The Exploratory: rediscovering the DCK Shelter 10 Feb 2013

Walk Report
The Exploratory: rediscovering the DCK Shelter 10 Feb 2013
A group of intrepid walkers met a Toys R Us for an exploratory walk near Paluma Dam. Like all explorers we didn’t’ really know what the walk had in store for us, but with the rain about we didn’t know which walk we would be doing either.
The clouds were ominous as we drove from Townsville to Paluma. The panic button got pushed by a couple of walkers along the way. We reached the restful place at Paluma on time and waited and rested. We even had a chance to catch up with the other walkers who were doing the wimpy walk to the shelter. We were braver. We drove to the dam after our break and decided to take a walk over the dam wall, have morning tea at Waterfall Creek (remember the “what could possibly go wrong ?” walk some of us did last year?) and then Shay’s clearing, Garde’s lookout followed by a late lunch at the shelter. We’d then decide on the best way home from there. The gang of 13 or so left the Dam car park at 920 am, fully prepared to beat the mosquitoes and leeches. Some even had raincoats on to deal with the drizzle. Others chose a more attractive form of headgear. Some even offered to help me with the placement of an umbrella, but that’s another story. We saw where old hollow logs had been used as drain pipes along the old forestry road. A scrub python was catching some sun as it digested its lunch. Not far from there a red-bellied black was catching a few rays. No-one went near this fat fellow and it moved away from us without any encouragement what-so-ever. Keith led us down the track from the main trail to Waterfall Creek at 1115 am. There was a bit more water flowing today than in early October last year, but fortunately the rocks, despite the rain over the previous days and hours, were not as slippery as we feared. Three of us had a swim here to while away an enjoyable half hour. There was even a lovely red and yellow flower in the branches above the cascade beside us. We left the creek at 1145 and made our way to At Garde’s we were treated to better views than the gloomy early morning weather had proposed. The mosquitoes treated themselves to us so after acknowledging that there was a view we quickly ran away.
It was 1400 by the time we hit the shelter. The wimpy walkers hadn’t left any hot soup for us, but we didn’t really complain too loudly. A dip in the icy waters of Crystal Creek took away some of the sting from the morning’s efforts, and lunch helped us get ready for the route march back to the dam. We left DCK at 1500 and took the shorted route possible home , getting to the car park by 1645. The wimpy walkers had left the Shelter about 20 minutes before we got there. That sounds so much like the disaster that was the Bourke and Wills expedition!!! The group went its separate ways and after ice creams at Yabulu Road House we went home to sleep soundly that night. Thanks to Wilfred for leading us on our 22 km circuit, all the drivers and those who helped with a couple of electrical problems. Hope all our visitors enjoyed themselves and hope to see you on another walk very soon.