Binna Burra 16th to 21st February

 The view from our new abode

Our safari tent is massive…sleeps up to 6 people and has its own veranda with a view across the valley. I spent a bit of time rearranging things and now it meets all our needs! The temperature up here is about 10 degrees lower than the coast..perfect for walking, but a bit chilly at night. 

It was good to see the camp set up in daylight and get our bearings. 

We headed out for a hike to some waterfalls after breakfast. The jungle is amazing…the sheer size of some of the trees is unbelievable. We saw massive butterflies and heard the most unusual bird calls and songs. A big lizard type creature, we later discovered to be a land mullet, was sunning itself across the path. The path was a bit dodgy at times with steep drops and blocked once so we had to walk across a fallen tree to get back on the path. The view of the waterfall and the steep valley below was well worth the journey. 

Had a late lunch at the camp cafe, sitting on the terrace and absorbing the splendour of  our planet. 

We were at Binna Burra from Sunday 16th til Friday 21st of February. It was a fabulous base for us. We were able to hike into the jungle and out to view points, creeks, caves and waterfalls. The birds and wildlife were a joy to see and hear, but, mostly,  impossible to photograph! We just enjoyed the moment. 

While based there we took a day trip to the coast and had a wallow in the ocean. There was a really strong current that bobbed you back to shore… glad it was flowing that way. The surfers were having a great time. Lay in the sun for a bit…too hot to stay there for long; all the locals had gazebos set up. 

On a wet afternoon we went into a little country town. There was a secondhand book shop with the most extraordinary collection of books from recent paperbacks to limited editions and antique texts. Also had a music section. I bought two books, but I could have bought 20! 

Binna Burra is a little bit of unspoilt paradise. Living in a tent with access to a shared outdoor kitchen was a great way to meet like minded people over simple meals. We appreciated the luxury of clean, self contained toilets and showers. 

It has to rain in a rainforest sometimes 

Bin chickens (Aussie name for the ibis who scavenge)

The dawn chorus was quite raucous… the laughing kookaburra was relentless… such cute fluffy bird! The parrots and parakeets were beautiful to look at but 5heir screeching was quite abrasive. Each day we were visited by the wild turkeys looking for titbits and the butcher birds were also constantly on the make. 

On clear nights you could lie down and watch the stars appear one by one in the night sky. The more you look the more you see…until the whole sky twinkles. We caught sight of  Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Venus one night. Also on clear nights, we could see fiery red sunsets through the trees. 

The on-site tea room was great for an evening glass of wine and also gave me access to the internet to catch up on correspondence. The view from the terrace was vast. 

Such a lucky find … I’d like to visit again.