First cane toad

Just as we were leaving the Brunswick River, I rescued a poor little froggy who was hiding under the wheels of the caravan. I popped it onto the car bonnet to keep it from being crushed and to get a photo. I have since realised that it was our first cane toad. Fortunately, I have not come out in a rash or had weird dreams from touching him.

"I own you and your car, your caravan and your dog. I am merciful though and will leave you a reserve to live on"
“I own you and your car, your caravan and your dog. I am merciful though and will leave you a reserve to live on”

I am sure rescuing cane toads is on par with getting involved with foreign wars, so I expect to face the full force of the law on my return,

Traveling north

MapWe are travelling north again and have reached Toowoomba in Queensland. The weather has cooled down again as Toowoomba is quite high from sea level.

The drive from Brunswick Heads was uneventful after an inauspicious departure. We left in periodic rain showers, and of course its Dad’s job to be packing up the outside! However, once you are wet, you can only get dry again by packing everything away and getting into a car with the heater on.

Clare and Dog
Clare and Dog

A dry dog in the car is more important than a dry Dad, so he was coddled while I got wet!

Paddling the Brunswick River

We were joined at Brunswick Heads (just north of Byron Bay) by Clare, my niece.  She was interested in checking out Byron Bay and also  catching up. The third day she was with us was beautiful and sunny, so we took the canoe onto the Brunswick River.

A Skate on the river bed
A Skate on the river bed

With the tide turning, we were able to mosey along the riverbank, annoying many birds, fish and rays. The pelican was the most relaxed, watching our approach without disturbing his grooming.

Past the island, the environment changed from mangroves and mudflats, to forest and sandy beaches. We sneaked up on an eagle having a bath.

Further upstream we found a few cormorants to sneak up on a threesome of cormorants or herons – I can’t really tell the difference. They really weren’t bothered by us so we got almost underneath them.

Three cormorants watching our progress
Three cormorants watching our progress

When we found on why, I began paddling quickly. Can anyone see what is to the right of my paddle-head?

Alex escaping while Clare focusses on the all important selfie!
Alex escaping while Clare focusses on the all important selfie!

Here is the cause of my anxiety. We got to within 5 metres of her before I clued up to the interesting diamond pattern in the tree.

Sleeping after breakfast
Sleeping after breakfast

She was about two metres long and did not move. Still, I believe Python’s should be admired behind a nice glass wall with a near label assuring me that it is not deadly. Clare insisted we go back for a better selfie, but if the snake joined us in the boat, no amount of restatement of the word “harmless” was going to stop us from swimming back to camp!

The intrepid adventures return safely!
The intrepid adventures return safely!

Visiting Byron Bay

A Boring Beach - no dogs, no nuisance and no nudity!
A Boring Beach – no dogs, no public nuisance and no nudity!

Today we find ourself in Brunswick Heads, so drove down to Byron Bay to find out what all the fuss was about. Unfortunately we had a drizzly day, so while the others visited the shops, the dog and I walked around. Most of the beaches were closed to dogs, so we found ourselves walking along the streets and then up to the lighthouse on the headland. Annoyingly, after a forty minute walk to the lighthouse, we found that the park it was in was in a  National Park (no dogs), so we had to walk back without seeing it.

View of Byron Bay township back from the headland
View of Byron Bay township back from the headland

The dog was interested in the number of bush turkeys wandering around the coastal parks, but was annoyed that he wasn’t allow to go after any. I was delighted to catch sight of a sea eagle visiting its nest.

Sea Eagle leaves its Nest of the top of a Norfolk Island Pine
Sea Eagle leaves its Nest of the top of a Norfolk Island Pine

BunjulungCountry

Moonee Beach

Sooty Oyster Catcher
Sooty Oyster Catcher

Moonee Beach is a bit north of Coffs Harbour. As noted in the previous post, we were very lucky to get into it, arriving just after six; most caravan park receptions close at five, this one at six and they answered the after hours number. We stumbled well! It is a beautiful location on the Solitary Islands Walk GreyCranewith a tidal creek (Moonee Creek) running past the camp ground. It is home of the Sooty Oyster Catcher, which did not let us approach within smarty phone photo range with our hairy mutt. There were a number of herons, cranes, ducks, plovers and a lot of fish.

Grey Heron
Grey Heron

We had three great days there doing walks and going for a canoe. The Dog as usual had the most fun. The Solitary Islands Walk went through beaches, headlands and rainforest. He loved the canoeing – both in the canoe, and swimming behind when not in the canoe.

Dog, Carmel and Ash walk over a sand bar
Dog, Carmel and Ash walk over a sand bar

PippiLovesWater1

PippiLovesWater2

Hurry up, Mum!
Hurry up, Mum!