Day 10 - Kroombit Station

Today was an action packed day – starting with some horseback riding after breakfast.  We rode in smaller groups of 8 or 9 students – each group with a leader and 2 guides.  While some groups were out on the trails, the other students had free time to play at the station.  Some of the games they played included cricket, volleyball, Frisbee, or just playing in the sand.  While horseback riding, the students learned about the station and the type of vegetation and the “drop bears” that are common in this area. 

 Supposedly the “drop bear” is dark and looks like a combination of a koala and a monkey.  Our students had their eyes peeled hoping to spot one.  Our guides were telling the students that they needed to be especially quiet going through this area because they could just drop out of the trees at any moment.  Apparently, several were spotted…but then the students were disappointed when they found out there was no such thing.  Amazing what the power of suggestion can do.  Kroombit Station staff 1 – students 0.  We were able to cross a creek a couple of times on the horses and see some of the animals wandering about.  It was a great way to start the morning and get a good look at the scenery.  

After everyone had their rides, it was time for a quick lunch and then off for our service project where we learned about erosion and its effects in this region of Australia.

 We filled the back of a pickup truck with rocks and then offloaded them into a cut (or gulley) to help shore up the sides and give a base for the sand and other natural debris to build up and stop the water erosion.  

After that was completed – we headed on an Eco-Walk with Jonathan (our guide) up Sunset Hill.  We made a few stops several stops along the way looking at other types of water erosion and hearing about the effects it makes in different areas.  We learned about the meat ant and how they are deadly they are because they attacked in groups. 
 They have even been none to devour dead animals down to carcasses.  We learned about the Eucalyptus trees and that there are over 700 types and counting.






 Some of the types that we encountered were the Bat Wing Eucalyptus which is known for the shape of its leaves and the fact that leaves are wider than they are long and look like a bat’s wing.  They are also the only deciduous tree in the area losing all of its leaves in the autumn.
 The rest of the Eucalyptus are semi-deciduous and only lose some of their leaves at one time.  Another species of Eucalyptus that we encountered was the Bloodwood.  This species was given its name because the sap looks sort of like blood dripping down the trunk.  The aboriginal people used the sap as skin glue for cuts.  Some Eucalyptus trees, during a drought, can actually cut-off the water supply to some membranes of some of the branches to actually kill off that particular branch in order to save the tree as a whole.  Jonathan told us that the #1 killer of holiday-makers (visitors/vacationers) is not venomous snakes, spiders, sharks, crocodiles; instead of it is actually falling branches of dead trees.

We came across a prickly pear cactus.  This cactus was introduced into Australia by the Spaniards thinking it would make nice natural fences.  However, this backfired and the cactus took over and became the second largest pest in Australia after the Cane Toad.  In order to get these plants under control, they introduced the cactus plaster moth which burrows to the inside of the plant to lay its eggs, then the eggs suck the moisture out and then the caterpillar eats it way out finally killing the cactus.  The introduction of the cactus plaster moth was possibly the greatest ecological success stories in Australia because the moth only killed the prickly pear and not any other plant or animal. 

Once we reached the top, and took in the beautiful view, Jonathan told us a story about the “Beautiful Betsy,” an Australian B29D bomber that crashed into the mountains and was not found for 49-1/2 years.  This bomber had a rich history having been commissioned, de-commissioned, and re-commissioned several times.  On her last mission was to fly from Brisbane to Darwin with a load of potato chips, ice cream, and coca-cola, with 6 Americans and 2 British servicemen on board, a tropical storm came and apparently pushed her off course and they crashed.  The wreckage was found accidently by 2 Norwegian hikers.  Since then, it has been confirmed that the wreckage was the Beautiful Betsy and they have recovered 7 of the 8 dog tags of the service men on board.  The wreckage is still there today in honor of those who lost their lives.  

We made our way back down the hill for a bit of free time and the students had a chance to buy some souvenirs – hats, bandanas, whips, and some other aboriginal items.  The students who bought whips were given safety goggles and a 10 minute learning session on how to use them.  After that, they were packed away until we reached our final US destination.  

That night, we had a bush dance – where Jonathan told the kids they had to have a date for.  This of course sent our 5^th and 6^th graders in panic mode as to who to ask to the dance.  So if you parents want to know who your son or daughter is smitten with, just ask…  J  We learned several line dances, including the chicken dance, boot scootin’ boogie, cotton-eyed joe, cha cha slide.  Once there, the students were all relieved that they didn’t have to pair off at any point and had a great time.  After a long day, the students all cleaned up and slept like babies.