7 Day Nature Photo : Day 1 a walk in the National Park

I have been nominated by Gilly (Lucid Gypsy) to join this latest challenge that is doing the rounds. 7 consecutive days posting a nature photo, could I manage that? Then Sue (Wordsvisual) showed me the way by combining it with other challenges I enjoy doing. So for day 1 I am combining it with “Jo’s Monday walk”.

The second part of the challenge is to nominate another blogging buddy to join in. So today I would like to invite Ruth (Ruth’s arc) to join in.

It is 5-30 and I have biked down to Burleigh Heads in the pre-dawn to watch the sunrise over the ocean from the Burleigh Heads National Park. The track winds along beside the ocean and I find a good position to wait for the moment the sun makes its appearance.

Here it is in all its glory bathing the ocean in a blood-red glow

This is a popular jogging track as it is one of the few hills around this area for runners to test themselves on.

Going up

But I prefer to saunter along, taking my camera for a walk with me gives me an excuse to go slow and absorb the sights and sounds around me. (actually I am well past the jogging stage of life!)

It is a narrow track and at this time of the morning the rays of the sun angle through the trees lighting up the volcanic rocks.

Before leaving the ocean track I take a side track down to see what is happening along the banks of the Tallebudgera River.

It is so peaceful and this young woman sits and meditates.

While another group move in a graceful swaying motion, almost hypnotic to watch them.

The river along this part of the beach is also busy. Stand up paddle boarding is the current craze. Small tinnies zip by taking the fishermen out to try their luck in the ocean.

The weather is perfect for swimming watched over by the lifeguards.

I now branch away from the ocean track and head up the hill along the rainforest track. The vegetation changes, this park features rainforest, eucalypt forest, Pandanus groves, tussock grassland, coastal heath and mangroves.

This bush turkey is quite unconcerned by the runners and walkers and just saunters along at his own speed. It seems to be a good year for these birds as there are far more than I have seen before.

 Six-sided basalt columns line the track were they have come to rest millions of years ago.

 I explore the Rainforest circuit, wandering through a living museum of plants.

Impressive root system

Strangler vine taking a death grip

It is  steep on this part of the track but I take it gently. There are benches at regular intervals and this one is right at the top.

Look at the view all the way south to Coolangatta. Not so many hi-rise buildings on this part of the coast…

View from the top of the track

But the serious runners are not looking at the view, this is a good place to stretch the legs before the run down the other side.

Some of the rocks are quite unstable and when there is heavy rain part of the track is closed for safety reasons,

No danger today and now I am getting close to the bottom of the track. The road is in sight but lots of steps to negotiate. The serious runners make good use of these pounding up and down them and I have to keep standing to one side to let them past.

Now I can see the ocean again.

I’ve been almost an hour going round the circuit. The light has changed, not so good for photography now.

Hardly any surf, but still some surfers wait hopefully for some action and this photographer is waiting for action too…

While others sit and watch the ocean, drink a cup of coffee, take the dog for a walk, bike and play with the children. Some people have to work and it is good to see the council workers keeping the place clean.

I wonder if this surfer caught any waves…

Well it is now time to head back home for breakfast.

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Ever Restless Jo encourages us with her energetic walks each week and a great band of world-wide walkers join her. Pop over to see where they are all taking us this week.

Black and White 5 Day Challenge : #3

This is the walking track through Burleigh Heads National Park.

I thought rocks are an ideal subject for my number 3 monochrome study

Many millions of year ago this was an active volcano. At this time the Tweed Volcano was active. Molten basalt lava from the volcano flowed all the way down the valleys and eroded them all. The valleys were covered in hardened sedimentary rocks before reaching what is now the Burleigh headland

If you would like to see more of this park come over to another of my posts for more photos, go here.

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Gwennie of “Gwennie’s Garden” has invited me to join in. I love to visit Gwennie, her blog is filled with gorgeous photos of flowers and succulents from her garden and interspersed with stories of her travels. Well worth a visit.

There are only two rules for this challenge:

1. On 5 consecutive days, create a post using either a past or recent photo in B&W.
2. Each day invite another blog friend to join in the fun.

Today I would like to invite Wilbur of “Wilbur’s Travels” . I have just discovered Wilbur, he is an inveterate traveller having been to over 60 countries and has produced one book  ‘This is How it Feels to be City’ in 2012. And has another one in the pipeline. I’m enjoying travelling along with him. Go jump aboard you’ll enjoy the ride.

