Mismatched Travel Diaries - Tasmania - Part 5 - The Peacocks of Cataract Gorge

danedebeau (50)in #travel • 6 years ago (edited)

Just outside of Launceston is a picturesque gem, tucked away behind cliffs and hills. Cataract Gorge is a great place to spend the afternoon wandering by the water. It is one of those places that makes you forget that a city is so close.

^{Click Image To Enlarge}

The first thing you notice when you arrive are the peacocks. They wander freely and they pretty much ignore you unless you get too close.

^{Click Image To Enlarge}

I actually only have two photos of the gorge itself because we arrived just after the sun had gone down behind the hills, and it was a little dark for landscapes, and I had also wasted the little light we had following the peacocks around.

^{Click Image To Enlarge}

Their feathers have a hypnotic effect, especially when you are staring them straight on.

^{Click Image To Enlarge}

This peacock is regal in the way it stands, with its plumage relaxed and lowered like a dress. Its chest puffed out slightly, standing perfectly still, except for its head as it scans the field presumably for food, or maybe to check I wasn't getting too close!

^{Click Image To Enlarge}

I don't think it cared about being the subject of a photoshoot. I guess it knew I would be gone soon enough.

^{Click Image To Enlarge}

So we kept wandering around the gorge, until it got too dark for us.

^{Click Image To Enlarge}

I enjoyed the bridge over the gorge itself, but meg took offense to the swaying... which I caused by jumping up and down in the middle in a rather immature fashion. Immature, but fun.