Mittwoch, 4. März 2020

Top 7 National Parks I've been to in Australia

Top 7 National Parks


7. Karijini National Park

Located in the Hamersley Range in center of the Pilbara region in West Australia. Only two hours drive from Newman. Trips from Perth are available, too. 
The National Park is 627.445 hectare big and the second biggest National Park in West Australia. Its also a two billion old national park which makes it spectacular in massive gorges, crystal clear rock pools and waterfalls, tunnels of marbled rock, stunning lookouts and walk trails.
Activities to do: Four Wheel Driving, Camping, Canoeing/Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Swimming, Walks, Hiking


Rock Pools and waterfall


Down "in the gorge": Long time no rain and dry heat and still a small stream

A gorge from above

spectacular sculptures 

6:00 start hike to Mount Bruce
7:30 am Good Morning world on the way to Mount Bruce
8 am: On top of Mount Bruce
 


6. Port Campbell National Park

Located in the south-western Victoria 190 km south-west of Melbourne. The great oean road leads you through the park and you'll stop at amazing spots.
The park is adjacent to the Great Otway National Park and the Bay of Islands coastal park.
The National Park is 1.750 hectare big and features an array of cliffs, gorges, arches and blow-holes. 
The cliff-tops are particularly exposed to the hash weather conditions from the Southern Ocean and it is subject to salt-laden air. However grassland and heath-lands develop as well as a lot of orchids. 
Flora in the Park
Twelve apostles
The Grotto

5. Kalbarri National Park

Located 433km north of Perth and 183.004 hectare big. The park has two different landscape forms. On the one side there is the Murchison River. It's a 80km long river through red-white gorge to the ocean.
Secondly it recognized the steep perception of the city of Kalbarri. This part is famous for its wildflowers.  

Natural Window
Stunning gorges and the Murchison River
Camping spot for the night

4. Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

Located 450 km north of Adelaide in the central Flinders Ranges. The 95.000 hectare big park can be entered either from the north or west. Gorges, the native wildlife, rich cultural heritage, impressive geological features caracterie the park. As well as the highlight the amphitheatre of mountains- the wilpena pound.
Not all streets are sealed but the road through the park and into Wilpena pound is sealed.

7:00: hike to see the wilpena pound of the national park
Good morning sheeps and kangaroos
3 hours later - We made it!!
Wilpena pound in the back- a creature that looks like a pan from above
driving from young to old geological features
 Driving in the National Park

Lookout in the park

A picture of Wilpena pound from above

Visitors at 11pm at the campground 

3. Grampians National Park ("The Grampians")

Located in the Grampians region of Victoria. The 167.219 hectare national park is 260km west of Melbourne and 460 km east of Adelaide. The park was listed on Australian National Heritate List in 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern Australia. The Grampians feature a striking series of sandstone mountain ranges.
Its original name "Gariwerd" was given by the local Australian Aboriginal languages, either the Jardwadjali or Djab Wurrung language.



Lookout in the Grampians
Poor trees that burned on one point in the past- but a typicl regrowth after the bushfire

2. Great-Sandy National Park

Located in the Fraser Coast Region in Queensland the national park covers 74.400 hectare. Great Sandy National Park is a coastal national park and is divided into two sections. The Cooloola Recreation Area with 18.400 ha and K'gari with 56.000 ha.
Section 1 is situated between Rainbow Beach and Noosa Heads while the second section is on Fraser Island.



Rainbow Beach


Fraser Island


75 Mile Beach

Sun set at Harvey Bay


1. Flinders Chase National Park - Kangaroo Island

Located in the western part of Kangaroo Island.
It's my number 1 not only because of it's variety of flora and fauna also because it's a special place we really enjoyed and we've been really close to the fire. 

Flinders Chase National Park is 32.600 hectare big. The park's scenery includes Admirals Arch, a beautiful natural rock arch shaped by the powerful Southern Ocean and the granite boulders (Remarkable Rocks). Furthermore wild beaches, unspoilt Rocky River, vast wilderness areas and cultural heritage sites including two lighthouses.


On the way to the remarkable rocks
Wildlife koala relaxing in the tree

Remarkable rocks
seals



Admirals Arch-A LOT OF seals
Cape Du Couedic Lighthouse( Heritate site)
The day after we visited the National Park it had to be closed because of the bushfires...
Day 1 for us on kangaroo Island with smoke from the fire in the Ravine des Casoars park
Koala kid lost at the campground






Vivienne Bay 

Kangaroo Island was "on fire". We are really lucky that we could enjoy the colorful National Park, the cities and the beaches. 3/4 of the Island was burning. Online I found this:



And ABC news showed this on TV about Kangaroo Island on 4th of February 2020:



The latest news I found are reporting that the Ravine fire has burned almost half of the island.  Wildfire Today reports that 210.000 hectares burned.

Area that burned in black
 A picture of the NASA shows the fire on 6th January 2020.


6th January2020, red areas represent eat (NASA)

Sonntag, 1. März 2020

Nationalparks along the east coast (Queensland)

Noosa National Park 


Located 121 km North of Brisbane in Queensland. The National Park is 4.000 hectare big and is divided into the sections Headland, Peregian, Emu Mountain and East Weyba. Its the second smallest National Park I've been to but the most popular national park in Australia. More than 1 million people are visiting the park each year. The beaches are nice as well as some walks take you along the coast and the (rain-)forest. If you're lucky you might see koalas in Noosa Headland section as well as migrating humpback whales.


Surfing spot not only for Australians

Walk at 6am
Eungella National Park

The Eungella National Park is located 80km west of Mackay or 750km south of Cairns. The 51.700 hectare park is sorounded by mountains and is known for its diversity of flora and fauna. 860 plant species and a variety of wildlife such as turtles and platypus are home in here.




Finch Hatton Gorge Waterfalls


Turtles swimming in  broken river
where are the crocodiles?


Whitsunday Islands National Park


The Whitsunday National Park is located off the coast 25km east of Airlie Beach. It protects 32 Islands including Whitsunday Island, Black, hook and Langford Island. It's a continental island and world famous for Whithaven Beach. Pure-white, silica sand and clear waters. Furthermore a stunning view from Hill Inlet Lookout, reefs and forest in between. 
Access and visits are possible from Airlie beach or Shute Harbour.
The park offers a lot of walking tracks, camp sites and snorkeling spots (only in "stinger suits"). 
The islands and surrounding waters are protected by the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. 



On the way to Whitsunday Island
 

Hill Inlet Lookout



Hill Inlet Lookout

spot the spider with the size of my hand (on the left side of the picture)


WOOOOOOW Just beautiful

Our boat for the day
 
BIG fish


A lot of (big)  fish


Corals at the Great Barrier Reef

Ines and me snorceling



FINALLY DONE! Congrats!

 I just returned back to Germany with two degrees. But that's not the whole truth. I'm back since mid July already. I was waiting ti...