Lamington

We set off to Lamington National Park a few days before Christmas with Dave, who had recently arrived from Alabama via Houston, Gatwick and most other major aiports...

We went to stay at O’Reilly’s guesthouse, which was established in the 1920’s when the O’Reilly family discovered that dairy farming on the top of a rainforest covered mountain, 3 days trek to civilisation wasn’t quite the walk in the park they had been led to believe. Luckily for them the 3 day hike didn’t put off enthusiastic bird watchers and the guesthouse is now a thriving business, especially as they completed a road to it in the 1970’s allowing truck loads of snap happy, day visitors up to the top of the mountain.

O’Reilly’s became really famous in the 1930’s when Bernard O’Reilly rescued two survivors of an aeroplane crash. The plane was thought to have gone down in the sea, but after a few days trekking through really dense rainforest, he found them. The survivors had been waiting ten days for rescue when he arrived and the only food he had taken with him was a bag of onions, imagine how pleased they were to see him!

The drive up to the forest is very winding and quite spectacular, taking you first through farmland, then dry eucalypt forest and then the massive trunks of the tropical rainforest.

Half way up the mountain we stopped by the side of the road to look at the view when a young guy screeched to a halt beside us and asked us if we could give him and his dad a hand with getting something off the back of his Ute. We agreed to meet him further up the road, a bit unsure that we weren’t about to have all of our money and clothes stolen. We got there to find a huge Harley Davidson on the back of a truck with James, the guy we had met and his Dad, Ian very frustrated. After a while the boys managed to help get the bike off the back of the truck. Meanwhile, I was being shown round by James’ mum, Marie. The house was nestled into the mountain side surrounded by eucalypt forest and the most amazing views down the valley to the gold coast. We stayed for lots of cups of tea, chocolate biscuits and great conversation. We left with an invite for lunch on Christmas eve, very happy to have met such lovely people.

O’Reilly’s was a fun-packed wildlife fest and we took full advantage of the free activities. We climbed 50 metres into the forest canopy....

Went on excellent guided walks....

This is looking out towards the gold coast...

Matt relaxing next to Elabana falls...

We missed the evening glow worm walk and slideshow as the lure of happy hour in the cocktail bar was far too strong….

In two days we saw trapdoor and funnel web spiders, regent and satin bowerbirds, whipbirds, green tree frogs....

.... pademelons, wallabies, skinks and shed loads of other birds. The guides really seemed to know their stuff and the only thing we were unsure about was the cheese and fruit they fed the birds to bring them close to the guesthouse. I’ve never seen an obese fruit dove before and its quite a sight!

We left O’Reillys on Christmas eve and headed back down the mountain to Ian and Marie’s where we met their friend 'Moses' and were fed sandwiches, home made scones and tea.

Christmas Eve..