#vvanderfulworld

[vvanderful-world]

The Natural Bridge is a beautiful natural rock arch along Cave Creek in Springbrook National Park, formed by the force of a waterfall over the erosive basalt cave. On the walk to the bridge, we were intrigued by the enormous Strangler Figs. These figs grow from seeds in the forks of their host trees, usually transported from birds or possums. From the seeds prop roots grow downwards towards the roots of the tree. These thicken and weave over time, eventually surrounding and strangling the host tree. It may take hundreds of years for a fig to kill its host. Descending under the bridge, we found ourselves distracted by the amazing glow worms, one of the largest populations in Australia.

[vvanderful-world]

Along our hike up Mt Warning, an amazingly inquisitive and friendly bird took a liking to Jewlz and followed us around the mountain. The Grey-Shrike-thrush (formerly known as the Harmonious Thrush) is described as one of the best songsters in Australia as the species has hundreds of different songs- all pleasant to human ears! We definitely enjoyed this little guys company! Lucky us!

[vvanderful-world]

What a beautiful morning for a hike. Under suggestion from some of the locals, we decided to catch the sunrise from the peak of Mt. Warning (Wollumbin) in the Tweed Range. It’s said that during the winter, from here you’re the first in Australia to experience the new day’s Sun. The mountain itself is the central volcanic remnant of the Tweed shield volcano which erupted around 23 million years ago. The mountain remains a place of cultural and traditional significance to the Bundjalung people as a place of law, initiation and spiritual learning and we would like to pay our respects to the elders past and present of this beautiful area. We were sad to learn from a sign on our return that Bundjalung people request that the uninitiated do not climb the mountain and we would have respected these traditions if we were previously aware.

[vvanderful-world]

As we have been travelling, we have been conscious of how much waste we can produce as tourists. Eating mostly fresh produce has helped to reduce the waste we produce, however it means that we have lots of compost. We have been holding onto our compost to find a good compost heap or people that collect scraps for animals like this one! It was wonderful to see compost, recycling and landfill stations at Hosanna’s for everyone staying at the farm – champions!

[vvanderful-world]

Driving along the east coast, we’ve had the pleasure of dabbling in ‘bush caviar’ - or more formally Australian Finger Limes/Citrus australasica. Australia has 6 native citrus varieties that grow in our bush which are great as they are extremely hardy and tolerant of frost and our dry conditions! These native limes are found along coastal Queensland and New South Wales. As you bite into the hundreds of vesicles of the fruit you get a hit of flavour that is tangy yet sweet and really unique. We haven’t tried this combo yet- but word is that finger limes make the perfect addition to fresh Sydney rock oysters!

[vvanderful-world]

So lucky to spot a beautiful female Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo/Calyptorhynchus funereus and her life-long male partner stripping bark in the Casuarina trees of Nightcap National Park. We enjoyed observing this pair eating and learnt that the males and females can be differentiated by the colour of their eye rings and upper beak. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos are one of 5 species of black cockatoo found in Australia. Their diet consists mainly of seeds or wood-boring beetles/moth larvae found beneath the bark of certain trees.  We need to be cautious of preserving the habitats and food trees of these species as they are found no-where else in the world!

[vvanderful-world]

What a special place the Northern Rivers area of NSW is! One of our favourite spots was Minyon Falls, a massive 100 metre drop over rhyolite cliffs in Nightcap National Park. This area was once part of the Tweed volcano and was declared a world heritage area in 1986.

[vvanderful-world]

What a great idea these native bee hives are! I tried out the new camera with this hive of Tetragonula carbonaria, one of Australia’s species of native stingless bees- aren’t they cute! These guys have me hooked- now I want a macro lens ;) Australian bees are crucial in pollinating our native flora and agricultural crops, and building and maintaining safe nesting sites will help these champions out! If you are interested to find out more about building your own garden native-bee hive or after some inspiration, Bees Business and Rochedale Community Garden are buzzing with some great tips. <3 Jewlz