A walk along Beautiful, Burleigh Beach : Joining Jo’s Monday walking group

This is my street and that hi-rise is on the beach front, just one kilometre away. So join me as I hop on my bike to go down to the beach for my morning walk. Bring water, put on sunscreen and a hat it is hot and sunny.

Today is  a special day as it is the last Sunday of the month and that is the art and craft markets on the beach front.

Only a 5 minute ride (10 minutes if you walk) and now I tie the bike up. The beach is just the other side of the bushes, from here we will head south, next time we will go north.

I think I will wander around these markets, it is mostly local art and craft. I have never seen any Chinese or imported products here, great place to shop for gifts or Christmas presents. Be warned this could add an hour or more to the walk…

It’s a great venue under the shady Norfolk Pines and next to the beach catching all the sea breezes. They are very welcome as it is going to be hot day today.

Busking at an early age

He was quite good

Coffee stall is always busy

Maybe in this weather a cold drink is better

Want a biscuit to go with your drink?

Sausage sizzle, hot work for the Lions club.

Hats are necessary in this sun

These 2 ladies were having fun choosing.

Christmas decorations, already???

This brom had a $220 price tag!!!

Remember these old witches brooms?

Lights for kids rooms

How cute are these puppies

One cool chick!

Now how about getting your fortune told?

I actually bought one of these visors

That is my cup of iced tea waiting while I take a photo. It was delicious.

Still lots to see.

This group of Hare Krishnas passed by chanting and playing their instruments. Times have changed as a few years back they would all be in their orange cloaks with shaved heads…

This is Burleigh Beach, my local beach. It is very hot today and what better way to cool down, but you must swim between the flags as there can be very strong rips along this coast. Notice the surf life savers in their orange and yellow jackets.

That hill in the background is Burleigh Heads National Park and that’s where we will be walking round.

The surf rescue boat and team are ready for any emergencies, and the sea is very choppy today.

The board riders club are having competitions.

This is the surf club building, a great place to have a meal upstairs right on the water front. Downstairs you can have a coffee and a snack.

Further along is my favourite coffee hole in the wall. I think she has recognized me!

Notice all the seagulls on the scrounge?

This is the entrance to the National Park.

The tracks go round the hill in a figure of 8. The right hand track goes up the hill and is STEEP with lots of steps, quite a challenge. The left hand one goes round the bottom of the hill along the ocean. I am not very fit at the moment so we will go along the low track.

This gate is padlocked if the track is dangerous. You’ll see the rocks soon.

The day we arrived home a fire broke out on the hill and these gates were locked for a few days. I am interested to see how much damage was done.

10AM: A SENIOR ranger has revealed an illegal camp fire is thought to be behind a large blaze that engulfed Burleigh Headland overnight.

The fire began at about 6.30pm and burned well into the early hours of the morning.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service senior ranger Henry Waterman said about three quarters of the sloping headland had been burnt.( go to this link to see dramatic photos of the blaze)

How did these Pandanus survive?

The report was that three-quarter of the Park burnt, but in fact it was only a small section of the grass land, the bush was not effected.

These are the rocks that caused the concern. They have been like this the 16 years we have lived here and probably very much longer.

Between 20 and 23 million years ago, molten lava from numerous eruptions in this area spread in all directions, some flows reaching the present coastline at Burleigh headland. Slow cooling of the thick lava resulted in shrinkage and cracking into six-sided columns. Many slid and rolled to the water’s edge.

So let’s quickly and safely move on.

Round into the shady, cooler bush track

The 6 sided basalt columns line the track.

Round the other side of the hill we look over to the mouth of the Tallebudgera River. Beyond is Palm Beach and down to Coolangatta and over the border into New South Wales. The wind is whipping up the foam today. No surfers out here in these conditions.

Further along the river bank it is calmer. That bridge is the Goldcoast Highway, the major road south.

On the other side of the river is another surf club, they certainly have the best beach front positions.

This is the intersection of the 2 tracks, to go right it will be all up hill, straight ahead takes you to the Highway. I am feeling quite hot and so I think I will go back the way I came and leave the hill climb for another cooler day.

There’s the iconic hi-rise outline of Surfers Paradise on the horizon.

I think I will stop for a coffee and ice-cream at that little kiosk.

Hope you enjoyed your walk in the sun.

To enjoy more walks around the world visit Jo’s blog and join her for Monday morning rambles.