LEVEN CANYON

 

1/ Leven Canyon is in central northern Tasmania. Two Easy walks to two lookouts give you spectacular views of the Leven River 200 metres below. There is a very long stairway connecting the higher lookout to the lower lookout. This stairway should only be attempted by fit people. Just south of the lookouts is a pathway leading to the Leven River from where you can walk into the base of the canyon to see the view from below.

2/ This is the easy path to the higher lookout. It passes through a forest. It even has seats and distance markers at regular intervals.

3/ This is the view from higher lookout. There is another lower lookout into the Leven Canyon.

4/ The floor of the Leven Canyon is a massive 200 metres below you. It is truly an awesome sight.

5/ This is a telephoto view of the canyon floor. The smaller rocks are as large as cars.

6/ This long projection photo shows you the huge drop to the Leven River in the Leven Canyon below.

7/ This is a telephoto view of the Leven River, as it flows through the Leven Canyon.

8/ This long photo shows the steep heights of the canyon walls.

9/ This photo shows the view to the west of the Canyon. The distant peaks are 20 kilometres away.

10/ This is the pathway to the lower lookout from just past the stairway down. It was a well prepared track, which also passed through a fern forest.

11/ This walkway takes you out to the lower lookout.

12/ From the lower lookout you get a closer view of the Leven River below.

13/ From the lower lookout you also get a better appreciation of the cliffs around you.

14/ This is the view up the Leven River from the lower lookout.

15/ This is another closer view of the Leven River seen from the lower lookout.

16/ This is the sign at the start of the Leven River Walk. It warns you of the dangers of the track. Note too the warning about the theft danger. I have made it a habit to photograph all cars parked in a lonely car park. If you can give the Tasmanian police the car numbers, they have a good chance of catching any culprits.

 

1/ The Gunns Plains Cave is in northern Tasmania. It is south of Ulverstone and north of the Leven Canyon. The cave is called an adventure cave, because it includes steep ladders and narrow passages. In it you can see some of the spectacular cave formations. The above photos shows a shawl. It had brilliant colors and seemed like a piece of cloth that was frozen in time.

2/ To enter the Gunns Plains Cave, you must descend a 42 step ladder.

3/ Unlike many caves, Gunns Plains Cave follows a stream for much of its length. Occasionally the cave floods. If you are lucky you may see giant yabbies in the water below.

4/ This massive stalagmite formation is called the wedding cake. It is more than 3 metres in diameter and many metres high. The angle of the stairs to the left is distorted in this photo. The Wedding Cake is sometimes used to host weddings at Gunns Plains Cave.

5/ This photo looks back at the massive Wedding Cake. This is also a major attraction of the Gunns Plains Cave.

6/ The flow of minerals that formed the Wedding Cake, do look like the icing of a cake frozen in time.

7/ In the centre you can see a shawl formation. This is a wafer thin flow that really does look like a frozen piece of cloth. To the left is a large stalagmite flow column. There is another shawl to the lower right.

8/ This huge stalactite is about man size. It is very close to the stair to the rear for a size comparison. Stalactites take thousands of years to grow this large. It was one of the most interesting attractions of the Gunns Plains Cave.

9/ Here you can see a forest of stalactites hanging from the ceiling of one of the caves.

10/ These lovely flow shawls are called the angels' wings. They were the most beautiful thing that I saw in the Gunns Plains Cave.

11/ I was quite surprise to fine these two fungi growing on the path floor. There are also insects, possums and glow worms in the Gunns Plains Cave.

 

1/ The Kaydale Gardens are the impressive result of the Crowden family's hard work over a generation of time. They make a great place to stop for a meal on your way driving south to the Leven Canyon. You can contact the Kaydale Gardens on (03) 6429 1293 or on www.kaydalelodge.com.au The Kaydale Gardens provides for country style accommodation and the sales of flowers. This photo shows the waterfall in the lovely Rockery. The guest house is in the top left corner.

2/ This is an exotic monkey puzzle tree in the Woodland area of the gardens. The Kaydale Gardens includes a very wide range of trees and exotic plants.

3/ This photo shows the pond. It is a great place to just sit and relax.

4/ Note the profusion of shapes and colours in this view.

5/ This photo shows the Pear Walk. At the right time it is covered in lovely pear blossoms. The Kaydale Gardens also bottle and sell pears.

6/ This is the Zen Garden. It is built according to Japanese principals of harmony and serenity.

7/ This photo shows the Fernery. When in bloom they look very exotic and beautiful.

8/ This shows a view through the gardens back to the Lodge. Again note the profusion of shapes and colours.

9/ This is a view from near the entrance.

