Girraween National Forest

24/8/2010 - 27/8/2010

Our first excursion outside the classroom was a camping trip to Girraween, a park characterized by granite boulders and sclerophyll forest. Before I discuss anything else, let me say this. It was COLD. I packed as I would any other camping trip: Shorts and a t-shirt for the warm sunny days, and sweater and sweat pants for the night time. I brought an extra sweater just in case it rained. I grossly underestimated the cold. After the first day, I wore one outfit that basically consisted of all my clothes I had brought. Thermal, two sweaters, rain jacket on top, swim trunks, sweat pants, two pairs of socks, and my shoes. When I went to bed, the only think I took off was my shoes. Originally it was two people to a tent. That was not bearable after the first night, so we made it four people to a tent for body warmth. Even then I was freezing. Anyways, you get the picture. The days were spent doing a fair amount of hiking and doing some basic field work activities. One really cool day was when we hiked the Pyramid. This mountain is pretty steep, but nothing too crazy. However, if you are afraid of heights it was a big deal because their is no path up the mountain, rather you are just hiking up a steep slope to the top. If you slip and fall, you will tumble your way to death 9 times out of 10. That being said, Sean and I ran up it cuz we are beaaaaasttttttt....( that was for you Diya)... here is some pics.

On our way up.

We made it. Doing a jump at the top.

It was not all fun and games however (ok it was, but I have to tell something to the parents). We did some field work, recording profile diagrams of the forest. We also did some sifting through river water, recording diversity. Some photographic evidence, and a picture of Professor John Hall ( who I have a major man crush on). 

Laid the stake.

Thinking...

Story time about the big bad Banksia Man with John Hall.

As bad as this sounds, the coolest part of the trip was the food. The bus line brought a portable kitchen with them, and the quantity/quality of food they produced was unbelievable. I gorged myself with food, and loved every minute of it. Here is a picture of my homie Shane getting a cake made by the cooks.

Happy 21st.

Overall, good times.