Gold Coast Day 8 : Boojerahla Gwongorella at the Hinterlands

Time...keeps flowing like a river...

To the sea...till its gone forever...gone for evermore

                                                      - The Alan Parsons Project

Boojerahla - charming, Gwongorella - Dancing waters, in Aboriginal language. A number of tour operators take you on half day trips to the serene forest side of Queensland, away from the busy Gold Coast. The friendly driver cum guide was right on time to pick us up from Meriton Broadbeach. We settled comfortably in the heated Chartered Bus as he drove us smoothly out of Gold Coast into Springbrook Mountain. The first stop was at the Natural Bridge. It gets its name since the water fall cuts through a basalt cave with its sheer force, and when you see it you realize why its called a natural bridge...Sunlight peeped through the otherwise dark cave, and it looked like a picture out of a calendar. We missed the glow worms though. Said to be protected, you can get a glimpse of glow worms here at night.

Water still continues to cut through the cave

                We had a forest walk at the Gondwana Rainforests, where we saw very attractive looking poisonous leaves and berries, which the guide warned us not to touch. The lofty trees, like the Antarctic Beech trees and Eucalyptus were swaying in the howling winter winds, birds chirped as we went exploring on the wooden walk ways, clutching our jackets and scarves close. The toilets were Eco-friendly too. Some of the trees were more than a thousand years old. And as if these views were not good enough, we stopped at a great view point called The best of all Lookouts! Indeed, it was a great view of the ancient plateau, now a preserved site, to salvage whatever is left of Australia's forestation. 

Looking out from the Best of all Lookouts

Australia's own Grand Canyon?

        All through the commentary, our humorous guide reminded us of the scones and tea we would be having at one of the cafes in Springbrook. We finally did. A batch of hot scones with fresh cream, and the aroma of fresh hot coffee was most refreshing in the cold late afternoon, and we made our way back. With a sigh we got out of the comfortable coach, as the guide told us "This is your captain speaking, you have landed at your hotel, hope to fly again with you..."