Girraween NP

[newhue]

Cut my teeth bushwalking at Girraween, and can recall camping there as a little kid. When an old walking friend organised a through walk and said bring the kids, I jumped at it.
Now the kids are 2.5 and 5. I was hoping it would be a positive weekend for them, and as it turned out I think we had a win.

We started with some basic stuff, the track walk to Underground River
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/6687/underground5.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/underground5.jpg/)
Was hoping we could go through the underground river and up the water fall, but there was too much water given the recent rains.

So around to the right, first bit of off track
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/5857/matwalk.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/matwalk.jpg/)
up top
http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/5482/underground1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/802/underground1.jpg/)
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8755/underground2i.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/193/underground2i.jpg/)

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5525/underground3.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/underground3.jpg/)

Time for the off track secret location. Well we told the kids it was all secret, special, and so on.
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/2425/offty.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/offty.jpg/)
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/8185/treehx.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/29/treehx.jpg/)
http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/2907/offt2.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/839/offt2.jpg/)
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/784/offt4.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/4/offt4.jpg/)

Somewhere around here looks good for camp
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/6382/tentsofft5.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/tentsofft5.jpg/)
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/4822/offt8.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/3/offt8.jpg/)
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9867/offt7.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/341/offt7.jpg/)
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/7531/offt6.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/717/offt6.jpg/)

The nights were cool as you'd expect for June, and as any bushwalker will know, eating is a big event.
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/2751/offt9.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846/offt9.jpg/)

Our aim was to have short exposure to scratchy scrub followed by big fun reward, or slabs. The kids burred up pretty easy with the Girraween fauna, I guess when it towers over you fair enough. Still there is always something worth looking at.
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8701/gcandles.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/651/gcandles.jpg/)
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/4994/offt10.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/offt10.jpg/)http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/8934/offt11.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/528/offt11.jpg/)
http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5954/offt12.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/offt12.jpg/)
http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/5387/offt13.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/850/offt13.jpg/)

the great thing about Girraween is there is always something to explore
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/1085/offt14.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/offt14.jpg/)
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/8848/offt15.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/269/offt15.jpg/)
http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/3897/offt16.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/803/offt16.jpg/)

Overall a very good weekend, been such a long time. No bad scratches either for the kids.

[klonk]

Hi Newhue

Have been through Girraween when I was travelling about , its a lovely spot. Enjoy camping with your kids, they grow up fast these days.
Our kids 11 and 13 only go camping for the bacon and eggs at breakfast time and dads ''bloke food'' ie steak sandwich's and baked bean waffle's.There mum doesnt like camping, but its hard to get a weekend availible as they now have a better social life than I do.

Cheers Steve

[SimonM]

Great photo's Jason. Good to see kids getting out and about. How did the 2.5 year old go, looks like it was a fair walk?

[newhue]

Mr Ploppy
In reality the walk wasn't very far at all. Matt's inherently lazy and a mummies boy, so most meters are a struggle for him and us. The trick was to make it fun, and if there was a bit of scunge there was a fun reward/distraction not all that far away.

Klonk
Yes can't say I'm looking forward to the teen years. I'm hoping, or maybe dreaming that the leg work we do now with the outdoors, and the friends we have, will keep the kids interested and wanting to spend the weekends outdoors in all sorts of pursuits.
i have to accept however that at some point the folks become embarrassing and not so good to hang around. So while I'm still Ok we do as much stuff as possible. I am lucky that I met my wife in a walking club, so to much camping is barely enough. :D

[numpty]

Good stuff Jason.

Are they Macpac Apollo tents? They sure look like mine. Just did a 55 k 3 day circuit in Washpool/Gibralter Range.

Perry