Finch Hatton Gorge, FAAARRRCK!!

Our quest to find the elusive platypus continued. We got “inside information” that we could spot a platypus at the aptly named Platypus Beach, which is not really a beach. It’s just a load of truck-dumped sand along the Pioneer River under a bridge.

After quietly waiting and watching, we spotted THREE platypuses sunning themselves on a fallen tree before slinking back into the river. We might have missed them if it wasn’t for Daph’s keen eye noticing the disturbance in the water, way over on the opposite side of the river. We really needed binoculars to check them out properly, and the phone camera didn’t zoom in enough to capture the perfectly camouflaged critters, so you’ll just have to take our word for it that we really did see them!

Onwards to Finch Hatton Gorge in the Eungella National Park again, to return to the beautiful hidden water hole we found on our last trip here. This time, we brought our swimsuits. The water was icy cold. Truly, icy cold. Enough to turn your legs numb as you attempted to edge your way in. It looked delicious, though. And Daph didn’t want to leave defeated. So, after twenty minutes of psyching herself up, she took the plunge and dived in. Ern couldn’t let Daph take the limelight and dived in after her.

Daph: “Fuuuuuuuu......cking Hell!! It’s (*Sharp breath) FREEZING!!

Ern: *Losing his pants on entry, “FAAARRRRCK!! Abort!! ABORT!!

Our refreshing swim lasted all of thirty seconds, due to the risk of hypothermia and cardiac arrest. But the challenge was accepted and completed.

This time we stayed overnight at the Platypus Bush Camp. It’s a quirky place run by ‘Wazza’, an eccentric, old, bearded bushman who lives in a tree house and sits in his “office” all day, drinking beer and smoking weed: “I’ve been smoking this stuff since I was fourteen years old, and it’s never done me any harm.”

Wazza is a genius. He has constructed outdoor hot showers and flushing toilets, all plumbed into a homemade water tank, with the water heated by a log fire. It’s amazing. We could have stayed in the open-air “honeymoon suite” tree house, but due to Ern’s aversion to being a midge and mosquito smorgasbord, we opted to stay in the Kombi and just make use of the innovative ablutions.

The only problem was the creepy crawlies that found shelter in the toilet bowl. Daph isn’t usually scared of much (pterodactyl moths excluded). But, when Daph flushed the toilet, it revealed four-inch-long hairy legs protruding from the rim, grappling to cling on for dear life. She didn’t want to go to the toilets again. Daph chose to limit her oral intake instead. Ern had a similar experience in the toilet next door, but with a cute green tree frog.

Unfortunately, Daph’s bladder frequently needs emptying, despite NOTHING going in (it’s amazing), so the frog toilet was the safest bet. Frogs eat spiders, right? And frogs don’t bite bottoms, do they?