Monday, 29 October 2018

Myanba Gorge

Myanba Gorge near the locality of Cathcart is a massive southern gorge connecting the ocean with the Alps.

It hosts a zig-zag slot waterfall in the bedrock of an ancient river. The blue granite bed of the ancient river perhaps once flowed the other way back towards the Alps. But Myanba Creek now cuts a steep path of multiple zig-zags through the Bones of the Earth to the Towamba River and the ocean. Like all who are young, it dallies along the way, sculpting strange shapes as it goes.


Myanba Gorge


The Alps, from the nearby town of Nimmiaibell


Myanba Gorge

The Gorge hosts a couple of unusual features

Fafnir Vatnfall

An old miner once called this feature near the top of the gorge the Fafnir Vatnfall, after the old northern dwarf prince who through greed turned into a dragon guarding a cursed gold horde ( a fickle gold field was once found near here). Certainly, there are plenty of local dragons here. Large (5+') monitor lizards still patrol the gorge.

If you look too long you might see other things in the water sculptured granite: a koala, a heart, a kangaroo, a slippery dip or a fleck of gold dust.


Fafnir Vatnfal (also called the Pulpit)

The Portal

This is a different type of a portal - to pass this way up the gorge, you must first construct a bridge from a first shelf (background) to the portal with a fallen log, and then a second fallen log to a second shelf (foreground). If pursued, you can easily escape by knocking the bridge down as you pass.
The portal walls are decorated with stone flake carvings of sea creatures, and both uprights have the shape of fresh water fish found in the streams.

Stone or earth mound shaping is an often disregarded landscape feature - but it is a common element in the decoration or ceremonial usage of pinch points such as waterholes or waterfalls.

My friend, +Monique Helfrich saw an old man here - some of the carving are in the eye of the beholder,

The portal, Myanba Gorge


But i like the old man as well :)

Wildlife

Watch for roos and goannas. In warm weather walk 'hard', to avoid meeting snakes (and keep careful watch for any that may be sleeping on paths.


Goanna,Myanba Gorge

Water Dragon, Myanba Gorge



Location

The top of the Gorge is wheelchair accessible by a (old) wooden ramp that runs down a slight slope some distance.
initial raised path, Myanba Gorge


Location Map




No comments: