Ravenshoe - waterfalls-dams+Platypus 16th July

      I've been jaunting around the place taking photo's.


Tully Falls on the Tully Gorge

     A fabulously sunny warm day arrived on Thursday 16th, (after a very cool morning) so I revisited the Koombaloomba dam and the Tully falls.
     Was a bit disappointed to find no water cascading down the fall, as I vaguely remember them being when I was last here, 20 years ago. Must be a sign of the times when so much of our natural  beauties are controlled by man, so that water flows when some big bum, on a padded chair somewhere, regulates when a fall is either a dust fall, or a water fall! Oh well!!




Tully Gorge

    

     The Tully gorge is insanely deep and awesome, nature at it's best, as this photo shows.

One of the creeks on the way
to Koombaloomba dam 

     I kept driving, heading for Koombaloomba dam which is the headwaters for the Tully river. 15km of not so good gravel road. I crossed a couple of creeks on the way and took a nice picture of this one, just 'cause I could.




Koombaloomba dam wall

     Just taking my time on the pothole filled and corrugated road, catching as much of the scenery as I could along the way.
    I finally reached the base of the dam wall.


     The river on this side of the wall was a beautiful colour and so clear I could easily see the bottom, no fish sighted here though.



Dot+Yip on the bridge over Tully
river below Koombaloomba dam

  
 A bridge crossed the river at this point making a good photo platform.  Dot and Yip had a good look as they crossed back and forth.








Tully river rapids below the
Koombaloomba dam

     The river below the bridge was flowing pretty fast, churning itself into a white water rafters dream, by the look of it. Pretty as a picture post card.



Koombaloomba dam

    The dam it self isn't very full, just above 25%, one of the signs read, very nice any way. We had a walk to the waters edge to discover how clear the water is, just great.  Time to head for home again for lunch and a bone for the dogs.



Platypus in South Cedar Creek Ravenshoe

      Later in the afternoon walked down the back of the van park to South Cedar Creek, well known for platypus. My luck was in, not one but two, possibly 3 of them. Managed to get a little footage on the video and turned it into this photo, of one of what looked like an adult animal.     Platypus are Monotremes, shared only with the echidna. They are mammals who feed on worms, snails, insects and the like. Very unusual animal with a duck bill, beaver like tail and otter like fur with webbed feet. So, there you go. Fantastic to see them for myself.

    Watched them for a while with Dot  + Yip, who seemed to be wondering what they were in the water.



Dot at South Cedar Creek
Ravenshoe

   



Yip at south Cedar Creek
Ravenshoe

      After a short time they had not returned to the surface, so time for the pups to have a bit of fun on the creek bank.


     A wonderful day, full of exciting new things with the platypus and going back in time to revisit the dam and Tully falls. Life should always be this good!!