Following a leisurely breakfast and an unsuccessful search for the local platypus in its pond, we headed up the steep, winding road to the Broken River section of the Eungella National Park.
Despite it being around midday, we managed to see a platypus in one of the three viewpoints close to the Broken River parking lot and campsite. We left the viewpoint and went on a short hike along the river. The adults were mainly attracted by the birds, while the kids honed their lizard-catching skills and gathered “points” through this educational activity, as well as pointing out intersting animals to us.
At the point where the track crossed the river we met a nice monitor (Gould’s?), which escaped up a nearby tree once I approached it, with all too obvious intentions. On the other side of the river, the forest became wetter and denser, with more epyphites and tree ferns. Unfortunately, this habitat, after the light morning rain, proved very attractive to leeches, which we started finding on the road, on our clothes, and sometimes on ourselves. After the third time Daniel found one on his sandalled feet we decided that it was a good point to turn back. At the crossing we found the monitor still on the tree, and had a light picnic. Lighter than planned, in fact, since Lilach brought bread but I forgot to take the avocado and tuna we had planned to have with it. On the way back we were treated to a concert of whip birds and golden whistlers, among other, less conspicuous, birds. The birds were very close to the track at times, but it was still very hard to locate them.
Upon return, we visited the furthest platypus viewing platform and found a rather active individual foraging in the muddy bottom, releasing gas bubbles from it and occasionally coming up to breathe. We purchased two little plastic animals for the kids (a platypus, naturally, and a horned devil lizard) and went back to the motor home for lunch, since at 15:30 the restaurant was already closing for the day.
After lunch, a drizzle started, and the kids decided to stay “at home” and play with their animal dolls. They prepared some elaborate wedding ceremony for the new platypus (their third) – the bride, and the first one they got. The second one they got has long been agreed to be the young one, so it finally had the pleasure of witnessing its parents’ wedding. Meanwhile, we went to see some more platypus activity.
Back at the camp Lilach and the kids had showers in the motor home, after which I went to dare the camp showers. These looked really nice – rustic and open to the woods on the back side. A handwritten comment in Hebrew declared them to be wonderful, “although there’s never really hot water”, so we thought they were less suitable for a night shower. In reality they had scorching hot water, and the shower was splendid. On the way back I caught a nice little frog and placed it in our own shower for closer examination in the morning.
Family Trips 