Australia's National Parks

Australia's cattle country, just south of Armidale, NSW

How many national parks would you guess are found in Australia?  25? 50? Would you believe 516!!  That's a staggering number.  If we can make it to even 10% we'll be doing well.  National Parks here are somewhat different than those in the States.  We've only seen two so far but both have been very small, no ranger's station when you pull in to pay a fee but yet very well maintained.  Yesterday we wen to the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park (OWRNP).  To get there we actually had to drive through someone's private property.  Another park we went to was the New England National Park.  Both are within about 1.5 hours of Armidale.  One thing I was so impressed with at the OWRNP was they have a gas grill at each picnic site.  You just push the button and they light up.  This gives you ten minutes to cook and then they automatically shut off.  If you need more time you just push the button again. The grills were clean and easy to use. We ended up eating grilled sandwiches instead of the normal cold ones. It was great! Here's some pictures of our adventure. 


The three Amigos just before heading out on our hike.  



Wollomombi Falls

Wollomombi Falls - this is New South Wale's version of the Grand Canyon.  It's got huge cliffs on all sides.  If you look closely you can see a waterfall.  This is the dry season so there's not much volume.  Judging from all the moss on the trees in a few months this will be different. 

Nicholas, Matt and Ian 

Throughout the park are these staircases.  You hike along the path and then these stairs jut off to let you drop down in the gorge a ways.  They were pretty cool; although it made me slightly nervous to be hanging out over the gorge. 



Since Matt came to Australia, he's decided he'd take advantage of being away from BYU and not shave for a while.  I still find myself wondering who this strange man is.  I haven't seen him with a beard in more than 25 years.

Overlooking the outback at Lookout Pointe

These pictures were taken at Pointe Lookout (we'd probably say Lookout Point in the States).  It's a spot in the New England National Park that looks out over miles and miles and miles of thick dense forest.  As far as the eye can see you see solid trees - no blank spots like those found in Utah, just solid trees covering several mountain ranges.  Matt is sure there are places out there that haven't been discovered it's so thick with foliage.  On this particular day there was a forest fire nearby so the pictures aren't too clear.  We'll definitely have to go back when we can get an even better view.

The New England National Park is considered a temprate rain forest.  Everywhere around you see signs of this, moss on the ground and trees, ferns and other plants along this line.  It was a beautiful walk.

Matt  - note all the moss on the trees

Hannah with one of the many fern type plants growing in the park

If you didn't know better you'd think this was some sort of  fancy lace doily on the tree. It was amazingly intricate for something growing in nature.

My favorite thing I did today: spend time outdoors with the family.  When we got home we ate the Australian version of Dominos pizza.  Pretty good, more spicy than what you get in the States.