I was staying in Ballina, on the northern coast of New South Wales, and took a couple of day trips to both sides of the border ranges.
A little known possible, but possibly also not, fact, is that in the Second World War, a proposal was considered at a federal government level, to build a defensive line through this territory. One fact is that such an idea was, in a speech, labelled by Gen Macarthur as the Brisbane Line. The proposal was said to be, that it might not be possible to prevent the then enemy, the Japanese, from gaining a foothold in the north of Australia; so plan B would be to build stronger defences and turn them back from border country. The proposal, if there was one, was not acted upon, and a subsequent Royal Commission failed to find definitive evidence that the proposal had actually existed. The Curtin labor wartime Government, probably assisted into power by public unease at the suggestion there was such a proposal, strongly rejected the notion.
Springbrook National Park is on the north of the ranges, with many impressive waterfalls. My favourite was the Natural Bridge Falls. The creek had fallen for millennia onto a sandstone ledge which had also been eroded from beneath by another creek. Over millennia the top creek fall had drilled a now large hole into the ledge, pouring through into the creek below. A some time fairly recently, a large tree trunk had flooded down through the hole, enhancing the display point for the falls.
These are some of my favourite photos, with different effects from different camera settings:
This is what it looks like from above:
There are many other beautiful waterfalls given the mountainous and wet forests:
At some stage I was right down there.
Coming in through the south, the forests were equally spectacular. Was a bit flatter, so not the same cliffs and waterfalls, where I was anyway. This is east and just north of Nimbin, of uncertain fame.
This is looking north to Mount Warning, the subject of a separate trip. Some time ago this whole area was volcanic with the volcanoes about twice the height of this mountain.
These were my first sightings of the Brown Cuckoo-Dove, and the notorious Australian Brush-Turkey.
Minyon Falls was worth the walk for some shots at different camera settings:
I didn’t take Boggy Creek Trail, with the reason for the name escaping me:
On return, the Park Attendant ensured I stayed off the grass:
Another great area in Australia.
Michael Monaghan
Re-visited May 2020
Michael Monaghan Photography 