Adel’s Grove – Friday

It was a day for relaxing. We ate breakfast while little Wrens entertained us then went for a walk to the top of a small spinifex covered hill. From the top you can see the Constance Range to the south-west and the Century Mine to the north-east.

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The natural environment seen from the lookout is very different from the lush, green vegetation around the camp grounds. The reason for that is a Frenchman named, Albert De Lestang (hence the name Adel’s Grove).

View across to Century Mine – the flat top

On top of the lookout

In the 1930s he created his own botanical gardens with over 1,000 different species of trees and shrubs. He was even able to grow fruit and vegetables for sale but everything he’d worked so hard to create was destroyed by a fire which escaped from one of the mining ventures to the south in 1950 . It destroyed not only his life’s work but also Albert’s mental health, he was taken to a home in Charters Towers where he died in 1959 aged 75.

Although it’s not a Botanical Gardens now it’s still a marvellous place enjoyed by many hundreds of people each year.

After our walk to the Lookout we returned to our campsite via the Nature Trail which skirts the river. I’ve been surprised by the lack of bugs and lizards, even the flies are unobtrusive. Maybe if I lifted some bark or wood I’d find something exciting but there are a lot of nasties in the area and I wouldn’t want to accidentally upset one of those.

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Tomorrow morning we’re going on a boat ride into the gorge so we drove down to the National Park about 10 kms away to make sure we knew where to find the meeting point. There were fish lurking around the boat ramp so I think they know when humans arrive it often means an easy feed.

Entrance to the National Park

Canoists on the river

We had a nice lunch at the onsite Bistro, the daily special, Sweet & Sour Pork with Rice for $8.

“The Fount of All Knowledge” acquired some wood left behind by our motor cyclist neighbour who left at 6:00 this morning and he’s been like a Bower Bird adding to his stash so that now he has a fire all set and ready to light. I said he has to hold off until it’s dark/cold. A fire, it’s a man thing.

You can see where we are by clicking this link.