10/ The Kaydale Gardens give you a chance to walk amongst some very colorful surrounds.

 

1/ Wings Wild Life Park is located south of Ulverstone in northern Tasmania. It is located on a side road west of the B17 Road that goes to the Gunns Plains Cave. The park has a large collection of animals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians. This photo essay includes only a minority of the animals that you can see there. This photo shows a lady park ranger holding a koala. This koala was especially tame and could be hand fed. However, you are warned not to attempt to touch Koalas, except under the supervision of a ranger, as they can scratch and bite.

2/ This is the entrance to the Wings Wild Life Park. There is a cafe and a picnic area at the entrance.

3/ Wings Wild Life Park has special feeding times for the Koalas and the Tasmanian Devils. This Koala was being fed by a lady ranger, as a child was simultaneously petting it. This koala seemed to like the attention, but you are warned not to attempt to touch Koalas, when you are not being assisted by a park ranger.

4/ This is an eastern grey Kangaroo. These animals are native both to Tasmania and Australia. Many are killed by cars on Tasmanian roads.

5/ People think of kangaroos as being very active animals. In fact they spend a lot of time just sleeping in the sun shine, like this mother and her baby were doing.

6/ This is a Tasmanian Devil. They are about the size of a cat. In this photo you can clearly see its unique red ears and white stripe. Devils spend most of their time running around their compounds sniffing the air, as this one was doing.

7/ This is a sleeping Tasmania Devil. It looks cute and cuddly, but you are strongly warned not to attempt to touch them, as they have a very powerful bite and they are meat eaters.

8/ This is a sleeping wombat. Wombats are vegetarians like kangaroos. They too spend a lot of time sleeping in their burrows.

9/ This is a meerkat, which is a native animal of Africa. Meerkats are very social animals, who spend much of their time running around.

10/ This little animal is a guinea pig. The Wings Wild Life Park had a large display of guinea pigs and also sold them as pets.

11/ This are marmosets, which are native to the rain forests of Brazil. I was impressed by their agility on the bars.

12/ The Wings Wild Life Park had a large display of exotic fish in its aquarium section.

13/ The Wings Wild Life Park had also a reptile section with many snakes and some lizards on display.

14/ The Wings Wild Life Park had a number of local birds that were free residents of the park like these Australian wood ducks. Their presence here is dictated by the fact that many animals will stay, if you offer them a free and regular meal.

15/ This Australian black swan was also a free resident of the Wings Wild Life Park. He was most aggressive and tried to peck me, as he was protecting a female swan with cygnets, who was swimming close by.

16/ These are baby emus. They are a flightless, running bird with a strange appearance. Adult emus have a grey colour. There was once a small emu that was native to Tasmania. Unfortunately, these Tasmanian emus have not been seen for many years.

17/ This is the unique face of an emu. I photographed it from behind a safety fence. It is important to note that emus can be aggressive. They have a lethal kick and a powerful bite, so do not approach them.

18/ This beautiful pink and grey bird is one of many breeds of parrots.

19/ This lovely yellow and orange bird is also a breed of parrot.

20/ This is a Polish Chicken. The English name is actually a mistake, as "Gallus Domesticus" is a European wide breed of chicken.

21/ These lovely birds are ground dwellers.

22/ I was fortunate to be able to capture this image of this very active and beautiful bird.

23/ This was another lovely, unidentified bird.

24/ This is a lovely ground dwelling bird.

25/ Just beyond the Wings Wild Life Park was a caravan park. This caravan park had access to a large field and a river. It was within walking distance of the Wings Wild Life Park.

26/ This photo shows the beautiful rural scenes that you see near the Wings Wild Life Park. On the horizon is the sea near Ulverstone.

 

1/ Preston Falls is in north western Tasmania south west of Ulverstone. It is a series of cascades on Preston Creek. It can be accessed from C125 Preston Road south of the Preston settlement.

2/ This image shows one of the lower cascades.

3/ The falls are in a rain forest, where there are huge man ferns.

4/ This photo shows the lower cascade. It is about 15 metres high.

5/ This is a close up of the lower part of the cascade.

6/ This image shows the higher part of the falls.

7/ This image shows the much larger upper falls. It plunges about 60 metres into a vast chasm.

8/ The image is a close up of the upper falls.

9/ This image looks down from the top of the upper falls. It was dangerous to go beyond this point.

10/ This image shows Preston Creek, which feeds the various cascades.

11/ This is the view to the north east of Loyetea Peak. This mountain is south west of the falls and is accessed from Loyetea Road, which diverges from B17 south of the settlement of South Riana.

12/ This image looks south from Loyetea Peak. This peak is 706 metres high and gives a great view into the Central Highlands.