We do our homework and discover just how special this mountain is ecologically, something of a 'Noah's Ark'. Second only to Uluru, it's a huge volcanic dome with a sheer eastern face. The 26 million year old dome is composed of hexagonal crystal jointing columns.
This square kilometre of vegetation has some 700 species of plants…Great Britain in total has 1400. There are the earliest primitive plants, rare plants and some not found anywhere else, as well as two not yet identified, and the site has 40% of the fern families found on Earth today.
A traditional Aboriginal story that is often told about the mountain refers to it as a young male warrior and I've certainly felt it as strong yang. Rose remembers being taken to a pool around the base of the mountain and will help us find our way there. There's always the yin spot within the yang and this just may be it.
We arrive at the base of the mountain. Cars everywhere, carpark full and flowing over into the residential streets that border the base of the mountain. People are coming in droves to climb the mountain, a sudden local attraction. Not for us. We take a left turn, drive a few blocks and find a quiet entry walk to the old quarry track that runs round the south eastern perimeter. Both old growth forest and regrowth tucks into this narrow border around the bottom of the hulking dome.
We step into the trees, feel to stop for connection. Entry has a sense of ease and welcome. I have a vision of an 'Old Fella' over my left shoulder, always good to have a friendly guide in strong places.
It's a gorgeous day, warm and sunny, shady and cool here in the trees…and so quiet, just a few bird calls, currawong singing autumn songs. We follow the old quarry track. We're aware that the old quarry is up to the right, as we walk.
Reaching a little open space, Rose looks for the track into the pool, finds it immediately. Hmmm…it's narrow and a bit steep, up and down. Good thing it's dry. Not a place to walk after rain.
Scribbly gums guard the track entrance. One bears the scarring of wrapped wire and a gash bleeding red resin that crystallises in glinting sunshine, bark of red ochre and cream, scribbles in insect language the entire body of the trunk.
We take lots of piccies. Of course.
So then up the track we go. Gingerly. Picking our way. Lean forward, hunker down. Notice the footworn stones set by the track. Over the little ridge and now a steep descent into the gully. I'll just stay right here at the top, I'm thinking. And I do. Jo and Rose ease their way down into the gully.
It's stunningly beautiful, deep, dark and moist, black rocks, shining wet from the water dropping down the sheer face of the mountain directly above. Look up, right up through the leafy canopy where sunshine lights the scarp. Watch the water fall in huge glops. Now a fat grey bird fans its wings, dipping in and out of the shower.
We stay awhile, soak it all in. Rose and Jo are taken by thick curling tree roots hugging the boulders. Later that evening a photo will reveal something unseen at the time, the form of a female body with distinct male genitalia. Ah nature! The yin, the yang.
Emerging from the gully now, down the narrow track, don't slip, gorgeous ferns gracing our passage.
We follow the nudging of the Old Fella over my shouder and take the upper track back towards the quarry. Feels like there's something to see back along there.
The energy changes abruptly, as does the vegetation.
Reaching the quarry we step up onto the carved platform. Ah, dangerous edges here. A cavernous hole opens up below us, and behind it, the bulk of the mountain rears its great shoulders into the blue.
Nature has reclaimed the site. The quarried hole has morphed into a paperbark swamp, so beautiful in its lime greens and sky reflections.
Our Earthwalk feels complete. Time to return. Sunlight dapples the space between the trees. Butterlies with soft new wings wobble in the dapples. A blue tiger lands just a few feet from our cameras, staying just long enough for us to capture the image.
We say our sweet goodbyes. We'll be back. And now the cafe calls.
Mt Coolum is in Queensland Australia on the Sunshine Coast. Great crd needs be taken when walking in this area. Info about the site may be found on http://www.coolum.com.au/display_listing.asp?id=556&catid=229 and http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/mount-coolum/
