Carnarvon Gorge, Part 2

Wednesday/Thursday, 02/03/11/2022

After the hike through the magnificent gorge, we returned to the campsite. But what a spectacle awaited us here? The noise reminded me a bit of a tree in Germany when the starlings gather to take flight. Only much louder. In search of the source of the commotion, I found huge trees on the banks of the Carnarvon River filled with incredible numbers of flying foxes. Most of them were still hanging upside down from the branches - it was still light out - but some were already attempting their first flights or trying to find a better spot in the chaos or defend their place.

Later, at dusk, as we sat comfortably at our site, thousands and thousands of flying foxes flew overhead, into the night, in search of food. The swarm didn't want to stop at all and lasted at least 10 to 15 minutes! Impressive.

You could hear the bats throughout the night as well.

The next morning, we took a short walk around the campsite and along the banks of the Carnarvon, actually searching for platypuses, as they are said to live here in large numbers. But these shy, primarily nighttime animals did not delight us by showing themselves. We probably saw one from the car the previous day.

And then it was time to pack up the tent and start the journey back: nearly 1,000 kilometers back to Redcliffe. 10 hours of driving. But the short trip toward the outback was worth it, as we were rewarded with unforgettable impressions. Although in the eyes of some Australians, it was far from the 'real' outback. For that, we probably would have had to travel another 1,000 kilometers west instead of turning north, to the point where it truly becomes barren and inhospitable...