Feed the Tree

5th December 2009

Still without wireless, and mobile phone reception for the vast majority of the time I write this blog whilst playing an endless game of Scrabble (one I am currently winning!!) and rejoicing in the fact that we survived today’s intrepid endeavours, hoping that at some point we’ll get back to civilisation and find the opportunity to post it!

For those of you that MZ and I discussed the trip with before we went, today was finally the day when we went to find the infamous Gloucester Tree. For those of you to whom that means nothing, the Gloucester Tree is a famous karri climbing tree in Gloucester National Park. Originally used as a fire look out point, it has been pegged all the way up to a look out platform some 60 metres in the air – to put that into perspective that’s roughly the same height as the Monument in central London – so that’s quite high!! The amazing thing about this tree is that anyone can turn up and climb up to the platform if they so desire – there are absolutely no safety measures in place, no ropes or nets to tie you on, no one giving you a hard hat in case you fall and no discernable way for your friends to call for help if you did fall and needed an ambulance as you are in the middle of a forest with no real phone signal. No the only precaution that the Australians feel is necessary is basically a sign that can be summed up to read – ‘This is a very tall tree, so try not to fall mate’! As you can tell, this was far from the controlled environment that I like around me when attempting something potentially hazardous.

When we got there we saw a lady sitting on the bench at the base, looking up at the tree and the fast retreating legs of her husband as he quickly disappeared into the branches above. ‘Not climbing the tree then?’ we asked her. ‘No, I’m happy to sit down here. He doesn’t care – he sky dives, organised the aerobatics for the Millennium Dome, and is Scottish….’ She replied, as if that explained so much. Although come to think of it, the Scottish probably aren’t hugely known for assessing the risks of a situation before blithely jumping in with two feet…

So we thought we’d give it a go (me in the middle in order to be cajoled up when I had panic attacks) but I’m sad to say, one by one we all gradually got cold feet and gave up at various intervals. It really is VERY high and VERY unsafe. (John I don’t think you would have made it past the first 10 rungs). I felt a measure of sisterly pride though as Michelle decided after our little bush walk that she was going to have another go and she made it more than half way (about 40 metres I think) before fear and common sense got the better of her. So hats off to those who have climbed it – you are better people than we are, but we tried.

This is MZ's foot as she takes a picture of me and Suzannah from very high up the tree!!

We did take the time to go on a bit of a walk through the karri trees, which are truly amazing, they are just so massive and centuries old – even when struck by lightening they can still survive, check out some of the scenes below:

We also took a trip out to Big Brook dam, a man made lake that is Pemberton’s water source. We were told it was very pretty and they had created a couple of beach areas for swimming so we thought we would check it out. Clearly I am the only person however that seems to read the DANGER signs that are posted in places, as under the ‘No diving’ warning, was also the throw-away phrase ‘swimming in this water carries the risk of contracting amoebic meningitis’. I’m sorry, MENINGITIS???? No way was I getting in the water, although there were children and dogs merrily splashing about (and then shaking themselves over us as we tried to sunbathe). I also pointed out to Michelle that as I had a small cut on my foot (from my flip flops of all things) that perhaps having an open wound would also increase my risk of catching some hideous disease, to which Michelle helpfully responded ‘this is why I never read the signs...’ Anyway, after an hour or so of ‘sunbaking’ the flies were just too much and we retired to the civilisation of the deck of our chalet, where we had cold white wine waiting for us (from a local Pemberton vineyard, and appropriately called ‘Tree House’!! )

Our other great achievement today was our first gas barbeque of the trip – once Mich had gone and asked the lady to change the cylinder – we successfully lit the thing (although we all agreed that charcoal bbqs are far superior) and thoroughly enjoyed our burgers!

For those of you on wildlife watch – today’s new creature was a very pretty parrot, I’m sure it has a proper name but we no longer have our birds poster to identify it… oh and literally THOUSANDS of flies of all different sizes and varieties that our 40% deet infused Bushman bug spray did nothing to get rid of!!!