Friday, August 9, 2013

Cobbold Gorge

Max, our host at Forsayth CP, drove a Toyota 22 seater bus load from Forsayth to Robin Hood Station, the location of Cobbold Gorge. The distance is about 45 km of very corrugated gravel road. All passengers aboard for the ride thought the windows were going to drop out of the bus and conversation was almost impossible. On our arrival at Robin Hood Station we all paid up for the tour and then it was straight into a superb cold meat and salad lunch.

After quickly digesting lunch we were ushered onto 28 seater Hino 4WD coaches for the tour to the gorge site. The group split up so that some went down to the river to travel the river cruise and the remainder went for a hike over the escarpment to view the gorge from above. There were interesting facets and dialogue to the hike as well, e.g. Termites that build mounds above ground are cellulose consumers, that is grasses in preference to wood, unlike the critters that would eat your home, also, the termites only exist in soil that is deficient in phosphorous, graziers in these regions have to supply lick-blocks containing traces of phosphorous to their cattle. At mid point of the tour the two groups crossed over and our group concluded the day with the river cruise on battery powered punts especially designed to navigate through the sometimes extremely narrow gorge. The cruise was quiet, peaceful and with majestic views of the water worn walls of the gorge. The Hino 4WD coach was travelling to Forsayth to collect passengers from The Savannahlander Railway, so we all stayed on board and had a smooth, dust free and relatively shake free trip back to the caravan park at Forsayth. We all voted the tour as great value.

This is the entrance to the shop and booking office at Robin Hood Station Village.

There is also resort style accommodation at Robin Hood Station, this swimming pool is adjacent to the dining room and function centre.

The village has a direct communication link.

Another group cruising through the gorge on the battery powered punt.

The gorge was formed along a fault line and is very narrow in places.

On the water now, the high water mark is clearly seen here.

Heading into some narrows.

Mossy patches are nourished by water seepages through the rock walls.

Another narrow section coming up.

It is quite dark and cool at the bottom of the gorge.

Heading back to the pontoon docking station.

The Hino 4WD coaches waiting to take us back to Forsayth.

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