Discoveries with Dougall 25 - Monochromes and more.

The weather is warming up and lunchtimes are quiet on the walks in the hood. Its the best time to set out with an exuberant dog. Yes Dougall is back and I am happy to say he is as lively as ever. So setting out on one of our paths today I was struck by the liveliness of the colour green. It is after all spring time here. Explosions of buds and seeds on so many of the flowering trees. I love the richness, the fecundity and the variety of this monochrome. So as not to bore you though, I am throwing in an explosion at the end to shake you up and fill you with the energy of the day. 

 

Spring Bluff

No bluffing here, more like BURSTING with colours and bees. A gorgeous day trip on a perfect spring day to Spring Bluff near Toowoomba probably Queensland's prettiest Railway station. Its a heritage listed railway line between Ipswich and Toowoomba. 

It all started some 150 years ago when Queensland Railways launched a garden competition for railway stations. Station Master Ralph Kirsop and his wife Lillian enthusiastically went about beautifying and planting their railway station. Their hard work is there for us all to enjoy and admire. 

The Station which is now immaculately preserved and has some train activity. 

Foxgloves with Bees deep inside the flowers.

Cherry blossom so dark and red as I have never seen before. 

A new plant for me - one which I will set about trying to identify. 

The fine blossom of this hanging grevillea - the native and European honey bees were all over it. 

Its just a burst of life, colour and hope. For those who are able to make the short journey go now. 

The valleys below and the skies above

 The area of the Glasshouse Mountains was probably once quite forested. Matthew Flinders climbed  Beerburrum in 1798 and was the first European to do so. He surveyed the valleys below. 

There are vast cleared areas now full of the most productive plantations - macadamia trees, passion fruit and pineapple, coffee and vegetables as well. 

The Massive Macadamia trees 

Coffee bushes 

Dragon fruit plantations 

Best of all was being at the top of Beerburrum and seeing this flock of yellow tailed black cockatoos. 

Have you visited the Garden of Eaten ?

My hubby has always loved railways and so when I found this bedroom in a railway carriage I knew I had hit the jackpot for an anniversary present. 

We went down the Bruce Highway and loved seeing the dangling bright red bottle brushes gently swaying in the central reservations. They reminded me of the oleanders along Cyprus's motorways. 

Our destination was the Glasshouse Mountain Ecolodge which is quite close to all the Glasshouse Mountains. We were attracted not only by the salvaged train carriages but also by the Eco side. It is the work of a wonderful man called Keith who bought the plot back in 1982 and salvaged four railway carriages and a church from destruction. He has since painstakingly built an eco friendly property with love and attention to so much of what nature intended.Outside our windows were mulberry and coffee bushes laden with fruit and sitting on the little patio we were immersed in the scented blossom of lemons, lime and pomelo trees. It was heavenly. The birds chirped away as happy as us. 

Four photos showing how the railway carriages were transported onto the property 

Momentos of past times. 

The lounge and refectory carriages. 

We then discovered the Garden of Eaten - and the Bootiful Garden and with Keith's book in hand we wandered round identifying some of the trees and plants in his garden. He also has a bush tucker trail that you can explore. 

Coffee bushes with red and yellow berries.

Pomelo trees with amazing blossom and bees buzzing with delight. 

Exotic Jacoticaba with fruit growing off the trunk 

A macadamia tree in full blossom. 

The dragon fruit overlooking Mount Tibrogargan. 

More on the area of the Glass House Mountains in tomorrow's blog.

Glasshouse Mountains

A weekend getaway to recharge, celebrate and explore all within 100 kms of Brisbane. Our destination the Glasshouse Mountains a strange and impressive site named by none other than Captain James Cook in 1770 who took one look at them and thought they looked like the glass furnaces of Yorkshire - I have no idea if they do or they don't but one thing is for sure, they are noteworthy. They are intrusive plugs - the remnants of volcanic activity that occurred in the area some 25-27 million years ago. Molten rock came up and solidified as hard rock to what we see today a vast plain with these plugs poking up. They are Heritage Listed:

This is a collective view- By CoolBeans123 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59352208

The National Heritage List of mountains in the area of the Glass House Mountains National Park is Beerwah (556 metres); Coonowrin (Crookneck) (377 metres); Tibrogargan and Cooee (364 metres and 177 metres); Ngungun (253 metres); the Coochin Hills (235 and 230 metres); Miketeebumulgrai 199.5m; and Elimbah (Saddleback) 109m. In addition there are a further three areas Beerburrum (278 metres); Tunbubudla (the twins) (294 and 338 metres); and Tibberoowuccum (220 metres). 

We walked around the base of Tibrogargan, we climbed to the top of Ngungun and Beerburrum and went on several other river walks in the Mooloolah National Park Jowarra section. The forest was largely eucalyptus and not very dense, interspersed with some grand old trees that rose majestically from the ground and whose tops we could barely see. The views were magnificent and along the paths we came across spring flowers and flowering wattles. 

Mount Coonowrin.

Top of mount Ngungun 

Mount Tibrogargan 

Mount Beerwah.

One of the figs with huge buttresses on our river walk 

Signs of spring everywhere in the forests. Tomorrow the wonderful place where we stayed and more about this fascinating fertile plain. 

My Sunday stroll in the heart of Red Hill

Red Hill is one of the oldest suburbs in Brisbane. Its name comes from its steep hills with red soil and rocks - many of which are found in our garden.  

It has some interesting landmarks, the massive Catholic Church of St Brigid's built in 1914, with imposing views of the city below, the Ithaca War Memorial and the Red Hill Pops Theatre which opened in 1912. In 1965 it was converted to a Skate Park which was burnt by fire in 2002. Finally it was resurrected as Red Hill Cinemas which we love as it is a five minute walk up the road from our house. 

Nearby is Zig Zag St made famous by Nick Earl's novel. 

As I zig zag through the streets on this lovely but slightly overcast Sunday afternoon I come across a lot to share with you all. Its houses are delightful and the gardens colourful. Everywhere I go I have reasons to be jolly! 

 

And the perfect little wig wham on the forest floor which will offer some children hours of fun.