the last day we had to leave by 10am.  Ulrike and Hugh were driving their own car.  The rest of us were driving back to the airport in a hire car.  We had some extra time so we took some back roads and were fortunate enough to see these paragliders who had just taken off.

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