Waterfall

[Found poem: ‘Waterfalls of the Otway Ranges’, by Anthony Car, 1^st edition, 2021.]

Waterfalls can be dangerous places and you should always keep this in mind. Water and rock can be a slippery combination which can easily lead to injury. Carry a first aid kit. Expect mobile phones to be out of coverage at some areas. The river has carved and formed several deep gorges with rapids, cascades and waterfalls that are truly spectacular. Small cascades are covered by logs which have piled up in front of it, collected there from when the river was in flood. Another flow can be seen emerging from a side tributary. A tributary forms a wonderful waterfall with a great height and is particularly impressive when the rainfall has been plentiful. Sometimes they leap into an abyss. There are wonderful still pools and water nooks flounced in hartstongue maiden hair and star-fern. What cannot be seen from the lookout are the other tiers that exist above. They are not accessible by any track. The falls are not as well-known. In fact, the name was in danger of disappearing altogether. This may be due to it being less visited, tucked away, and not as big. (I used a slow shutter speed to create the swirl in the pool.) Please note that this area is steep and dangerous and not to be attempted by the inexperienced. Finding some of the forgotten and named waterfalls later was in retrospect fortuitous. Some moments come together and can be quite rewarding. A satisfying flow. Perpendicular rock. Cool verdure. Waterfalls can also be quite peaceful, like watching a campfire. That is why it is beneficial to spend time at each waterfall watching it as it changes throughout the day. Babbling down its stony course. Cliffs towering above. Great gums towering. Sunlight striking on the treeferns. Exciting and risky scrambles. The falls, due to their difficulty of access, remained somewhat esoteric for some time. The spray of water. Noise of falling water. A grand experience. A giant colourful boulder perched on top, whereby the water sneaks through the tiny gap underneath. Adds to the charm and appeal of the setting. Literally a scenic gem. A great asset to our State. The name derived from an Indigenous word meaning by the sea. Some waterfalls need to have the right amount of flow rate to look at their finest. High streamflow caused by prolonged soaking rains. Standing at these locations is both an inspiration and privilege. Fanning as it progresses. Map reading and scanning is a further joy to develop allowing you to find these hidden treasures. Innumerable gullies. The lucid stream dimpling with smiles, then breaking into wreaths of creamy foam. A forest primeval dropping over some broad and shallow ledges. Glittering in the light. Darkening with a green gloom. Falling into a pretty basin. The area is steep and gorgeous but also highly dangerous. They are now called Galliebarinda, coming from an Aboriginal word meaning waterfall.