We make our way west of Mackay to the small town of Finch Hatton. While its more of a small sugar cane town, it is the gateway to Eungella and Finch Hatton Gorge which are two very pretty places to visit.
Eungella is at the top of the range above Finch Hatton overlooking Pioneer Valley. The views are spectacular from the various lookouts and the Eungella Chalet where we enjoyed a late lunch and pondered the question of blind faith. This is not in the biblical sense it’s more in the trust of your skills and the flying machine you are strapped into. You see, there is a ramp in front of the chalet that is used as a launch pad for hang gliders. It has the most imposing view but it seems that you would be a few steps from meeting your maker should anything go wrong.
From Eungella we take a drive out to the Dam that services the area. You travel via the township of Broken River and then along 25 Kms of dirt road before you get to the water’s edge. The road runs through grazing country and the odd dairy property along the way with limited fencing so you need to be aware that there may be the odd bovine in the middle of the road at the next turn.
The dam doesn’t disappoint though. Its picturesque and stocked with fish should you be up to the challenge. But unfortunately you need a fishing licence to cast a line into the dam and we don’t have one so there are a few fish breathing a sigh of relief.
This morning we decided to get up early and tackle two of the hikes in Finch Hatton Gorge. The first is a reasonably simple trek into the Araluen Falls area which is a great place to take a swim and cool down before the next trek.
After cooling down for a while we head off to Wheel of Fire Cascades further up the gorge. It’s a much harder trek with steep inclines, rock hopping across the stream and many, many, many stairs. Needless to say we arrived and took our shoes straight off and cooled our feet in the cascades while looking at the scene in front of us. It is absolutely worth the walk!
Even the drive into the gorge is dotted with surprises. There are a number of causeways to cross which provide a glimpse up and down the streams of the area. The two photos below are taken from the road.
We head back to camp from the morning’s hike and decide to go into Marian which is a small town between Finch Hatton and the Bruce Highway. It also includes the home of Dame Nelly Melba who was a resident in the area in 1883 before heading back to Melbourne and discovering her voice. A visit to her house provides us a background to the great talent she possessed and her history. As always with these places, there’s a chance to talk to a few locals about what we should experience in the area. It seems we have covered most things but there is the mention of the best meat pie in the world at a pub up the road.
After our hike this morning it’s a must for us to stop at the Pinnacle Hotel and try these real, country style meat pies and gravy. If you are in the area it is a must. They are massive and incredibly tasty!
Tomorrow we head further down the coast and expect to be in St Lawrence for the night.
Stoneworx Photography 