If we hadn't had a particularly virulent dose of the Hocking Stuarts (see previous posts), we might still be swanning around Noosa, as it is we have had a delightful day exploring the Warrenbungles, and Siding Springs. The Anglo Australian telescope is enormous, impressive and to a layman like me ultimately mysterious. It gives me some odd sense of pride to look at the commitment of money and expertise to deliver what is apparently one of the finest optical telescopes in the world,and which still operates at the cutting edge of science. I don't quite understand the source of that feeling, since I didn't pay for it, couldn't operate it, and don't understand its achievements. Although I do feel a little sad that today we would never make such a commitment, because it would mean "A great big new tax !"
We went from the telescope to the national park, which in honour of our reason for being here, we renamed the Hocking Stuart Park. We also renamed a couple of the features, a craggy, forbidding, and partially eroded rock formation, we renamed Paulette Peak. A scraggy, untidy, weed filled valley, we renamed Samantha Canyon (or was that a pornstar ?) We saw our first Koala of the trip, who bounded across the road in front of us, making us both think for a moment "That is a funny looking kangaroo " We stood just beneath him once he climbed a nearby tree, and he just surveyed us with a look of complete indifference. We then set out on a 6 km walk, and when we passed a lady going in the other direction, told her to look out for the Koala. When we met her again, she described his behaviour, he had eaten furiously for 10 minutes, ripping at leaves and branches, but then he stopped all of a sudden, and immediately went to sleep. Sounds like me. A wonderful day was had by all - thanks again HS !
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