Repeating some things and a first time sighting
Late November 2025
Cathedral Fig Tree, Lake Tinaroo, late November 2025.
I took a Tuesday and Wednesday off last week after working for another couple of weeks without a day off again. To escape the heat I headed up the Tablelands. Who am I kidding, I would have gone there anyway.
First stop was to take a look at the Cathedral Fig behind Lake Tinaroo for the first time in a long time.
A spot along Coolabbi Creek back in February 2020.
My campsite for the next couple of days would be in the old logging area along Coolabbi Creek outside Ravenshoe. I have been visiting this area for many years now and I love spending time there.
Putting down some grass to pitch my tent on top of.
I have a favourite spot to pitch my tent but the last couple of stays I have felt the ground under my air mattress during the night. I decided to try laying some grass under my tent and it did the trick.
McKenzie Falls, September 2020.
In the same area is McKenzie Falls which I have photographed many times over the years. After I had set up camp I decided to take a long afternoon hike into the falls, explore and play with the camera until sunset.
Climbing down McKenzie Falls to escape the sun in the shade, late November 2025.
It was stinking hot at the top of the falls so I decided to climb down to the base and into the Gorge below. There as the sun dropped I would be in shade.
As I climbed down I stopped to enjoy the beauty of the rocks at this very special place. I used to come here so often. It has been a while.
The small Gorge at the base of McKenzie Falls, late November 2025.
At the base of the Falls the water does a sharp right hand turn and flows along the small Gorge for a hundred metres or so before plunging into a large open pool.
The top of the plunge from the Gorge into the large pool, late November 2025.
It is the top section of that drop from the Gorge into the pool that I find stunning to look at. You have to hang over the edge of the drop to get this photo and setting up the tripod is quite a challenge. It was a fun afternoon.
A Cicada Nymph?, Cathedral Fig Tree, Lake Tinaroo, late November 2025.
By the time I had hiked back to camp it was dark and so very noisy with the sound of what I believe were Cicada’s.
This made sense to me as earlier in the day at the Cathedral Fig Tree I had spotted what I think was a Cicada Nymph climbing its way up to molt. Let me know if I am wrong.
My camping breakfast, Milo and oats.
When I camp breakfast is usually Milo and oats. The Milo and oats are easy to carry on the bike and all I need is to add a bit of water, and I actually like the taste. When I camped with my older brother on Kangaroo Island earlier in the year he found my breakfast a bit gross :)
Koombooloomba Dam, late November 2025.
After I had packed up camp I rode up to Koombooloomba Dam to take a look. The water had dropped quite a bit but the surprising thing was the colour. Up close it was very clear but from a distance with the sun out it was the stunning colour you see above.
The banks of Koombooloomba Dam, late November 2025.
When clouds passed over the colour of the water would change drastically. You can see from the water level marks on the bank how far the water has fallen from the high point.
A welcome guest during lunch at Koombooloomba Dam, late November 2025.
I had lunch at Koombooloomba Dam and was joined by the lovely dragonfly above. Sadly I would cut my stay there short as I was also joined by vast numbers of March flies, time to head out towards Chillagoe for a swim in a creek.
There was water in Sandy Tate Creek back in July 2025!
My plan was to pass by Sandy Tate Creek on the way out to Chillagoe and have a swim. Problem was that when I got there ……water was no longer flowing at Sandy Tate Creek….no swimming……bummer :(
Male Cotton Gygmy Geese. Somewhere late November 2025
With my swimming plans in ruins I wandered around on the bike in the afternoon. In doing so I stumbled across a very dirty patch of water that had something uncommon in it, Cotton Pygmy Geese.
These birds are endangered in parts of Australia and it is the first time I have seen one. Of course I did not have my long wildlife lens but I am heading back out to this spot in the hope that they may still be there and I can get some better photos.
Green Pygmy Goose, Wurruma Swamp, July 2023.
It took me many years of trying until I got some half decent photos of their cousin the Green Pygmy Goose. I hope these are not as illusive.