Orchids and Deliverance Moment in Khappinghat NP : January 11 2023

Another cloudy start - we have learned that it burns away before too long. We went for a drive down to Tuncurry and Forster with a view to finding a nice place for lunch. Traffic was busy - that got us off the restaurant lunch idea

Stopped at an op shop for book buying. I did the photos of Wallis Lake with its amazing blue colour. It is the only lake this colour all the way up and down the East Coast

Famous for its oysters - we will find a place to buy some

Colours are amazing - always boat action

The rental places were doing great trade - kayak, paddle boards, pedal boats galore

Quick pop into shops and then back across the river to buy fish and chips and oysters and prawns from the local fishing co-op.

The bridge is interesting - single lane and with two humps. Traffic is busy. Bought fish and chips and ate in a park near the sports club - a spot I have known from previous visits. Was quiet unlike Forster it is good to see places back to normal after the Covid bullshit.

Went for a ride in the afternoon to explore known tracks in Khappinghat NP - maybe a bit wider than last time.

I remembered there was an orchid right under the sign - good memory as it has been a few years (guessing 3) since we stayed at Diamond Beach

Common hyacinth orchid - dipodium variegatum

Walked down the hill to another known spot - no orchids there. Decided to ride up and over the hill with an eye on the track sides. Looking for the cross tracks as I went.

Lease Fire Trail intersects Old Soldiers Road and runs parallel to the property on the edge of the National Park. Rode down and walked part of Magpie Creek Fire Trail - decided to walk back and ride it as road surface was good and it was flat.

Tall trees - dense bush and packed dirt road

Surprised to find this flowering deep in the bush - looks like a hibiscus though I have never seen a white one.

Photo of one of the flood cutaways shows how dense the bush is after the last fire. This is an important image for the day story.

Rode all the way down to Magpie Creek boat ramp. As I was going along I saw a big utility vehicle hidden in one of those cutaways. Deep in the bush - so much so it would have been hard to open the doors. Always a sign of something not right. I could see no number plates on the front. I chose not to stop for a photo.

There was one trailer parked - he had driven past me on the way in.

Bush opened out to the creek system and open grassy areas. Nice quiet spot. Turned around and headed back past the parked truck. Engine started just as I came by. That is not good news - wrong place, wrong time comes to mind.

I was pleased I had paid attention to fire trails and tracks. I am always looking for places to walk for orchids. I was also comfortable with the track to ride hard.

I hammered away back along the track with ears and eyes watching the track behind. I knew exactly where I was and where I could escape to. Ready to hide. The map shows the side track I took - down Lease Fire Trail and hiding on Moor Creek Fire Trail when the vehicle passed. It stopped a little later as he was expecting to come across me and did not. I checked the map to make sure I knew where I was.

Bad news is the fire trail was blocked with a big flood water event. There was a side track - I figured it was a drive around or it was a track I had seen on Old Soliders Road - I had thought of walking it on the way in. What I did know is it was easy to track left to the property fence, scale the fence and look for help, if I had to run for my life. Big dogs that live there
would have to be dealt with if needed but a fence makes a good blockage.

I was figuring the vehicle would follow the red arrow and not come down where I was as they would know about the water. The side track did come out on Old Soldiers Road. It was the obe I had considered walking. I hammered my way back to where the houses are

I was watching my mirror the whole way back to Black Head ready to dive over a fence and to run.

It all sounds dramatic but I know full well I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Too many coincidences.

Made it home safely

I feel I earned a drink. Dinner was Wallis Lake oysters followed by fresh lemon garlic prawns done on the barbecue

A story to tell the grand kids
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