Day 7 & 8

Day 7 (Destination - Eliot Falls via Old Tele Track)

It is my 40th birthday today and I can't think of a better way to spend it. Brett made a lovely breakfast of bacon, eggs and beans on toast. I was supposed to get out of helping today but I can't sit still for long. It has been another wonderful day.

We packed up and left Bramwell Station around 9am, drove the short distance to Bramwell Junction to fill our water tanks again (we were told the water at Bramwell was safe for drinking but when Brett filled one of our containers, it looked about discoloured and had some floaty things in it so we decided against drinking it). The water at Bramwell Junction was much better.

Plate tree at Bramwell Junction

Taking the turn off onto the Old Telegraph Track we began our adventure for the day. Palm Creek was the first challenge we came to. It's a good one to start with because if you can't handle this one, you are probably going to struggle with some of the others. Possibly the reason 2 vehicles (who had been camped beside us at Bramwell) had turned around and were leaving. The first entry you come to looked quite hairy but we found there was a second one further around to the right which looked slightly easier.  Again, I jumped out to film it, and again Brett made it look easy - 'piece of piss' as Brett says. Another 2 vehicles turned up at the first crossing and were umming and arghing whether to attempt it. Brett wanted to stay and watch but I said 'no, lets keep going, there'll be more opportunities' (famous last words - we didn't get the opportunity again).

Lots of little termite nests popping up like meerkats on the prairie

Checking out the Palm Creek entry/exit

Palm Creek entrance (the easier one)

Palm Creek

Palm Creek

Palm Creek exit

The next couple of crossings were not as challenging, that is until we reached the infamous Gunshot creek.  Upon arrival, you are greeted by two side-by-side almost vertical drops, bearly car width, with a lovely mud puddle to fall into at the bottom. There was a track to right which might have been easier at some point but was now a washed out mess. Fortunately there was another 'chicken' track to the left which we took and got through without any problems.  The creek was crystal clear and very inviting so we stopped there for lunch and a quick dip. We had the place to ourselves, no one camped or came through when we were there.

Gunshot #1

Gunshot #2

Gunshot #3

Gunshot

Stopped for lunch at Gunshot

The infamous Gunshot (the entry/exit we didnt attempt)

The corregations in the road are terrible again, a bit rutted in places but there is usually a better track around the worse ones. There are remnants of the old telegraph poles, most are no longer standing up straight though.

One of the few upright old telegraph poles

There were several more dry creek beds to cross but nothing too challenging. Reaching Fruit Bat Falls (which is day visits only - no camping), we stopped for a look. Absolutely beautiful. There was no one there even though it looked like one of the best swimming spots we'd ever seen (that was before we came to Eliot Falls).

Fruitbat Falls

Heading off again, we were soon overtaken by the Heathlands ranger (there was a side track we hadn't even noticed) and good thing he did because we came to a creek crossing we weren't expecting (referred to as the 'unnamed ford' in some info I found later) and it looked really deep and murky. The ranger drove straight though so we just followed his path. The water was deep and it came over the bonnet but nothing else sinister underneath so we made it through without any problems. No photos though....doh! (Was too busy worrying about getting across, and Brett didn't want to repeat).  Continuing on, we stopped on the side of the road to collect some firewood (no collecting firewood inside National Parks allowed so we made sure we were on the left hand side of the road, not NP side). Reaching our Eliot Falls campsite late afternoon, we set up camp and were keen to check out the falls themselves. We found there was actually three different falls, all within a few minute walk from the campsite.  The 'Saucepan' was closest and has small 'falls' into deep clear blue holes that kids were jumping into. There were lots of spots to sit and let the rapid waters provide a free massage.

The Saucepan

The Saucepan

A short walk further on there is Eliot Falls, another stretch of beautiful clear blue water with falls that cascade over a flat rocky ledge extending the full width of the creek, but mainly concentrated in one section that could also be used as a platform to jump into the deep area below. The kids loved this one as it was a little higher than the jump into the saucepan.

Eliot Falls

Eliot Falls

Jumping into Eliot Falls

Eliot Falls

Even further along, is Twin Falls. This is the more sedate, shallow sandy bottomed section which seemed popular with the oldies and very young children. I stand corrected, THIS is the best swimming area we have ever been to. One of the most beautiful and tranquil places and we will definately come back here one day.

Twin Falls

Eliot Falls camp ground is pretty good as far as NP camp sites go. Big clean sites, not too close to the neighbours, a good fire ring for camp fires, fresh drinking water at a tap nearby, and decent amenities (loo only).

Day 8

A relaxing day today staying at Eliot Falls! Swam, swam some more, played frisbee. A very pleasant stressfree day.

....that was until some idiots on quadbikes came through the camping area at 1am and woke everyone up. Brett got up to tell them off but they took off pretty quick when they saw him coming.