Girraween National Park, about 260km south-west of Brisbane, is a majestic place of granite wildness.
The Second Pyramid, seen from the ‘first’ Pyramid. November 2014. All photos by Robert Ashdown.
Girraween has grown on me steadily over the decades I’ve been visiting. I have many memories of time spent in this place, with friends, family, work colleagues or alone. Something new is revealed each time I visit. For a photographer artist, naturalist or walker it’s an ongoing revelation — a place where you can lose yourself in nature at it’s most dramatic. It’s always an inspiration for me.
I only made it there twice in 2014, but both trips were enjoyable.
Can there be a more exhilarating walk anywhere? Rob Mancini on the rocky walk to the top of the Pyramid. Nov 2014.
Photographer Gary Cranitch works to capture the rapidly changing sunset light.
Full moon rise over The Pyramid.
Off-duty ranger Anthony Laws takes in the last light from The Pyramid.
Bald Rock Creek on twilight, summer storm clouds in the distance.
The strikingly-patterned Cunningham’s Skink (Egernia cunninghamii).
Water-polished granite.
A recent fire has once again altered the landscape.
It’s noon, and 35C. Cicadas shriek and the granite reflects heat like a furnace. Another storms builds on the horizon.
A warm and active Water Skink (Eulamprus quoyii) checks out passing walkers. Photo by Harry Ashdown.
Rain on the western horizon, and a brief shower crosses the park.
The sun sinks through rain in the west, while large storms build once more to the east.
A fire follows a lightning strike.
Night slowly approaches again.
The summer heat is ideal breeding time for frogs. These are male Stony Creek Frogs (Litoria wilcoxii) in their finest yellow coats.
A Wyberba Leaf-tailed Gecko (Saltuarius wyberba) emerges from cracks in the granite to search of a meal.
Huntsman Spider
This blog post is dedicated to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers at Girraween, both past and present, who have worked so hard to preserve this place for future generations.
Links:
- Girraween National Park (everything you need to know!).
- Girraween National Park (QPWS site).
Love the granite
Gorgeous pictures – very inspiring. It would be interesting to know more about the geology and the ecology of the area. Planning to visit Giraween now thanks to these fantastic images!
Such beautiful images, Robert! I wrote a blog post about Girraween, but sadly, my photos are not of your high standard! Girraween is one of my favourite places and I hope to visit it again soon.
Stunning photography, Robert….you’ve captured the magic of Girraween superbly.