Australia > To the Pinnacle lookout

I slept well last night. Just before the alarm went off, I woke up. I took a shower and ate my yogurt. However, I’m starting to get a bit of a cold. Several travel companions are coughing and sneezing. At eight o’clock, I meet the group again by the bus. We leave Warrnambool heading toward Tower Hill. Tower Hill is a small nature reserve around an old extinct volcanic crater. There are several walking trails in the park. Koalas and eastern grey kangaroos are often spotted here. As soon as I step off the bus, I see a koala bear in a tree. It’s sleeping. A little further on, there is a second one in another tree. I follow the trail to the old volcanic crater. The crater is tens of thousands of years old. The crater lake is surrounded by trees. While I walk around the lake, two kangaroos jump past. They stop briefly and look at me curiously. On the other side of the path, kangaroos sit among the bushes. I hear birds in the trees—mostly small, colorful, lively ones. The walking route is a loop and returns to the parking lot. By now, several koalas are in the trees. A young koala is eating leaves from a eucalyptus tree.

Australia - A young wolf by the crater lake of Tower Hill

The koalas are hard to photograph among the foliage. While scanning the trees on the other side of the parking area, a young fox suddenly walks across the path. The animal sits a few meters away, seemingly unconcerned by me. Funny. After two hours, we continue to Dunkeld, a small town on the edge of Grampians National Park. I order coffee and a sandwich for lunch. Tonight we stay in Halls Gap, right in the nature reserve. Since no alcoholic drinks are available at the accommodation, I buy a few beers at the supermarket for this evening. Grampians National Park consists of a sandstone mountain range. The area got its name in 1836 because the mountains were said to resemble the Grampian Mountains in Scotland. At two o’clock, we arrive at Mountain View Lodge, a few kilometers outside Halls Gap. The lodge consists of a row of adjoining cottages. The rooms are spacious and look nice. In the afternoon, we take the bus into Grampians National Park. From the Wonderland car park, a trail leads to the Pinnacle lookout. During the two-and-a-half-hour hike, the route climbs about 250 meters. We follow the yellow arrows painted on the rocks. I step from rock to rock, getting higher and higher. The route is beautiful, and the weather is wonderful. I notice that my blocked nose makes the climbing more difficult. The last part to the summit goes between two rock walls.

Australia - The lookout in the Grampians

The path is so narrow that I barely fit through. At the top lies The Pinnacle—a rocky point with a view over the deep valley below. For safety, the rock is fenced off. A strong wind blows at the summit. I take some photos and quickly walk back down. Sheltered from the wind, I wait until everyone has taken their pictures. The way back is easier. I return to the parking lot by climbing over rocks. We arrive at the parking lot earlier than planned. Because the hikers who took the shorter route have already returned, we can leave sooner. At the resort, a group of kangaroos is in the grass behind the cottages. When we try to take a photo, the animals hop away. For the evening, a barbecue is organized at the resort. Eating elsewhere here is difficult because it’s too remote. At reception, the meat is prepared, and a salad is ready. The meat tastes good, although it’s a bit of a shame that all the meat was prepared at once. After dinner, I walk again to the field with kangaroos. Some animals graze in the meadow. Pink cockatoos sit in the trees. This makes for a beautiful end to the day. I go to bed early. Tomorrow the alarm goes off early for a trip to Adelaide.