Week 8 - El Questro Resort - Sarah’s Birthday

Sarah's Birthday

Saddleback Ridge

Zebedee Springs

Explosion Gorge

El Questro Gorge

Explosion Gorge

This is also a working cattle station with resort facilities. No you might say that we have been staying in pretty good accommodation. Well some are really staying in luxury in the Outback! This place was amazing. We had a brilliant time.

On the way in we visited Zebedee Springs for a dip in the thermal creek that runs through a rainforest gorge. The place was teaming with butterflies so while you are lying in a warm poollooking up through the rainforest palms the butterflies are flying around in the air. It seemed surreal, just like out of a movie or maybe it was paradise?

We set up camp by the river and went for a swim to relieve us from the heat. We had lunch and watched the cattle graze around us. Then as dusk settled over the valley we went for a drive up Saddleback Mountain. This was a fun 4WD trip in low range first gear. Single vehicle only along the ridge with deep creek crossings en route. Gavin loved it when the girls started screaming in fear! Sheer drop on both sides as we traversed a rocky ridge. He took his hands off the wheel for effect! No, just to show that the car could do it all by itself in low range. He then gave a lesson on how to stop and start the car without the peddles. Even tried it in reverse up a hill. More screaming from the back!

Got home for dinner preparation and sent girls to bed. The girls slept outside in tent-cots with the cattle. Gavin and I then set out to decorated the awning with toilet paper, flowers and foil for Sarah’s birthday. I wrapped her presents in old tourism brochure paper.

Sarah’s Birthday

Sarah woke up and opened all her presents. We had pancakes for breakfast and then set out for El Questro Gorge. This was amazing. I thought that it was the best gorge of the trip. We only made it to just half way where there was aboriginal rock art as we had a time budget. Again, another chance for a water jump. We thought of it more like a Blue Mountains Canyon. Plenty of rock scrambling and a chimney style climb up over a boulder at the end of the half-way pool. This deterred most walkers. On the way back we all did the water jump rather that climb down the rock. This required precision landing into a small pool with lots of black bream.

We made it back to camp for the 1.45pm Explosion Gorge Cruise that we had booked. This was a 4WD trip that we definitely would not take our own car on. Then a boat cruise up Explosion Gorge seeing rock wallabies and other wildlife that are only seen when all is quiet. Then we had beers, sparkling wine and cheese and biscuits at a lookout over the gorges. High tailed it back to camp for Sarah’s birthday dinner at the restaurant.

Sarah woke up and opened all her presents. We had pancakes for breakfast and then set out for El Questro Gorge. This was amazing. I thought that it was the best gorge of the trip. We only made it to just half way where there was aboriginal rock art as we had a time budget. Again, another chance for a water jump. We thought of it more like a Blue Mountains Canyon. Plenty of rock scrambling and a chimney style climb up over a boulder at the end of the half-way pool. This deterred most walkers. On the way back we all did the water jump rather that climb down the rock. This required precision landing into a small pool with lots of black bream.

We made it back to camp for the 1.45pm Explosion Gorge Cruise that we had booked. This was a 4WD trip that we definitely would not take our own car on. Then a boat cruise up Explosion Gorge seeing rock wallabies and other wildlife that are only seen when all is quiet. Then we had beers, sparkling wine and cheese and biscuits at a lookout over the gorges. High tailed it back to camp for Sarah’s birthday dinner at the restaurant.