” For behold, He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, the One who turns the dawn to darkness and strides on the heights of the earth, the LORD, the God of Hosts, is His name.” Amos 4:13
I simply love living in this corner of the earth. I love how within an hour I can be at some of the worlds best beaches, ancient rainforests or wide open plains. Well we were blessed with some good rains, and I was blessed with a day to myself. When you mix those two together you get a day exploring the waterfalls of the magnificent Lamington National Park.
Light rains and peaceful mists greeted me as I headed up to the hinterland. I can’t begin to tell you how uplifting I find it to unwind as I wind through steep, curvy mountain roads. I’m challenged spiritually with sermons on Ephesians 4 with my favorite preacher reminding me once again of my call to humility.
I arrive to an almost empty carpark at the Binna Burra section of the National Park. A smattering of campers have gathered under an awning to escape the damp. Small wafts of mist rise up the escarpment, adding a perfect distraction to the already spectacular view. There’s a small cafe, with signs on the door reminding patrons to remove any leeches before entering. As you can expect, I’m itching to seek adventure.
I’d expected a muddy path, and this path certainly met my expectations. Seldom did I come across a stretch that could be considered as dry! My efforts were put into staying vertical and not dropping my camera – feats I managed to accomplish!
The walk was perfect. I passed a small handful of people on the slippery track to Coomera Falls. Birds hidden from view chimed heavenly tunes through all corners of the forest. Small wallabies darted across the path, stopping to look at me with curiosity as I passed. For a brief moment I imagined I could have been in some far off magical kingdom, where the forest slowly scrummed its way to the sun. Of course this was not some magical kingdom far, far away. There’s something very precious in simply enjoying the moment. Being present. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I was that my phone had no reception. I was cut off, if you would, from many distractions. With prayers on my lips and a profound sense of gratitude in my heart I trunched on through the mud, over fallen branches, around moss-covered rocks. Fallen trees, though very much dead still teemed with life. Out of every weathered crevasse moss, fungus, spider’s webs and saplings shot forth, joining the rest of the forest in their quest for a patch of sunlight.
High above me rested a thick canopy of green. A mesh of leaves protected me from the light rain, let the sticcato sound of droplets simply hummed around me. Tap tap tap tap. Tap tap. Tap tap tap tap tap. Tap. Tap tap taptaptaptaptap tap tap it went, all around me. The trail wove its way around a steep ravine, Cool breezes whistled up the mountains – gosh – what a splendid feeling! The mist seemed thicker in certain parts, as if to hide the cool midwinter secrets of the trees.
The muddy path was punctuated by many trickles of water. Small bridges made of old railway sleepers would perhaps seem like decoration in drier times and purely superfluous now that the rest of the track is seemingly ankle deep in mud. It didn’t take long for my white socks to take on definite brown hues. I felt my feet wrinkle in the damp, my dear joggers certainly took a beating on the clogged, heavy track.
There’s a thing with waterfalls after a decent rainfall. You can always hear them before you see them. Its the sound of a cascading rush. The roar of rapidly falling water with its constant crashing on the rocks below. Whilst the rest of the cliff holds a constant poker-face, the water throws no caution as it hurtles itself downwards. As I round the final corner, I see it. The falls. I’m alone, overlooking a sharply cut valley. It’s beautiful. Those cool breezes turn slightly cooler and seem to hit my puffed out face slightly faster. The water cascades down, and despite its angry decent seems to pool peacefully in a natural dam below. The speed and majesty of the waterfall, like a manic episode explodes, releasing untold amounts of energy then simply retires in exhaustion. It catches its breath, then at the right time gently carves its way through the heart of the valley. I suppose life is like that sometimes. You need the thunderous crashes to appreciate the smooth streams of life.
I take it all in. I perch and wait and simply breathe. How can you truly ever express these quiet moments when faced with the storms of life?
I feel rejuvenated as I make my way back up the mountain. My aching legs seem to have a spring in them. I’m refreshed, thankful, peaceful. It’s still excessively muddy. I’m still slipping, still balancing, still trying to stay upright. Despite these small challenges it all seems worth it. Worth it to be able to experience this most beautiful place. Worth it to be renewed in body, mind and spirit. Worth it knowing I can behold the name of the Lord, the One that formed these very mountains, breathed this very wind into existence, the One that reveals his thoughts to me.
Have Family, Will Adventure. 
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