Day 16 - mon Sept 12th - Carmilla Sands to Cape Hillsborough

 Day 16 - mon Sept 12th - Carmilla Sands to Cape Hillsborough


Accommodation choices were a little different on this trip for us.

Last time we stayed mainly in airbnbs. 

This time both prices and availability (post lock-down restriction school holidays) meant that we searched wider for where to spend our nights. 

Carmilla sands was a small motel (about 8 rooms), built by the owner/manager. His motel had very high ratings and catered for an interesting mix Of holiday-makers, travelling workers and motorbike enthusiasts. He was an interesting mix of happy-go-lucky and cautious approach to his visitors' political and environmental leanings.


After packing, we made our way to the local sprawling service station. Atomically temperatured Coffee was obtained, and we headed east to check out the coast. 




We had had our request for later check out declined, so papa managed to cobble together macadamia butter with blueberry sandwiches at the park while Sasha played and mama checked the beach. 








 


We had our first sighting of green ants, and the first swarms of sandflies, on top of flies and mosquitos. It was solid proof the repellent we had was ineffective… 


Our drives now have a smattering of these every day.





Cape Hillsborough juts out of a relatively unscathed stretch of coast. By virtue of its craggy cliffs and protected shores, the patchwork of various forest and mangrove types seems to have survived long enough to become a national park. It’s biodiversity and geography may have saved it - it was too far away, too eclectic, and difficult to access - thus it was never fully exploited by 19th century European opportunists. We picked it for a stop over, as it is home to a mob of wallabies and kangaroos that have a sunrise breakfast each morning.





The caravan park is nice, but even the loveliest cabin onsite knows it’s merely a vessel for people to sleep between exploring the natural wonders. Before fully unpacking, we made for the beach, which was like stepping through a portal, very few signs of the modern world (other than humans walking round grinning). 

https://capehillsboroughresort.com.au





Ancient forests hugged the shore, messy rock faces and caves (Sasha suggested they were gruffalo homes) broke through the foliage here and there, and rust coloured rock formations burst out of the sand, some rising to a few metres. Looking north Over the prehistoric coast line, more formidable bays and inlets conspired with steep hills and escarpments to confound a sea approach - the changes in the naturally occurring forests could be seen, physical borders forming where weather patterns preconditioned patches for distinct types of flora and fauna. 









Sasha worked off his back seat traveller frustrations with a barefoot beach wander, the tumbling air and gentle ebbing tide waves washing away travel tension. A creature or creatures, (we suspect some kind of large crab) was making puddle holes in the wet sand, and Sasha kept “accidentally” stepping in them…no crabs revealed themselves. As a preview for tomorrow morning, a wallaby came out to check the surf, much to the delight of Sasha. A simple meal and an early night was required - our marsupial hosts eat before sunrise.




















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