After another soggy night in Strahan, we made the short trip over to Zeehan this morning. We’d originally planned to pull up stumps at the golf course there, but a quick scout around changed our minds pretty quickly. Most of the available spots were properly waterlogged, and I didn’t fancy the idea of us getting bogged before lunch.
While we were in the centre of Zeehan, we took a moment to appreciate the local architecture. There’s a real sense of history in those red brick buildings, even with the modern world carrying on around them. I watched a delivery truck unloading supplies in front of the old School of Mines building, the damp pavement reflecting the grey sky above.
With the ground being as soft as it was, we made the call to push on toward Cradle Mountain and try our luck at the Discovery Park there. It turned out to be a bit of a misty journey. For a good stretch of the drive, the rain was coming down steady enough that the wipers were doing overtime. Crossing over the bridges and dam walls, the mountains were almost completely swallowed by the low cloud and drizzle.
We were starting to wonder if we’d see anything at all, but then something bordering on a miracle happened. Just as we turned onto the road leading up to the mountain, the sky decided to behave itself. The heavy clouds parted, the rain stopped, and the sun actually made a brief appearance. We rolled up to the entrance of the park feeling a lot more optimistic about our chances for a walk.
After we got ourselves settled, we headed over to the visitor centre to sort out our bus passes. You can’t drive your own vehicle into the main attractions at Cradle Mountain, so we hopped on one of the electric shuttle buses. It’s a great way to do it, actually—much quieter and you can just focus on the scenery.
We started with the Rainforest Walk, which is just stunning. Everything is so lush and green, and with all the rain we’ve had lately, the waterfalls are absolutely roaring. We stood for a good while just watching the water thunder over the rocks, the mist from the falls catching what was left of the afternoon light.
While we were making our way toward the Enchanted Walk, we had our first big win of the day. Right there in a mossy clearing, a wombat was busy going about its business. It didn't seem to have a care in the world, just munching away at the grass and ignoring us entirely.
Lisa was absolutely rapt. We’ve seen plenty of wildlife on our travels, but there’s something special about seeing a wombat that close in its own backyard. A bit further along the track, we spotted another one. This fellow was even closer, practically right at our feet, with its head buried deep in a bush looking for the best snacks. It’s hard not to laugh at them; they’re such sturdy, determined little things. We are definitely glad we decided to make the run up here today.
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