18) Lamington - Geology 101

We have been focused on the local National parks (Lamington, Mt Warning, Springbrook, Nightcap and Border Ranges) as World Heritage sites and remnants of the great subtropical rainforests that used to be here. Indeed, Lamington contains the largest subtropical rainforest remnant in the world and one of the most extensive Antarctic beech cool temperate rainforests in Australia. But someplace, down under all those vegetables there is........

rock. Volcanic Rock.

It seems that about 24 M years ago the Focal Peak and Tweed shield volcanoes erupted here. The subsequent caldera collapse and erosion has left a large caldera rim of basalt and ryolite that forms the escarpments and the central plug of Mt Warning. So when you stand on one rim in Lamington looking across the Numinbah Valley to Springbrook, we are actually seeing the same formation.

We took a track out to the rim passing through 5 different
rainforest types and seeing the usual slow motion play of life and death with strangler figs, seriously ingrown trees,






and delightful (but tiny) carnivorous sundews along the trail (like everything else in AU its deadly!!!!) These things digest their prey .... live!!!




(Sundew)









Yes those are "fern" trees Nancy is under- looking for the elusive Glossy Black Cockatoo (not to be found today). But we did hear some wild ones -- see this site to hear the "Eastern Whipbird" (my favorite -- click the green button on the website this links to-under the picture of the bird) and the Eastern Catbird which "Earns its name from its very distinctive call, similar to a cat or a baby crying. "(click on the little ear on the page this link opens).



More great waterfalls









But now we knew there was rock. Rock means.. climbing. There are some 100m cliffs here. Rock is solid - sort of). One small problem: Its a damn jungle! (No wonder there was no guidebook to this place.) If anyone wants to get a bunch of firsts - bring a whole bunch of wire-brushes!

So we headed back to the beach - where the sea breezes are blowing, the salt-tang fills the air and makes everything feel greasy and the bouldering is.. well its not Hueco!