Page 245 - Mit dem Wohnwagen durch Australien

grand views to his waterfall and a summerhouse. He even dug out a tunnel to one of the waterfalls and wanted to
have some exhibitions in there. He was so convinced of his scheme, that he built the ticket booth first. Only, the
tunnel leaked and so it is inhabited by a tiny bat. The biggest achievement of the Spaniard, however, was his
Hydropower Plant which he built into the large waterfall which adjoins the castle. He got the turbine our of Germany
and, after some renovations works, still supplies enough power to run the whole park, including caravan park,
restaurant and fancy lighting during the evening show almost 100 years later. He never lived in his castle. Because
he mixed too much sand into the cement, out of stinginess, the whole building leaks like a sieve. Two tropical
cyclones added their part to the derelict state of the building and damages to the park. Nevertheless the visit to
Peronella Park is special treat. Since some years it is owned by a family which cares again for the park and castle
and the entry fees now cover the maintenance and some of the renovation costs.

ATHERTON TABLELANDS
I would have never thought, that the Swiss fog would follow us to Australia, but he did up to the tablelands. The hilly
landscape reminded us of Appenzell. Instead of Fir trees there are Fern trees, Palms and Gum Trees, but the hills
are just as green as in Switzerland. Unfortunately it is also home to the fog centre of Australia. But what do you
expect from an area which is called Misty Hills. We stop in Ravenshoe, the highest town of Queensland, 920 m. The
area is known through its tin and silver mines which have brought the wealth to the hills. The fog did not lift during
our 5 days stay, but nevertheless we took the chance to see the widest waterfall of Australia, a huge Curtain Figtree
and a water filled Volcano crater, home of the elusive Cassowary, the third largest non flying bird of the world and
almost extinct. The rainforest would be seriously endangered if this bird would die out. They swallow large fruit and
nuts and pass the seeds whole through their system. They then germinated somewhere else and rejuvenate the
forest

UNDARA TUBES
Part of the great dividing ranges, the long drawn hills and mountains which border the eat Coast of Australia, are
actually dividing two large water systems, and has been built buy volcanic actions. Early explorers were surprised,
that the large rivers of the Murray and Darling System did not end in the east, but flow to the south. These ranges
are the reason for that. The Volcanoes were most active about 300 Mio years ago and they have left the unique
Undara lava tubes behind. The last big outbreak was about 120 Mio years ago and lasted for 25 years. The glowing
hot Magma was flowing rapidly downhill and the surfaces cooled quickly forming tubes, while the magma continued
to flow under the surface for many years until the volcano stopped spewing and the tubes were not filled any longer.
The tubes were about ten to 15 m high and just as wide. On a lot of places the tubes caved in, but were they still
exist they are inhabited by little glow worms, bats and some snakes.

On our way to the tubes we spied a little red knoll, with a splendid view over the surrounding landscape. After our
visit, we camped on that knoll near a fireplace and enjoyed the best of camping with a campfire but no other signs
of civilisation. The sky was never more brilliant than that night, without any light pollution, quite spectacular

TROPICS
We have crossed the tropic of Capricorn at Longreach and are now officially in the Tropics. At first we are in the dry
tropics and, since it is winter, it is pleasantly balmy and mostly sunny. But then, we slowly enter the wet tropics. Even
though it is dry season, it rains or drizzles almost every day. We have a relative humidity of up to 99 % and 28 C. For
the first time we have to dry our laundry in the dryer. Sweat runs off us in rivulets. Locals blame La Nina and
apologise for the unusually bad weather.
On the positive side, we enjoy a very lush, green and dense rainforest. We have seen foxtail palms and corkscrew
Pandanus for the first time. They only grow here in Cooktown. The first trees are starting to flower, it will be spring
soon. Golden Yellow flowers adorn the barren branches of the Kapok trees and creamy white and yellow blooms
show on a sort of Magnolia trees. Fantastic.

DINOSAUR
Winton was the scene of a dinosaur stampede 65 million years ago. Why do I know that? Well because I have seen
the traces in the mud. Three different dinosaur species, small carnivores, middle sized herbivores and very large
carnivores were all heading for the river o drink, when the big one came to close for comfort to the little and middle
ones. They started fleeing away from the water with the big one in hot pursuit. Over 350 different animals left their
traces in the mud and were identified. Not very far from the stampede were lots of petrified bones found. Since 1999
scientists have identified 5 so far unknown species of land dinosaurs. The largest was christened Matilda, a smaller