Adventure in an Unknown Culture

Conquering Kosciuszko

natmatmoonshine — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:59:00 GMT

My heart was pounding, I was over heating, I couldn’t breathe and I had just taken a few steps after getting off the chairlift. How was I possibly going to make it to the summit?

On Friday 22 April 2011, my husband, my two brothers and I took up the challenge of the walk to the highest point in Australia, 2228 metres above sea level, the summit of Mt Kosciuszko.

We climbed aboard the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift. Sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the ride to the Eagles Nest Restaurant situated at1937 metres above sea level.

The first part of this walk was the most challenging, as we acclimatised to the clean, fresh mountain air. Once we had settled into a leisurely pace, the gradual incline along the mesh path became fascinating and exciting. As the clouds rolled in and around, we discovered glimpses of the remarkable views and amazing terrain.

We were also in search of striking yellow and black Corroboree Frogs. We kept our eyes peeled as the oxidized mesh path approached areas alongside the crystal clear shallow pools within sphagnum bogs, wet tussock grasslands, and wet heath. But these Australian icons were too elusive.

At the 5.5km mark, we encountered the busy traffic cross roads at Rawson's Pass (2100m). There were other walkers, runners and cyclists, most of them either heading to or from the ‘Hybrid Toilets’. Why Hybrid? Because they’re up ‘hy’ (high) and they make you ‘brid’ (breathe) in very quickly when that rush of freezing cold air hits your tepid toosh.

The last 1.67km to the top via the Summit Walking Track was in sub-zero temperatures, with a wind chill factor of -6 degrees. Just a bit chillier than expected, we stayed at the peak for about 20 minutes and took in the wonderment of being on top of the world, well, Australia anyway. The sign at the summit led us to the thoughts of a Polish explorer, Paul Edmund Strzelecki, who named this mountain after its similarity to a tumulus elevated in Krakow over the tome of the patriot Kosciuszko.

Photos: Mt Kosciuszko

natmatmoonshine — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:56:00 GMT

Mt Kosciuszko summit ascent to 2,228 metres, made easy by the chairlift to 1937m, then a 6.5km walk to the top.

Photos: Ellensbrook and Meekadarbee Falls

natmatmoonshine — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:50:00 GMT

From the Homestead you can find a walk trail that leads to a cave at Meekadarbee Falls. In Aboriginal legend, the cave is where the spirits of lovers, Mitanne & Nobel live. Listen carefully to hear their laughter echoing in the waterfall.

Adventure into an Unknown Culture

natmatmoonshine — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:36:00 GMT

As we drove through the overhanging Karri trees, I explained the Aboriginal legend to this sacred place. To my surprise, after a rib nudge from the central princess, the outer adolescents removed their ear plugs and provided me with their attention.

I read “From the Homestead you can find a walk trail that leads to a cave at Meekadarbee Falls. In Aboriginal legend, the cave is where the spirits of lovers, Mitanne & Nobel live. Listen carefully to hear their laughter echoing in the waterfall. "

As the car stopped, their attention turned to the dense bushland beyond the carved wooden sign “Welcome Ellensbrook Homestead.” We stood in front of an historic stone homestead, with a roughly laid sandstone chimney towering above the corrugated iron roof. The wooden framed windows and doors interrupted the white walls in stark contrast to the surrounding green manicured lawn, below the clear blue sky. The words “Once upon a time...” scrolled across the scene.

The two adolescents were off. The grey stone path led past the National Trust site, to which the ol’ man was drawn. The princess grabbed my hand, as the path transformed to a rickety wooden walk way laid just above the forest floor to protect this wonderland of Mother Nature. Alongside the walkway of weathered tuart and jarrah timbers, we found golden orchids with fiery hearts.

“Listen” I whispered, as I pulled the princess closer. “Can you hear Nobel and Mitanne?” She stopped suddenly, took a sharp breath and then ran off in excitement, yelling “Yeah sure, and I’m the Boogie man!!” The timbers thundered as she ran away, but then suddenly stopped. “Wow, I’ve found the diary of Ellen”. Thinking she was making up a story, I went along with the fantasy. “What does it say?”

“Along time ago there was a young girl called Mitanne, who spent her time exploring caves and strange places”. I listened as my princess continued her story. My mind wondered off as I admired the grandeur of the weeping peppermint trees, the jade and emerald canopy and the rustling russet carpet. I caught up to her. She was standing facing the cave, “You foolish girl. You should have turned your eyes away. To gaze upon Meeka in the water brings death and sorrow” These weren’t words she’d made up. She had found a diary. I sat and listened as my empress executed the story.

“What a magical place” I added as I grabbed her hand to lead her through the remainder of the path. “Look at all these people who were awoken by your story” I pointed out the blackened faces that appeared in the knotted trunks of the towering peppermint trees.

All of a sudden two teenagers emerged from their exploration adventure, heaving with excitement as they both unravelled their tales of discovery. The ol’ man surfaced at the end of the trail, as we turned our attention to our patriarch, with the expectation he would lead us home.