Main Range national park

View of Mt Mitchell | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

The Main Range national park is located in about one hour drive west of Brisbane. Cunningham highway (one line each way) climbs up into Great Dividing Range, and the entrance to this section of the park is located at the Cunningham gap, at the very crest. To most popular walks in this area are to the Mt Mitchell (above) and to Mt Cordeaux.  Walk to Mt Cordeaux is mainly in rainforest, so it is a bit cooler there during summer heat. The fairly short and easy track (less than 5 km one way) goes to very nice lookout at Mt Cordeaux. Couple more km - and you will end up at Bare Rock. At one place the track goes through the dry grassy vegetation on the crest, and snakes are very common there.

View from Bare Rock | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

Bare Rock has a couple lookouts, all within dozens meters from each other, providing nearly 360 degree view.

Forest at Main Range nation park | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm
View from Bare Rock

You can rest in shade, have lunch, and watch magnificent forest with high araucarias (Hoop pine I guess), with birds of pray flying over your head.

Bended trees at Bare Rock, Main Range NP | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

One slope of the Bare Rock is covered by bizarre forest with bent trees covered in moss. The place has high elevation, and I suspect it is frequently covered by clouds, so it is relatively wet there. 

Hot week in Brisbane

Smoky sunset in Brisbane on January 8, 2013 | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

The forecast predicts several hot days in Brisbane with the temperatures going above 30C for several days:

In subtropical climate with high humidity anything above 35C is nasty. On top of this, the SE Queensland got very little rain at the start of this wet season, so the local bush is dry as box of matches, and the fire danger is high. Yesterday the smoke from the fire on Bribie island was visible in Brisbane. I think it was the only uncontrolled fire around Brisbane.

Smoky sunset in Brisbane on January 8, 2013 | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

Fuji X-E1: lack of weather sealing

Toolona creek circuit, Lamington national park | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

Yesterday I went to Toolona creek at the Green Mountains section of Lamington national park. The place got some rains recently but it was not as muddy as expected. The leeches were already numerous and active, and I ended up walking in boots soaked in my blood. The famous Lamington Spiny Crayfish were also active and wandered along the track.

The remote part of the Toolona creek track is at relatively high elevation, about 1000 meters, and in this time it is not uncommon to walk in clouds. This time it was foggy with occasional drizzling, so the camera mainly stayed in the plastic bag. I wish Fuji X-E1 would have some kind of weather sealing as Olympus OM-D E-M5. Or maybe I just should take an umbrella with me next time. I managed to take a couple pictures before the rain but walked though Antarctic beech forest without taking a single photo.

Toolona creek circuit, Lamington national park | Fuji X-E1 & XF18-55mm

Australian water dragons

Physignathus lesueurii | Fuji X10 | September 6, 2012

The water dragons are fairly big lizards native to Australia. I spotted this pair near the lake at St Lucia campus (the University of Queensland) and took several pictures with Fuji X10 at full zoom. The photo was cropped and resized in GIMP.

Several years ago I saw two male dragons fighting in this place.