Landscape Photography with marysejansenart
Awe-inspiring rewards at the end of a climb
Table of Contents
Following the cascading water upstream towards the waterfall
The sound of thundering water gets stronger and stronger and the anticipation grows. I’ve been climbing up through the forest, following the water in the creek opposite the direction of flow. A calm flowing creek turns into a long stretch of gently cascading water as it finds its way down between the rocks and boulders. Little mini waterfalls plunging into small rock pools decorate the landscape as I keep meandering up, never knowing what will be around the next bend. The size of the waterfalls grows to medium and a few times I think I have reached ‘the’ falls, but no, the water continues on and on.
Then, finally the sound of thundering water lets me know I’m almost there. I have to climb a steep section of large rock boulders and as I peep my head over the top of those my jaw drops in awe. A very steep cliff rises above me and has a waterfall plunge a good 25-30 metres down into a rock pool! What a spectacular end point of this track, an amazing surprise!
A refreshing experience for all the senses
One might say the current falls are a mere trickle compared to what it could be after big rain, but it is still impressive! I take some time here to take it all in and as the sound of the falling water drowns out any distracting thoughts it is a pleasant experience where I am just present in my environment, enjoying the input from all of my senses. Not only the sound of the falling water and the view of the falls in their spectacular surroundings, but also feeling the cool spray on my skin, smelling the damp earth from the rainforest and noticing the lingering taste from the delicious mandarin I just ate.
I feel so refreshed after this experience! It makes me ponder on why waterfalls are such an incredibly popular land feature. These points of interest draw thousands of people who come to see the falling water. And I am absolutely one of them! How about you? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!
One reason is that waterfalls are simply stunningly beautiful, often spectacular and awe inspiring. And the other reason is that waterfalls are also fascinating, mesmerising – having the capacity to easily help you find a meditative state, a sense of calm. So what better reward at the end of a climb then to finish with a great view of a waterfall?
Waterfalls in the environment
To see waterfalls you obviously need to be in hilly or mountainous terrain and you need water. Rainforests are often a good place to spot a waterfall. As rainwater finds its way down a hill or mountain, it sometimes flows over a steep drop and a waterfall in born. The plunging water erodes the rock bed beneath so that the height of the fall increases over time.
What you may not readily think about is the fact that waterfalls form quite an obstacle in the flow of the river or stream and therefore can split ecological systems, so that different fish and aquatic invertebrates live above and below the waterfall. It has also been found that waterfalls themselves host their own species of aquatic plants and insects that thrive in such a wild environment. And their direct surroundings attract species that enjoy a climate of a cooler temperature with high humidity such as many mosses. So from an ecological perspective these landmarks are of high interest as well.
A walk to the top of a plunge waterfall
On a different walk I have to climb over 100 metres elevation to reach the top end of another waterfall. As I walk up the hill, I definitely notice the changes in vegetation at the various heights. Starting in dense subtropical rainforest with impressive trees such as Strangler Figs and King Ferns, I eventually end up in Eucalyptus forest, adorned with flowering Banksias, Wattles, Westringias and more. It makes for an interesting walk with great variety and lovely views along the way!
I reach the top of the waterfall and notice a loud chorus of frogs, just in the area about 2 dozen metres away from the massive plunge. The frogs don’t show themselves but they certainly sound very happy in this environment where the water is super clear.
Having seen with my own eyes the changes in habitat from bottom to top, it’s not difficult to imagine that in the habitat down below would be a place for completely different species of frogs and other creatures! And what a spectacular sight this drop is! No cascading here, but a solid 100m plunge! In my first walk I ended at the bottom of a waterfall and now I’m at the top of another waterfall. A very different perspective but both are spectacular and awe-inspiring! Check it out in the featured image!
A third awe-inspiring waterfall
I keep exploring the local waterfalls here, during my holidays in New South Wales, and a third walk offers a completely different experience again! I have to walk downhill in a dark forest for some time to suddenly arrive at a magical place where two waterholes are connected by a medium sized waterfall. The most striking feature about this place is the fact that the water is turquoise blue!! How can this be? Another thing to marvel and wonder about! But first I take the time to really enjoy this place!
When I research this place on the internet later I learn from all the images that the colour of the water is not always like this but I don’t see any explanations for it. I go back to a memory from another place where I have seen something similar. I remember there was an explanation offered there and I think it is safe to assume that the process here will be the same:
Certain minerals in the water bind to tiny clay particles that also float in the water, creating a shiny coat around them. These particles now reflect and refract light which causes changes in colour. It is therefore depending on the conditions of the time and day whether you will be able to witness the blue colour and to what extend. It is clear that I am incredibly lucky to be here when the conditions apparently are perfect! What a treat!
Like to read another story about a walk with a waterfall? Check out my post about Kondalilla Falls – Land of Rushing Water!
Australia offers a great number of amazing waterfalls, check out these and other images in my Waterfalls Gallery.
Join me on one of my walks to the waterfalls in the latest episode of ‘Come for a walk in the Australian Bush’ below. And keep an eye on my YouTube Channel where I will publish the two other waterfall walks I talk about in this post soon as well.
If you are interested in purchasing a print of the featured image ‘Wonderful Wilderness’ or would like to see what it looks like on the various products, please head to my shop.
