Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve (Maleny)

Bushwalking!

So we haven't posted anything in a while - mostly because we have been working most days and haven't really been anywhere or done much all that interesting! But recently, we have been quite a few places with quite a few people so I am updating the blog from now for the next couple of days to fit in all the things/photos/videos we have come up with!

One of the most pleasant things we did recently was visit Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve in Maleny. This is a sub-tropical rainforest bushwalk that takes you through a creek. It took around an hour to complete the circuit and we came across alot of wildlife, which I am about to post photos of!

 Some mushrooms - no idea what type

 This bird is a Willie Wagtail. Best name ever.

 Here we have a small brown Skink. 

 The creek

 These are fruitbats. They are huge bats - also known as megabats. They have a wingspan of between 4 and 5 foot. 

 No idea what this bird was...

 This is a Pademelon - a type of marsupial. Looks like a wallabe, but is a separate order. They are generally smaller than wallabes and were everywhere in the forest,

 This bird is an Australian King Parrot. 

 The very well-disguised bird is called a Catbird. It has the weirdest call we've ever heard - it sounds just like a wailing cat/crying baby. Seriously, check out the noise it makes:

 Another pademelon

 It didn't seem remotely scared of us. Just hopped right on by.

 The wagtail was displaying on the path and started dancing next to me...

 Mt. Coonowrin (Glasshouse Mountains)

The Glasshouse Mountains as seen from the bushwalk. From left to right: Mt Coonowrin, Mt Tibrogargan, Mt Tibberoowuccum, Mt Beerwah

The Glasshouse mountains have a strange name - to most people there is no relation to the mountains and glass houses. The mountains were named by explorer Captain James Cook on 17 May 1770. The peaks reminded him of the glass furnaces in his home county of Yorkshire. There is an Aboriginal story about the Glasshouse mountains - you can find it here:

http://www.coolrunning.com.au/ultra/glasshouse/glassh3.shtml

Snorkelling HMS Brisbane (Mooloolaba) Video

Snorkelling the HMS Brisbane

On Tuesday 28th October, I had signed myself up to go swimming with humpback whales. This is something that only 2 places in the world will allow you to do: One based in Tonga, and the other just happens to be in Mooloolaba, on my doorstep!

Charlotte didn't get involved in this activity; she was working and isn't a massive fan of the open ocean for reasons such as black tip reef sharks, great white sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks and various other bitey creatures. I. however, have almost perfected the art of denying that these creatures exist from surfing daily, where I sit in the sea and look pretty much the same size and shape as a seal....

Anyway, unfortunately it was very much the end of whale season and my session was the very last session of the year until next August. So we didn't actually come across any whales. Despite this, the boat crew took us over to the HMS Brisbane. 

 The HMS Brisbane was a guided-missile navy destroyer that was intentionally wrecked off the coast of Mooloolaba in 2005, to create an artificial reef to further enhance the marine wildlife in the area. It is a magnet for fish, turtles, eels and sharks and is a designated protected area.

So the tide was quite high, so the top of the wreck's masts were approximately 10 meters underwater. Had we been diving, this wouldn't have been a problem, however as snorkellers we only got to experience the very top of the wreck. It was still great fun and a fantastic experience.

Here are some of my photos:

Surfing Alexandra Headland

A video compiled from a couple of early sessions at Alex Headland. Mostly getting to grips with the new board and spot. Apologies for the atrocious drop-in on a longboarder at 1:22!

Noosa and Underwater World

Noosa and Underwater World

So on Tuesday 21st October, we went on a mission to see some Koalas. After 7 weeks here, we still haven't seen any! Last time we were in Australia, we found a couple up at Noosa, which is a world-famous surf spot and all round beautiful place with an amazing national park. Noosa is only a short bus ride away from us, so we went up there on a Koala search. Unfortunately, this tme around, we did not see any Koalas despite trekking 5 miles through dense Eucalyptus forest. However, we did have a great time in an amazing place.

 One of Noosa's secluded beaches with a nice point break

 One of Noosa's point breaks being surfed. Wish I had taken my board!

 Some skilled surfers in a dangerous, rocky break

 Perfect wave after perfect wave

 National Park trails. We walked from the small box in the top right corner, along the blue trail, then back along the orange trail, then down through the yellow trail.

Noosa main beach

Despite not seeing Koala's, it was some small consolation to drive past a couple of kangaroos on the way back!

On the Thursday, Charlotte finally took me to her workplace and we had a good explore around Underwater World!

 Clownfish living in an anemone

 Toxic lionfish

 Megalodon jaws (ancient giant shark) and a Charlotte

 Groucho the supremely talented fur seal

 The seal display

Me in the shark tunnel 

 Black-tip reef shark

 Sawfish with one of the most hilarious faces you can find on a fish

 Charlotte getting up close and personal with a giant crustacean of some sort

 Me, myself and Jaws

Moon jellyfish