Girraween and Bald Rock - October 2008

Hello again,

Now that I am back up to speed with my pictures, I have to tell you about an amazing weekend on the New South Wales/Queensland border. Our excursion started with a drive out to Girraween National Park which is located close to the wine growing region of Stanthorpe. This beautiful park has a couple of exposed granite rock features with colourful names like "Castle Rock", "The Sphinx", "The Pyramids" and "Turtle Rock". On arrival we grabbed our climbing gear and walked to Turtle Rock by way of "Butt Rock" - no prizes for guessing which one this is!!!

Being spring there were an amazing array of wild flowers around, lots of them similar to the fynbos found in the Western Cape in South Africa. With the flowers came butterflies and loads of birds that we heard more often than saw!!!

Sunday morning surprised us with a rain shower which heralded the end of safe climbing. Instead we took the long road home via Bald Rock, the southern hemisphere's largest exposed granite batholith...very similar to Paarl Rock (South Africa). This rock stands about 200m above the surrounding forest and offers some lovely and rather strenuous walks.

From Bald Rock we continued along a dirt road past Paddy's Nob to the big tree - a red cedar and finally back to Brisbane.

I hope the pictures give you a sense of how lovely it really is. Otherwise come and see for yourselves!!!

Enjoy

Pete :-)

Butt Rock

The Sphinx

Beer belaying at Turtle Rock

Me climbing at Turtle Rock

...up we go....

Dan and Beer on top of Turtle Rock

Karate Kid .... Beer!

Still life on Turtle Rock

View to The Sphinx and Castle Rock

Whew, thats narrow!!!

Dan bouldering...

Wildlife

Beer leading trad at Turtle Rock

Dan on his way up!

Dan with his back against the wall.... Nope thats the tree!!!

In Girraween Campsite

Bald Rock from below up, uP, UP!!!!!


View from the top of Bald Rock

Scouting a route down

what down that way???


How accidents happen!!

Old lady in the stone??? Pretty cool formation though...

Or is it a horse or a lion??? You decide

Dan boldering on Bald Rock

Wild flowers

Paddy's Nob

This could be in Europe...

BIG RED CEDAR

Can you see me?