CG Day 2 - Ward's Canyon
Oyster Moon
Paul Foskett & Rhu Nash
Thu 6 Dec 2012 08:28
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I knew I was going to be in serious trouble with my feet when
we got to Ward’s Canyon, a small side gorge, about 4.6km from the visitor’s
centre. It was lovely and cool in here though. The gorge is so called
because the Ward brothers used to use it as a seasonal home when they were out
catching possums. They would store the pelts here.
Here she comes – gingerly..
  The footpath was also lined with tree ferns and other types of
fern. The size of the tree ferns you can only really appreciate when
someone stands beside them.
    Another reason to visit was that it is the only site in
central Queensland where you can see the king fern (Angiopteris
evecta). All the other sites are along the coast. This population must have
been isolated for a very long time. Climate change being the cause of
their isolation. They need a permanent water source as they have no woody
flesh to support the fronds, which are about 5 m length. Water pressure
keeps the fronds turgid. These photo’s don’t really do justice to their
size – still not told him about his hat.
  The canyon ended in a small rock pool (no swimming of course)
and waterfall. You can just make out the trickle in the middle of the
picture – white vertical gash.
 Just like to say I cried on the way home with pain from my
feet. The only good thing was that the blisters on my right foot had
originally detracted from the pain emanating from my left big toe. We were
back at our cabin by 1230 when the heat had just started to build up. In
bed by
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