For 2 days we have enjoyed Atherton. We wandered the shops (in particular the two shoe shops), relaxed at the van, watched Caleb swim and even managed to fit in a bit of sightseeing. It’s a tad cooler here than inland and we got a few drops of rain also. 

We headed to Mount Hypipamee which was nearby. The National Park there houses a natural crater formed through volcanic eruptions. The crater was 58 metres from the lookout platform to the water and then continued for another 220 metres underground in rock. It was huge! 

We got the impression that this National Park was a popular bird watching destination. An older gentleman pointed out a bird to us deep down in the crater. He was quite excited, chuffed really, making sure we could each see it when it fluttered its wings. Ummm… We weren’t overly excited but made sure to smile sweetly and nod our heads enthusiastically. 

We continued on the walk to a fast flowing waterfall, Dinner Falls. Ray was determined to walk across the rocks and stand in the middle of the river at the bottom, on the one rock that was sticking out of the water. I kept the camera on him for the photo of a lifetime because I was positive that he was going to slip on the mossy rocks and perhaps fall into the water. Sure enough, he slipped and I got a photo but it is so blurry because I moved the camera. He was quick enough to save himself so that he didn’t end up in the water and he retreated back to the river bank pretty quickly. 

I needed to speak to him a couple of times about his behavior ( ignoring signs, wandering off the path and into the revegetation areas) and once again expressed that I was well aware of the headaches he no doubt caused his teachers at school. Caleb just stood and shook his head at him. 

We made it back to the car chasing each other up over the paths all the way. I lost of course. In the carpark, our suspicions about this park being popular with bird watchers was confirmed when we saw a group of people who could only be described as “bird watchers”. They were dressed head to toe in safari type suits, all natural colourings of course. They had safari hats and bumbags and the last tell tale sign? Each had high powered binoculars dangling from straps around their necks.

We left them to it and returned to the caravan park. A little bit more R&R was in order.